A 12 volt coffee maker is a great little tool to have. Imagine having the ability to make yourself tasty espresso anywhere you go: whether you’re at work, traveling for business or pleasure, or just want to show a friend how espresso tastes.
These come in a variety of colors and are very easy to carry along in a backpack or briefcase. Some of them even feature plugins you can put right into your car’s cigarette lighter.
Many also work with hot or cold water, so no matter what you like to use, you can always count on a fresh cup. Let’s take a look at top products plus an alternative.
1. Revelux Electric Portable Coffee Espresso Maker
This is a small and very portable espresso machine. All you have to do is plug it into the cigarette lighter (12v power supply), and you have access to some of the best tasting coffee you’ve ever had. It’s faster than the drive-thru and cheaper too!
This gives you 15 bars of pressure. It can boil the water, and it will make real Italian style espresso. If you put in just 2 oz or 60ml of water into the tank, you get about 1.8 oz of rich and bold espresso.
It’s all automatic, too-you will learn to use this in just minutes. Just add in your water and then put in your capsule. Click the button and wait patiently-in just seconds; you will get a very hot cup of espresso to enjoy. It takes just three steps to get the espresso you want.
It is easy to carry around and weighs almost nothing. You can put it into your backpack with no fear of breaking your back. It comes complete with a cup for drinking; no need to tote your own around. You can make your espresso using hot or cold water, too.
The Pros
- Works with hot or cold water
- Features positive reviews-4.1 out of 5 stars
- Comes with a 24-month warranty
- Comes with car power cable
The Cons
- Only works when in your car
- Only works with coffee pods; or have to buy reusable pod to use your own ground coffee
2. Travel Coffee Maker, Electric Portable Espresso Machine by AICOK
- ☕Automatic Portable Espresso Machine - AICOK portableespresso machine is new design portable espresso machine for nespresso machine, unlike other portable manual coffee maker, you don’t need to pump to get coffee.
- ☕On The Go: AICOK portable espresso machine allows you to brew espresso with nespresso capsule when you are in camping, travel . Compact and light-weighted(1.9 lbs and 9.8” tall)
This is a fully automatic espresso machine. There is no pumping needed on your part when you go to make your cup of espresso-it could not get any easier!
You will only be able to use coffee pods; the product page mentions Nespresso pods specifically. We also noticed that this one is a bit heavier than the other machines, coming in at 1.9 lbs. It is also quite tall, nearly 10 inches, to be exact.
You can thankfully run this two ways: via the rechargeable lithium battery, or by using the wall charger. It’s great for students or people at work, campers in their RV, or people that want a small, space-saving way to have tasty espresso.
The pressure is great for an automatic machine. This is a 15 bar, high-pressure pump, and it does a super job of unlocking all the intricate and wonderful flavours of your coffee pod. The flavour rivals that of a real coffee shop!
It is important to note that you should only use the wall charger to charge the machine. You cannot run it while the wall charger is plugged in. Furthermore, we noticed that you are only to use room temperature or boiling water in this particular espresso machine.
Another “con” was that the manufacturer suggests that you should only use Nespresso or L’or capsules. This could be a pain point for people hoping to use a reusable pod.
The Pros
- Gives you 40 to 45ml espresso per cup
- Users noted the espresso tasted superb from this machine
The Cons
- Rating is lower compared to other products
3. WACACO Nanopresso Portable Espresso Maker
The first thing we noticed about this particular coffee maker is that this is a brand-new pumping system. Yes, the patent for this just was issued. There is literally no need for a battery or electrical power to run this device. You can use just your hands to make 18 bars of pressure, and this leads to some amazing tasting coffee, no matter your location. Great for camping!
You can use all varieties of ground coffee in this particular machine. All you have to do is add boiling water to the tank and then start pumping manually. It will all taste wonderful. If you like to use Nespresso capsules, they are compatible with this.
You might think that having to pump this out with your hands will make it hard and leave your hands cramped up. Not so. The machine is ergonomically designed. It is also short in nature, standing only about 6 inches tall. It weighs less than 1lb, so it’s easy to carry around with you.
You can hold up to 80ml of water in the tank. The water tank is guarded by the detachable drinking cup. You can hold this cup without burning your hands, thanks to the heatsink pattern etched onto it.
The Pros
- It has many positive reviews and has a 4.4 out of 5 rating
- You don’t need any power sources to run this
- Can use with Nespresso capsules and ground coffee
The Cons
- Comes in just 1 color
- The water has to be boiled first before you pour it in
4. Epro Travel Coffee Press-Alternative Choice
- YOUR COFFEE, WITHOUT LIMITS- Become a savvy coffee traveler with the ESPRO travel press and no-leak mug; Brew and sip cafe-worthy coffee anywhere
- GRIT / SLUDGE FREE - Unlike other travel coffee presses, the patented double micro-filter keeps your cup extraordinarily free of grit and sludge; Leave no sip behind
This is a great way to enjoy your espresso, and you can also pick your choice of colour, too. This is a travel press complete with a leak-free mug-great for when you are traveling by rental car and do not want to risk spilling your coffee.
Some users complained about grit or sludge in their coffee. But thanks to this great press and its patented double micro-filter, the cup stays free and clean of any sludge or grit. You can really enjoy your drink down to the last sip.
The flavour is unparalleled when it comes to this coffee maker, also. By pressing the filter, you stop extraction. This way, the coffee does not develop a bitter taste over time. The coffee’s flavor will be consistent from the first gulp to the last.
And if you know you will be working or driving for a while, you can relax knowing this will stay hot. The body is an insulated, double-walled stainless steel one, and so it keeps the joe nice and hot for hours to come. You will not need to stop your day to make more coffee because the other stuff got too cold.
And best of all, this is going to be your buddy for the rest of your traveling or working life. It is durable and made of quality materials to stand up to everything.
The Pros
- Comes in many colours
- Makes 10oz of coffee
- Gets you sludge free French Press coffee on the go
The Cons
- One user noted the gasket developed a coffee taste and made subsequent cups of coffee taste bad.
Final thoughts and review conclusion
So which of these is the best? In our opinion, the AICOK portable is the best 12v portable coffee maker you can get your hands on. It has a nice wall charger, so you can charge it up while you work or study, then get yourself a cup of espresso when it’s time for a break. It is a bit of a pain that you can only use Nespresso pods, but it sure beats waiting in line for a subpar espresso.
Any one of these will be great-get your hands on one today and enjoy great coffee.
