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The most helpful favorable review
The most helpful critical review
31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
Espresso Anywhere
Initial Impression
I was a bit skeptical that I could get a decent shot of espresso from a portable machine. And while it doesn't develop as much crema as my home machine (and I wouldn't expect it to considering that machine is over $1,500) - this thing is a GREAT way for me to get my espresso fix at work.
Value
The build quality of the Handpresso...
Published on February 12, 2008 by Supperconductor
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Nicely made but creates inferior espresso.
Since only ESE pods can be used with this device, it severely limits the quality of espresso that you can produce. The crema is at best mediocre. Temperature is mediocre and only hot enough if you "shoot" the shot - no time to sip as it will cool off too quickly.
However, all that said, the quality of design and construction is excellent. I just wish it would...
Published 1 month ago by David J. Thompson
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31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
Espresso Anywhere, February 12, 2008
Initial Impression
I was a bit skeptical that I could get a decent shot of espresso from a portable machine. And while it doesn't develop as much crema as my home machine (and I wouldn't expect it to considering that machine is over $1,500) - this thing is a GREAT way for me to get my espresso fix at work.
Value
The build quality of the Handpresso is top notch, commensurate with its price (i.e. you get what you pay for). It should last quite a while. I was pleased to find that it comes with an extra O-ring gasket.
It's already paid for itself in savings - I don't buy espresso at Starbuck's anymore. It also IMHO brews a way more drinkable shot than Starbucks ever did - they really need to clean their machines and train their alleged "baristas".
Tips
For hot water, I use my office kitchen's hot water dispenser - and you really need very hot water to get a good shot, so take some care not to scald yourself. The only downside is I'm getting a lot of requests from co-workers to brew them a shot.
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
Handpresso portable espresso, April 28, 2008
I have had this product for a couple of months now. I have a rich history of trying to find something to take with me on the road to the improve hotel coffee situation. I started with a single cup Melitta electric drip coffee maker (remember those!), a Krups, a Velox, an electric Bialetti moka pot, an Aeropress, etc. I hate to go to a hotel, find a maker with coffee filters and think things are fine until 6 AM in the morning when you realize BOTH filters are de-caf! The hotel coffee makers range from OK to horrible! The coffee too!
I purchased the HandPresso out of desperation! I have a semi-professional espresso machine (VBM) and roast my own beans. I was not impressed with the ESE pods, but am VERY happy with them in the HandPresso! I like the idea I do not have to touch grounds in the morning like with the Aeropress. I carry a cup, some pods, and the HandPresso. I boil water (I am still looking for a very small electric boiling pot, but have an immersion coil), pump up the HandPresso, pre-heat my espresso cup and the water cup on the HandPresso, dump both, re-fill the HandPresso, pop in a pod, and in 25-seconds or so have a great shot of espresso! Got carried away one morning and had 4 in a row! WOW!
This device is extremely well made and and will probably last a long time. It will get field testing from me. Hope the TSA does not think it is some sort of nasty device in my bag!! The coffee pods give it away.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
After six months I'm still enthusiastic about it, March 25, 2009
I've had my Handpresso for over six months now. Being Italian-born and raised, I live on a steady diet of espresso and need my fix at least twice a day. My workplace only has a small coffee stand which makes the worst espresso in the world, and there aren't any other coffee shops in a 2 miles radius, so brewing my own was the only way to satisfy my coffee needs.
I previously bought a AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker, which is advertised as an espresso maker but actually produces something closer to a french press drip coffee. Granted, it was cheap but that's pretty much the only good thing about it: it does not make a real espresso and is definitely more high-maintenance and labor-intensive, requiring filters and thorough cleaning after each use. I stopped using it after a couple of days because it was too much of a hassle and the espresso wasn't very good anyway.
The Handpresso on the other hand is simplicity itself. All you need is hot water and ESE coffee pods (I use 150 Lavazza Gran Crema Espresso Pods). I've been using it 2 o 3 times a day for six months and couldn't be happier. Yes, it's a bit expensive but being able to get a decent cup of espresso makes it worthy of the premium price tag for me.
