Buying Guides

Wacaco Nanopresso Review: Superb Coffee on the Go!

If you’re taking a camping trip but don’t want to sacrifice your daily espresso, the Wacaco Nanopresso is the ideal companion for your wilderness adventures. Read our review of this pocket-size portable espresso maker below to see whether it’s worth trying out!


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Spontaneous camping trips can be a challenge for coffee lovers who need their daily espresso shot, but there isn’t a machine available for miles.

However, the Wacaco Nanopresso was designed to solve this problem! This little espresso maker promises to deliver fantastic flavor with every pump, all in a pocket-sized package that slips easily into a briefcase or backpack.

I got my hands on this impressive device to test it out and put the extraction process through its paces. Is the Wacaco Nanopresso the answer to all your outdoor brewing problems? Read below to find out!

wacaco nanopresso review

Recommended: How to Make Coffee Without a Coffee Maker

What’s the Big Deal About Wacaco?

Wacaco is a startup company based out of Hong Kong and was founded by Hugo Cailleton in 2013. Hugo had one simple goal: decent espresso on the go.

Not only did he succeed in making a delicious shot of espresso, but he created a convenient, portable espresso machine with an aesthetic design. As a result, Wacaco now produces several portable espresso makers, pour-over coffee makers, and colorful vacuum-insulated mugs.

Why Choose the Wacaco Nanopresso?

Wacaco Nanopresso Review

Whether you travel a lot for work or just like an occasional camping trip, this lightweight plastic espresso maker delivers consistent flavor wherever you are.

It is perfectly pocket-sized and includes everything you need to make amazing espresso coffee – just add water and your coffee of choice, and you’re all set!

The Nanopresso will make single shots of espresso in a few minutes, with consistent pressure powered by your hands. Take it camping, on weekend business trips, or to your office. It’s quiet, compact, and easy to use.

Let’s take a closer look at this manual espresso maker.

Product Overview

FeaturesWacaco Nanopresso
Dimensions6.14" x 2.8" x 2.44"
Weight0.74 lbs
Water Capacity2.7 fl oz
Ground Capacity8 g
Max Pressure261 psi

Every Wacaco Nanopresso includes a built-in espresso cup, a filter basket, a coffee grounds scooper, and a brush. This scooper and cleaning brush fit right into the water chamber. Every part of the Nanopresso fits together into one handheld portable coffee maker.

Wacaco Nanopresso Review

When you’re in the espresso mood, simply remove the coffee scoop and brush from the water tank and fill it with boiling water.

Next, place eight grams of coffee grounds in the coffee filter, unlock the piston, and hand pump to achieve up to 18 bars of pressure.

After a few minutes of coffee extraction, you’ll have a cup of espresso with a layer of crema.

The Nanopresso also comes with two Wacaco stickers and a one-year warranty card (I registered my Nanopresso in less than a minute – it was that easy!).

Wacaco Nanopresso instruction book

Some Stand-Out Features of This Portable Espresso Machine

The Wacaco Nanopresso offers a variety of benefits and features that make it stand out from other espresso machines on the market. Let’s take a look at a few of these features below:

A Sleek, Compact Design

The ability to take this pocket-sized coffee pot with you wherever you go is a tremendous benefit. It’s only about the size of a soda can!

Not only is this espresso machine compact, but it’s also stylish. Wacaco designed this espresso maker with a sleek, modern look, ideal for our content-creating coffee lovers who love to snap pics of their drinks!

Wacaco Nanopresso Review

The Patented Pumping System

With a simple twist, the piston on the side of the Nanopresso unlocks for pumping.

Unlike the Wacaco Minipresso GR, which only reaches eight bars of pressure, the Nanopresso forces an impressive 18 bars of pressure against the espresso puck, and with only the power of your hands!

After the Nanopresso is locked and loaded, you pump several times to build atmospheric pressure in the chamber.

Next, pump about once per minute until the hot water has turned into liquid gold, and fill your cup of coffee with a tasty shot of crema espresso.

Coffee Basket and Scoop

Once again, Wacaco ensures that you have everything you need to make the perfect cup of coffee (but you’re providing your own beans); This miniature coffee basket holds eight grams of ground coffee.

