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Wacaco Nanopresso Review

Incredible espresso with caramel crema on-the-go, but there are lots of little parts to keep track of and clean
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Wacaco Nanopresso Review
Credit: Dana Prosser
Price:  $70 List
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Manufacturer:   Wacaco
By Mary Witlacil ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Apr 29, 2020
69
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#5 of 15
  • Taste - 40% 9.0
  • Ease of Use - 25% 6.0
  • Group Cooking - 15% 4.0
  • Portability - 10% 8.0
  • Weight - 10% 4.0

Our Verdict

This innovative brewer presses delicious shots of espresso with caramel crema. Looks can be deceiving, as the Wacaco Nanopresso proved incredibly easy and straightforward to use and required minimal technical skill or experience to finesse. It delivered some of the best-tasting coffee of any of the brewers tested, but it is a bit cumbersome for most backcountry use due to the multitude of small parts. It's also challenging to clean without access to water. Despite the compact shape and ability to be stored in its stuff sack, this is also one of the heavier products in our review. Minor drawbacks aside, the Nanopresso impressed us all around.
REASONS TO BUY
Super tasty espresso with impressive crema
Compact
Fairly straightforward to use
REASONS TO AVOID
Spendy
Lots of little parts
Somewhat difficult to clean
Time-consuming to produce more than one shot of espresso

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Star Rating
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Bottom Line Expert-level espresso maker that requires minimal expertise, but comes with tons of tiny partsA cool and innovative pour over device that is compact, easy to clean, and delvers tasty coffee every timeGreat taste, easy to use, and lightweight - we love this plastic iteration of the classic glass and ceramic versionsDurable, light, and compact, this is a fantastic option for backpacking trips or any kind of light travelWhile this unique brewer has a bit of a learning curve, the final flavor is the best in our test suite
Rating Categories Wacaco Nanopresso MiiR Pourigami Hario V60 Plastic D... Primula Coffee Brew... AeroPress Coffee Maker
Taste (40%)
9.0
9.0
9.0
7.0
10.0
Ease of Use (25%)
6.0
7.0
7.0
9.0
7.0
Group Cooking (15%)
4.0
6.0
6.0
4.0
4.0
Portability (10%)
8.0
8.0
5.0
9.0
6.0
Weight (10%)
4.0
7.0
8.0
9.0
5.0
Specs Wacaco Nanopresso MiiR Pourigami Hario V60 Plastic D... Primula Coffee Brew... AeroPress Coffee Maker
Measured Weight Press alone: 11.02 oz
Press + cup + brush + scoop + bag: 12.35 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 Espresso pump/press Pour Over Pour Over Pour Over Pour Over/Press Hybrid
Main Material BPA-free plastic Stainless steel with Hardshell powder coat Hard plastic Nylon filter BPA-free polypropylene
Filter Needed Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Notable Features High powered espresso maker, compact, comes with stuff sack for storage 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

Our Analysis and Test Results

For diehard espresso fans, the backcountry has been synonymous with mediocre shots — until now. The Nanopresso stands out for having consistently produced some of the best-tasting espressos of any product in our review. Despite coming with a bevy of small parts that could easily be lost, the Nanopresso proves straightforward to use and requires minimal effort to pump fantastic shots with impressive crema. We were definitely impressed. While this gem of a coffee-maker doesn't walk away with any awards, the Nanopresso creates the possibility for gourmet flavor and top-notch crema while car-camping, living on the road, or traveling for work.

Performance Comparison


wacaco nanopresso - the nanopresso earned some of the highest honors in our head-to-head...
The Nanopresso earned some of the highest honors in our head-to-head blind taste-tests.
Credit: Dana Prosser

Brew Features


The Nanopresso features a patented pumping system that produces more power than most home espresso machines. This provides consistent pressure during the extraction process, resulting in a uniform espresso shot with a perfect layer of crema every time. The ergonomic design of the Nanopresso makes it fit easily in the palm of your hand, and the pump is easy to engage with one hand, though Wacaco does suggest using two hands. After adding coffee to the portafilter, you tamp it down with the provided scoop, add hot water, and pump. All told, it is fairly simple and fast to produce a single shot of espresso.

