Gadget review

Barista in a backpack
© Conqueco
© Conqueco
Alexandra Gorsche © Conny Leitgeb Photography
2. November 2025 | 
Alexandra Gorsche
2. November 2025
|
Alexandra Gorsche

Espresso just like at the bar – 18 bar, 13,500 mAh, heats and brews at the touch of a button. Perfect for chalets, glamping, and mobile setups.

Why this product is exciting

  • Heats and brews independently: 13,500 mAh battery, water is heated automatically. One-button operation.
  • Performance like at the bar: Pump up to 18 bar – strong, creamy espresso (40 ml in 2–3 min., 80 ml in 4–5 min.).
  • Realistic capacity: Up to 8 espressos (40 ml) or 5 lungos (80 ml) per charge.
  • Compatible & flexible: Original Nespresso capsules (as well as Starbucks, L'OR, illy, etc.) or classic coffee powder (powder holder included).
  • Made on the go: Bottle size, fits in many cup holders, silicone feet protect glass ceramics.
  • Quick to clean: Cold brew cleaning mode; briefly rinse the water cup – done.

Who is this device suitable for?

Hotels & boutique hotels

  • Welcome shot at check-in, late-night service without a barista, VIP amenities in the room.
  • Pop-up station (e.g., “espresso on demand”), small meetings/breakouts.

Chalets, alpine huts, and glamping

  • Off-grid feeling with real espresso quality. No fixed water supply or drain required.
  • Works at the parking space, on the terrace, or directly in the chalet—battery required.

Van life, yacht, trade fair, road teams

  • Sales teams, chauffeurs, production crews—anyone who needs “barista grade” on the go.

Less suitable for:

  • High-frequency breakfast rooms or coffee-to-go with >50 orders/hour.
  • Serial milk drinks (separate frother required).

Practical added value

  1. Quality without infrastructure
    Consistent extraction without a countertop machine, fixed water supply, or power outlet at the point of use—the battery takes care of heating and brewing. Ideal for outdoor areas, rooftops, hut terraces, and trails.
  2. Experience – from rooftops to mountain peaks
    Table preparation, chalet terrace, fire pit while glamping, and on the go: from your backpack on the trail, during a snack break at the summit, or on the lakeshore. The mobile “wow” ritual that tells stories (e.g., espresso tonic in a thermos mug, affogato to go).

Setup & handling (60-second guide)

  1. Add water. (For the best shot: filtered, fresh water.)
  2. Insert capsule or fill powder holder & tamp.
  3. Press button. Device heats up & brews automatically.
  4. Intermediate cleaning in cold brew mode, rinse water cup briefly. Done.

Pro tip: For even creamier shots, preheat the cup and brewing group briefly (brew hot water once & pour it away).

Key technical features

  • Battery: 13,500 mAh, low power alarm (light + audible signal).
  • Output: 8×40 ml or 5×80 ml per charge.
  • Time: ~2–3 min. (40 ml) / ~4–5 min. (80 ml).
  • Pressure: up to 18 bar.
  • Cleaning: Auto-Rinse (cold), manual water cup.
  • Price: RRP $239 (currently often available as a set for ~$203.15).
  • Scope of delivery: Machine (silver) with capsule holder, powder holder, tamper, dosing funnel, stand, bag, USB-C cable.

Sustainability & operation

  • Capsules: If possible, use recyclable/bio-based variants in the original format; alternatively, switch to powder operation (less packaging).
  • Water: Filtration improves taste & device health.
  • Waste management: For chalets/glamping, clear bin signage (aluminum/residual), define housekeeping routine.
  • Energy: Set up charging stations (USB-C). For off-grid spots: Plan for power bank/12 V adapter.

Integration: Chalets & glamping – how to do it right

  • “Coffee Ritual Kit” in the chalet: Machine + 2 cups + selection of capsules/single-origin powder + short menu (espresso, lungo, affogato).
  • Service plan: One replacement load of capsules per night, housekeeping refill in the morning.
  • Storytelling: Origin of the beans, short note about the roasting partner, QR code for the recipe (espresso tonic, affogato).
  • Safety: Laminated quick guide (3 pictograms), warning about hot components.

