Review: Solobrew - The French Press to Go

We've seen a lot of portable single serve coffee makers in our time, including the Handpresso, My Pressi Twist, Starbucks Via Mug, and Jetboil for hiking. Well - they're a mixed bag of tricks with some making better coffee than others. We've like the Handpresso so far, but the Handpresso also costs $99+ dollars and requires ESE pods, hot water, and some pumping power in that arm of yours. So along comes the Solobrew - basically a mini-french press that is both portable and disposable after you use the 4 refills it comes with, and we have to say we're impressed.

You can see here - fill with water, insert the plunger, and then steep and plunge.
Totally french press like.

The SoloPress, also known as French Press To-Go is a disposable and refillable single serve French Press (Press Pot). The SoloPress is conveniently pre-packaged with easy to use disposable plunger units, and the SoloPress brews quickly with some preparation and has a bit of a wet mess to clean up. Well - not a huge mess really - just a rather large wet coffee pod like bad that contains the plunger - but if you're brewing coffee - it's acceptable.

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Handpresso WILD Domepod Review at Single Serve Espresso

Well SingleServeEspresso got it's hands on one of the new Handpresso Wild DomePods that is a bit of a change up from it's brother the regular "WILD" that takes the ESE Espresso pod. We love our ESE Handpresso portable espresso and single serve coffee maker, but Single Serve Espresso has found something special in using ground coffee with the Handpresso. Check out their full hands on review of the Handpresso Wild over at SSE.

At Handpresso WILD Domepod Review - Mobile Ground Espresso

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Handpresso Outdoor Set - Espresso on the Go

To enjoy your Handpresso on the go, you're going to need this carry case/outdoor set. This stylish bag contains the portable and manual espresso machine called Handpresso WILD, and comes with unbreakable cups and a 300 ML thermo insulated flask. We're not sure if the small napkins are necessary, but who wants an espresso mustache on a long hike.

The set features:

• 1 Handpresso Wild
• 4 unbreakable cups,
• 300ml thermo-insulated flask in stainless steel (to have hot water always close to hand),
• 2 small napkins

At Handpresso and our Unboxing of the Handpresso

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MyPressi Twist - The Portable Espresso Maker

There's a new portable espresso and single serve coffee maker in town - the MyPressi Twist. Using a unique pneumatic engine, the sleek perfectly-portable mypressi TWIST eliminates the coffee-line wait, the high price tag for quality machinery and the on-the-road “where am I going to get my coffee” quandary. We'll just have to try it when we get our review unit, but we do see the parallels to another portable espresso maker - the Handpresso.

How does the MyPressi Twist work? To operate the mypressi TWIST, simply insert a cartridge into the pressure chamber, fill the basket with fresh ground coffee or a coffee pod, and fill the upper compartment with hot water. With a simple pull of the trigger the TWIST produces one or two shots of espresso perfection ready to be enjoyed alone, or as the base for any coffee beverage. The TWIST has an easy-to-clean design that is also dishwasher safe, ensuring even after months of use that there are no left over oils to oxidize or spoil subsequent shots.

Video at Portable espresso maker, MyPressi Twist and more info at MyPressi Twist

Full release after the jump...

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Review: Starbucks VIA Ready Brew 10-oz. Tumbler

Starbucks has entered the instant single serve coffee market with their Starbucks VIA Ready Brew 10-oz. Tumbler, and accompanying single serve coffee packets. In order to review this travel mug and instant coffee, we decided to test it out in the wild for a few mornings on our ride into the Single Serve Coffee headquarters. The Ready Brew packets fit inside the mug, and you'll need access to hot water when using this travel mug.

We didn't have any issues when prepping, as we have a hot water dispenser in our kitchen, but we expect some people to need to use this at work where your water cooler has instant hot or the like. Mixing the Ready Brew Italian Roast is pretty simple, but make sure you put the packet of coffee in prior to putting in the hot water. One of the things we do like about the tumbler design is the ability to store packets in the bottom, but as we will later disclose - this makes the bottom of the tumbler too large for most drink holders in your car.

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Starbucks Starbucks VIA Ready Brew Tumbler - Instant Coffee On the Go

Starbucks is officially entering the instant coffee game with their new Ready Brew tumbler. Each tumbler pack comes with six ready brew packets of Columbian or Italian Roast coffee. The tumbler holds up to six VIA Ready Brew packets, allowing you to drink coffee literally 'on the go.' You simply pour a packet into your tumbler, add hot or cold water to the fill line, stir and drink.

We've yet to try this instant wonder, but reader Rich M. wrote in the following:

I received my Starbucks instant Italian blend coffee yesterday and had a cup this morning. It was nothing short of horrible. Very weak taste and not what I would come to expect from Starbucks at all.

We'll get one to review soon to be our own judge, but instant coffee doesn't sound very Starbucks does it?

At Starbucks Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew 10-oz. Tumbler

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Handpresso DomePod - Portable Espresso with Ground Coffee

Handpresso has announced a Handpresso DomePod which uses ground coffee instead of ESE espresso pods. Personally we prefer less mess when making out portable espresso, but if you're a true espresso snob you're going to want to grind and use your own. The DomePod allows you to pack up your favorite Arabica, Robusta, or Fair Trade coffee instead of being able to source your coffee in ESE pod form. The patented Handpresso Domepod system makes it easy to empty the coffee grounds – a simple click on the dome is enough. You can fill 3 DomePods and take them with you in the included case.

