Being guaranteed a great coffee, no matter where you are, is a glorious thing. Finding the best portable espresso machine means perfect coffee everywhere. No more rolling the dice based on vibes when it comes to your caffeination. We travel a lot, and drink coffee a lot, so we decided to try some out.
Top of that list, without a doubt, is the Wacaco Picopresso – it’s by far the best portable espresso maker currently available. Tiny, lightweight, with a max dose of 18g for pulling quality double espressos. Honestly, it’s so good it could even replace your home espresso machine.
While the Picopresso might not be for everyone, we’re confident one of these 8 incredible options will be. After years in the coffee industry, I’ve put each option through its paces. Read on as I break down all the best devices for espresso on the go, who they’re best for, and their pros and cons. We’ve also included some that make *almost* espresso in case you need more flexibility.
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Best Overall – Wacaco Picopresso

Espresso Quality: 4/5
Ease of Use: 4/5
Portability: 5/5
Value for Money: 5/5
Or read our full review
Best for Milk Drinks – Staresso

Espresso Quality: 4/5
Ease of Use: 4/5
Portability: 5/5
Value for Money: 4/5
Or read our full review
Best for Purists – Flair Classic

Espresso Quality: 5/5
Ease of Use: 2/5
Portability: 3/5
Value for Money: 3/5
Or read our full review
1. Wacaco Picopresso – Our Top Pick
Pros
- Can pull superb espresso
- 18g dose
- 52mm portafilter
- Good, consistent pressure
- Weighs 0.7lb (350g)
- Only 4 inches tall
- Quality accessories including travel case
- Durable
Cons
- Takes practice
- Need to manually pump to build pressure
- Coffee spoon and distribution tool aren’t great
Wacaco is making waves with their devices and has improved the already excellent Nanopresso (it’s next on our list!) to make the Picopresso. And it’s hands down the best portable espresso machine currently on the market.
It’s absolutely tiny at just over 4 inches tall but has everything you need to pull an excellent espresso shot. The upgraded 52mm professional filter basket has a max dose of 18g, allowing you to pull full-bodied single or double espresso shots.
It will take time, practice, precision, and a good quality grinder to get the best from it though. Not for the casual coffee.
For espresso lovers, or people who are happy to put in the work, it’s comfortably the best option available.
Read next: Wacaco Picopresso Review
2. Wacaco Nanopresso – Runner Up
Pros
- Easy to use and clean
- Not expensive
- 18 bar pressure
- Weighs just 0.74lb (336g)
- Built-in espresso cup
- Carry bag included (hard case available separately)
- Ground coffee or pods (with adapter)
Cons
- Need to pay attention
- Difficult to clean whilst traveling
- Time-consuming to pull multiple shots
Before the Picopresso arrived, the Wacaco Nanopresso was our go-to. It’s the bigger sibling to the Minipresso and better in every way:
It looks great, it’s small, it’s light, it’s easy to use and it makes great espresso. So it’s pretty much the whole package for your on-the-go coffee needs! It’s also a lot more forgiving, making it better than the Picopresso if you’re new to pulling espresso shots.
What I particularly love is that this handheld espresso maker works on a modular system. This means you can have the basic model on its own or buy add-ons to make your coffee your way. You can get:
- Barista Kit to pull double shots (it has a bigger filter basket and water tank). I like this for group camping trips to minimize the number of times I need to manually build pressure.
- To use coffee pods instead of ground coffee, you can buy the NS-Adapter for Nespresso pods or DG Kit for Dolce Gusto pods.
The Nanopresso really excels with the pod coffee adapters. So if you’re a Nespresso user at home, you can take them with you on the road too.
Read next: Wacaco Nanopresso Review
3. Flair Classic – Best for Espresso Enthusiasts
Pros
- Barista quality espresso
- Gives you complete control
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Durable travel case
- Looks great
Cons
- Not the smallest portable espresso machine
- Not ideal for pulling multiple shots
- Needs a full espresso setup
- Steep learning curve
- Need strength
- Pressure gauge not included
Flair manual espresso machines are beloved by those who adore their espresso. They’re perfect if you want to control every detail of the espresso-making process.
