WACACO PICOPRESSO REVIEW - Is this True Portable Espresso? 

Let me know your thoughts on the PICOPRESSO! ALSO! Be sure to subscribe and like the video if you're willing :) Click here purchase the Picopresso: www.wacaco.com/pages/picopresso?aff=749

I'm pretty impressed with this relative to their previous releases. I agree that 58 mm would be great, but with a hand-pumped unit, you have to balance that with ease of use since high pressures are harder to generate on a larger surface area.

I just pre-ordered and excited to have it soon. It’s an upgrade to my current Handpresso Pump that I’m using in my office and travels. Great review, btw. Very informative.

I've always loved your videos man. It's accessible, fun and I love the way you talk. Keep up the good work. You deserve more views

Espresso is part of life. And your music is playing oddly btw. And thanks for review. Clear and generous too.

Great video, Kyle! I watched Brian review another manual espresso machine called the Nomad recently and it was really interesting. Didn’t realize there were so many manual brewing options out there!

Kyle is rockin the "Team Canada" uniform today! 🤣

Kyle, as always great review! “Espresso is Life!”

Incredible video production! Definitely going to pick this up

i’ve got one & I think it’s pretty good. Much better than I expected. I have another device call the Portaspresso. It’s an Australian made portable espresso device that is mostly made outside of brass. It’s solidly built, weighs a bit over 1 kg, and is about 3 times the price. It makes great espresso, but the Picopresso comes pretty close and is a hell of a lot lighter. I would definitely take it travelling. My only question is whether the build quality will be durable, for example the grey lid to the hot water chamber is pretty light plastic & I can see it potentially breakng - time will tell. I hope they will sell replacement parts for it. Still, I am pretty impressed with the brew results - amazing for the price.

Best review I have seen on the picopresso. Thanks!

I was just searching for a review of this about an hour before you posted this video up! Very interested in this for another at work coffee gadget, though I only take my Timemore C2 grinder to work, so that would need an upgrade for this to work. Great review, espresso is life.

There's probably a benefit in terms of thermal stability by using plastic for the water chamber, as it's less of a heat sink than metal. And I agree, it would have been great if they went with 58mm. Not sure how much more 6mm in diameter affects things like pressure/torque requirements etc., but I wonder if it might have required more metal parts? Anyway, great review!

I've been making coffee at work using my mokapot and I can't wait to give this a try.

Awesome review Kyle! Love the content in your channel. Would love to see a showdown between cheap portable espresso makers like Cafflano Kompresso, Staresso/Barsetto Tripresso, Nanopresso, and maybe their final boss will be Flair Neo. I think these are the more affordable espresso makers out there that may be more accessible to those who want to try espresso.

Espresso is life! Also, I can’t help but notice the Xbar in the background. Hopefully you’ll do a review soon.

Looks pretty good! For the sake of baristas, I'd like to see... The standard portafilter size AND an adjustable pressure valve with correct bar pressure measurement (as in a dial with markings in bar), adjustable from closed to 9.

Amazing video Kyle, what do you think about Cafflano Kompresso?

Hi, Kyle! Great review as always. I am wandering if using Comandante to grind for Picopresso, do I need to get the red clix or is the standard axle enough?

I think that more metal parts, especially the pump, will make it too hot to hold. And it will become heavier and will loose some advantages of its portability for travellers.

Espresso is life I love coffee and I am thinking on getting it for when I go on holiday next year keep up the good work I love coffee that much I am going to start looking in to owning my own cafe/ Bakery some time next year in July 😊❤

Thank you so much for the great review! How did you like the cleaning process of the product? I am thinking that it won't be an easy task to knock out the puck.

Very good review Kyle. I don't use flaire pro2 . In compression of these 2 device in term of tast how much difference is there?

Great review and I agree with your wish that there were more metal parts (especially the pump and water chamber parts). Just pre-ordered. For $100 + 19 shipping to US, it's a promising espresso making unit for its size. This will be my travel solution. My only question is with the tamper. I've seen in a few vids that the tamper is used with the funnel on vs taking it off. Is the ID of the funnel 52mm as well or not?

Espresso is life! Great video, thanks :)

Congrats on a million views!

Good review. Funny you mention cottage just as I was thinking that. Espresso (along with other important things…) is life!

