BUDGET GAME CHANGER?: Wacaco Picopresso Giga Chad 

Make sure to hit that like to show some appreciation! All engagement helps loads. Even those poop heads who seem to have notifications turned on just to immediately dislike my video. You may think you're harming the performance, but they help, too. So thanks, my loyal trolls. I appreciate you letting me live rent free in your head ;) kisses

Very clever and well thought out. Seems like it would be cool for tent camping, however 200 clams for the upgraded baskets seems pretty steep to me.

Like the neo-western music selection. Gives you frontier vibes…where you could conceivably use a portable espresso contraption. Kudos to the editor

The best upgrades for the picopresso are: A 51mm IMS basket (requires 51mm tamp), a shower screen, the stand, and the scale that fits under the stand perfectly. I Always preheat the pico while I grind my beans and prep the puck. The grind and dosage (in and out) together are going to make the majority difference in your final espresso. The gauge isn't going to make a difference in regards to pressure built, but it is another piece of conductive metal to steal heat from the water. If you get your dose and grind correct with your bean and basket size, the pressure will naturally fall into place and produce a thick and tasty espresso. The IMS basket and shower screen are a must. No more channeling, superior flavor and body (due to ability to grind finer and produce more pressure and extraction). I use a J ultra by Izpresso, which I highly recommend. I enjoy all beans and roasts, but this setup allows me to get such a balanced espresso with lots of body and sweetness. Just thought I'd share some beta for the pico noobs 🤙

Hey Lance, I really enjoyed the format of this video. The overlaid music, and the switching to and from shots of you to product/action shots was well done. Not that I don't enjoy watching you talk and review a product, but this complemented your monologue well and improved the pace of the video.

Hugo’s work is outstanding, shout-out to the videographer. And thank you Lance for the review and putting the extra work of buying the add-ons, people underrate your methods and opinions in an unfair way.

Holy cow. The precision basket and stand, runs up to the exact amount I paid for a Sage Barista Express.

Thanks, Lance ☕️😙👌 I especially like being able to see the effect of your pumping on the pressure gauge... I'll be sure to consider this every time I use mine... I've had a Picopresso for a couple of years, and I really love it. Yep, you need to play around with it and expect some variation, but the results are worth it, especially when you're out and about and can make or access boiling water. People are always impressed with the device and the coffee it produces! I added IMS baskets (two, so I could prep for back-to-back shots), but I often use the stock basket when pumping a conventional espresso rather than a turbo shot (see Brian Quan) mainly because the dosing funnel fits it better! 😂 I also machine a skinny, screw-top aluminium distribution tool that I store in the spine of the case... Squeezes in snug! As far as a daily driver, however.. I started using mine that way when the aluminium portafilter I hole-sawed through to go naked on my second-hand, salvaged, low-grade espresso machine broke. The Picopresso was doing well until the pump action wore out, and the silicon around the showerhead split around the side. No more high pressure! My retailer sent me replacements under warranty, but I knew if I used the Pico as my main espresso machine, I'd likely experience another failure... so, I made it a priority to get my first 'proper' espresso machine (BDB, under your advice!) Also, as you mention, Lance, the workflow on the Pico is far from efficient... This device has many parts (many more, now!), and they all need to be carefully rinsed and dried before packing away to avoid oil residue and mould... If I were starting out, I'd still go for the Picopresso for travelling and for the occasional home spro... but it wouldn't be long before I'd be looking for something more efficient and reliable... I wouldn't bother with the $$$ baskets and tamp, or the wonky stand (easy enough to keep the Pico steady without it - I tried different methods... thumbs, fingers, palms... so, I say find what suits you best and so the stand and, hence, the mat. The pressure gauge? Maybe, but I like the way you have to pump by feel, resistance, sound, and the look of the stream... Anyway, thanks again, Lance, and get pumpin' folks! 😊🙏❤

I love mine for the last two years! Have had an IMS basket for a while and may get the new Normcore 51mm basket. Thanks for your thoughts and review Lance!

This is a *great* video. I love your work in general, but this video in particular stuck out as really really well put together. I think the music was great, and really helps tie together the rest of the editing!! Also, unrelated-I loVE that shirt

I have a picopresso and upgraded the basket and added the distribution screen that fits below the shower screen. Works really well and im excited to try the pressure gauge and possibly the stand. I dont have a lot of space in my apartment so this looks like a great way to set up quickly and tear down when youre done.

