- Espresso consumption is rising in countries like the US, where filter coffee was traditionally the most popular brewing method. According to the 2025 NCDT Specialty Coffee Breakout report, 43% of US adults enjoyed an espresso-based beverage in the past week.
- As cafés raise their prices, more people are looking to prepare their own coffee both at home and on the go, including espresso-based drinks.
- Traditional espresso machines, bulky and expensive, were once a barrier to this shift in consumption, inhibiting consumers from making espresso.
- But today, portable espresso machines are more advanced and compact than ever.
For decades, coffee enthusiasts faced a choice: enjoy convenience while travelling, or sacrifice quality for portability. Traditional espresso machines, bulky and heavy, had to be confined to cafés and kitchens, out of reach for those seeking barista-quality drinks while travelling, camping, or commuting.
However, today’s portable espresso machine technology is reenvisioning how we prepare coffee beyond café and home settings.
As prices at coffee shops climb and consumers become more discerning about their beverages, they’re looking to brew excellent espresso anywhere themselves. Manufacturers have noticed and are designing more compact, powerful, and intuitive portable espresso machines.
Ethan Chen at OutIn and two-time Swiss Coffee in Good Spirits Champion Sandro Roth discuss how this technology could evolve further and redefine coffee brewing on the go.
You may also like our article on how portable coffee grinders have evolved.
Why more people are brewing coffee on the go
In a post-pandemic world where convenience has become a bigger priority for more and more consumers, people continue to buy takeaway coffee. Many cafés have invested heavily in their takeaway programmes, offering high-quality drinks on the go that meet the standards expected if customers were to sit in.
Yet a growing segment of coffee enthusiasts now prefer making their own drinks while travelling or commuting. This transition accelerated dramatically during the pandemic, when lockdowns forced people indoors and limited access to cafés.
“During Covid-19, coffee shops faced operational restrictions, and people’s movement was also limited,” explains Ethan, the Product Director at OutIn, a coffee equipment manufacturer that focuses on brewing gear for outdoor use and travel. “As a result, people had to spend more time at home, and most daily activities, including making coffee, had to be done by themselves indoors.”
With abundant online resources available, learning brewing skills and recipes has become accessible to most people interested in learning more. When restrictions were lifted and life returned to “normal”, many people retained these newfound skills and the desire to keep making their own coffee.
Today, consumers increasingly demand excellent coffee wherever they are, driven by rising café prices and improved accessibility to brewing knowledge. The pandemic normalised home brewing, and as retail coffee prices climb, investing in portable equipment becomes more economically attractive.
Coffee enthusiasts also value the ritual and personalisation that preparing their own drinks provides. They refuse to compromise on flavour or quality simply because they’re travelling, commuting, or camping.
“Coffee isn’t just caffeine; it is a small moment that feels like yours,” says Sandro, an industrial designer and the 2024 World Coffee in Good Spirits runner-up. “Making your own coffee on the go means you don’t have to compromise. You bring your own taste, your own quality, and your own calm with you wherever you are.”
How portable espresso machines are transforming coffee brewing
For years, on-the-go coffee brewing exclusively meant filter coffee – a practical option, but limiting for espresso drinkers. While some manual filter brewers can produce espresso-style, shorter beverages, they can’t generate enough pressure to achieve the distinctive texture, flavour, and crema of espresso.
Recent technological breakthroughs, however, have changed this entirely, enabling espresso preparation while travelling and commuting, as well as on hiking and camping trips.
“Portable espresso machines have made real espresso accessible everywhere,” Ethan says. “For a long time, ‘portable’ meant compromise; now it means freedom. Machines like the OutIn Mino take what used to be a café-only experience and put it in your backpack.”
Ethan explains that the OutIn Mino can achieve up to 22 bar of pressure, enabling true espresso extraction. The machine’s precision heating system can maintain a 93.3°C (199.9°F) temperature, reaching this level in less than 150 seconds to enabling fast and consistent brewing.
This technological innovation comes at a time when more people are drinking espresso, including in markets like the US where filter coffee is traditionally the go-to option. According to the latest 2025 National Coffee Data Trends Specialty Coffee Breakout report, 43% of US adults enjoyed an espresso-based beverage in the past week.
The democratisation of espresso then opens up new opportunities for flavour experimentation, which were previously difficult outside of cafés and the home. Coinciding with the evolution of portable electric grinders – which can achieve grind sizes fine enough for espresso – portable espresso machines reduce the need for expensive, bulky equipment.
The OutIn Mino, for instance, weighs 685g and is under 200mm in height, representing a 24% reduction in volume compared to the brand’s previous models. The machine’s battery also provides enough energy to brew up to six cups on a single charge with room-temperature water or more than 500 cups with preheated water.
But portability alone doesn’t guarantee success. Durability and quality are equally important, especially in outdoor settings. The OutIn Mino, for example, features stainless steel and Tritan materials to ensure safety and longevity.
Ethan explains that the machine also maintains consistent extraction up to 5,000 meters altitude and can operate reliably from -15°C to 45°C (5°F to 113°F), making it suitable for a variety of climatic conditions.
What is the future for portable espresso machine technology?
Portable espresso machines are revolutionising how we brew coffee outdoors and on the go, yet manufacturers still face critical challenges. To compete with traditional espresso machines, these devices must prioritise both consistency and stability – the foundation of quality espresso.
“The reason OutIn‘s portable electric espresso machines can ensure high-quality and consistent performance lies primarily in our years of accumulated independent R&D capabilities,” Ethan explains. “With this technical foundation, our products can deliver more stable and precise brewing pressure and water temperature.”
Espresso’s complexity demands precision across multiple variables, including pressure, temperature, grind size, and timing, so any inconsistency will undermine the final results in the cup. Portable machines must then replicate the reliability of café equipment, while accounting for outdoor factors such as temperature fluctuations and altitude changes.
Looking forward, Ethan identifies four key technological directions warranting more focus and attention: electro-thermal conversion, fluid control, energy storage, and intelligent interaction. Breakthroughs in any of these areas could enhance the performance and user experience of portable espresso machines.
However, simplicity matters alongside sophistication.
“There is no app for the OutIn Mino; simple is better,” Sandro explains. “Say you are outdoors; you just want damn fine coffee. If you want the last bit of precision, do that at home on your traditional espresso machine. But with the portable machine, things should stay simple.”
The future of portable espresso machines lies in balancing technological advancement with practical usability. Machines must deliver café-quality consistency without overwhelming users with complexity.
They must prioritise essential performance metrics – pressure, temperature, extraction, for example – while maintaining an intuitive interface. Weight reduction and improved portability will also shape the category’s evolution.
As portable espresso technology evolves, we will see continued refinement in extraction quality, battery efficiency, and durability. Yet the most important evolution may be the simplest: enabling more people to enjoy espresso wherever they are.
The revolution is not about technological complexity; it is about access, autonomy, and the democratisation of quality coffee experiences.
In an increasingly mobile and convenience-centric world, this evolution promises to transform not just how we brew coffee, but why coffee matters to us.
Enjoyed this? Then read our article on single-dose grinding.
Photo credits: OutIn
Perfect Daily Grind
Please note: OutIn is a sponsor of Perfect Daily Grind.
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