Wacaco Nanopresso built-in espresso coffee cup

Of course, every coffee snob knows that espresso tastes best when tamped down tightly, as this allows the water to extract the most flavor from the beans.

Well, Wacaco thought of that, too, and designed the coffee scoop to double as a tamper, ensuring you get a strong, flavorful shot of espresso from this machine!

Easy To Clean

The only thing that ruins the best-tasting coffee is a mess to clean up afterward. Well, the Wacaco Nanopresso does not disappoint.

After you’re done drinking your delicious coffee, the whole machine comes apart easily and can be rinsed under cold water.

It took me only a few seconds to have it cleaned and dried. Some users recommend waiting a few minutes after extraction to let the puck dry out for easier removal.

Occasionally a deep cleaning might be necessary. In that case, all the components of the portafilter come apart easily.0

Wacaco Nanopresso coffee basket and scoop

Of course, every coffee snob knows that espresso tastes best when tamped down tightly, as this allows the water to extract the most flavor from the beans.

Well, Wacaco thought of that, too, and designed the coffee scoop to double as a tamper, ensuring you get a strong, flavorful shot of espresso from this machine!

Easy To Clean

The only thing that ruins the best-tasting coffee is a mess to clean up afterward. Well, the Wacaco Nanopresso does not disappoint.

After you’re done drinking your delicious coffee, the whole machine comes apart easily and can be rinsed under cold water.

It took me only a few seconds to have it cleaned and dried. Some users recommend waiting a few minutes after extraction to let the puck dry out for easier removal.

Occasionally a deep cleaning might be necessary. In that case, all the components of the portafilter come apart easily.

Downsides

I never like bringing up the negatives, but nothing is perfect. While the Wacaco Nanopresso makes a rich shot of espresso on the go, it has a couple of drawbacks:

It Takes a Lot of Pressure

This micromachine gets up to 18 bars of pressure, and you have to exert more force for each bar of pressure.

Though this new and improved Nanopresso requires considerably less force than the Wacaco Minipresso GR, it still gives you a workout.

Also, water can get stuck inside the chamber on occasion, causing the additional force to build up and make the pumping harder.

Because the pump builds up so much pressure, it can be hard to open the lid once you’re done. As a result, I find the portafilter will sometimes get stuck.

Heat Loss

I noticed that by the time I finished making my shot, the coffee temp had cooled off considerably, and drinking a lukewarm espresso shot was a little disappointing.

That being said, creating a shot likely takes less time with more practice, so the more you use it, the less your espresso will cool off.

Water Left in the Reservoir

This may be due to my lack of upper body strength when pumping, but the piston would sometimes run out of pressure, and I’d find water still in the water reservoir.

Of course, you want every drop of this caffeinated nectar in your cup.

Once again, if you speed up your brewing methods, you may avoid this issue altogether.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a completely portable espresso machine, the Wacaco Nanopresso is an excellent option. It’s light and small, so it fits easily into a backpack. Despite its small size, it delivers big, bold flavors and provides a perfect crema espresso shot.

Wacaco Nanopresso review

However, if you don’t like the hassle of manually pumping espresso yourself. I would recommend checking out the De’Longhi Espresso maker.

Further, if you’re looking for a cheaper coffee option, the Aeropress coffee maker is an economic choice. It’s as light and portable as the Nanopresso, but a true coffee aficionado may be disappointed with the flavor.

The bottom line – the Wacaco Nanopresso consistently delivers balanced flavor with little setup time, cleaning, and maintenance, and every rich coffee shot comes topped with an impressive crema.

Overall, if you’d like to try making your own espresso on your next camping weekend, give the Wacaco Nanopresso a try and enjoy a delicious cup of coffee!

Happy Caffeinating!

Wacaco Nanopresso Review: Superb Coffee on the Go!
wacaco nanopresso review 1

Explore the portable coffee world with our Wacaco Nanopresso review, unveiling its convenience and espresso-making prowess for coffee lovers on the go.

Product In-Stock: InStock

Editor's Rating:
4.5
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