The Flair Classic isn’t quite the baby of the range, but it’s close. And whilst the lever design is simple, it’s deceptively hard to use.
So, it’s more suited to people who have the time (and desire) to perfect their espresso-making at home or on the go. Those looking for simplicity should keep looking.
Be prepared to pull (at least) a few bad shots in the beginning. You’re in the driving seat on all the parameters from dose to temperature to pre-infusion to pressure to duration.
You’ll also need a full setup including a quality burr grinder (we use our 1Zpresso J Ultra), gooseneck kettle, WDT tool, and coffee scale. So the costs (and space) soon add up. Buying the optional pressure kit for the Flair will make life a lot easier too.
As a bonus, it looks really cool. This helps as it’s not the most portable espresso maker, so you may want to leave it on display at home.
If you do want to travel with it, the Flair Classic packs flat into a durable hard carry case.
Read next: Flair Classic Review
4. Cafflano Kompresso
Pros
- Lightweight (0.4 lb)
- Durable for life on the road
- Can make hot or cold espresso
- Espresso quality comparable to more expensive machines
- Affordable
Cons
- Small (max 2.4oz water)
- Takes practice
- Slow – 8 minutes per shot
- Feels cheap
- Tamper isn’t great
This espresso maker is the brainchild of Korean coffee lover, Hansang Yoon. He was sick of paying too much for his morning caffeine fix. But also didn’t want to splash out for a big, complex machine.
So, instead, he designed one of the best espresso machines under $100 – the Cafflano Kompresso.
It offers a similar level of control to other manual machines in a compact, easy-to-use package.
The narrow chamber helps to build and maintain high pressure. We actually found it easier to consistently generate enough pressure than Wacaco’s manual pump machines.
If you’re a coffee nerd who enjoys perfecting all the elements of your process then this is a fantastic budget-friendly portable espresso maker.
However, if you’re just looking for a quick espresso before work or a simple solution for camping, then it’s not ideal. It can take 8 minutes to brew your espresso and many things can go wrong in that time.
Read next: Our full Cafflano Kompress Review
5. Staresso Classic – Best Portable Option for Cappuccino or Latte
Pros
- Excellent build quality
- Simple to use and clean
- Good value for money
- Use grounds or coffee capsules
- Can froth milk
- Includes a drinking glass
- Consistent extraction
Cons
- Tamper is way too small
- Not great at frothing milk
- Noisy
- The pump can become difficult to use over time
When it comes to the best portable espresso makers, Staresso is kind of a big deal. But, what they offer is more than just portability:
The Staresso stands out from the crowd for two reasons:
- Not only can you take your espresso on the road, but this is also a portable latte maker. So you can pull espresso AND froth milk, all in an easy-to-use device.
- You can use either ground coffee or coffee capsules.
This makes the Staresso a rare find with its dual-purpose role. So, if you’re someone who enjoys a milky drink like a flat white or cappuccino, then this will be right up your street.
The fact that it’s incredibly simple to use and clean is a big plus point too.
However, unless you’re specifically looking for the milk frothing feature, then you can get better quality espresso from the other portable espresso machines we tested. Although the directly comparable options like the Wacaco Nanopresso and Cafflano Kompresso are also slightly more expensive.
Read next: In-depth Staresso Review
6. Conqueco Portable Espresso Maker – Only Option That Heats Water
Pros
- Battery powered & rechargeable
- Can use whilst plugged into car
- Can heat water
- Very easy to use
- Self-cleaning
Cons
- Very slow (8-10 minutes)
- Heavy
- Can only use Nespresso pods
- Travel case isn’t great
The Conqueco stands out for one important reason: it’s 1 of only 2 portable espresso makers on this list that can heat water. But the company is better known for selling heated clothing. So I have to admit, I wasn’t instantly sold on this device.
However, we recently took a road trip and there was one in our rental van giving us the perfect opportunity to take it for a spin.