200$ for a basket? 😮 Now that's a profit margin even Apple is jealous of 😂

Enjoyed the comprehensive overview of all the purchased options and your expert opinions on what was favorable versus just nice to have extras; made the review grounded in honesty and not market fluff.👏 My Espresso Forge is still my go to but when we need a quicker cup, the Picopresso is indeed handy, now perhaps more so with the pressure upgrade. The Picopresso does have the benefit of travel mobility, though I've only used it a few times at the office and it mainly stays home as backup duty! Now if Wacaco can come up with an industrial version upgrade💪 to the Picopresso pump mechanism to decrease potential chances of long term failure or modularize with replacement parts, I think that would be a real market gamechanger.

Love the Picopresso, I bought mine for a trip overseas where I didn't have easy access to espresso and was blown away by how portable it was and how good the espresso was that came out of it. If I didn't already have a Gaggia Classic Pro I'd modified (FYI I first found Lance looking up videos about modifying the GCP, lol) I would definitely consider the Picopresso with the stand as my main machine at home for the footprint alone (I find it annoying how much counter space coffee gear takes up and so does the Mrs). Great video btw, I'm definitely considering some of these upgrades (not the Sworks basket, that's crazy cash for that!). PS: Thanks for the nod to those of us who think 58mm baskets are the be-all end-all, I'm slowly coming around to 54mm thanks to the Pico!

I have used the pico for almost a year now and I love it. I upgraded to an IMS basket and it definitely improved my shots. But the biggest improvement and therefore also my recommendation is a puck screen. I like the build quality of the pico. It would be nice if the tamper fits a little better. I think about buying the sworks one, but it is super expensive to get it delivered to Germany. Almost the same price as the pico itself. So I guess it's just not worth it. Thank you for the efforts to create the video and test almost all available accessories ❤ great content as always!

Just discovered your videos and love your no-nonsense but calm getting to the point attitude. I have been so tempted to buy the Picopresso but not sure if I will be able to pump it as I struggle to press down on the aeropress.

At first the price of those upgrades made my eyes water, but I appreciate the perspective of someone buying in low and building out their kit. Not enough ability to do that in the espresso market. Also I love that their whole approach allows you to put away your espresso machine in a drawer of cabinet. With limit counter space, a easily collapsable stand like that is a major plus for me.

Loving the frequency of your videos

I made daily espresso for almost a year with this never failed on me. Helped me understand lot of things about expresso, changing pressure with grind size and really feeling and tasting the extraction. I upgraded with IMS huge basket.

Thanks for doing another “updated” vid on this guy. I’ve been using him for years now and also just got the pressure gauge and stand. The gauge worked great for a few weeks but then started leaking on me. (Which I’ve heard can happen according to other users). So, that was a bummer. I still think this makes great espresso though. Also, post-millennium La pavoni accessories fit this- which is what I use.

Hi from Denmark, first; thank you for very good content and videos👍. I bought the Picopresso about 3 weeks ago and after some trial and error with getting the right grindsize, i now get really good espresso. I my opinion it works just as well with light roasted coffe as well as dark roasted coffe(my favorite). The workflow is ok i think and i really like the fact that nothing electrical is needed or will break down. The stand could be something i might buy but other than that; im good.

Great video! Thanks for putting an update video with all the new add ons. I did have a question what is the brand of that little scale you are using with it thanks

One thing about the pico I don’t hear enough about is that it is the perfect at work setup. At home I use the robot, but at work I use the pico and it is fantastic! Lance, much love- your videos are fantastic- and you’re fantastic brother. Appreciate the good content.

I was very charmed by a lot of the features you listed off until you got to the price of each... that little tamper is adorable and definitely looks like it gives a great tamping experience but $75 is just way too much!

I still have my Nanopresso from years ago, I tried it again today and it still brews some great shots! Very impressive engineering.

Nice production bud, yall are making 👌 vids

It's a great little machine. I use it for my work and travel set up. The stand was a great improvement. I'll eventually get the pressure gauge too.

