# Minipresso



## majnu (Jan 31, 2014)

Didn't find a thread on this so I hope it isn't posted as something else.

http://news.distractify.com/pinar/wacaco-minipresso/






http://www.wacaco.com/


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## DavidBondy (Aug 17, 2010)

I ordered one of these a few weeks ago. The company is in Hong Kong and delivery should be early next year.


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## Blackstone (Aug 5, 2012)

was just looking at this myself. might be worth a punt at $39.


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## nobeans (Aug 11, 2014)

This reminds me of the handpresso. I wonder what effect the ramping up and down in pressure with each pump will have on the shot..


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

nobeans said:


> This reminds me of the handpresso. I wonder what effect the ramping up and down in pressure with each pump will have on the shot..


Hard to tell unless you could measure pressure on it.


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## benanderson18 (Oct 23, 2014)

Did anyone actually try this?


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## GCGlasgow (Jul 27, 2014)

DavidBondy said:


> I ordered one of these a few weeks ago. The company is in Hong Kong and delivery should be early next year.


Would be interested in one of these myself....can you update when it arrives and how it performs.


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

Has anyone heard anything from this lot?

I pre-ordered one a few months ago but so far nada!


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## aaroncornish (Nov 7, 2012)

Did they not send you an email a few weeks ago asking for payment?


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

Nope - just the original confirmation of pre-order

Should I be feeling left out?


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## samjfranklin (Jan 1, 2015)

That looks potentially very cool!


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## aaroncornish (Nov 7, 2012)

NickdeBug said:


> Nope - just the original confirmation of pre-order
> 
> Should I be feeling left out?


I got an email asking me to pay if I still wanted one, but I was totally skint.


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

Maybe they are just approaching pre-orderers in chronological sequence based on time order was placed.

Just checked and mine was late Jan.

In an ideal world someone will get their mitts on one and report back before I am asked to shell out on some leaky piece of crap. Although they do seem to have a decent return or refund policy.


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## Ricki (May 4, 2013)

Mine arrived in my New York mailbox a week or so ago. I've used it a few times and although its not the best espresso I've made, it's actually not a bad piece of kit.

I ordered it as I do alot of travelling with terrible coffee in airports and on planes, I wanted to make my own and this fits the bill!

If I remember rightly, when I completed checkout they were only shipping to the USA which is funny because the company is based in NL, So it ships from China via NL to the USA. I know mine was held in NL for a month due to the bad winter weather conditions in the US which causes a massive back log of ground shippments.

Worth the price though.


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

as if by magic - just received an email from them asking if I would still like to go ahead as they will be ready for shipment next week


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

all ordered.

I will review when it arrives (just in time to take travelling in Poland).

I spotted this review on home barista which was quite useful (up until the end of the 4th post anyway! I've lived in the US...their coffee is nothing to get excited about!)

http://www.home-barista.com/espresso-machines/minipresso-review-t34103.html


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## GCGlasgow (Jul 27, 2014)

Price seems to have went up to $49...ordered one anyway.


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

There is a discount code which was sent through if you pre-ordered.

You are welcome to give it a go.


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## GCGlasgow (Jul 27, 2014)

Thanks Nick...impulse buy and just bought!


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

Not that impressed with Wacaco so far.

Order confirmed 10th April

Dispatch confirmation 10th April

Dispatch tracking number issued 17th April (which did not seem to work)

Today - Just checked tracking number again and NLPost has it marked as "the item is pre-advised" which is apparently code for label printed but not collected.

Today (a bit later) - emailed Wacaco to get confirmation that it is on its way

Today (later still) - received email (kudos for response time) saying that it was collected sometime ago and the system has probably not updated yet. ETA 15-20 days, FROM TODAY!

For a new company you would think that they would make more of an effort on order fulfilment. It hardly warrants a glowing recommendation to others.


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Anyone else think picture 4, the one pouring, looks like something it shouldn't look like?


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

Mine arrived this morning and was shipped 10th April. It was delivered by the royal mail, so fingers crossed yours may arrive shortly! I kind of enjoyed the drama of not knowing when or if it would arrive but that might just be me







.


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## wilse (Nov 14, 2013)

What's your verdict?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Be interesting to get some feedback on these , as the challenge will be keeping the water at a reasonable temperature to avoid under extraction ....