It has a built-in rechargeable lithium battery (via car or regular outlet). Per charge, you can make 3-4 cups but you can use it whilst plugged into your car (not wall) to save battery.
The downside is that heating water takes a LOT of battery power.
When using cold water, it took us over 10 minutes to get one espresso (1.4oz). But when we separately pre-heated the water, it only took 5 seconds!
It also only works with Nespresso pods so your coffee quality is limited.
That said, I like that everything screws together (including the cup), you turn it on and everything is done for you. So there’s no manual pumping. Your coffee simply dispenses, mess-free, into the included cup – but you need to keep it upright (I found the van’s cup holders best for this).
Having a battery does make it heavy so I wouldn’t take it on a long hike. But it’s nice to come back knowing I can easily make an espresso.
7. Outin Nano Portable Espresso Machine
Pros
- Battery powered & rechargeable
- Heats water pretty quickly
- Available in a range of colors
- Uses ground coffee or pods
- Lightweight for an electric portable espresso maker
Cons
- Recharging is slow
- Battery drains quickly
- Fiddly to use
Outin is relatively new to the portable espresso making game – the Nano model launched in January 2023. For a long time, we were skeptical of all battery-powered coffee makers as they usually brew poor-quality coffee that’s weak, burnt, or both. However, after receiving non-stop sponsored ads, we decided to give it a try.
It’s a great contender in a busy marketplace as it can heat water (much faster than the Conqueco.)
Plus it can use ground coffee or Nespresso pods, and make hot or cold espresso shots. So you have a lot more flexibility.
When brewing with cold water, Outin claims it will take 3 minutes to heat. But we found it was usually closer to 4 minutes. Plus another 30 seconds to brew the coffee.
If you use pre-heated water, it will only take 30 seconds and save on battery too – we only managed to get 3 shots per charge when heating the water.
For us, the biggest drawback was that it takes 45 minutes to recharge (in-car battery or USB-C cable). Which is a long time for just 3 espressos.
We also found it a little fiddly to use. You have to press the button for 2 seconds to start the brewing process. But if you hold the button for too long (5 seconds), it will switch to cold brew.
The espresso quality isn’t the best in the world. But it’s pretty impressive for a battery espresso maker, especially given the price.
8. Handpresso Wild Hybrid
Pros
- Simple to use – low-tech and reliable
- Easy to clean
- Well made to withstand the occasional knock or bang
- Produces surprisingly high-quality espresso
- Can use E.S.E. pods or ground coffee
Cons
- Difficult to buy outside of Europe
- Can’t pull commercial quality espresso shots
- Smaller than average espresso
- Can’t vary the strength so it can end up fairly weak
I was lucky enough to try out my sister’s Handpresso on a recent trip to visit her in Europe. And I really rate this compact device. But I can’t feature it higher on this list as it’s insanely hard to get hold of outside of Europe.
If you can get your hands on it though, you’ll have an insanely compact and easy-to-use mini espresso maker. Plus you get the flexibility to use both E.S.E. pods or ground coffee.
When I say it’s simple to use, I really mean it. It’s about as complex as using a bicycle pump.
This is the ideal espresso machine for anyone who has limited space in their backpack or purse but doesn’t want to sacrifice flavor.
The Handpresso Wild Hybrid reliably makes good (not great) espresso with minimal fuss. In terms of pure coffee quality for the price, we prefer the Wacaco Nanopresso. But it excels in ease of use and cleaning, making it a strong alternative.
Read next: Handpresso Wild Hybrid Review
There are plenty of great options out there but there are also some pretty bad ones. And even more that have been left behind as the market has improved so much in such a short amount of time. To help you narrow down what you’re after, ask yourself the following questions:
- How heavy is it?: Think about your lifestyle. Are you a digital nomad always on the move or more of a weekend camper? If you’re trekking through the wilderness, an ultra-lightweight option like the Cafflano Kompresso will suit you better. For everyday adventures, the Picopresso or Nanopresso will give you better quality without weighing you down. And if you’re traveling in your camper van, the weight won’t matter so much.
