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If you’re a coffee addict like me, you must always have your daily fix. However, that can be difficult when you’re away from home and there are no coffee shops nearby.
I found myself in this exact situation when I went camping, and let me just say that I was very grumpy throughout the whole trip.
To prevent me from going through this ordeal again, I decided to find an espresso maker that I could take with me on my adventures.
So, here’s my independent review of the CONQUECO Portable Coffee Machine.
My Rating
It Boils Water For You
One of the best features of this portable espresso maker is that it heats water for you. All you have to do is fill it up with water, press and hold a button, and wait around 8-12 minutes for the machine to boil the water and complete the brewing process.
The manufacturer says that the water is heated to about 190 degrees Fahrenheit; however, I found mine to be a little less than this, probably around the 170 F – 180 F mark. Even so, the end result was still a surprisingly good espresso that was very easy to make.
Recharging Made Easy
Before you make the decision to purchase a portable espresso maker, you should always check out the size and quality of the battery. This particular model includes a lithium 12V rechargeable battery, which has the ability to brew three espresso shots using cold water or 100 cups if you use hot water.
Many of the other options I browsed before settling for this one didn’t have a rechargeable battery. Instead, they used single-use batteries that had to be replaced every so often. Obviously, this isn’t ideal for the environment or your bank account, so I definitely recommend looking for portable coffee makers that come with a rechargeable battery built-in.
Another benefit of this one is that you can charge it in your car, improving its convenience.
A Design That Works
The last thing you want is a heavy, clunky portable coffee maker that is annoying to carry around. Thankfully, I’m happy to report that the CONQUECO is lightweight and easy to carry.
Length-wise, the maker is just under a foot long and weighs roughly 2 lbs. My daughter loves carrying it around, so if a child doesn’t mind carrying it, I think the majority of grown adults won’t have an issue too.
Compatible with Nespresso Pods
For even more convenience, this portable coffee machine works solely with Nespresso Pods, which basically means there’s a lot less mess when the time comes to brewing an espresso shot.
A few of the other options I looked at did provide you with the ability to use pods or coffee grounds. So if you’re wanting one that can do both, then this machine may not be the best choice. With that said, I was more than happy with just using Pods.
Decent Tasting Espresso
By no stretch of the imagination were the espressos that I made with this travel maker the best I’ve ever had. Although, they were a lot better than I originally expected: there was a decent amount of crema, the espresso was hot, and tasted fresh. What more could you ask for in a portable maker?
Simple To Clean
The last thing I want to talk about is cleaning the CONQUECO Portable Coffee Machine. It comes with an automatic cleaning function, so all you have to do is pour some water into it and turn it on without adding a Nespresso Pod. The machine then cleans itself, so you can continue making decent-quality espressos.
The only bit that you’ll need to manually clean is the water cup, but this can be done easily and doesn’t require much effort at all.
Machine Specs
Finishing up my CONQUECO Portable Coffee Machine Review
Overall, I think this is a solid product that is very convenient. I’d say the biggest downside is probably the time it takes to heat up water, but at least it has this feature. Many of the other portable espresso makers I looked at didn’t.
If you’re not sold on this travel maker, feel free to read this review. You may find the choices there more to your liking!