May be better with medium plus beans for example


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

jlarkin said:


> Mine arrived this morning and was shipped 10th April. It was delivered by the royal mail, so fingers crossed yours may arrive shortly! I kind of enjoyed the drama of not knowing when or if it would arrive but that might just be me
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The postman decided to break the habit of a lifetime and not jam "signed for" delivery through the catflap. Consequently I have a parcel waiting for me at the depot. Reckon it might be one of these!

Boots - I will give it a try and report back. Feedback on HB was already talking about running hot water through it to preheat as being necessary.


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## GCGlasgow (Jul 27, 2014)

Mine's arrived today, ordered 10th april so not too bad coming from Hong Kong. Had a quick try of it, first impressions were good, nice coffee with crema but will post more detailed review when I get a chance to play around with it.


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

GCGlasgow said:


> Mine's arrived today, ordered 10th april so not too bad coming from Hong Kong. Had a quick try of it, first impressions were good, nice coffee with crema but will post more detailed review when I get a chance to play around with it.


Ditto

My fantastic missus picked it up from Royal Mail Parcel Cave for me today. Looks pretty well made from first impressions.


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## Sk8-bizarre (Jan 22, 2015)

Cool still not ordered anything for work yet for multiple reasons......nicking the MD's press still.

Get on it chaps!! Very interested.


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

Just gave it a very quick try out before my cajun chicken is ready.

Gave it a run through with hot water as suggested. Pretty easy to assemble. Getting a clean dose of coffee in the filter and tamping is a bit fiddly but doable.

started pumping and after about 6 squeezes there was a pop and water came gushing out of the side. This was a little coarser than my regular espresso grind but it still seems to have choked it and forced a pressure release. I hope that the release was by design and not something failing. Bit of a worry that it ended up all over me and the worktop.

I will wind the grind back a bit after supper and give it another go.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

is it some kind of pressurised basket ?


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

Yes Martin. Small pressurised basket.

I had taken lots of photos of the various bits of this with the intention of posting a reasonably in depth review.

But...

...as it is pissing hot water out of every orifice apart from the one that it is supposed to I have to give this a reasounding thumbs down.

Water is leaking from the piston valve and even from the water container seal. This is despite winding rhe grind back to more of a medium. I have read on HB that someone had to go to 8 clicks from zero on a Hario Slim. On my Hario that would look like gravel. I have opened it up and reset the inlet valve gromit, apparently a common fault, but no joy. It doesn't look like it is having a problem pressurising, it is the release through the puck that is the problem.

Just tried anoher shot with no tamp, still leaking everywhere.

It doesn't look like I am the only one with problems judging from the HB review. I am not happy that this has the potential to pour near boiling water all over my hand unless the settings are absolutely spot on.

A shame as it looks pretty well made. This will be going back under 30 day guarantee I'm afraid.

If anyone is interested in the photos let me know.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Not good.


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## wilse (Nov 14, 2013)

I was thinking I may get one... so Yes, I'd like to see an image or two, if you can.

I've used a handpresso, with pods, so I'm looking for a replacement to use 'real coffee'


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

NickdeBug said:


> Yes Martin. Small pressurised basket.
> 
> I had taken lots of photos of the various bits of this with the intention of posting a reasonably in depth review.
> 
> ...


Bummer....

sorry to hear that


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

To be fair to Minipresso, there are as many people stating their satisfaction as there are recounting problems, so maybe it is a QC issue. They seem to be happy to replace or refund if there are any problems.

Photos

View attachment 13671


View attachment 13672


View attachment 13673


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## Sk8-bizarre (Jan 22, 2015)

What a shame, at least they are taking them back no question etc. It might not be ideal for in work but for the camping or flask in car middle of nowhere bike, surf trips could have been great.

Thanks for the review.


