Looking for an excellent Espresso on the go… a portable coffee machine that delivers all the happy travel & camping coffee feels… THEN read our review! We might have just found it ☕️
We are ALL about a perfect cup of coffee! An early morning latte, midday cappuccino, or afternoon espresso. And as full-time travellers, and hiking and camping lovers, we are always on the lookout for the BEST travel espresso maker.
We need the kind of portable espresso machine that delivers a cafe-style brew! One with great crema and a full-bodied taste. Because we are of the opinion, that travel doesn’t mean compromising on the daily coffee ritual.
Previously we travelled with a manual espresso maker the Nanopresso. But we got our hands on the OutIn automatic portable espresso machine, just in time for our hiking and camping trip to Australia… the perfect chance to review it!
I’ll tell you how it works, and how the espresso tastes, what it costs and I even share a discount code. Find out below, as I explain the Basket Plus kit as well as OutIn’s sustainability goals. We share all our thoughts below👇
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Table of Contents
Portable Espresso Machine – The Review!
😋 In full disclosure, I am not an espresso expert or barista, simply a self-confessed coffee snob. I can’t give you the science and percentages of coffee extraction. But what I can give you are my thoughts on taste, ease of use and details on how the OutIn portable espresso machine fairs when on the go!
💯 The OutIn portable espresso machine was gifted, but as with all products I review here, I give you my honest opinion. So this post shares the good, AND the bad.
But enough chit chat… let’s get down to business. How did this portable espresso machine go on our travels and recent camping trip, and what was our review.
How the Portable Espresso Machine Works
Forget instant coffee… or the absence of a morning coffee. OutIn have created a magic little machine, that all true coffee connoisseurs are going to want pack in their travel bags. It brews up a hassle-free espresso in just a few minutes. This gives you the freedom to create your favourite cup of coffee, just how you like it at home.
The OutIn portable espresso machine differs from our previous travel coffee maker in several ways –
Capsules & grinds
Firstly, it has the ability to make coffee from a capsule AND also from coffee grounds. As such, if you are the kind of coffee lover who has a favourite capsule brand, then this machine takes it.
Alternatively, if you prefer your espresso from coffee grinds like myself, then this machine takes that too!
What it can’t do is grind beans… but hey you can’t have it all. Perhaps there is a new product idea in there somewhere, a matching sleek OutIn compact coffee bean grinder would be great right!
Automatic vs manual
Probably one of my favourite features of the OutIn is that it’s automatic… no hand pumping here my friend. This espresso maker charges with a USB-C cable. Simply add your 50-80ml of water, press the button, and hey presto… you have espresso!
heating water
The third way it differs… the OutIn espresso machine heats water as well. I know! A game changer for when you’re out in nature and don’t have access to a kettle.
On the other hand, if you’re out in nature and have access to hot water, you can preserve battery life. This is because the OutIn can make 2-5 espressos from cold water OR 200+ espressos if you add hot water.
Look & Feel
I have to admit, opening the box gave me that satisfied feeling, that I was opening a quality product. It had all the vibes of an expensive piece of camera equipment, as I pulled it out of the box. So on first impressions the OutIn espresso machine hits the mark.
The next thing I noticed is that the espresso machine is a sleek and well designed unit. It’s no wonder that it’s the winner of the Red Dot product design award in 2023 and iF design award in 2024.
Browse the full range of colours to find the one that best suits you. Ladies you might like to know that they even have one in rose quartz pink. Yes that’s right… Outin have collaborated with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, with whom they donate 5% of sales. This resonated with me as a breast cancer survivor!
The OutIn Espresso Taste
But how did the OutIn espresso taste… did it pack a powerful punch? And how did it compare against the other portable espresso machine that we reviewed previously?
I first gave it a whirl with our coffee grinds, that I run through our larger home espresso machine. While I got a nice tasting cup of coffee, I was missing the desirable crema I look for on an espresso. So I went hunting for a finer coffee grind and it has to be said, this made ALL the difference.
The finer grounds gave me an espresso with a strong flavour, full of ALL the chocolatey notes that my coffee grinds promised. AND literally to top it off, the irresistible thick and shiny crema.
Now here comes my honest review… in comparison to the Wacaco Nanopresso, I believe the OutIn produced an espresso with a richer flavour and better crema. In which case if it’s an authentic, full-bodied espresso that you’re after, then I do believe this is the best portable machine for the job.
