Pump espresso machines have been around for a few years now. Most of them work on the same concept. Put coffee and hot water in, pumpy pump pump and voila, coffee comes out of the bottom!
Pipamoka is the latest portable coffee maker on the market, which is made by the same company behind Nanopresso and Minipresso. Pipamoka works on the same concept of using pressure to brew coffee but doing it differently to Minipresso and Nanopresso, which uses a hand pump to build pressure (up to 261 PSI) to make coffee.
Both the Nanopresso and Minipresso make espresso coffee exclusively; hence the coffee extraction result is minimal. The Wacaco Pipamoka, in the other hand, makes a full large cup of coffee, creating a pressurized vacuum, using a hand-twisting motion to extract the coffee. Unlike the semi-vacuum environment of pump espresso makers, coffee grounds inside Pipamoka are extracted in a completely sealed-shut environment.
After brewing, you can drink the coffee right from the Pipamoka container itself, which doubles as a neat thermo flask and drinking mug. The flask has a stainless steel construction and a screw on lid that makes the flask 100% unspillable, making Pipamoka safe to store inside a backpack.
Pipamoka has similar isothermal (insulation) properties to thermo mugs too, meaning Pipamoka will maintain the temperature of the liquid you pour in, making Pipamoka also ideal for cold brews and cold drinks. Pipamoka does a good job at keeping coffee piping hot for a good 3.5 hours, thanks to the same double wall insulation you get with coffee travel mugs.
There are four main parts to Pipamoka, including the filter coffee basket, filter basket lid, inner twisting sleeve and the flask/mug, which weighs just 167 grams.
Pipamoka has, essentially, two filters, located at the base of the coffee basket and on the lid of the basket. The filter located at the base of the coffee basket is made of a porous non-woven paper-like fabric material, which can be replaced by removing the retaining screw.
The filter on top of the coffee basket lid is made of perforated metal, which is non-replaceable and should last the lifespan of the product. The coffee basket can hold 16 grams (3 tablespoons) worth of coffee grounds and it's made of hard plastic.
The basket ingrates two silicone gasket rings, one of which is located around the lid of the basket to create a tight seal. The second gasket ring is located around the base of the coffee basket and it's deigned to rub against the inner sleeve so it stays sank at the bottom.
The inner twisting sleeve creates the pressure and vacuum within the flask. The inner sleeve has a cylindrical shape with"spiral" ridges on the sides, measuring lines and a threaded gasket ring around the bottom. The measuring lines represent a full cup, three- quarters half, half cup and a quarter of a cup.
After pouring fresh coffee grounds inside the coffee basket (no need to tamp), you simply keep the inner sleeve inside the flask, pour hot boiling water and then drop the coffee basket inside until it sinks to the bottom. The sinking process takes 40 seconds but you can speed up the process by tapping the flask on the ground, which also helps remove any bubbles underneath the basket.
Then, you place the lid back on, grip the orange ring with your hand and twist clockwise to commence extracting the coffee grounds from the basket. As you twist, you will feel tension, which gets stronger as the inner sleeve begins to unthread upwards. The twisting speed should be at a steady pace to allow pressure to build up, which takes anywhere from 60 to 80 seconds.
Once you undo the inner sleeve to the top, you simply remove the inner sleeve and coffee basket from the flask. Pipamoka's coffee basket makes a good job at keeping used coffee grounds inside so there is no mess.
The inner sleeve is made of plastic and weighs 150 grams. The flask lid weighs 35 grams, while the filter basket and lid weigh 64 grams. The gasket rings seem to be made of quality silicone rubber, which should last the lifespan of the product.
There doesn't seem to be spare parts available so, when removing the gasket rings you want to be careful, especially with the inner sleeve gasket ring, which is a key part for pressuring the coffee inside the flask.
Pipamoka has a 70mm diameter and measures 19cm tall so, it's similar in size to the Nanopresso but Pipamoka makes 236 ml (8 fl oz) of coffee, whereas Nanopresso can only produce 80 ml (2.70 fl oz) of coffee. total weight of Pipamoka is 425 grams.
Pipamoka is a well though-out mobile coffee maker that makes a nifty travel accessory because the flask container doubles as a handy water bottle for daily use. Pipamoka has a superb build quality with a modern chic style so, it's perfect for a rugged outdoor or urban adventure, commuting to work.
You buy the Wacaco Pipamoka on amazon which comes also with a drawstring fabric pouch, a scoop, brush and funnel, which weigh 10 grams, 6 grams and 8 grams respectively. Pipamoka doesn't include a case like the Nanopresso does, which is useful for protecting against bumps and scratches.
That said, Pipamoka's stainless steel outer shell makes it almost bomb-proof, unlike the Minipresso and Nanopresso which are made of hard plastic so, they are more liable to breaking when dropped. If you do want a case though, you can buy a protective case for Pipamoka on amazon.