Review on ☕ STARESSO Portable Espresso Maker - BPA-Free Mini Espresso Machine for Rich & Thick Crema - Manual Espresso, Ground Coffee Compatible - Compact Travel Coffee Maker by Doug Cardello

This is a great coffee maker, especially as it can make a decent shot of espresso at a fraction of the cost of a more complex and sophisticated espresso machine. If you're in the same boat as me, you want to be able to create espresso-based drinks, including singles, but don't want to spend a lot of money on an actual espresso machine or risk a cheaper machine in the $100-$300 range (they're all pretty badly damaged for the most part). For what it is and for the price it is sold for, it gets 5 stars. However, there are a few things to note: - There is a lot of plastic inside, so be extra careful with the device. Do not tighten the pressure chamber too much and do not turn it by hand when pumping it up, as the piston rod is also made of plastic. It's not as easy to clean as the AeroPress (which isn't a fair comparison since the AeroPress isn't an espresso machine). ). For example, if you have a septic system, you don't want to flush coffee grounds down the sink. So you'll need to let this thing cool down a bit when you empty the basket (because the basket is metal). My preferred method of deflating the set is to turn the unit upside down and remove the pressure chamber, leaving the basket upside down first. Then take out the basket, hold the trash can and shake out as much of the sediment as possible. There should be quite a bit from there, a more acceptable amount to wash down the drain.