The device is very sturdy and requires only minimal maintenance (just rinse it out) since the coffee and filters are self-contained in the ESE pods. If you have access to hot water, it takes less than a minute to prepare the Handpresso, stick the coffee pod in it, brew a shot of espresso, discard the pod and clean the machine.
Customer support from the distributor is also outstanding -- I misplaced one of the little rubber gaskets that come with the Handpresso (the only moving/replaceable part) and wrote to the distributor (Importika) and they mailed me a replacement free of charge. I was very impressed.
If you are an espresso-freak and want a truly portable and easy-to-use device, this is it.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Great for fresh expresso anywhere in the world!, August 25, 2009
Well, most of the reviews here have been very positive so you don't have to just take my word that this little gem is worth the money. I am a huge coffee fan and travel throughout the world...I live overseas for the time being. I have purchased and put many travel size coffee gadjets through their paces in less than nice places for extended periods of time. I want something that I can use and not have to baby...something fast, practical and convenient. I am glad to report that the Handpresso Wild has won me over.
First of all as mentioned in many of the reviews here, the thing is built like a tank. It has a great durable quality feel to it...not some lightweight piece of plastic here. You get what you pay for with this item (yeah, I held out for a bit due to the price as well).
The handpresso is simple to use. I usually start heating the water and then pump the Handpresso up to the green area. The pump is not as difficult as some indicated...it takes a little time, less than 30 seconds probably closer to 10-15 seconds to get it to the proper pressure. The pump is right there are the base of the Handpresso, you just have to rotate it a quarter turn to unlock it and then pump it up like a bicycle hand pump to the proper pressure and then quarter turn it again to lock it back into the handle. It is not the most suave thing in a group setting but at the same time once they get a taste of the expresso any social faux pau will be quickly forgotten.
To insert the ESE pod you just twist off the bottom black piece, pour the water into the clear water "cup", put the ese pod on the metal portion over the water, screw the black piece back on (there is a lock/ unlock indicator to let you know if you did it right) and then just turn and press the black button/lever to start brewing the expresso.
The last thing that was a real winner for me was clean up. Once the expresso has been brewed you just have to unscrew the black bottom and drop the ese pod into the trash...rinse the Handpresso in water, wipe and you are done. No more fighting on where to put all those coffee grinds in the bottom of your coffee press!
Bringing the water to a boil was the longest step in the process in my experience.
So for me and the quest for good coffee in a hotel/"out in the woods" here are a couple of other points for the Handpresso:
1. The ese pods come in small self contained sealed packets so the items in your suitcase are not going to smell like coffee like they would if you packed a pound of coffee with you on a trip. (Yeah I double ziplock coffee beans but the smell always ends up leaking.)
2. Most hotel rooms have a hot water pot or a coffee pot that you can use to heat the water to a usable temperature, so heating the water is not as big an issue.
3. Another plus of ese pods is you can easily pack how many packets you think you are going to use...I like a double in the morning so I packed two per day and then threw in a couple extra for friends, late nights, etc. Ok, I packed like 20 extra but I really like coffee...I may or may not of made some expresso for the cleaning lady on a couple of mornings in Cairo.
4. The thing is super simple to clean...too easy infact. No longer are you fighting all the grinds in the bottom of a coffee press! Just rinse, wipe dry and you are done.
So, if you have been holding off because you weren't sure if it was worth the money...I would say it is well worth the cost as the thing just plain works well and is easy to use. The case makes it look a little suspect when heading through international customs...had a couple looks at it but no questions...haha (not a like a weapon but more like a gun for you Full Metal Jacket fans...this is my weapon, this is my gun, this is for killing, this is for fun). Anyway, the Handpresso has seen 5 countries in the last couple of weeks and has held up through third world airline baggage handlers to produce some star worthy expresso around the globe! Don't settle for bad coffee when you travel, get the handpresso!
Well built, durable and easy to use...worth the price. The only thing between you and a good cup of expresso on the go is the buy it now!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Nicely made but creates inferior espresso., January 31, 2010
Since only ESE pods can be used with this device, it severely limits the quality of espresso that you can produce. The crema is at best mediocre. Temperature is mediocre and only hot enough if you "shoot" the shot - no time to sip as it will cool off too quickly.
However, all that said, the quality of design and construction is excellent. I just wish it would work with a larger air chamber, allowing more pressure, longer; that would, in my opinion, generate a better end product with more crema/extraction.
