Steve and Karen
Ranger
There have been some lively, lengthy discussions on the forum in the past about coffee. The Aeropress, which I have and use at home, gets a big thumbs up all 'round from forum members. However, not much mention of portable, real, espresso.
After blowing out the seals on the Handpresso https://www.handpresso.com/en/handpresso-pump-and-set-of-accessories-453v13106.html# several times (with normal use and pressures) I finally gave up.
My go-to is now the Staresso Plus SP300 Manual Espresso Machine | Mirage . It's robust construction means that I can use it at home, and it does. It has held up to several years of daily use. Other similarly-sized portable units, which have batteries and internal heating elements, and "do all the work", are too complex for my liking, and possibly prone to some sort of failure, though I'm sure they deliver a good product. I am a bit risk-averse.
The Staresso is simple. About 20 pumps/ 20 seconds on the plunger gets the basket up to the required 20psi to automatically release the rubber stopper on the bottom, which is on a small spring. Another 30 pumps/30 seconds keeps the valve open and empties the reservoir. So the grounds aren't swimming too long and getting bitter. I pre-heat the water reservoir, dump and re-fill, since it can be a heat sink, and lower the temp of the water going through the grounds. The basket will accommodate a tamper. A ceramic burr hand grinder completes the set-up and the morning routine.
After blowing out the seals on the Handpresso https://www.handpresso.com/en/handpresso-pump-and-set-of-accessories-453v13106.html# several times (with normal use and pressures) I finally gave up.
My go-to is now the Staresso Plus SP300 Manual Espresso Machine | Mirage . It's robust construction means that I can use it at home, and it does. It has held up to several years of daily use. Other similarly-sized portable units, which have batteries and internal heating elements, and "do all the work", are too complex for my liking, and possibly prone to some sort of failure, though I'm sure they deliver a good product. I am a bit risk-averse.
The Staresso is simple. About 20 pumps/ 20 seconds on the plunger gets the basket up to the required 20psi to automatically release the rubber stopper on the bottom, which is on a small spring. Another 30 pumps/30 seconds keeps the valve open and empties the reservoir. So the grounds aren't swimming too long and getting bitter. I pre-heat the water reservoir, dump and re-fill, since it can be a heat sink, and lower the temp of the water going through the grounds. The basket will accommodate a tamper. A ceramic burr hand grinder completes the set-up and the morning routine.
I know they have a newer version, but I'm looking at the price and the fact I already have 2 --- not sure the squeeze is worth the juice. What I really need to do is figureout how to take my Miele with me 
