Ever thought, other than in jest, that an espresso machine everywhere you go would be a good idea?
The Outin brand has taken you at your word with this portable espresso machine. Yes, you read that right, an espresso machine you can take anywhere, really anywhere.
I can feel you coming! You’re going to tell me that this is just a useless gadget bought for a penny on a low-end Chinese products website – you know the ones I mean!
Well, no! That’s not our style at Cafelista. This Outin Nano is a real espresso machine which, as you’ll soon discover, is very surprising. I’ll tell you all about it in this test.
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Portable espresso machine, really useful?
Why a portable machine?
When I first discovered this type of machine, I wondered what the point was of having an espresso machine that you could take everywhere with you.
But when you think about it, the market for this type of machine is very broad. Take it along, for example, when you’re hiking, so you don’t have to go without a good cup of coffee even when you’re far from civilization. Are you a trucker? Why not take a coffee with you when you want it, and not just any coffee, thanks to this easy-to-use machine?
Whether you’re in the office, on the move all day, in your camper van or caravan because you’re a fan of bivouacs, or in many other situations, this portable espresso machine, the Outin Nano, is just the thing.
Thanks to its design, which resembles a large bottle or gourd, and its weight of 700 g, it is incomparably lighter or bulkier than any coffee machine, even capsule machines.
Nevertheless, if you’re planning to use it for backpacking, it’s a relatively heavy pack to take into account. For use on the side at work, in the office, in a caravan or tent, weight becomes less of an issue.
Obviously, the great strength of this espresso machine, unlike many others on the market, is its ability to heat the water to make your coffee, where most machines already require you to use water at the right temperature.
What does an Outin Nano look like?
You may be familiar with certain portable espresso machines, such as the Wacaco models. Visually, this is a machine in the same style, with a cylinder some 30 cm long and a total weight of 700g.
Its contents, and you’ll understand why a little later, are also important. In this case, the Outin Nano comes with an adapter for Nespresso capsules, a 1-cup pressurized filter holder, a coffee cup, a spoon for ground coffee, and the USB cable needed for recharging.
It’s also worth noting that the packaging is well thought-out, with good protection for the various elements, lots of information and a well-worked aesthetic. This doesn’t make the coffee any better, but it does illustrate the quest for quality in every detail, qualities that you’ll find in your cup.
Outin Nano technical specifications
- Weight: 700 grams
- Heating time: 180 to 300 seconds
- Coffee brewing time: 40 seconds
- Water temperature: 96°C
- Coffee temperature: 85°C with pre-heated water, 65°C with water heated by the Nano
- Battery: 7500 mAh
- Autonomy: 5 coffees with cold water, 200 coffees with hot water
- Pressure: 20 bar
- Volume of water to make one cup: 5 cl
- Coffee volume: 3 cl
- Amount of coffee in the filter holder: 5 to 7 grams
- Charging: USB-C
How Outin Nano works
Is this Outin Nano a real espresso machine? The answer is yes, twice yes, three times yes! We tell you all about it.
Outin Nano, your portable espresso capsule machine
The first way you can use the Outin Nano is simply as a Nespresso capsule machine.
You switch on the machine, add your water, wait for the machine to heat up (3 minutes), and the coffee is ready in around 40 seconds. That’s it, your Nespresso or compatible capsule espresso is ready.
When it comes to quality, you get a capsule coffee. As you probably know, it’s not my favorite coffee, but it works very well.
This ensures honest quality, and that’s good enough.
A real espresso anywhere
Choosing the Outin Nano means choosing it because it’s equipped with a filter holder. You put your pre-ground coffee (between 5 and 7 grams) in the holder. And with the same process as for a capsule, you get your hot coffee.
Obviously, when it comes to ground coffee, the quality of the result, even when using a pressurized filter like this machine, depends first and foremost on the quality of the coffee. If you use commercial ground coffee, you won’t get the best results.
Otherwise, if you use your own grinder, or have your coffee ground by your roaster, you’ll get a cup that’s better than a capsule espresso.
The coffee develops more aroma. Nevertheless, the design of the machine itself brings some limitations. Since the filter holder only holds 5-7 g of coffee, don’t expect a fully expressive espresso.
With a dose that’s a little on the heavy side, you’ll get a coffee with less body, a rather thin layer of crema and therefore slightly less developed aromas than you’d get with the same coffee in a conventional machine.
Nevertheless, if you take the time to understand that you’ve just obtained this mug from a portable machine no bigger than a simple water bottle, the result is already quite impressive!
Double basket, the Holy Grail of portable espresso machines
Outin offers a double basket as an optional extra, which you can buy separately for around forty euros. It’s designed to serve two espressos.
But in fact, it’s the answer to the machine’s technical limitations to make not two but one espresso. This double basket can hold between 15 and 18 grams of coffee. That’s more than double the capacity of the single filter holder.
The result is therefore much more qualitative. The crema is generous, the body of the coffee closer to that of a manual machine, and the aromas are much more developed.
A TDS of 10 is reached, i.e. an extraction rate of over 20%, a figure in line with the espresso’s quality in the mouth.
Outin Nano maintenance
When presenting a coffee machine, whatever the model, it’s important to talk about maintenance. This is even truer for a model designed to be mobile, and for which maintenance can be even more complicated.
The body of the machine should not be immersed in water; a cloth or sponge should be used. Other parts, such as the dishwasher, are water-safe.
It is possible to rinse the machine, just as you would an automatic. To do this, run water through the machine by pressing the power button twice quickly. Remove the filter holder to rinse the machine.
On the other hand, while maintenance is simplified, descaling is not possible. But this is a machine designed for occasional use, so it shouldn’t be a hindrance, just like the non-removable battery life.
I recommend this machine to you:
- You are looking for a portable machine that can heat water
- You want to drink a good coffee anywhere
- You are looking for a machine compatible with ground coffee and coffee pods.
In summary:
The Outin Nano is a portable espresso machine that allows you to make coffee anywhere.
It is equipped with rechargeable batteries and offers a heating time of 5 minutes. In coffee and heating mode, it can make 5 espressos, while in coffee-only mode, it allows 200 extractions!
Its main advantage is the ability to heat water, a rare feature among portable machines.
A double basket, sold separately, significantly improves the quality of the espresso.
Maintenance is easy with washable parts and a simplified rinsing process.
Although the battery limits the number of coffees, it remains a practical solution for outdoor coffee enthusiasts.
- Excellent espresso with the double basket
- Practical design
- Easy to carry
- Fast heating
- Accepts ground coffee and coffee pods
- Question about battery life
- A bit heavy
What do you think of the Outin Nano?
Clearly, when this optional cup filter holder kit is used, the Outin Nano is the most accomplished machine for making espresso outside the kitchen.
In warm-up mode, the battery is a little weak and will only provide 4-5 espressos, but will require a 4-hour charge.
All in all, it’s a great success that I’d take with me on vacation, camping and even to the office (no more sock juice at work).
Whatever the case, there’s no doubt that the machine will satisfy all coffee lovers who are far from their kitchen.