wacaco nanopresso - crema while camping?? you betcha!
Crema while camping?? You betcha!
Credit: Dana Prosser

Taste


The Nanopresso consistently produced some of the best tasting cups of coffee of any brewing device in our test suite. In blind taste tests, it frequently beat the most sophisticated brewers in our review, delivering rich, nuanced espresso with a balanced flavor and full-mouthfeel. It is also the only brewer we reviewed that can produce espresso with a dreamy layer of caramel crema. If you have been searching for a rad backcountry-friendly device to make expert-level espresso, you've found it.

wacaco nanopresso - the nanopresso consistently produced some of the best-tasting...
The Nanopresso consistently produced some of the best-tasting coffee, let alone espresso, of any of the products in our review.
Credit: Dana Prosser

Ease of Use


At first glance, the Nanopresso appears to be rather complicated to use, but looks can be deceiving. After our initial intimidation dwindled and we learned how each element worked, it proved fairly straightforward to use. While this brewer does not earn top marks here, this is mostly due to there being multiple tiny parts to keep an eye on and clean.

To make espresso, heat up some water in a pot or kettle, add finely ground coffee to the portafilter and tamp it down, add water to the chamber, rotate the pump knob, and pump your espresso into the provided cup. One thing to note is that you need something to scrape coffee grounds out of the portafilter, as it doesn't easily release the spent grounds. On the fly, you can wash your press with a dry rag, but Wacaco recommends thoroughly rinsing and drying your device on a regular basis.

wacaco nanopresso - the fully disassembled nanopresso. there are a number of small parts...
The fully disassembled Nanopresso. There are a number of small parts to mind, but once you learn how to use it all this device is easy to finesse and everything packs away neatly.
Credit: Dana Prosser

Group Cooking


While the Nanopresso makes a fantastic shot of espresso, it does take some time to recharge and reload the press for additional cups of coffee. For this reason, this model is not recommended for large groups.

wacaco nanopresso - filling the chamber with hot water is easy, no matter what pot...
Filling the chamber with hot water is easy, no matter what pot, kettle, or vessel you use for pouring water.
Credit: Dana Prosser

Portability


The Nanopresso is a self-contained unit that comes with its own storage bag. Barring weight, this feature alone makes it a highly portable option. That being said, given all the small parts that come with it, the Nano is not an ideal backpacking coffee-maker for most people. For hardcore espresso lovers, however, the weight and size will prove inconsequential for the luxury of truly brilliant espresso in the backcountry.

wacaco nanopresso - the nanopresso comes with a handy stuff sack for easy portability...
The Nanopresso comes with a handy stuff sack for easy portability. If you want espresso on-the-go this little dude is the jam.
Credit: Dana Prosser

Weight


The Nanopresso has a minimum weight of 11.02 ounces for just the press, but with the addition of the press, cup, brush, scoop, and bag, it weighs 12.35 ounces. For most mortals, this will prove too heavy for the long-haul, but for a true lover of espresso, the weight may be worth it to enjoy a rich shot of espresso in the backcountry.

wacaco nanopresso - doing a quick and dirty cleaning of the nanopresso is decently easy...
Doing a quick and dirty cleaning of the Nanopresso is decently easy with a JetBoil and a dry-rag.
Credit: Dana Prosser

Value


Sadly the folks at Wacaco are not just giving away the Nanopresso. As such, it is one of the more expensive brewers in our review. However, if what you crave is an espresso maker that can make unbeatable espresso in the backcountry or while traveling, then this little dude is worth every penny.

Conclusion


Our reviewers loved this espresso maker so much they nearly gave it an award. It is decently straightforward, a reasonable weight, fairly compact, and produces show-stopping espresso. What's not to love? If you don't mind sacrificing a small chunk of change, nor minding several small parts, the Wacaco Nanopresso is an unbeatable espresso-maker. Perfect for glamping, car camping, van-life, and travel for work. We won't even judge you for bringing it along on a backpacking trip; in fact, we might just do the same.

wacaco nanopresso - pressing espresso is as easy as pumping up a bike tire.
Pressing espresso is as easy as pumping up a bike tire.
Credit: Dana Prosser

Mary Witlacil