The Handpresso marries a bicycle pump with an espresso machine. You pump it up to 16 bars, pop in an espresso pod (ick -- I hate those things), add hot water and hit the release and the water is driven through the ground to make an instant espresso at a picnic, on the road, or wherever (assuming you carry around a thermos full of hot water). Runs about €100, which is the cost of a mid-range home machine -- but I suspect you wouldn't want to replace the kitchen machine with this.
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Well, it's not steam pressure. I suppose useful for camping, assuming you have a fire to boil water. But I still say a french press is better for camping or home coffee making in general.
It's interesting to look at and could be fun to use, but based on the available descriptions at least, it's no Aeropress. I bought one of those based on Mark's video demonstration, and it's awesome. I can grind my own bean, make a nice double-shot, clean and store the gear, and get on with enjoying my coffee in about 3 minutes total. No pods!
I think I'll stick with my bit larger but much cheaper Aeropress* instead. Filters can be re-used ad infinitum, as far as we can tell, and no coffee "pods" required.
What is a coffee "pod" and does the Aeropress make espresso, and if so, does it create a crema?
Rant:
16bars makes AWFUL espresso.
A normal or lungo should be pulled @ 9-10bars
A ristretto is @ 10-11 bars.
16bars is the spec for MFG pump rating , so you don't burn out the motor. every commercial/semi espresso machine has the overflow routinely calibrated somewhere around 10bars
I'm sick of people promoting the 'virtues' of 16 bars. someone at a department store tried to tell me how their Nespresso machine was amazing because it had 16 bars - and many commercial machines only go to 14. in response I asked her if it superheats the water to 300° to burn the coffee too.
end rant.
And how many of us run food-grade lubricant in our bike pumps? I think I'll pass on this.
[I assume the compressed air is bearing down directly on the water reservoir. If there is an isolating diaphragm or piston I might reconsider.]
The "pod" thing here is the killer for me. I could pack my Aeropress in probably about the same amount of space and get better tasting coffee, even though the Aeropress doesn't pressurize all that well...
Plus it's a LOT cheaper.
Get rid of the pods and I'll think about it...
€100 is not the cost of a "mid-range home machine". I hightly doubt usable machines already start at that price tag.
um, 16 bar = 232 psi (pounds per square inch)
very few bicycle pumps can go that high, though I believe the Campbell Hausfeld 12 Volt Inflator (cigarette lighter plug) goes over 200 psi.
And I do worry about pump lubricant in the compressed air.
who would waste their money buying something like intelligentsia blackcat ese pods (best espresso beans I have ever encountered) when you can grind the coffee very easily yourself and use a frenchpress or areopress?
I've been beaten to the punch on both 16 bars = too much pressure for any kind of decent espresso, and espresso pods = bad coffee.
So... you're all correct, and this is a terrible idea!!
Comparing French press coffee to espresso is like comparing Cabernet to Scotch. They are both excellent when done right, but each has its own distinct role.
Preva Cafe makes a much cheaper hand pump espresso maker - the Preva xSport(now about $30 - formerly $50). It works with pods or real coffee. The crema on top is basically foam but it makes a tasty espresso at a campsite, in a hotel room or during a blackout if you use good coffee beans. It's a bit fussy/messy to make shots for a big group but it works fine for one or two shots at a time.
link at http://www.prevacafe.com
I like my enamel pot for making coffee. Yeah yeah I know I'm a heathen.
What sort of temperature do the coffee experts suggest for making espresso? I've got the message about pressure I think ;)
It's got me thinking. I've got an old bike tyre somewhere. I feel a hack coming on.
Oh yeah final question for the experts:
Am I right in thinking I have to 'unleash' the pressure through the coffee, rather than just pumping away with a bike pump to force water through? TIA
crsbarn @ #13 "the Preva xSport"
I really really leery of plastic food devices and high temperatures because the temperature helps leach out stuff like Bisphenol A.
It's a shock pump. Good for High pressures, but EXTREMELY low volumes.
My guess. Fill the chamber with the pump. Add the grinds.
Then press the black button - This is the bleed button on most shock pumps.
The pressure drops, and fast. That's probably why it needs to go to 16bar.
I want one that takes a blank cartridge (9mm would be plenty) and uses the confined explosion pressure.
The Glock Coffee Maker.
In contrast to everyone else here I have actually used the machine (it was a christmas present)... And I have to say I love it. It makes a pretty decent shot of espresso!
I disapprove of pods in general and it's clearly suboptimal that you pump it up to 16bar with the pressure dropping to 0 bar over the course of drawing one shot BUT after all the coffee that comes out is pretty damn good. It has replaced my Bialetti Moka Express in the mornings and my Starbucks trip in the afternoon (yep I do carry the handpresso machine into work).
It's clearly an expensive toy, but one that does make an astonishingly good coffee (and made me discover new coffee brands thanks to sampling various pods). The quality of the resulting coffee depends crucially on hot the water is though (you better be quick from the kettle to the machine and pre-heat the water reservoir (and the cup of course) for best results). So it's unlikely to make the same quality of coffee in the wild with 90C thermos water. (But then out in the wild anything will taste great!)