Handpresso Auto Review – 12V Portable In-Car Espresso Machine

Pros and Cons

Where to Buy?

Intro

Am I a coffee lover or a coffee addict? – who knows. What I do know is that over the years I’ve toyed with numerous coffee machines and portable coffee makers in all shapes and sizes. For the last two months, I’ve been using the manual Handpresso machine on a daily basis and I’ve dialed it in perfectly to my taste.

Up until now, all my portable coffee machines have required me to heat the water independently. The Handpresso Auto is the first I’ve used that fully automates the process of heating the water and pressurising the chamber. I’m not going to lie, it’s got me excited, so let’s take a look.

Handpresso Auto Set – Full Review

The Handpresso Auto can either be bought on its own or as part of a set. The set includes a semi-hard carry case that should fit in most glove boxes. Inside there’s two good quality espresso cups, a ground coffee basket, a napkin, a well-illustrated user manual and an additional portafilter. All the components fit neatly inside molded sections and are retained securely when the case is zipped shut.

The Handpresso Auto is similar in size to a Nalgene bottle or large travel mug which should make it ideal for most car cup holders. Its body has a pleasant matte finish which is comfortable to hold and easy to wipe clean. It features an external temperature gauge, a power button the illuminates during operation and espresso release toggle.

The braided power cable measures 28 inches in length, it wraps tightly around the unit and is contained within a channel. Likewise, the 12V adapter plug clips in a recess within the body. The design is well thought out and the build quality is precise.

How to use the Handpresso Auto

At this stage, you’ve either got the option of using the shallow portafilter (lid) with an E.S.E pod (easy serve espresso) or the longer portafilter with the grounds basket and coffee ring. Just make sure that the two white lines on the rim are aligned when you screw the lid back on.

Unplug the Handpresso Auto from the cigarette lighter socket and hold it directly over the espresso cup. Press the button on the side and it will begin the extraction. Once complete, push the stop button on the opposite side.

Espresso Quality

The Handpresso Auto achieves the 16 bar of pressure and a high enough temperature to produce a good quality espresso. As with the manual version, the pressure does fall during the extraction, but not enough to have a drastic effect on the creme.

Using the E.S.E pods will give you a consistently good espresso and leave you with little mess to clean up. It’s certainly the easier option especially if you’re on the road and don’t want the hassle of preparing the basket or cleaning it.

Using the ground coffee adapter will allow you to dial in your settings. I’ve found it to be very similar to the manual Handpresso in terms of prepping the coffee. The basket is identical, you can get between 7-10 grams in depending on the tamp. If you’re preparing your own beans, you’ll need a fairly fine grind, quiet similar to preground coffee. I believe my Hario ceramic mill is two or three clicks from the finest setting.

Verdict

The days of pulling into dodgy service stations for a sub-standard overpriced coffee are well and truly behind me. The Handpresso Auto is an amazing car gadget, it’s well-designed, easy to use and makes a very consistent and flavoursome espresso.

Where to buy?