This portable hand-pump machine generates 18-bar pressure and pulls surprisingly good espresso shots.
I guess there really isn’t any excuse not to use it!
As with the other coffee makers in Wacacos lineup, its pitched primarily at outdoorsy types.
Essentially, its an espresso maker for hikers, campers and people on vacation.
The Nanopresso works in a similar way to the Wacaco Picopresso.
Im happy to say that, after a fair bit of fettling, it performed really rather well.
So, is this one of thebest coffee makersfor you?
Find out in my full Wacaco Nanopresso review.
Ostensibly, this is a super cheap way to get espresso, either at home or on the go.
That isnt quite the full picture though.
Thats not bad if you ask me.
The Nanopresso can also be used for pods!
TheRed Tattoo Junglevariant is my favorite, but at the time of writing its sold out sad.
Goofy styling aside, its constructed from premium-looking plastic and feels sturdy.
It definitely feels a little cheaper than the part-metal Picopresso, though.
It wont be much trouble in a hiking backpack.
The Nanopresso features a hot water tank, but cannot heat water.
You will need to bring a water heating method with you to make espresso.
Wacaco Nanopresso review: Espresso
The Nanopresso functions in the same way as the Picopresso.
So, this little machineshould becapable of making the good stuff.
Essentially, this allows you to use coarser grinds and still achieve espresso-like drinks.
I conducted a couple of tests with the pressurized head and courser ground coffee.
There was plenty of crema, as you’ll usually find from pressurized baskets/heads.
Plastic basket
The Nanopresso uses plastic baskets, although they’re essentially reverse baskets.
The holed underside of the plastic baskets are essentially the shower head.
By contrast, the Wacaco Picopresso uses a traditional metal basket, which is much better.
The Nanopresso’s plastic baskets are easy to get the tamp stuck inside of, which is super annoying.
You’ll also want to use the 16g basket of the Barista kit for optimal results.
The result being watery drinks.
In those cases, upping the dose to 18g worked a treat.
Espresso results
I took the Nanopresso on a vacation with my partner and four of our friends.
Two of those friends drink espresso, and one is an ex-barista.
So, double the espresso versus the weight of grounds I put in.
This is a typical double espresso ratio.
After pulling a fair few test shots to dial in my grind, I eventually started to achieve results.
They were rich and dark, with a balance of roasted, chocolatey flavors and sourer top notes.
And not bad espresso either.
There’s no doubt that the Wacaco Picopresso produces a much better drink and genuinely good espresso.
Scalding
Ah, scalding.
The quintessential Wacaco issue, as we’ve learned from testing all their products now.
The Nanopresso is liable to cause burns if you don’t use it carefully.
This time, the water tank isn’t to blame.
However, opening the coffee chamber to remove the basket and grounds did prove dangerous in testing.
It’ll slot easily into a bag when travelling, as mentioned above.
But that’s a fairly minor complaint.
There’s a lot, and it doesn’t all fit in the pouch that comes with the Nanopresso.
Cleaning is very easy: simply rinse the components under running water when done.
If you live in a hard water area, I would advise pumping through some descaler regularly.
Wacaco Nanopresso review: How does it compare?
For espresso purists, I would definitely recommend the Picopresso.
It’s metal basket, and therefore better sealed coffee chamber, means no grounds in your drink.
With that in mind, I think the Nanopresso is a decent-enough alternative.
Where the Nanopresso really shines is versatility.
Wacaco Nanopresso review: Verdict
The Wacaco Nanopresso is a solid little hand-powered espresso machine.
These make it an especially good tool for travelling coffee fans.
