portaspresso as main home brewing device

[eljimberino]

Hi Fruity, I will be in Melbourne for two weeks if you want to try mine. PM me.

[fruity]

How much do you think they are worth?

Well I was expecting similar pricing to other handheld/powerless grinders and coffee makers - $100-$150 each. To be fair, I can't comment on the "pressure profiling" aspect as I've never used one, so I can't say if it produces substantially better espresso due to the manual nature of the device(s). My point was that it seems like an awful lot of money for something so limited in its capability. Out of interest, does any dealer in Melbourne stock these things so I could see "the proof in the pudding", so to speak?

[eljimberino]

How much do you think they are worth?

What is a 'proper' espresso machine? Something that you can easily change the pressure profile according to the beans you are using? Change the pressure profile according to the type of coffee you would like to make?

One could argue that the portaspresso devices are the only 'proper' espresso machines because they allow pressure profiling on the fly. But there are too many people with too much money and time invested to agree with that statement.

[fruity]

portaspresso as main home brewing device

I was getting enthused about this idea until I saw how expensive these things are: do they really cost nearly $800 for a manual espresso setup?! Maybe I need to see these in action, but it's hard to justify that cost vs. proper espresso machine & grinder where you can usually steam milk too and make more than 1 shot at a time.

[eljimberino]

Nothing is perfect.

My mate recently bought a Rossa HC and I have a Air espresso. Both can make coffee just as good, if not better, than my friends very expensive Expobar.

Expobar pro: can make multiple coffees quickly.

Portaspresso pro: portable.

Yes, they require a little set up. This is what I do not understand with the negative posts. Nobody lied when he/she purchased it.

"What do you mean, I have to use it now?"

It is a bit rich on the one hand to say you cannot be bothered and then on the other hand come on to a forum and say they are not good.

In my opinion there is no comparable portable espresso device in the market.

Once you own the grinder/rossa combo you can travel with the confidence that you can have the best possible coffee, any time you want.

I'm going to travel soon and will carry a jetboil as a backup when there is no kettle handy. No internet searches for "good coffee places", no walking streets hoping for a decent shot, no getting ripped off, no lines: happy as...

One last thing: just read the original post. My mate and I use the portaspresso equipment as our home device. We make 3-4 shots a day. Yes, it can be your only home device. Takes up little space.

[Ricard]

In terms of temperature I have at home a kettle that I can set the temperature by (set at 93deg) and it hold it there for the next 10 minutes. When I travel I have a candy temperature gauge. The Rossa HC hold the temperature very well if you preheat the machine- simply by holding the water in it for about 25-30sec then replace it with fresh water at your desired temperature. If I recall Ross put something on utube whereby he showed a temperature gauge in the machine for about a minute. While it retains heat well, it is not designed to adjust the temperature- only the pressure, you have to use your kettle for all temperature adjustments. With the design I can hold the Rossa HC (on the black parts) without it getting to hot to hold, as you know it is made of brass which retains heat of an excellent nature.

[Ricard]

I know these Rossa/Rosco machines weigh 1-1.2kg and the mini is less. I do most of my travel via air so I know weight is the killer but when you put it into the realms of everyday items I am a size 11 shoe and my outdoor work boots weigh 1.3kg for the pair. So for the sake of one pair of boots I am more than happy to ensure that I have coffee that I enjoy everyday. It is all about what is important and priority when travelling. I also shave weight down to compensate by replacing larger toiletry items like shampoos, conditioner, shaving creams into small containers. You will also be surprised by the differences in travel bags in weight. If I do need to take my boots I always have the option of wearing them when travelling.

