REASONS TO BUY
Great flavor with minimal muddiness
Easy to use
Very portable
REASONS TO AVOID
Difficult to clean
Relatively heavy
ESPRO Ultralight Travel Press Review
A double-walled stainless steel travel press with an innovative double filter to reduce muddiness
Credit: ESPRO
RELATED: Best Camping Coffee Maker of 2024
Our Verdict
The ESPRO Ultralight is a durable double-walled stainless steel travel mug with double interlocking micro-filters. Of all the french presses we've reviewed, this one consistently produced the most delicious coffee with the least amount of muddiness or residue. While it is easy to make coffee in this device, it isn't easy to clean; and while it is quite portable, it still isn't the lightest weight option in the review. Bottom line — it isn't a unicorn product that checks every coffee fiend's boxes, but it is a solid and versatile travel press that will keep you caffeinated for years to come.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
ESPRO Ultralight Travel Press | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Overall Camping Coffee Maker |  Best Bang for Your Buck | A Great Deal for Backpacking |  Best for Gourmet Taste | |
| Price | $50 List $39.95 at Amazon | $30 List $29.95 at Amazon | $10.00 List $11.95 at Amazon | $13.00 List $10.27 at Amazon | $40 List $29.04 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | A durable mug and French press combo that brews less muddy coffee than most and keeps your coffee hot for hours | A cool and innovative pour over device that is compact, easy to clean, and delvers tasty coffee every time | Great taste, easy to use, and lightweight - we love this plastic iteration of the classic glass and ceramic versions | Durable, light, and compact, this is a fantastic option for backpacking trips or any kind of light travel | While this unique brewer has a bit of a learning curve, the final flavor is the best in our test suite |
| Rating Categories | ESPRO Ultralight Tr... | MiiR Pourigami | Hario V60 Plastic D... | Primula Coffee Brew... | AeroPress Coffee Maker |
| Taste (40%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (25%) | |||||
| Group Cooking (15%) | |||||
| Portability (10%) | |||||
| Weight (10%) | |||||
| Specs | ESPRO Ultralight Tr... | MiiR Pourigami | Hario V60 Plastic D... | Primula Coffee Brew... | AeroPress Coffee Maker |
| Measured Weight | 10 oz | Dripper alone: 4.89 oz Dripper + case: 5.52 oz |
Dripper alone: 2.95 oz Dripper + scoop: 3.37 oz |
1.1 oz | Press alone: 7.98 oz Press + spoon + stirrer: 9.39 oz |
| Brew Type | French Press | Pour Over | Pour Over | Pour Over | Pour Over/Press Hybrid |
| Main Material | Stainless Steel | Stainless steel with Hardshell powder coat | Hard plastic | Nylon filter | BPA-free polypropylene |
| Filter Needed | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Notable Features | Double-walled, vaccuum-insulated stainless steel mug, with a double micro filter press | Easy to clean, collapsible pour over with slim carrying case | Cone shape, large hole, ribs along side | Rests on any mug | Easy to clean, re-usable filter |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
The ESPRO Ultralight is the lighter-weight version of the original ESPRO. While still not technically “ultralight” at 10 ounces (this probably won't be your pick for your next thru-hike), it's still a clean and compact all-in-one brewer/mug that will easily get a lot of use whether you're car camping or commuting to work.
Performance Comparison
The ESPRO Ultralight is a decently lightweight and durable travel French press with an innovative double filter to eliminate muddiness.
Credit: Jared Ross
Brew Features
The ESPRO Ultralight Travel Press features a double-walled, vacuum-insulated stainless steel mug to keep your coffee hot for hours. The press has two interlocking micro-filters that keep muddiness and residue to a minimum, and a silicone gasket creates a vacuum seal in the mug to ensure extraction will stop once you press. If you want to filter out even more residue, you can add an additional paper filter. It can be used as a French press or a pour-over, and you can even use it with loose-leaf tea. This is ESPRO's ultralight model, and at 10 ounces, it proves a worthy device for travel, car camping, or even a luxury backpacking option.
You can use a paper filter in between the interlocking microfilters on the ESPRO to eliminate any French press muddiness. And the silicone gasket around the outside of the filter stops extraction completely when you press your coffee.
Credit: Jared Ross
Taste
In our blind taste-test, the ESPRO Ultralight did remarkably well, especially for a French press. One of our taste-testers doesn't like French press coffee, and even they were impressed by how little muddiness got into a cup of coffee made with this press. We were impressed by the lack of bitterness and balanced flavor produced by this device.
In taste tests, the ESPRO Ultralight consistently out-performed most other French presses in our review.
Credit: Jared Ross
Ease of Use
The ESPRO Ultralight performed well in this metric. Few methods of making coffee are as straightforward as using a French press. This press also has the added benefit of doubling as a travel mug. After you press your grounds, you can just start drinking; no extra cup is needed. That said, this press has the added step of joining — and then cleaning — the two microfilters. It's also more involved to remove the grinds and wash out the skinny vessel than clean a simple pour-over device.
While the ESPRO Ultralight proved difficult to clean without running water, it is shamelessly easy to use for making delicious coffee. Simply add your grounds, pour hot water, give it some time to steep, press your coffee and voila - you're done.
Credit: Jared Ross
Group Cooking
The ESPRO Ultralight isn't really designed to make coffee for a big crew, and given the difficulty with cleaning this device, it earned below-average marks in this category.
The ESPRO Ultralight makes 12oz per press, so it isn't ideal for large groups, a fact compounded by the fact that it is rather difficult to clean without running water.
Credit: Jared Ross
Portability
We love how portable the ESPRO Ultralight is. It is lightweight for a travel mug and press combo and is as slim as a baguette. If you're looking for a decent option for travel, car camping, or even quick backpacking trips — you'll be impressed with how little space it requires.
The ESPRO Ultralight is rather trim and decently lightweight, perfectly portable for a travel French press.
Credit: Jared Ross
Weight
At 10 ounces, the ESPRO Ultralight isn't truly ultralight, but it is light enough for car camping, less demanding backpacking trips, and travel. Remember that this weight is all-inclusive — you can sip directly from the mug/press without needing to bring a separate drinking vessel.
The ESPRO Ultralight isn't the lightest model in our review, but for car camping, this mug/press combo is unlikely to weigh you down.
Credit: Mary Witlacil
Value
The ESPRO Ultralight counts among the more expensive options in our review. However, it is a well-conceived press that eliminates most muddiness and finishes extraction when you press it. If you love the simplicity of a French press but could do without a muddy mouthfeel, and you want a versatile mug that can make coffee as well as tea — then this device could be a great value for you. Additionally, most “ultralight” products lack durability, but this mug should last a long time with its stainless steel construction.
Conclusion
The ESPRO Ultralight Travel Press is a solid travel French press with an innovative double micro-filter that reduces muddiness and stops extraction when you press it. You can even add supplemental paper filters to clean up your brew even more. If you crave a mug that will keep your coffee hot for hours, and a press that can also handle loose leaf tea, then this just might be a match for you.
Durable, innovative, fairly compact, and easy to use - the ESPRO Ultralight is a fantastic travel French press for folks who prefer the simplicity of a press without the grit.
Credit: Jared Ross
—
Mary Witlacil
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