Had my Picopresso for almost a year, now. Gotta say that the compact size on this thing is severely underrated. This is great for taking to work or at home if you just don't have space (or are living in a van down by the river). The pressure gauge is something I might get as a birthday or Christmas gift to myself just to see if the (perfectly enjoyable) shots I'm getting without it line up with bars of pressure, but it would absolutely be a "fluff" purchase. Being an Italian Roast ride-or-die type girl, I have zero need to upgrade the basket. The stand looks nice - I like how it breaks down, and the shot mirror is a nice touch. Again, a fluff purchase, but one I can see making in the future. My current costs on my entire Picopresso set up are about $220 for the base unit and grinder, and another $30 or so for a milk heater/frother unit. Getting the stand and pressure gauge would up that to a whopping $350 total. The Sworks accessories are right the hell out. That just seems like egregiously priced purchases that don't even fit my use case. They might be worth it to someone, but I am not their market for this. For those asking about how portable can it actually be; I do just fine with my relatively inexpensive Timemore C3, and that equipment combo does just fine for me to take into work and make espresso at the break table. On the rare occasions I travel, it's been perfect. God knows I have no interest in buying a Starbucks style drink that has a "we're in a hotel" surcharge attached, or in having to get all the way dressed and ready for my day BEFORE I've had my coffee. What this thing is NOT going to do is turn me into a house barista at parties. Since I don't have a living situation conducive to throwing parties/having more than one or two people over at a time, this is not exactly a drawback for the foreseeable future. In closing, if you are looking for home espresso but you are on a budget and you have nowhere to put it, this is an excellent little machine. It doesn't need all the added shiny stuff to be excellent.

This is a lovely chill informative good looking video

I remember seeing this in the world of coffee here in Athens and it had catched my eye (had not been released yet)....for sure a great release and upgrade if you have already the picopresso.....great video lance.

This is great stuff. Anything possible for a travel setup is welcome.

i “modded” my pico presso with a la povini basket and it works. the basket extrudes the bottom but you do get that deeper puck. been having decent results minus a little channeling here and there probably due to my grinder. also, found a really cool shop from thailand that made perfect wood+metal stands (i think it’s called kdtime). just some other options out there, but i will say it’s really cool to see the manufacturer responding to their users!

Been waiting for a pressure gauge for like a year. This is awesome! Definitely picking one up

@LanceHedrick nice review, but I feel like it was missing some of the more geeky details you typically go into. Like with all manual espresso machines, I'm curious what sort of temperature loss you can expect with this thing, especially with the added pressure gauge, which adds quite a bit of mass to it. That sort of stuff.

The 18g straight wall basket from Hugh (leverpresso) is an upgrade option as well. But it does require some filing of the edges to fit properly, and shaving off a bit from the tamper 😅

😂 $60 for a pressure gauge $70 just for the press 😂 I don’t think so . for the total price of this Is a joke I’ll wait

I have the picopresso with Swords basket, shower and tamper. While my expresso machine was being repaired, I used it every day for 2 months. It took longer to make coffee than in my normal semiautomatic expresso machine, but I could not believe the quality on that size and price point. I use it when I travel with a Comandante grinder, as most hotels have a water kettle or a coffee pot to heat up the water. It is a great product, and I would argue a great way to start with expresso, or to travel!

Thank You for all you cover on your site. Blessings, Joanna

I have my Picopresso since it was released (2 years already?!?)... First test shot of a 6-months-from-roast Scandinavian roast which I hated (wasn't for my taste) - came out perfect, with CREMA and was even tasty! My Pico did around 200 shots I suspect... and works same as day 1. It is a complete product, well made, includes all accessories to work with from the get go - for 100$... best espresso product of the past few years for sure. Your point around the deep basket VS a wide 58 basket - I totally agree, as you can truly feel the texture and sweetness is hightened on the Pico original basket. Amazing review and video!! Thank you for your work and professionalism ❤

Super interesting stuff! If love to see this compared a bit more in depth to things that it suddenly competes with like the Flair Pro 2 - this definitely has the edge in terms of a low barrier of entry, but then adding things like a $200 basket and other $50+ accessories does change quite a lot. Obviously if your budget is very low this wins in terms of both actual accessibility and the potential for improvements down the line, but is it worth considering for someone otherwise in the market for a Flair (and not necessarily interested in the portability aspect)?

