A portable machine capable of making high quality espresso is a bit of a Holy Grail in the coffee world. The aeropress, the Mypressi Twist, and most recently the Aram Coffeemaker have all their takes on portable espresso to varying degrees of success. But there’s a new device vying for the best portable espresso throne: The UniTerra Nomad, a pump-powered machine that appears to subscribe to the “bigger is better” theory on portability.
Building up the right amount of pressure has always been the hang up for portable espresso machines. According to their website, the Nomad is able to build up eight to 10 bars of pressure using two tiny pistons attached to a seesaw motion lever. A gauge on top of the Nomad allows users to monitor and control the pressure by adjusting their pumping speed.
To be fair, the Nomad is portable in the sense that it doesn’t require electricity. It’s a bit boxy to be taking on hikes into the wilderness, and you’d still need to bring coffee, a grinder, tamper, a way to heat water, etc., though many of those problems are not unique to just the Nomad. I mean, I don’t exactly travel light when it comes to my road coffee setup, but even I balk a little at the “go anywhere” nature of the Nomad’s claim. But you can technically make espresso with it anywhere, so who am I to say? The bird in this video certainly seems to disagree.
Portability aside, the Nomad may be a nice addition to a home coffee setup for a person looking to add espresso to their roster but do so on a budget. Ranging from $245-295, the Nomad is a reasonably priced espresso making option. And it’s stylish enough to feel at home on just about any kitchen. Except, you know, maybe one around a campfire where you had to haul in all your gear for a few miles.
For more information on the Nomad or to see more videos of it in action, visit UniTerra’s website here.
Zac Cadwalader is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network.
*top image via UniTerra
