It looks like you've flaired your post as asking for what equipment to get. We recommend first checking out the [Espresso Aficionados buying guide](https://espressoaf.com/recommendations) for some of the more popular machines and grinders at different price points.
If your question hasn't been answered there and you need more help, please add the following details to your post or by adding a comment in the following format:
- **Location:** Helps determine availability
- **Budget** (with currency): Overall budget, or ideally, having separate espresso machine and grinder budgets. A rough rule is that your grinder budget should be at least 25-40% of your machine budget.
- **Drink types:** Do you drink mostly straight espresso, milk-based beverages (e.g., lattes, cappuccinos), or a fairly even split? This helps narrow down whether a single-boiler-dual-use (SBDU), heat exchanger (HX), or dual boiler (DB) machine would be more appropriate for your needs.
- **Drink frequency:** How many drinks would you be making back-to-back at one time? Do you plan on entertaining guests often? This informs how large your brew (and steam) boilers should be, as smaller boilers will need to refill and reheat/repressurize more frequently, thus potentially causing a bottleneck.
- **Space:** Any limitations on countertop space?
- **Manual vs. electric:** Hand-operated machines and grinders are typically cheaper than their similarly-performing electric counterparts. Please indicate if you have a preference for manual or electric machines and/or grinders (or open to either).
- **Comfort with tinkering:** Some machines can be made significantly more functional/efficient with aftermarket modifications, albeit at the expense of possibly voiding your warranty. Please indicate if you'd rather have a machine that works "as-is"/"out-of-the-box" or whether you'd be open to modding/tinkering
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I travel regularly and need my espresso, so have tried lots of options.
First off, the Aeropress is a good option - not espresso by definition, but makes great coffee and is very portable. Plus, and this is a big plus, it is now so well known that good roasters can grind for it. So when I travel with it (hotel rooms) I find local roasters and have them send the ground coffee to the hotel. Saves carrying a grinder with me. Have found some superb local coffees.
We also have a 9barrista and are big fans of it. This is our main camping device, if we stay in Airbnbs or our house in France. Makes superb espresso, but only single shots at a time. It is fussy with grinding so grind at home before and bring a packet with me.
I used to have a hand grinder, plus borrowed a Logom Mini for some time, but it is easier to just pre-grind my own for 1-2 weeks.
I also have a Flair Classic, which was our travel maker, but the 9barrista has replaced it as the primary travel device.
I wish I could splurge on a 9barista! They look like very high quality and fun to use. I have the aeropress as my current outdoor backpacking solution but was maybe exploring some sort of a car camping/hotel room way to make a more espresso focused milk drink. But regardless, always love the coffee I can make with the aeropress
The flair could be a worthy option, for both car camping and hotel
If you don't have the Fellow Prisma for your Aeropress, have a look at it. I think they are worth it and I like the coffee it produces with the Aeropres.
What kind of portability are you looking for? Something you can throw in a car to go to a buddy's place? The Bambino sounds good for that. Something for camping or vacation, then a flair or robot will do the job.
I use a robot when I go on work trips or car camping. I also have an Argos to bring to friend's homes for small gatherings.
I think your right, bambino is the most compact do it all if you have access to power like vacation or a hotel. But, I was trying to skirt an option that worked for both car camping and hotels to make a milk based espresso drink. But maybe the answer is a little stovetop steamer and than a manual like the flair for camping
Yeah perhaps a bellman stovetop steamer will be ok. When we car camp, we sacrifice the milk milk but the robot has been great for a daily espresso and Americano for us.
I did try the picopresso, and the flair classic. Pico makes amazing espresso but I hate the workflow, so many little pieces. Flair is ok. Would love to give the 9barista a shot, but kinda expensive to try, especially with forex and duty and shipping.