Dope. Love how far the Wacaco has come.

Great video. I'm excited about all these portable coffee brewer and portable espresso machines. In my household, the kitchen is filled with cooking/baking appliances that there's no room for anything else. There is also no deskspace to have any machine in my room. Instead, I have a Hario Skerton Plus, and travel frenchpress to make some coffee, that I can take out and make some coffee than store away in my room when I am done. I've been looking around for an affordable portable espresso machines, but a majority of them do not have a pressure gauge for beginner to use. The only option I see was the Flair, which rival the same price as a budget espresso machine. So this video really got me interested in WACACO Picopresso with (some, not all) 3rd party add-ons, since it is still cheaper than the alternatives.

I’ve been thinking about the pico as baby’s first espresso maker. The stand kinda seals the deal for me. I’d still probably use two hands, as it looks a bit shaky, but it would be less chance of a mess. And the gauge is a reasonable price as well, especially when you price the whole package against the Flairs with gauges.

used to bring my flair pro2 when i go on my trips...switched to picopresso and i'm happy with it

The Hugh basket fits the pressure gauge pretty well

Thank you for the video.... woo gotta get that pressure gauge...ohh out of stock!

I love the pico for traveling and at home I mostly use the flair 58 👌

for AEROPRESS GO lovers: yes the JoePresso's single-hole basket is compatible with PicoPresso. They are both similar in weight overall. The Aeropress + JoePresso adapter limits you to 2-4 bars of pressure without breaking your glass, so if higher bars are preferred go with Wacoco instead.

I love mine, it is my only espresso machine. IMS basket, 18g coffee, 36 out. Amazing shots as well. That with with my K-Ultra I'm set.

I have one of these (none of the addons) that I got for travel/camping. What surprises me is that it's universally better/more predictable at making espresso than my (admittedly old and cheap) upgraded Gaggia Classic. Because of this, I sometimes use it at home, too. I had a Nanopresso before this, and while it was good, I always knew it was a step down from my home espresso machine. Not the case with Picopresso!

I've been wanting one of these!

Thanks for this video, Lance!! I ordered one of these and a 1zpresso hand grinder to take away for work. The coffee machine we have doesn't get cleaned enough, and they use horrendous off the shelf coffee beans that they bulk buy D: I'm sure I'll get some odd looks while using this, but will probably get some questions after the aroma hits :) Thanks again!

I'd love to see what you think of the 9Barista. It's what I went with after my hunt for a compact espresso maker and after a couple months I have no regrets. I went that direction, kinda because it approaches things from a totally different angle than these manual machines. Less flexible, but also less work. Delicious espresso all the same.

I'm a digital nomad currently and the picopresso without any upgrades is my daily driver for espresso, right now I'm in Buenos Aires with lots of amazing coffee shops and I must humbly say the expressos I make with this little machine don't come much behind those in the coffee shops. Pair it with a nanofoamer and it's the perfect travel setup. Just needed a smaller scale than my timemore black mirror haha.

great coverage of this. didn't know it even existed till you popped up in my feed with it. (wish you could have mentioned a grand total of all the bells and whistles. for those of us that can't mAth in our heads. lets us compare to other setups. i feel like it would get really $$$ with everything and you could do a machine for that amount. maybe your point is the espresso would be less good out of a machine in that range vs this? but yeah, just a tally sheet and total, and then we could kinda see what things we'd feel was worth it to add on.) thanks!

This would be perfect for someone like me who's been experimenting with filter coffee for the past 2 years but hasn't made the jump to espresso. Great low-risk way to dip the toe without having to heavily invest up-front.

Awesome! Look into the Staresso mirage next, you'll be very surprised with it.

I agree on the deep puck. I think 51mm machines get a lot more shade than they deserve, especially now that there are better basket options than the Mr Coffee "4 cup" basket we all used to abuse in those machines.

Letsgoo ive been waiting for this

I've really been wanting one of these for camping. I might even... pull by volume 😱

Have had great results with the pressure gauge, stand and the Hugh IMS basket. Once tightening well the basket edges flatten out for a good seal. K6 Kingrinder for the beans. My shots come out with nice crema and the beans aren't even freshly roasted. Subminiimal for milk frother and my setup is cafe quality for home on a budget in addition to being ideal for travel. Not ideal if you are making for more than one at a time. Can't imagine a better bang for the buck.

didn't realize sworks had some good pico accessories... thanks for that

Good review, thanks

Great video as always.