I don’t own any espresso accessories, however your enthusiasm for 58mm baskets makes me want the Pico to have one 😄

To address your question at the beginning, I really only drink filter coffee but I’ll pretend I drink espresso. When I make coffee, I don’t make it for the caffeine. I work outside all day in the sun, so avoiding things that dehydrate me is really important to me during the week. So I make myself a cup of coffee on the weekend and I like to just sit and enjoy it. Making the coffee is part of that process, it’s kind of therapeutic. If I don’t have time to make and enjoy my coffee at home, I just don’t make it. So for ME, being able to make coffee on the run isn’t very appealing. I’m sure there are others out there like me, but also plenty of people that will find the product super intriguing. Thanks for the review!

Already pre-ordered, “Espresso Is Life”!

Espresso is life. Thanks for the review. I would’ve also liked to have seen a 58mm. But, maybe something to do with physics or physical limitations of hand pressing would not make it feasible. I’m just happy to now have a portable machine that I can pull a modern day double espresso with. (Was using the handpresso with only 7-8 grams before). So far I like it. I’m still working on getting it perfect, but that’s what the game is. Cheers.

My Picopresso was just delivered. I'm impressed by the quality feel of the unit. I'll grind coffee and give it a try after a nap.

Man, its tempting! I'm a sucker for manual espresso brewers (my dream would be a cafelat) but I feel like I cant justify spending so much at this stage in my life. The Picopresso seems like a promising compromise for the time being however. Should I pull the trigger on a Pico or wait and save for a cafelat; thats where my thinking is at the moment. Thanks for the excellent video!

I am with you Kyle, a 58mm portafilter compatible brewer is a given. I could use my fancy accessories! La vie est Espresso.

I think this is an good option for me because I'm considering about the staresso mirage for a portable espresso maker. "espresso is life" thanks Kyle

I think this is my next go to for travel and work. I run the nanopresso with barista kit which isn’t too bad but this looks so much better.

I bought myself a Picopresso this year for when I'm travelling and I wish they gave us a straight precision basket and maybe offered a sleeve since it does get pretty hot to touch after pulling a couple shots

May I know your thoughts on the quality of the espresso when compared to something like the Robot and the ROK ?

wow, this and nanofoamer, makes a really decent compact travel tools! ah and espresso is life!

Amazing product and video

"Espresso is life" indeed. Nice product and very important warning you give at the end...don't make the same mistake i did, buy a good grinder first hahaha

Great review. The product seems interesting. Espresso is life. How does it compare against kompresso from cafflano?

I would have appreciated -and i know this is probably just nitpicking - a sort of collapsible tower to connect your pico to when you come to pump so that you could keep it vertical and stable while pumping so that you do not miss the cup while pumping and make a mess.

Awesome review as always Kyle! I really want to get my hands on this Picopresso to finally start brewing espresso at home, but the grinder I have is the 1Zpresso Jx, does someone knows if I could match up these two guys to get good shots? Or should I get a better espresso focused grinder before getting the Picopresso? Thanks!!

Yassssss ! I want a 58mm brew basket!!!

what about getting the water chamber up to proper temperature (>75C or >167F) and holding that with your bare hands? is it possible or is it going to hurt?

Hi Kyle, If I am going to get a pico, I don't want a 58mm portafilter. If the make the basket bigger, the chamber and barrel has to be bigger and it may not be that easy to hold and press for small hands. And when the basket is bigger in diameter, the same dossage will be shallower. And to create pressure, will require finer grinds and that even make the puck even shallower. And this means loosing pressure especially when the pressure isn't supplied consistently and depends on the movement on the hands. That's just my thought from and engineer's perspective. Have a great day

As someone looking for a solid Espresso brewer on a budget, I appreciate reviews like this! As always, thank you Kyle! You continue to guide us less knowledgeable coffee nerds-in-training!!

This is making me wish I didn't already have a nanopresso so I could justify buying one of these

I feel like manual 58mm espresso machines are always a huge win. I know 51 and 53mm portafilters are fine, but something about having a standard portafilter just feels right.

I adore my little nanopresso helper. It wasn't developed to replace coffee machines or something like that. It helps you to have a cup of coffee in your journey pr work. I use my Wacaco on work and when me and my wife travel somewhere. This device gorgeous! But don't forget to use fresh fried coffee and take burr grinder with you. 😉

Kyle you always speak the truth man. Because of you, and watching all your Bianca videos.. I got a Bianca, which of I love. Pulling amazing shots with it. So I travel for work. I am like you a espresso connoisseur. I got to have at a decent shot of espresso. I have a nanopresso with the barista kit, and a hand grinder. Still struggling with making a decent shot of espresso. Also not to mention how tiring it is. By hand grinding, and then using the piston pump.I am making better shots with the nespresso pods and the NS adapter. So I am thinking of getting a flair classic with the case. After watching your video I like the picopresso. Being a wacaco customer for years. It is hard for me to just leave them. What do you think? Thanks again.

