STARESSO Portable Espresso Machine: Manual Coffee Maker for Delicious Espresso On-the-Go

ABDEL H.ABDEL H.: I really appreciate the taste of a good cup of expresso from time to time; However, I wasn’t ready to spend hundreds of dollars on a new machine, especially since I don’t drink it at home a lot. So, this gadget was convenient, as I was able to take it with me during my hike and camping. I am truly amazed and happy about this purchase.

United States on Sep 15, 2023

Evan Snyder: Very impressed with the quality of the espresso from this simple and small device! We use it with nespresso capsules and it's excellent to have our favorite coffee away from home. For being so compact, it gets pretty close to the quality of a regular nespresso machine. The "nespresso compatible" capsules we tried didn't work quite as well as the brand ones (the shape is ever so slightly different).

We just got back from several months traveling in Asia, and are kicking ourselves that we didn't buy it beforehand. It would fit very easily into even small luggage and will definitely come with us on future vacations.

United States on Sep 09, 2023

Becky Andrews: I just bought one of the 2nd generation Portables (not the mini). In general this is a really neat idea, and it seems to work. I was able to make a very dense shot of coffee with out too much fuss.

It does take a fair amount of pressure while pumping (which is what you want for that espresso like coffee), but be warned if you have loose or injured joints in your hands / wrist. Make sure you place it somwhere that allows you to use good ergonomics and leverage. On the up side - the device feels like it is built to withstand that pressure. It is very solid, and remarkably stable.

My only issue so far is that the newer version does not have a built in spike for coffee pods - it does come with a "capsule holder" that has spikes to pierce the dome-end of coffee pod containers. But good luck finding any videos or explanation for the details of how it works after that. It is unclear if you leave the sleeve in after piercing the pod, or if you take it out, and it is unclear how the other end of the pod would get pierced so that the coffee can come out (my attempt yeilded water going around the pod, even with the dome end pierced, because the foil end did not get pierced....

United States on Aug 31, 2023

Happy Man: Great product. Had some issues early on, but contacting them really helped solve my issues and get me back to properly enjoying this product

Canada on Aug 04, 2023

Preet K.: Espresso while camping!

It's a great machine. I bring a small hand grinder for the beans and make perfect coffee.

Only stainless steel and glass touch what you're drinking. That's a huge plus.

And when you are lazy, use a pod.

Canada on Jul 21, 2023

France Lesage: belle crema,

Canada on Mar 30, 2023

Heyu Fang: Hey there, just wanted to share my thoughts on this portable coffee maker I recently purchased. As someone who loves coffee and is always on the go, this little gadget has been a lifesaver.
First of all, it's super easy to use - I don't have to be a barista to get a delicious cup of coffee. Just add in my favorite coffee grounds and hot water, wait a few minutes, and press the plunger down. Voila! Perfectly brewed coffee every time.
The best part is that I don't need electricity to use it, which makes it perfect for camping trips or when I'm out and about and don't have access to a power source. It's also incredibly portable - I can just toss it in my bag and go.
And let me tell you, the coffee it produces is top-notch. It's smooth, rich, and just the right strength. I've even had a few friends try it and they were blown away by the taste.
Overall, I couldn't be happier with my purchase. If you're a coffee lover who's always on the move, I highly recommend giving this portable coffee maker a try. It's a game-changer!

Canada on Mar 20, 2023

Adam: This thing has a small sping inside the mechanism where you load the espresso grounds. I went to make a cup and once the pressure built up to the point where the next pump would start the espresso to flow into the glass cylinder I heard a sound like glass breaking. Carefully taking the machine apart I found that no glass had broken but instead the spring had rocketed into the glass cylinder, releasing all the pressure. I tried putting it back together but it keeps happening.

Canada on Jan 19, 2023

Amazon CustomerAmazon Customer: Update: Don't recomend this product at all. I used this product for maybe 10 pulls in total since I bought it. Today it exploded and the bottom broke off. This thing is dangerous.

The Coffee:
So like the title says, this is good but it does not make espresso. For coffee "snobs", this may be enough to curb your coffee cravings but the taste it produces is not espresso. I'd say the taste is closer to really strong drip coffee. Drip coffee as in the first 1/4 of the the pot before the rest of the water dilutes the concentration. But this is no fault of the product.

To really get good espresso, you're going to need a machine that has high pressure and scalding water and there is nothing portable about that. So at the end of the day, it really depends on what you want. Decent cup of coffee or real espresso?

I bought the item knowing that but what is quite disappointing is the amount of coffee it produces. To get something close to a double shot, you'll need to repeat the process twice. In hind sight, I should've known considering the size of the coffee ground holder. Dumping out the cup of grinds to refill and make shot #2 is plain difficult as the grinds still...

United States on Feb 04, 2021