- Ground coffee or pods?: Do you prefer ground coffee, ESE pods, or Nespresso pods? Some devices are versatile while others can only take one type of coffee. If you’re camping, ESE and Nespresso pods are a breeze for cleanup, but the quality will never be as good as freshly ground coffee.
- Is there a warranty?: Nobody wants their espresso maker to call it quits mid-adventure. Check for warranty coverage; it’s like having a safety net. Most come with at least a year, but if you’re serious about longevity, opt for the Flair Classic which comes with a generous 3-year warranty.
- How will you heat the water?: Almost all portable espresso makers need an external heat source – a stovetop, campfire, or a pre-filled thermos. If that’s too much prep or extra things to pack, look at one of the battery-operated options like the Outin or Conqueco instead.
- How much money are you willing to spend? There are options on this list from $40 to over $300 so set your budget and stick to it. It’s also worth remembering that you might need to a full setup to get the best results, so leave some room in your budget for other items like a hand grinder or thermos to transport hot water.



These 4 alternative options don’t make “true” espresso as they don’t generate enough pressure. But they’re pretty darn close, are super easy to pack, and produce such great results that we know many espresso lovers are willing to make that compromise. So here’s how we think they measure up:
1. AeroPress
Pros
- Easy to use and clean
- Great flavor
- Brews multiple styles of coffee including cold brew
- High-quality parts
- Cheap
- Tough and resilient
- Fast
- Supportive community of users
Cons
- Best for single users
- Needs paper filters
- Low water pressure so limited crema
- Steep learning curve
AeroPress is one of the biggest names in the portable coffee-making game and is often considered an espresso maker. But it doesn’t quite qualify as it doesn’t generate enough pressure for espresso.
If you’re willing to compromise though, you’ll be joining a club of thousands of die-hard AeroPress fans.
It’s pitched as a 3-in-1 coffee maker as it combines immersion, aeration, and pressure to brew a unique and versatile style of coffee. This freedom is what makes us love the AeroPress so much. The fact that it’s insanely cheap helps too.
More freedom also means more room for error. So it will take a little bit of trial and error until you find a method that’s right for you.
Once you do, the quality of black coffee brewed is exceptional. You’ll stop caring that it’s not espresso!
To get truly exceptional quality, I recommend getting a quality manual grinder. Plus you’ll need to keep a stock of paper filters. But then, with the price of the Aeropress being so low, this will hardly break the bank.
Read next: Our full AeroPress coffee maker review
2. Bellman CX25P Espresso & Steamer
Pros
- Can make up to 9 cups
- Simple to use
- Makes coffee pretty close to true espresso
- Steam wand for milk frothing
- Can be used on any stove or even a camp fire
Cons
- Quite expensive
- Pressure gauge
- Coffee can spurt out at high pressure
- Needs a heat source, can’t work with a thermos
This is an interesting little coffee maker that falls somewhere between a stovetop Moka pot and an espresso maker. It also has a pressure gauge and you can use it to foam milk, making the Bellman CC25P pretty special.
It works like a Moka pot in that water is heated below the grounds and then pushed through them. The difference is you get to choose when that happens. It also generates a lot more pressure though still not enough for espresso.
There’s a handy gauge to keep an eye on the pressure – when the needle is in the green zone, you open the valve.
When making a couple of coffees, we prefer the results in the middle of the green rather than the start. However, if you’re making up to the maximum of 9 demitasses (small cups), open it as soon as it reaches the green area.
You can also use the residual pressure to foam milk. I was impressed with the results – you can get a pretty good microfoam. We even succeeded in some (admittedly not great) latte art.
The downside is the price:
This little pot of pressurized magic is far more expensive than any of the other options. So how much do you want that steamed milk?
3. Bialetti Moka Express
Pros
- Very good coffee
- Built to last, great for travel
- No electricity needed
- Easy to clean
- Budget-friendly
- Available in fun colors and different sizes
- Two-year warranty
Cons
- If used incorrectly, can leave aluminum residue
- Not dishwasher safe
- High maintenance
- Long brew time
- Takes practice to master
The Bialetti Moka Express is an absolute icon of the coffee world. And it’s perfect if you’re after Italian espresso.