I'm curious what the effect of pulsing pressure instead of a steady flow of pressure has on the espresso. Is that the reason it isn't as good as things like the flair or is it something else?

Got my Picopress before a week long trip skiingand by the end of the trip it is now squirting pressurized coffee out from underneath the thin rubber lid seal. Apparently some internal pump seal failure? It happens no matter how tightly you screw the lid on and more espresso comes out the lid seal than the portafilter.

This is 52 right? If they bumped it up to 58 maybe it would be too big to be comfortable for most people to use? I’m sure they did test to identify the optimal size for a manual hand unit. Just guessing here.

What do you think about staresso and picopresso? Compression?

Espresso is life! ( or at least close to it. ) 😂

espresso is life 😂 ... pretty cool device. definitely more portable than the flair (which i own : pro 2... and enjoy) this picopresso seems more portable not only in the device itself, but all the attached accessories you'd need which is pretty cool and again, much smaller than flair's case. for me, 58mm isnt necessary, because on the go, i wouldnt care much for that level of detail if this is what i'm using. if i did care that much, i'd just find a local cafe hehe 😁 ... that said, i still enjoy my pro2 and especially the pressure gauge (which pico doesnt have) ... thanks for the review, cheers!

"Espresso is life" its lookin cool

Yes to the 58 mm basket. And maybe you should change the name of your channel to Espresso is Life. I like that.

How does this compare to the flair?

This really really caught my eyes but I had the nanopresso and after 1 year use it malfunctioned. Looking at the build quality of Pico I think it is possible for this one too. And espresso is life!

I am using a nanopresso at work for my 10 minute coffee break and it works well. I'd be lying if I didn't say I'd like to improve the coffee I make, hence my interest in the picopresso. Does it really taste that much better?

Hi Kyle, would the 1zpresso jx be a good enough grinder to get some nice results from this in your opinion?

Would a grinder like the timemore c2 work for this? Or would you need something better like the Jx/je?

How's the taste with light roasted coffee?

Ooo new Wacaco product. You mentioned the hand grinder you linked would work well and I see a C2. Is it good enough since it's not known to dial in Espresso well? Thanks!

Fun and informative video, for me I would pass on it.

Ive got the nanopresso but I almost never use it because keeping the dang thing clean takes twice the time it takes to brew :(

I use my nanopresso for backpacking. how much does the picopresso weigh? is it lighter or heavier than the nano?

Any suggestion for an upgrade IMS Basket ? 14G 18G ?

How does it compare to Flair Neo except for better portability?

I am not into camping nor care about on the go aspect, and now I don't even have to go to office. But this product fills my niche that Flair can't. Size and portability is not just for travelling but if the device could stay in the open permanently it would invite you more often to use it. My kitchen space is vertically limited, it is like a mini cave. The verticality was all taken by aluminum wall hanging shelf where the coffee beans are. Height of Flair can't stay there, and it is not ideal that I must disassemble the Flair after each use, or take the Flair from somewhere else to the coffee space each time, since I would make less coffee. (I already feel this when wanting some pizza and thinking about 10+ things that I have to assemble from different corners of my kitchen just to start) Actually it barely could stay, but not when handle is lifted up so I have to move an entire thing out to more open space anyways. Picopresso looks small and light enough it can be stored floating on a hanging basket while not so hidden from view. This way when not making coffee the kitchen top can be used to prepare other food or place dishes that is waiting to be stored. Something like wiping the dust is rarely mentioned when we talk about portability! (Understandably because if you use it on-the-go it kinda wipes itself off and not enough time to collect dust, but I want to use Picopresso mainly at home, it's portability-at-home) Especially for something like Flair that is going to be one of your furniture. Picopresso being just a cylinder instead of something with multiple limbs and holes like Flair is easier and faster to wipe. Also while I enjoy espresso I think I will be making espresso-based drink with milk as well, I (really) hope difference in quality vs. Flair would be less noticeable in those drinks, or at least my sub-par palette couldn't notice it. The closest thing I have right now to obtain concentrated coffee for the base (not counting dissolving tons of instant coffee flakes) is the Moka Express, but it was too watery in the same volume of espresso shot, and only "weak flat white" drink feels OK to be made from that. I hope Picopresso would be more than servicable for this. Ease of cleaning and even drying is important, ideally I want to be able to clean the device fast and easy enough I could do after brewing it, but before drinking it, without feeling like a chore. It's a shame you didn't show this, because official source didn't and you would be the first person able to do it ; )

Agree 100% at 7:07, to call it what it truly is: a true portable espresso brewer or to be exact- a portable brewer that makes true espresso. The quality is the real deal. But cant rival theose big guys. They are big for so many reason. But i am actually so happy with my picopresso.