Nice video! Not sure why I like this one so much!

Excellent review! This was all very fun for someone like myself whom is a total brew-head.

It’s not gonna cut it for me. With all those upgrades, it’s not so budget-friendly anymore, in my opinion. You get a Flair Neo or even a Flair Pro 2 within a similar price range and get a way more capable, less flimsy and still portable espresso maker!

For me, so much of enjoying coffee is in the preparation process. Putting this in that shaky rack and pumping while you hold on to everything seems very unenjoyable, but I think for a portable setup used during travel or something this could be so fun and novel that it would be worthwhile. Sometimes struggling more for something makes it better, just not every day in my kitchen (for me) haha

How is the temperature in the finished product? How does it compare with the Outin, a battery operated device that heats its own water ?

I like that you're trying to do more close-up shots of what is it that you review, and not just a general shot of you holding something in your hand. I like the Wacaco products and I'm glad that you've made this review. Comparing the accessories I wouldn't mind seeing not only the price but the details of what's actually different from the original parts. Just a visual close-up reference. All in all, I think you're moving in the right direction. PS: when you show how you prepare an espresso - once again a general shot is wrong. If you want to show how you're doing and what - you might want to have hands, a pump, and a pressure gauge in your shot. PPS: Thank you, and sorry for the somewhat critical comment. Keep up the good work!

HiBREW Portable H4A is pretty good too and doesnt even need to heat up water if you have access to a car charger or ac.. Probably better for someone that is traveling

Great video! Do you have links to all the upgrades?

Lance, you mention your opinion that a person should experiment with different ratios and times. Problem is, I don't know where to really start and what I would expect from a different ratio or time. Would be a nice follow up video for you to do. Thanks for this. We love to camp and this is just the ticket for our travels.

I want to get this for work paired with the Ims basket a small kettle and eather a kingK6 or a 1zpresso J or K ultra (cant decide yet) it should make my day a lot better!

Lol, it's like building your own espresso machine each time you want a shot!

Wow this thing looks so cute and awesome

Hey. Nice video as always 👍

I own about 15 different travel brewing options. If I'm going somewhere with running water, this thing is my first choice (no running water, I bring the Nanonpreso with nespresso pod attachment and reusable pods). I can get great espresso ouit of it with all the original parts. The pressure guage would be nice to have but I find with a nice long preinfusion, it's not needed. 9 pumps and i get a little ring of droplets around the outside of the basket. Then wait 15 seconds and pump 1 per 2 seconds. The sleeve would be nice. If you're making a few in a row or really preheat it well, it can get pretty hot. Nice to have the options individually, rather than some kind of accessory pack.

Hi great video. I have the Pico for some months now. It is necessary to heat up the whole machine with hot water, also the basket etc and that's a lot of work and a bit messy. If you just grind into the basket like a normal espresso machine and put just hot water into it and then pump.. the espresso is quite cold... and I forgot also to heat the cup from which you drink from. For travel is nice, but for doing 3 espressos for friend its just a big mess... sorry I love it and I will keep its, but I think I will go soon to a normal espresso machine. If you do all the tweaks and warm ups it creates nice espresso with crema.

Are there any other fancy 54mm baskets besides the one from Swroks Desgin? Interesting that there isn't such a big difference as with 58mm baskets. Do you use a bottom paper filter on the vastek?

ok I've been using my picopress for about 6 months - stock equipment no upgrades - and I love it for home use. I use it almost daily. I got a 51mm IMS filter early on but the tamp doesn't fit so I never ended up using it lol. I figured if I have to get a new tamp it's going to completely counter the portability factor. So the Sworksdesgin tamp is super interesting to me! The protective sleeve actually seems really functional to me too (and cute) - that body of the picopresso can get too hot to hold. I also wonder if it might help retain more heat in the water chamber? Keen to see. And honestly, the biggest issue I have traveling with this always ends up being water. Hotel rooms tend to provide dinky coffee makers that are both dirty and not capable of heating water to the temps I want. I ended up bringing my kettle on my last trip and I'm not sold on the amount of suitcase space it took up. I think I can be brewing at lower temps and getting yummy extractions but I haven't solved the tan, folgers smelling water situation yet.