[Yelta]

Thank you very much Ricard for this very informative post. I was already more or less convinced that the Rosco mini grinder is a wonderful piece of engineering and I am very glad to hear that it is also extremely easy to use. I am actually about to buy one (and I hope that in 50 years my grandchildren will be able to use it as well :-). As regards the Portaspresso, I am now convinced that it is in fact quite easy to use and can produce world class coffee. After my first post, I have been able to get one of this old Italian lever (a Caravel) and am pulling pretty good (but small-ish) espresso shots. I am not sure now that I will get a Portaspresso in the near future, but this is definitely something that I keep in mind if I decide one day to get travelling espresso device.

I was also wondering how easy it is to adjust the temperature of the Portaspresso's shots? Say I want to pull a 93 deg shot: can I easily do that with the Portaspresso (indeed, it is very easy to tweak the pressure of the shot)?

Morning alekk, don't discount my comments in post 14, this thread, because of their brevity, I stand by my comments, the Rosco is a good manual grinder.

The Rossa makes a reasonable espresso, however it involves a lot of stuffing around.

As far as being ideal travel devices, perhaps if your traveling by car, they are both heavy and are far from air travel friendly.

[alekk]

Thank you very much Ricard for this very informative post. I was already more or less convinced that the Rosco mini grinder is a wonderful piece of engineering and I am very glad to hear that it is also extremely easy to use. I am actually about to buy one (and I hope that in 50 years my grandchildren will be able to use it as well :-). As regards the Portaspresso, I am now convinced that it is in fact quite easy to use and can produce world class coffee. After my first post, I have been able to get one of this old Italian lever (a Caravel) and am pulling pretty good (but small-ish) espresso shots. I am not sure now that I will get a Portaspresso in the near future, but this is definitely something that I keep in mind if I decide one day to get travelling espresso device.

I was also wondering how easy it is to adjust the temperature of the Portaspresso's shots? Say I want to pull a 93 deg shot: can I easily do that with the Portaspresso (indeed, it is very easy to tweak the pressure of the shot)?

[Calibrator]

hi Ricard ...

congratulation on a fantastic FIRST post EVER on the net. It looks like you put a lot effort into it, and if all your subsequent posts are of such high standard, then your forum(s) participation will be all the more beneficial from them.

One small tip I would suggest, is to keep the paragraphs to about 8 to 10 lines maximum, and be sure to have a blank line in between each paragraph. Those blank lines, spaced not too far apart, make it a lot easier for the eyes to follow the text in a lengthy post.

Cheers, from a fellow Rosco Mini owner

[Ricard]

