So, to sum up our Staresso review: a great all-round handheld espresso maker that makes quality coffee. If you plan to make the most of this portable espresso maker while on the road, you’ll need a manual grinder like the 1Zpresso J-Max (that’s what we use when we travel). Or, if you’ll only use it at home, an electric grinder like the Breville Smart Grinder Pro is a good option. Whatever you choose, it needs to be capable of grinding well for espresso– not all grinders excel at the finer end of the spectrum. Being able to froth milk on the go is a nice touch. But the reality is more lukewarm frothed-ish milk. It takes a long time to do and your milk is cooling down the whole time.

In look, price, and experience, the Nanopresso couldn’t be further than the top of the range espresso machines we’ve reviewed. And yet the taste is almost on par. It is more of a faff, it does involve boiling water and finding a flat spot if you’re outside, but the end result is seriously impressive. The pressure which you can get from the Staresso espresso maker is great for pulling good espresso shots. You will find counter-top coffee machines at this price point that don’t create as much pressure so it’s really impressive in a portable machine. 2. Milk Frother To get the best results, you need a full setup including a kettle, quality hand grinder, and coffee scale.The Nanopresso is actually the successor to the Minipresso, a very popular portable coffee maker in its own right. Having tried both versions, we feel that with this latest portable espresso maker, Wacaco has created the best device an espresso-lover could hope for in the absence of a real espresso machine. The Nanopresso is convenient for the constant traveler, camper, occasional espresso drinker, or minimalist. It’s a great product that’s easy to use and easy to transport. If you need to use it for more than two people, though, you may want to consider a product designed for multiple users. Portable is stretch here—the 9Barista is very well made, but it does weigh more than three pounds. For a small apartment with limited kitchen counter space, or for those RV trips you've been plotting, it's perfect. It is worth noting that Lattissima One does not come with a steam wand for making micro foam, but it does have its own automatic ‘Rapid Cappuccino System’ to dispense milk straight into your cup. This capsule machine won’t allow you to experiment with freshly ground beans and artisan filter flavors, either, which is the case for all of the machines featured in this guide.

Nevertheless, that pressurized portafilter is also the reason that the espresso the Nanopresso produces won’t be as good as the Picopresso.These little pods contain pre-measured coffee grounds, perfectly portioned to brew a single serving. Of course, proper cleaning and regular maintenance, like descaling and changing filters as needed, can help prolong its life. There's no denying that there is a fair amount of waste from using a Nespresso coffee pods, but the company are on to this. There are four recycling options which can be achieved by following 3 easy steps. One critical thing to remember: preheat all the parts of this machine with hot water before using it. Although this is true of every espresso maker, it’s especially true with Staresso, because your coffee will cool as you froth the milk.