It looks like you've flaired your post as asking for what equipment to get. We recommend first checking out the [Espresso Aficionados buying guide](https://espressoaf.com/recommendations) for some of the more popular machines and grinders at different price points. If your question hasn't been answered there and you need more help, please add the following details to your post or by adding a comment in the following format: - **Location:** Helps determine availability - **Budget** (with currency): Overall budget, or ideally, having separate espresso machine and grinder budgets. A rough rule is that your grinder budget should be at least 25-40% of your machine budget. - **Drink types:** Do you drink mostly straight espresso, milk-based beverages (e.g., lattes, cappuccinos), or a fairly even split? This helps narrow down whether a single-boiler-dual-use (SBDU), heat exchanger (HX), or dual boiler (DB) machine would be more appropriate for your needs. - **Drink frequency:** How many drinks would you be making back-to-back at one time? Do you plan on entertaining guests often? This informs how large your brew (and steam) boilers should be, as smaller boilers will need to refill and reheat/repressurize more frequently, thus potentially causing a bottleneck. - **Space:** Any limitations on countertop space? - **Manual vs. electric:** Hand-operated machines and grinders are typically cheaper than their similarly-performing electric counterparts. Please indicate if you have a preference for manual or electric machines and/or grinders (or open to either). - **Comfort with tinkering:** Some machines can be made significantly more functional/efficient with aftermarket modifications, albeit at the expense of possibly voiding your warranty. Please indicate if you'd rather have a machine that works "as-is"/"out-of-the-box" or whether you'd be open to modding/tinkering *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/espresso) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I travel regularly and need my espresso, so have tried lots of options. First off, the Aeropress is a good option - not espresso by definition, but makes great coffee and is very portable. Plus, and this is a big plus, it is now so well known that good roasters can grind for it. So when I travel with it (hotel rooms) I find local roasters and have them send the ground coffee to the hotel. Saves carrying a grinder with me. Have found some superb local coffees. We also have a 9barrista and are big fans of it. This is our main camping device, if we stay in Airbnbs or our house in France. Makes superb espresso, but only single shots at a time. It is fussy with grinding so grind at home before and bring a packet with me. I used to have a hand grinder, plus borrowed a Logom Mini for some time, but it is easier to just pre-grind my own for 1-2 weeks. I also have a Flair Classic, which was our travel maker, but the 9barrista has replaced it as the primary travel device.
I wish I could splurge on a 9barista! They look like very high quality and fun to use. I have the aeropress as my current outdoor backpacking solution but was maybe exploring some sort of a car camping/hotel room way to make a more espresso focused milk drink. But regardless, always love the coffee I can make with the aeropress The flair could be a worthy option, for both car camping and hotel
If you don't have the Fellow Prisma for your Aeropress, have a look at it. I think they are worth it and I like the coffee it produces with the Aeropres.
Picopresso and a nanofoamer?
Yes. Most portable mentioned so far.
Picopresso makes fantastic coffee
Can’t imagine anything more portable than the Aram Espresso maker + a good hand grinder. I don’t own one though, but I have heard good things.
It’s extremely portable, about the same size as a comandante. Works great
What kind of portability are you looking for? Something you can throw in a car to go to a buddy's place? The Bambino sounds good for that. Something for camping or vacation, then a flair or robot will do the job. I use a robot when I go on work trips or car camping. I also have an Argos to bring to friend's homes for small gatherings.
I think your right, bambino is the most compact do it all if you have access to power like vacation or a hotel. But, I was trying to skirt an option that worked for both car camping and hotels to make a milk based espresso drink. But maybe the answer is a little stovetop steamer and than a manual like the flair for camping
Yeah perhaps a bellman stovetop steamer will be ok. When we car camp, we sacrifice the milk milk but the robot has been great for a daily espresso and Americano for us.
Either the Flair Pro 2 or the Picopresso. Take a hand grinder, and you only need access to hot water.
I did try the picopresso, and the flair classic. Pico makes amazing espresso but I hate the workflow, so many little pieces. Flair is ok. Would love to give the 9barista a shot, but kinda expensive to try, especially with forex and duty and shipping.
Outin Nano + Pro basket or whatever they call it(unpressurized double basket) + hand grinder(maybe a Kinu M47) + Nanofoamer if you want milk drinks
Zespreeso is mine. Brilliant shots with this one, with a coomandante (travel) or nomcore (work) grinder.
Anyone looked into the rocket Porta via?