At Handpresso

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Handpresso Wild Outdoor Set - Espresso In The Cold

It's cold outside here in the Northeast, and we're thinking a little shot of hot espresso this weekend while sledding could be just the thing to warm us up. The Handpressso outdoor set has all you need to enjoy your espresso on the move, and while sledding. The bag contains the very essence of the nomadic sledding espresso, the small, portable and manual espresso machine called Handpresso WILD.

Contains:
- 1 Handpresso Wild,
- 4 unbreakable cups,
- 300ml thermo-insulated flask in stainless steel (to have hot water always close to hand),
- 2 small napkins

What's great about this set? You can leave your Jet Boil Stove behind, and just use piping hot water in the thermo-insulated flask. Sure purists will scream, "IT'S NOT HOT ENOUGH", but when it's 0 degrees F - you won't really care as the shot of espresso hits your cold belly and the warmth of coffee and caffeine fills your soul.

At Handpresso

Read our full review of the Handpresso here...

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Handpresso Wild - Contest Winners and Pictures

Handpresso - the portable espresso maker recently held a contest to show off using Handpresso in the wild. The picture above is from Finland and looks pretty wild to us. We use our Handpresso all the time when traveling to ensure a decent cup of coffee, and we love using it daily too when the need of a shot of espresso arrives. Check out the winners, and of course you can read our earlier coverage here and review.

At Handpresso - Contest - Winners

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Brisk Brew Travel Coffee Maker - Single Serve Coffee on the Go

With Summer vacation right around the corner, we're always looking out for portable single serve coffee options to bring with us on our trip. If you're looking for a small and very portable single serve coffee maker, we think the Brisk Brew hits the mark. The Brisk Brew prepares a small but enticing eight once cup of coffee in minutes, and since it does use ground coffee has an ingredient container built-in to store whatever coffee you've packed. The Brisk Brew Travel Coffee Maker will be your portable single serve coffee maker for only $45.

Via DVICE at Brisk Brew

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Java Wand - Portable Single Serve Coffee and Loose Tea Brewing Tool

We're excited to see the Java Wand is finally becoming available at many larger online stores. What's a Java Wand? You may want to read our review from last year, but in a nut shell the Java Wand is a portable, single serve, miniaturized French Press filter attached to a durable, hand blown, glass straw that brews and filters coffee and tea leaves in your cup.

We really enjoyed the Java Wand last summer, and think we'll probably take it with us for a few trips into the wilds of the Northeast this year. What we really like most about the Java Wand is how different the single serve coffee experience is when you sit back, and sip a cup of hot coffee through the glass straw.

At Java Wand - Portable Single Serve Coffee and Loose Tea Brewing Tool

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HandPresso Portable Espresso Maker - Spring Picnics Were Never Better

You may or may not remember our earlier coverage of the Handpresso, but we'd like to refresh your memory about this amazing device. The Handpresso is no gimmick. It delivers 16 bars of pressure and uses hot water plus ESE espresso pods to make a perfect espresso or Americano cup of single serve coffee in the wilds of America. If you're not feeling that wild, then plan on using the Handpresso on that perfect spring picnic. Today it's going to be over 70 degrees here in Boston, and we plan on doing just that - espresso on the Boston Common with a nice buttery croissant. For the price and the convenience (we recommend getting a Jetboil for hot water), we can't but recommend the experience of the Handpresso.

At HandPresso Wild Portable Espresso Maker

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Handpresso - Portable Espresso and Single Serve Coffee

We've been covering the Handpresso over at Single Serve Espresso this past week. The Handpresso may be one of the coolest portable single serve espresso and coffee makers we've ever seen. Combining a bicycle pump, and using an E.S.E. espresso pod, you simply pump up the Handpresso and pull a perfect shot. You can use it wherever you can get hot water - so we recommend getting a Jet Boil stove for hiking, fishing, or picnic going. You'll impress not only the company your with, but also your taste buds when you have a perfect cup of espresso or coffee on the go.

Single Serve Espresso has also revealed today the Unboxing of Handpresso and their earlier article which features a rather interesting video on Handpresso.

• Handpresso Video
• Unboxing the Handpresso - Coolest Portable Expresso

We also have received a Handpresso for review, and we will have a full review soon.

At Handpresso FR and Single Serve Espresso and Handpresso US

You may also want to read our article on the Preva xSport and the Jet Boil French Press to get more ideas on how to make your single serve coffee more portable.

Update: Handpresso is now available in the US here...

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Review: Jetboil French Press Hiking and Camping Personal Coffee Maker

The perfect portable single serve coffee maker for camping.

On a rather large clean out and then re-visit of past articles we've yet to publish (yes - we are bad - we know it), we have uncovered the Jetboil French Press that comes with Green Mountain Coffee. We really enjoyed the Jetboil French Pressed coffee last year with our family, so we decided to take it out for another spin and review, and to share some of the pictures we took last fall with some new ones on this impressive product for camping.

What is a Jetboil mini-stove? It's really a personal or group cooking system that has a burner and large cup to make drinks, soup, and other items in. It's very lightweight and compact, with everything you need fitting back inside the cup so you can hike or camp with it.

It's basically a portable gas burner. You can make soup
coffee and other items using it.

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