Pros & Cons (for decision-makers)

Pros

  • Genuine espresso quality without a station
  • Heating + brewing in the device (no pot required)
  • Capsules or powder – maximum flexibility
  • Compact, mobile, robust (metal housing)
  • Quick cleaning, minimal training required

Cons

  • No integrated milk frother
  • Limited capacity per load (not for peak rush)
  • Manage capsule waste (or use powder)

Price/performance & recommendation

This set is a smart, mobile quality booster, especially for chalets and glamping. It does not replace a large station, but delivers clean, high-pressure espresso everywhere – with minimal effort for the team and guests.
Recommendation: Buy for mobile applications, VIP moments, and off-grid experiences.

Recommendation: Buy for mobile applications, VIP moments, and off-grid experiences.
GENUSSPUNKT rating: Our editorial team evaluates products according to clear criteria such as mobility, taste, handling, and style factor – this creates a transparent overall impression with real added value for professionals and connoisseurs.
GENUSSPUNKT score: 8.75/10 (mobility 10.0 | taste 9.0 | handling 7.0 | style factor 9.0)

conqueco.com

From Genusspunkt Sept-Oct 2025

A la table, s'il vous plaît! A la table, s'il vous plaît! A la table, s'il vous plaît! A la table, s'il vous plaît!
Copyright for the featured images used:
© Conqueco

Book tip: Lasagna, Moussaka, and Co. – Happiness in Layers

Ilse Fischer's “Lasagna, Moussaka, and Co.” is a culinary journey through Europe in casserole form

Casseroles are underestimated. They are often considered cozy, filling, a little old-fashioned—but they are actually culinary narrative forms. This is exactly where Ilse Fischer comes in. Lasagne, Moussaka und Co.: Das Glück in Schichten (Lasagna, Moussaka and Co.: Happiness in Layers) is not just another “lasagna book,” but a collection of cultural identities, layered in dough, vegetables, sauces, and memories.

What sets this book apart from classic recipe collections is its focus on the principle of layering. Fischer shows that whether it’s Italian vincigrassi, Greek pastitsio, Alsatian baeckeoffe, or Savoyard tartiflette, ingredients are layered, interwoven, and combined in the oven to create something greater than the sum of its parts throughout Europe. It’s about more than technique. It’s about origin, climate, availability, and food culture.

INFO:
Lasagne, Moussaka and Co. – Happiness in Layers
Author: Ilse Fischer
Illustrations: Gudy Steinmill-Hommel
Publisher: Christian Verlag GmbH
Publication date: November 2025
Length: 256 pages
Binding: Hardcover
Language: German
ISBN: 978-3-9895101-6-6

How price acceptance actually arises

Why guests are happy to pay the price for menus, rooms, and non-alcoholic alternatives when quality and character match

Price has long been more than just the result of a calculation. It is a signal. For attitude, for standards, for credibility. Guests read prices as a silent message about what a business stands for and how consistently it lives up to its promise of quality. Today, guests no longer pay for the cheapest option, but for the most harmonious one. For an offer where price, product, and atmosphere form a coherent whole.

Highballs, Deep Cuts & Vienna's New Underground

How Salon Paradise at The Hoxton is reinventing the night—and why Vienna's most exciting cultural space is emerging beneath it.

Vienna has many bars. But only a few places that truly create their own world. Salon Paradise is exactly that: not a nightclub, but a state of mind. A dimly lit basement bar where conversations become deeper, drinks taste clearer, and music doesn’t accompany, but leads. After the summer break, Vienna’s most iconic underground bar returns to The Hoxton, Vienna on November 22—with a new tempo, a new sound, and a sharpened attitude. The rebellious soul remains, but it now beats with greater focus.

quick & dirty
Portable coffee maker © Conqueco
Gadget review

Espresso just like at the bar – 18 bar, 13,500 mAh, heats and brews at the touch of a button. Perfect for chalets, glamping, and mobile setups.