Not only does it look iconic, but it’s built to last and will withstand several knocks and bumps. I know people who’ve been using theirs daily for over 20 years without issue.
It’s easy to use and transport (as long as you have a stove of some sort), making it the perfect portable espresso maker for camping in an RV or for taking to the office.
Being all one unit, it will heat the water whilst making your coffee.
The only real downside is that it will only make one style of coffee. It falls in that halfway house between true espresso and drip filter with some texture that not everyone loves.
So, if that isn’t what you like to drink then this isn’t the coffee maker for you. If it is, then it’s very hard to argue against this top-quality Moka coffee pot.
Read next: In-depth Bialetti Moka Expresso review
4. De’Longhi EMK6
Pros
- Less than 5 minutes to brew 6 cups
- Same great taste as the stovetop version
- Considerably safer
- Automatic shut-off when coffee is ready
- Quiet
Cons
- Transparent plastic upper chamber looks cheap
- Not ideal for big groups
- Needs electricity
The DeLonghi EMK6 (also called the Alicia) offers a slightly different take on what it means to be a “portable coffee maker”:
Unlike the others, it doesn’t require an external heat source. But it does need to be plugged into a power source.
So it’s best suited to RV users or those who want something to plug into a hotel room/ Airbnb.
The EMK6 is another Moka pot, but this time it’s an easy-to-use electric version. So, it also makes “Italian espresso” but way easier than a traditional stovetop version.
It’s also much safer than a regular Moka pot as there’s no risk of an explosion. Plus, there’s a “keep warm” function which is a nice touch.
And the cherry on top? It’s pretty cheap.
The only thing we don’t like is that De’Longhi has removed the stainless steel top chamber in favor of plastic which looks cheap. But we do enjoy watching in anticipation as our coffee bubbles away.
Read next: Detailed DeLonghi EMK6 (Alicia) Review
Not all cups of coffee are created equal: All espresso is coffee. But not all coffee is espresso.
It’s all to do with the specific brewing method. So it’s important to know what type of coffee you’re after when you are shopping around.
Specifically, espresso is just one style of coffee – it’s a highly concentrated shot of caffeine. To make, hot water is forced through freshly ground coffee at high pressure (a minimum of 9 bar).
So, espresso makers need to exert pressure. Coffee makers do not.
The result is a stronger, more intense flavored drink. It’s also pretty versatile with a huge number of espresso-based drinks out there.
In addition to being armed with one of the best portable espresso makers, there are a couple of other things you might want to consider buying:
Firstly, experiment with your coffee beans – there are so many options out there that you’re spoiled for choice (for a good place to start, check out our recommended espresso beans). Starting with the best possible beans will give you the best possible espresso.
Secondly, unless you want to use pods, I recommend investing in a grinder. Pre-ground coffee goes ‘off’ incredibly quickly so freshly grinding means you get the most flavor out of your beans. Yes, it’s another thing to carry but I think it’s 100% worth it.
If you want to get serious, you should also consider getting an accurate coffee scale, quality tamper, and a WDT distribution tool. More things to carry but infinitely better-tasting coffee.
A portable espresso machine can only make espresso or espresso variations like ristretto or lungo.
You can mix up your espresso drinks by adding hot water to make an Americano. Or, if you prefer milky drinks like cappuccino or latte, you can opt for the Staresso. Or you could get a portable milk frother instead.
But if you prefer other styles of coffee like pour over, then the options from this list won’t get you what you’re after.
So, what is the best portable espresso machine to pack in your bag?
For us, it has to be the Wacaco Picopresso.
When you spend your life on the road, it’s hard to beat. The high level of pressure in the hand-pumped device gives you the flexibility to have great espresso no matter where life takes you.
But any of the options on this list will set you up with a great cup of coffee that’s much better than so many hotels or service stations.
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