As much as I love being a journalist, it’s a sedentary job — not great for the body. To stay fit, I need to get my weekly dose of exercise. And where better to get that exercise than outside?
After a long week of sitting down for over eight hours a day, I start to crave a taste of the great outdoors. The glimpse of a leaf on my daily commute can send me into a frenzy. There’s something about the process of lacing up my Merrell Accentor Sport 3 walking boots (some of the best walking boots around, in my opinion), packing sandwiches into my Patagonia hiking backpack (one of my hiking essentials), filing up my Owala, and heading off for a day in the countryside.
But I’m also a coffee enthusiast — I have to control myself when it comes to the stuff. If I let myself, I’d happily guzzle down cup after cup of the hot bean juice. Otherwise not only will I get the shakes, I’ll start to feel sicker than a Medieval peasant.
So what is a girl to do, when she wants to enjoy a cup of steaming hot Joe at the summit of a mountain, or beside a babbling brook?
Thankfully, Wacaco, a French coffee gear brand, has answered my pleas. Let me introduce the Wacaco Minipresso GR2.
Piston-powered pressure process
Whereas the best espresso machines (like my beloved De’Longhi, or Breville) use electricity to create pressure, the Wacaco Minipresso GR2 does it the old fashioned way: pistons. Yes, pistons as in steam engines, the metal monsters of yore. But think of it as a way, way more condensed version.
The Minipresso GR2 uses human power to pump that piston. So instead of clicking a button for your espresso, you really have to work for it.
I promise my hands don’t normally look like that — but surely you can see from this photograph just how much effort is required to get the Minipresso GR2 going. The nifty little gadget can reach up to 18-bar pressure — that’s almost as much as my De’Longhi La Specialista Opera, which reaches 19-bar. Although you only need around 9-bar for optimal espresso extraction, it’s good to have the option for increased pressure.
Off-the-grid
Even if I head out on a multi-day camping trip, I know I’ll have delicious fresh espresso every morning, thanks to my Wacaco Minipresso GR2. Wacaco sells supplementary portafilters (where you put the espresso) for $16, so I can fill them with pre-ground coffee at home and keep them in my hiking backpack until required. Or, I could just fill a ziploc bag with ground coffee — but that’s a little less stylish.
The Minipresso GR2 requires absolutely no power — just hot water. Simply fill the water tank with hot water to create pressure and pump that piston until you’ve got your desired amount of espresso. I found that a 1:2 ratio (the traditional espresso ratio) was the ideal amount.
Not hands-free
Although the Wacaco Minipresso GR2 brews delicious fresh espresso, it’s not the only gadget you’d need to take on outdoor trips. It doesn’t heat up water, so I recommend taking one of the best travel coffee mugs or a camping stove on your trip to boil water as and when.
That’s something I wish the Minipresso GR2, or at least came with an option to upgrade with a water heater. I know Wacaco can’t work miracles and conjure hot water from thin air, but a girl can dream, right? Besides, if you’re a seasoned adventurer, you likely already have a camping stove.
What makes the Minipresso GR2 ideal for camping adventures is how small it packs away to — take a look at this.
Yes, that is the entire espresso machine — it’s smaller than my hand. For those short on space on hiking trips but serious about coffee, there’s simply nothing like the Minipresso GR2.