As you can see this is my first post, actually it is my first post anywhere on the internet EVER.
But I felt compelled to reply for Alekk and his enquiries.
Like Alekk, I read all I could and watch all the videos available. Many of the better ones were on here ( and that is apart of the reason why I chose this site to for my first posting) or the comparission of all premium grinders on another site that others have mentioned. I was able to feel and use one in at Merlo's in Brisbane who had a Rossa and Rosco on display. This confirmed for me my choice.
I have for the past couple of months purchased and used portaspresso HC and rosco mini (grinder) as my daily coffee fix for at home and when I travel.
Typically I have one triple shot per day, sometime two, lets say about 10-12 cups per week. This doesnt include friends when they come over- just personal consumption. I guess I have now made about 100 cups
Starting with the mini Rosco. Simply put it it is perfect size and weight and relative ease of use, I considered the original grinder Rosco and that thing is a beast and for that you do need arms like popeye. But the mini, it can be best summed up by my wife is 55kg size 6-8 and she sometimes grind the coffee for me, the trick Ross explained was for someone like her to tilt the mini onto an angle say 45%- the greater the angle the easier to use. You see most people simply hold them upright and that is the most difficult. Now I am not Mr Muscles but I do do it everyday standing predominately upright and my arms do not get tired- remember I am doing a triple shot and that takes me all of about 30-40 seconds. Besides I actually like the idea of working a little for my vice. And I do when I have friends over measure the beans, set it up and get them to do their own grinding, apart from a 65yr old grandmother everyone else has been able to grind their own and any who showed initial difficulties due to the resistance I told them of this little trick and all without any problems were able to complete their own grind.
In terms of the Rossa HC, I considered the new air version and for me two things worked against it. 1. Having a compressor in the kitchen 2. It is made out of aluminum. Remember it is a personal choice. The reason I went with the Rossa HC was the benefit of newer improved model over the original Rossa predominately issues with the screw spindle being easier and the pressure gauge to sceintifically be able to measure and play with the variable pressure, which I can confirm does change the taste of the coffee. And for someone who is new to making their own I could not think of a better machine that is not automatic and simply touch of a button as a matter of fact I do not profess to have drunk coffee from every auto coffee machine ever made and I am sure that most either have a dream machines they rave on about or will stand and defend their own as the best but as a cost benefit analysis I couldn't find a better valued machine available that was of quality, longetivity and produces consistently above average coffee with options for me as I got better and more familiar to alter the flavours through pressure profiling. Which as I understand is cutting edge sort of stuff.
I like most had a couple of teething problems initially but after a couple of phone calls to Ross (Portaspresso) who was extremely helpful I now consistently make coffee that I like each and every day, probably about 95% of the time.
Once you build pressure it does take a little bit of coordination to hold and keep screwing while their is resistance so I do recommend the stand it is alot easier with it. I guess from my point of view most people have already expressed their views on the positives and negatives on these machines and after using them,for me anyway, they're concerns werent anything of any major issue for a home use- storm in a coffee cup sort of thing- pardon the pun. And I do take mine travelling- which equates to more than 8,000km per week.
I will say though knowledge and understanding is the key and given the support that Ross provides it merely comes down to the individual's comprehension.
I can recommend both the Rosco-mini and RossaHC. These are excellent quality machines built in a disposable world we currently live in. I can also recommend Portspresso for their customer service and support. Whilst these were my choice of products I see no reason why others within the product range would not suit and be of a similar quality producing similar above average coffee- it comes down to a personal choice.
So I hope that this helps Alekk and any others who are in similar boat.

[C-man]

"I don't see the big deal about hand grinders being hard work? I mean why are we so scared of moving our arms a little? I think we would all do well to move a bit more if we can. Fair enough if you have to entertain 10 people, but sounds like alekk is after a setup that hes happy to fiddle and take time with".

I have been wanting to say this so many times!

I have the Rosco Mini and love it, It is my only grinder, hand grinding puts you in tune with the beans,

how else would you know if the beans are soft or hard? Softer beans require different roasting and different extraction technique.

I have never tried the Portapresso so I can not comment on it, for traveling I use the Rosco and Presso, the Presso is very stable and easy to use however it is

limited by lack of upper pressure, but with soft beans ( soft beans like lower pressure extractions) it works a treat and pulls really good shots once you get the hang of it.

I think he would be happy with a Presso and good hand grinder like Pharos or Rosco and save a lot of money too.

As for the Pharos looks, ugly is good, I think they did a good job to keep the price down a bring a good bigger burr grinder within reach to the budget.

[gasm529]

Could I use this for over 20 coffees a day ?

[greengarden]

I've been thinking similarly to the OP and have been seriously considering rosso/rosco set, so you're not alone Alekk. However, being an aforementioned petite female, I took note of inventor Ross' hefty forearms...nice on Ross, not on me though. Considered the Air...but to get a tiny compressor for home use over-complicates a beautifully simple device; I might as well get a plugged grinder& machine as I don't want a nice set a popeye arms.

[Yelta]

Hi Yelta: "better than plunger", is that the best that you can get out of the Rossa? (or is it a general complaint against the practicality of the device?) For example, something that slightly worries me is that I have not been able to find youtube videos from real (i.e. not Ross himself) Portaspresso users.

It makes a fair espresso with a lot of, lubricating with water, unscrewing, screwing, unwinding, winding, all in all a lot of messing around.

As you suggest I find that it's far from practical, can imagine making a couple of before work coffee's with one, you would have to get up half an hour earlier.