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

I'm no expert so I'd defer to others on taste, I'm also annoyed because I've got a few days of having to be in the office so haven't had much chance to play. I've so far though managed to make 2 espressos. I used decaf beans that aren't as fresh as I'd like and tried with the coarsest espresso grind on the Sage Pro. So again taste wasn't amazing but I was relatively happy with the result and think it'll be handy for occasional use. I'll update if anything extraordinary happens


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## GCGlasgow (Jul 27, 2014)

I have tried it with Lavazza ground coffee (my wife likes it for moka pot) and it produced a reasonable espresso. Tried it again with fresh ground brighton lanes (held 6.3 g in the basket) at the same setting I use for classic and it kinda choked it but did get half decent espresso, no water leaking. Will get a chance at the weekend to experiment with it but first results seem quite promising. Will do for hotel or camping I think. Will only do single espresso though.


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

Just to clarify in no uncertain terms, it's got a pressurised basket?


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## GCGlasgow (Jul 27, 2014)

Kyle548 said:


> Just to clarify in no uncertain terms, it's got a pressurised basket?


Yeh it has a small pressurised basket.


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

GCGlasgow said:


> I have tried it with Lavazza ground coffee (my wife likes it for moka pot) and it produced a reasonable espresso. Tried it again with fresh ground brighton lanes (held 6.3 g in the basket) at the same setting I use for classic and it kinda choked it but did get half decent espresso, no water leaking. Will get a chance at the weekend to experiment with it but first results seem quite promising. Will do for hotel or camping I think. Will only do single espresso though.


Torn between a replacement or refund on this. It obviously works for some, and the hotel thing sounds good.

I had originally thought about this as a potential espresso solution for work, but the soon to be installed Classic has sorted that one out.

Truth be told, even if it wasn't leaking if strikes me that there is probably a bit too much faff-factor involved. Still needs a source of hot water and a grinder (or pre-ground I guess), so it isn't really as portable as it sounds. It needs a hot water flush otherwise the espresso loses too much heat. The basket is quite cleverly designed so that the scoop fits into it to transfer coffee and can be reversed as a tamper, but the dosing etc is obviously a bit temperamental.

I would like to persevere, it was less than £30 afterall, but I think that it would probably end up in the back of the corner cupboard, which is basically the kitchen equivalent of putting it in the loft!


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

The pressurised basket is what would put me off.

As a curiosity it's probably ok, but things like the mypressi (at all of its 3x as much price) can do real espresso, so it's not even a curiosity.

Then again, real espresso done right is hard even at home with a competent set up and plenty of time, so it's certainly going to be more accessible for remote coffee making.

Having said that, I can't comment on what this little device puts out and it may well be that pressure systems have moved on a lot from when I was a wee lad....


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

Latest from Minipresso manufacturers - after requesting a video of the fault they have agreed to send a replacement. I have decided that I would prefer a refund which they have respected, but I have to return the defective unit to them in CHINA, at my cost.

I'm a little bit narked at this as I already paid a pretty steep $15 for delivery to me, only to have it burn my hand. Apparently it is in their T&C and they won't issue refund until they receive the one from me.

Their communications have been fine, but their policy needs review in my opinion!


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## MatthewBw (Sep 9, 2015)

I have one and we use it quite regularly out in the van on days out.

For me who is new to the espresso world it makes a passable shot with a good creme that holds onto the cup and is quite thick. The fact we have to take ground coffee with us and a flask of hot water makes it a faff. It is also messy which almost made me wish I had got the capsule version.

Overall happy with the coffee it produces but it isn't as portable as it seems because of all the extras you need. That said we have a nice backpack coffee set which is fits into perfectly so it's not all bad and it's better than no coffee at all.


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## Alexey (Sep 24, 2014)

I have one of these and I take it with me when I am away from home/office. I only have to adjust my Hario hand grinder by 2 clicks from my setting that I use for myPressi.

It take a while to get used to, but basically once you've played with it, it's quite easy to get a consistent shot. I usually fill the basket to the top but without tamping it (as per instructions), wipe the lip of the basket to ensure a good seal, assemble it, put hot water in and pump the handle.

Basically, the sweetspot is where you can pump it with only one hand but with quite a lot of pressure. If pumping is easy, then the grind is too coarse, if it is too hard to pump with one hand, the grind is too fine. Don't try to use both hands to push it, as it will basically overpressurize and send the water out through the sides. I think this is by design, it prevents damage to the seals etc.

After the first few pumps, after it starts coming out the bottom, the trick is too keep slowly pumping, which keeps the pressure constant. Basically slow down if there is too much resistance and speed up if there is little resistance.


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