I actually would do without the pressure gauge, but the stand is a great help. Still, the whole setup is all nice to have.

Okay, It might be worth seeing this in its fully fleshed out form competing against a powered conventional machine of the same price. Maybe a few along the way of what you get stock, then with the pressure gauge and stand, and then with the screen and basket swap. It would be p interesting to see what it eclipses or doesn't at different price points with upgrades. The thing I'm especially curious about is a straight head to head of this versus the new flair neo. I know you've had them in a comparison before but I'd be interested to see them compared along the upgrade path and seeing how they trade blows across different price points

Lance, within the context of different basket sizes and texture, you mentioned that the stock basket is better for more traditional shots. Can you explain why that is? What makes the Sworks more modern if it's the same size?

Great video! Espresso wise would you say this has a higher potential than the Gaggia classic with the Arduino mods etc?

Thanks for this overview, as I'm strongly considering this as my first espresso maker. I hope you (or some other RU-vid creator) can also do a video comparing it to the recently revised (and slightly cheaper) Hugh Leverpresso V4. Would the budget Kingrinder K4 hand grinder (which is said to focus on espresso grinds) be a better option for this this than the K6 you previously recommended? How about their P2?

All u need for delicious espresso, Replace the basket, use a puck screen, ive put (cut to size) anti slip stickers on the button and sides. Amazing everytime.

Love the picopresso... bring it on all my travels

I have been using a bone stock picopresso and I get really great consistent quality coffee. Especially that where I live most cafés make terribly bitter espresso that gives me shivers down my spine on first sip. I get smooth espresso with nice crema and this is consistent. However, I only got good results after I moved from the Hario hand grinder to the Arabica cafe hand grinder. I grind 16g of Ethiopian Konga beans and just fill the hot water to the brim and don't even bother weighing the shot, I have found that if I pump out all the water in the device I get a consistently good shot

I love all those cute little extra thingies

this is super interesting. I'm wondering if this could be a travel option for those of us who travel for work a lot, and not always to places that have good coffee shops. Wondering if you have any experience or recommendations for taking beans with me on a trip? I have a travel v60 setup with a 1zpresso K-Max grinder, scale, kettle. Just looking for a good option to take beans with me. Currently I'm using a Fellow atmos. Wondering if there's any other options?

The sleeve looks classy, but does it have any thermal benefits? (Definitely picking up the pressure gauge...)

I’ve loved my Pico for a few months now. The espresso it pulls is very good and you get used to the work flow. Will be getting the accessories in a few paychecks. I enjoy it because if/when I get a proper machine, it will become my travel and I avoid a redundancy even when I upgrade. And my kitchen. Is tiny. Question for Lance: is there any benefit to pre-heating the metal rings or is the main body enough?

Let’s see if I need to buy the extras.. had the Pico since they came out

Using this little thing every other weekend coupled with my Comandante C40 (actually what’s really a pain is to hand grind 18gr of coffee for espresso! 😅)

i got the whole package for outdoor activity (minus sworks stuff) , i think it produces a very good espresso but i don't recommend it for light roasts .

If you like 54mm basket size..do you know the Dalla Corte Studio and Mina? Really nice machines😊

I find the the pressure is too bouncy and flow more consistent. For this reason I see the pico is better as a flow profiler than pressure (I don't even think the pressure gauge is needed). I use a metronome app to profile my shots as a simple app will allow you to make an increasing or decreasing beat. Mirror that beat with the pump action and now you've got a flow profiler that is repeatable so long as your pressure is not above it's pressure cap. The pump releases x amount of water each time so if you're under that pressure cap then it's just about the timing of the pump action to dial in the flow. (I also use a lab jack which is a little table with a scissor jack. I pull shots at my chest height instead of hutching over, way more comfortable.)

Commenting for the algorithm, thanks for the video

I had pico presso for a while, but I didnt like workflow... And there was no presure gauge then- I had trouble with understanding how hard should I pump. Preheating and wet puck problems made me sell it. I want to go back to espresso, but with Gagia, so I can make milk bevereges too.