I only use it as a last resort and will probably sell it soon.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Worked for 3 weeks then broke, November 25, 2009
Great gadget for the 3 weeks it worked (used for about 24 espressos)... then it would not hold any pressure. Sent back to the US import company at my cost and it was replaced, but they (Importika) would not cover the costs of shipping (~$25).
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
From a espresso lover----I love it!!!, January 10, 2009
I am an espresso lovers and a outdoors fanatic, and the handpresso is the best of both worlds where I can go camping or hiking and enjoy a great espresso in the outdoors. I also bought a small travel-backpack thermos that I fill with hot water and is the perfect combo.... highly recomended for espresso drinkers.
check the youtube clips to have a better idea about the product.
Cheers
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Handespresso gone whild!, December 12, 2008
I first experienced the Handspresso Wild as we drove like crazy Americans through the German countryside this past Sept attending Eurobike in Friedrichshaffen. Some of the evenings attending late parties and being tagged as the responsible designated driver my co workers rewarded me by keeping me full of espresso shots as I drove the hour between town and our hotel together. The trick to enjoying good shots is boiling hot water. How do you get boiling hot water in the German countryside? It was easy. We kept a thermos of boiling water in the van and used it to pull shots. Along with the Handpresso I recommend a nice thermos for boiling water, a milk frother, and good ESE pods. Currently I am using the Illy ESE pods and they work great!
After returning to America I purchased one on Amazon and used it over Thanksgiving to make espresso for my brother in law and sister in law for desert at the family get together. They dug it. Now I have another on order for Tim for Christmas. Being a headmaster at a local private school he misses espresso in the morning and doesn't want to spend hundreds if not thousands on a small machine for his office. This will be perfect along with a nice thermos.
It is anything but a bicycle pump!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
This is a truly a coffee break!, February 5, 2010
I heard of the handpresso a couple of months ago and quickly dismissed it. Last week, I came across it again and noted their new model uses ground coffee (known as WildomePod model) vs ESE. Upon watching the promo video from the company, I was curious because it seemed to be able to work as advertised. That same night, I found the WildomePod model in Amazon and placed the order. I had used now for two days in the office and I am loving it. To provide perspective, I own a Rancilio Silvia, known for its ability to make great espresso. As spoiled as I am for high quality coffee, I hate to pay up for espresso based coffee at Starbucks when at work. So normally, I drink office brewed coffee. My office now uses Keurig, which is a step up from drinking garbanzo bean coffee! Well. those days are over. I am now drinking a very decent espresso at work both in the morning and in the afternoon. The flavor is full bodied and the machine is extremely easy to use and to clean, you just rinse it.
The machine is well made, although a bit larger than I had expected. The instructions are clear and simple to follow. I must say that the first two times I used it when it arrived, i thought the machine was a hoax, because the coffee splattered and water leaked from the side. It probably was the rubber gasket that was a bit loose, but from the third attempt and four more brews later, the machine works like a charm. The trick to great espresso with ground coffee is how well the coffee is grind. I used the same setting that I use for my Rancilio and is perfect. With a spoon you compact the coffee in the filter basket and that's all it takes. $90 seems a bit pricey, but the handspresso should pay by itself when you compare it to buying coffee at work. And ground coffee is a lot cheaper than ESE. ESE is convenient but at a price and you can't just not match the quality of fresh ground coffee.
Handpresso says the machine should be serviced after 5 years or 5000 brews. It comes with a 2-year warranty. It comes with an extra gasket and a second filter. I estimate it will take me about 13+ years to reach 5000 brews in the office. I hope to retire before them but in the meantime, from now on I will always enjoy my coffee break!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Requires Pods - You cannot use any coffee..., January 26, 2010
It seems like a fine device, but I wanted to underscore that this is a POD ONLY device. If you like pods, fine. They are expensive and the choice of coffees from pods is limited. Pods, by definition, cannot be fresh coffee. It's a mass produced item, not something you can get from fresh roasts at your local coffee roaster. So while I believe this might be a nice travel coffee device, don't be a chump like I was and order it thinking you can use your own coffee source for it. My own fault- I didn't read carefully enough. Returning it to Amazon without using it.
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