The OutIn Nano Basket Plus
The Basket Plus is an accessory kit, which can be purchased alongside the OutIn portable espresso machine. It is a handy extra for those wanting a double shot, taking a whopping 16-18 grams of ground coffee. And there’s no doubting, it makes a lovely punchy double shot of espresso.
What’s more the Basket Plus accessories differ from the standard kit, in that it’s stainless steel. As a result it adds to the quality look and feel of the OutIn espresso machine.
Simply sit the doser over the basket filter, fill your preferred amount of coffee grinds and tamp.
My husband likes a long black (a double espresso with 160-220ml hot water), so he prefers this filter basket. He fills the OutIn with the maximum 80ml of water, takes the first espresso extraction, then refills the water and runs a second extraction. A satisfying long black all the time, every time!
The Price + Discount Code
The Portable OutIn Espresso machine is only going to cost you $149 USD. Just think… that’s the equivalent of less than 30 cafe brewed cappuccinos!
What’s more, OutIn deliver worldwide and they even offer FREE shipping to 24 countries.
Browse the Outin website for the full product range and corresponding prices.
Use my code MYFREERANGEFAMILY for 10% discount off your order!
Camping & Travel Espresso
Each piece of the kit packs away and fits within the machine itself. When you live on the road as I do, there is nothing worse than loose pieces and the risk of bits getting lost. And that’s not an issue with the OutIn espresso machine, making it a convenient camping espresso maker.
I would mention that if it’s a portable espresso machine you’re searching for, then check out the nano portable espresso machine. It comes with a handy little carry case. I would also love to see OutIn offer a small drawstring pouch or bag, as a solution for the full-time travel family such as ourselves. Fitting the carry case into a backpack becomes problematic in terms of space. For the meantime, we’re happy to create our own.
If you’re a hiker and intend to take the OutIn on the trail, then you might like to know the weights. The single shot is included with the OutIn coffee maker, as is the capsule adapter. The Basket Plus, as explained above is an accessory for making a double shot. However the weight listed below doesn’t include the tamper and doser.
| Machine + Attachment | Weight (gm) |
|---|---|
| OutIn + Single shot | 660 |
| OutIn + Capsule adapter | 660 |
| OutIn + Basket Plus | 705 |
Hiking Review with the Outin Espresso Machine
We pushed our OutIn portable espresso machine to the limit following our recent 6 multi-day hiking and camping trip in Australia. This is what we learnt.
We packed the Basket Plus – Filter Basket and Portafilter for my husband who likes a double shot. While I took the single shot filter basket. This meant we didn’t need to refill the filter basket after making each espresso. Essentially we had one each.
After some thought about packing, we decided to leave the tamper and doser at home, given they are stainless steel. We found that we were able to get by without them and at the same time keep our packs lighter.
Also given that we only had a small solar charger for the week hiking, we decided to make our espresso from hot water, rather than heat from cold. I was super impressed to find that we returned after a week, with the battery still on the maximum 4 lights.
I would recommend, if you intend on making multiple espressos, you grab the multiple baskets kit. This way more people can enjoy an OutIn espresso, without the wait between each one.
Is it Sustainable?
I am a coffee lover, and I choose to drink coffee as sustainably as possible. In other words, I wouldn’t order coffee in a ‘takeaway’ cup, and I drink coffee brands that have pledged to support organic fair-trade farms. I don’t drink capsule coffees, and I recycle packaging where possible.
By making my own espresso when I’m travelling, it means I can still get my daily coffee fix, without compromising on my sustainable goals. And that’s where OutIn works for me.
In terms of OutIn’s commitment to sustainability, I appreciate their production and supply goals to be carbon neutral by 2030. They appear to be prioritising the production of the OutIn espresso machine, with suppliers who use renewable energy.
At the end of the day, I’m of the opinion that purchasing any ‘new’ piece of equipment will ultimately contribute to landfill. Therefore I advise anyone considering a purchase, to make the decision carefully and consciously.
Overall Review
Consequently, after testing the OutIn portable espresso machine over several weeks, it receives my solid 5 star review. It delivers on all aspects, from ease of use, to travel-ability, robustness and most importantly on taste!
If you have any questions, or would like to know more, drop me a comment below, or send an email. I’m here to help with your queries or concerns!
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Outin now makes a companion grinder that matches the look and feel of the espresso machine. Check their website.
This IS great news! Thanks for the update Mike 🙂