My guess is that the portafilter size is smaller due to the force needed to generate ~9 bars might not have been achievable with the piston and body size and design

Kyle - You mention in the video being able to purchase the unit for $99. I don't see the link or discount info. Did I miss it?

Would a 1Zpresso JX Pro grinder work well with this ? I am new to brewing and was thinking of my 1st espresso machine to be this one or the neo.

What types of coffee beans have you tried with it ? I assume some medium to darks roasts?

I'm assuming the plastic water chamber eliminates the need to preheat the brew chamber?

58 mm would be perfect to transferring my freshly ground coffee from my Commandante C40.

can it compare to Staresso ?

Compare to Cafflano Kompresso?

Espresso is life!

I've been using the nanopresso for 2 years with no issues. i use it with the Doubleshot and i removed the spring. I live in Melbourne, Australia. The most recognised city for the coffee and I would say the way "I" use the nanopresso is on par with the cafes (using the same beans). The only problem with all portable espresso machines are the crema and heat. It will not produce a huge amount of crema and you can't make it burning hot. These are not downsides. It still makes better crema then some cheaper espresso machines. And you can do a pre heat cycle pretty easy of you want. So if you want one of these units for home if you don't have an espresso machine or for when you go camping etc then I would say go for it. If my nanopresso broke down I would buy this in a heartbeat, 2 years strong and never had one issue with it Also make sure you buy a decent grinder that is adjustable so you can find your perfect grind

I feel like it would work a bit better if the ergonomics were more similar to the aeropress, having to first position it on top of a vessel and also have the pump be vertical instead of horizontal. That way, there's less shaking and tilting. I don't know how much of difference this would make flavor-wise, but seems like something to improve upon if they ever release anything else

thank you. I'm disappointed to see the water chamber is plastic. We've been moving away from plastic for holding food or water, so I'm bummed to see this, but glad to see it before I went ahead and ordered it. I like the portability, was thinking we could take it with us on camping trips, maybe even backpacking trips. but I guess I'm back to considering the Flair again, not for its portability but because it seems to be the best manual machine out there just in terms of quality of the espresso you can create with it.

I saw you suggested the Timemore C2 for an accompanying hand-grinder, but isn't the C2 known to be difficult to use when making espresso grinds? Would a Comandante be better?

I am about to shell out $99 until you mentioned the grinder part.

So much better than the previous models. Finally a decent sized portafilter. Camping coffee can’t get much better than this.

Any chance you're selling the picopresso?

I may have just bought one. Woops. I wanted a small espresso brewer for my home. I want something to make yummy milk drinks using the lavatza milk frother and this will do the job. Use it once a day and then keep out of the way for later in the day. Thank you! It’s because actually espresso isn’t my life.

if im on the budget 300$ tops wihtout grinder and espresso machine what would you recommend?? i think its a nice idea ive seen before for other things like audiophile setups to make a workstation for coffee for x amount of budget and then increase the budget and so on.. but my question is real, what would you recommend??

Espresso is life

I wish they include pressure gauge built in.

How dose it compare to an aeropress?? That would be a great comparison video mate!

Does it require real espresso grind size? I am not if my 1Z Q2 will be able to do the job.

Expresso is life

I’ve preordered. I plan on traveling with this machine and a Hario manual crank grinder I’ve had for some time. My plan is to use that grinder, take some time experimenting with grind size, and keep the bean constant when traveling. I’d like to ask if people more experienced than me think this plan will work in keeping all the variables constant enough not to hinder the machine and produce the best espresso the machine can produce? Or should I get a different grinder?

I've preordered it. Already own a Nanopresso, which is my only "espresso" machine. For the price of the Picopresso all I can get is a generic electric espresso machine, which will probably last less.

This is an excellent design. I would love a 58mm basket as you mentioned. A bigger or heavier unit wouldn't bother me at all. It would still be great if it was bigger and packed more features such as a metal chamber or other metal components. Being mostly plastic, it definitely has heat retention issues and I would be delighted if they addressed that. Otherwise, it's great.