I love great coffee but doesn’t always find it easy to get while traveling or even where I live, so tried the idea by using a portable coffee maker like the Conqueco, and found it is incredibly cheerful.
It promises to let me enjoy delicious espresso wherever I am, whether that’s in the mountains, at the beach, during a road trip, or even just on my daily commute or at the office.
This review of Conqueco portable Espreeso coffee machine is about exploring whether this handy device delivers on its promise of bringing quality coffee in any place.
Unboxing The Conqueco Portable Espresso Machine
Opening the box was pretty straightforward. The unboxing experience provides just the two necessities: the Conqueco device and the corresponding Type-C charging cable.
The cable is USB Type-C, about a meter long, and I thought it was quite thin and nothing too spectacular, but it’s sufficient.
A nice inclusion is a lovely drawstring bag or pouch, made of a velvety-type material. This pouch is brilliant.
It’s good enough to stop the machine from getting scratched, although it won’t protect it from drops.
The instruction manual is also included. One important thing to note is there is NO charger included, so I would need to use my own.
Conqueco Espresso Maker Design: Lightweight, Durable, and Travel-Ready
The Conqueco portable Espresso coffee maker is clearly designed with portability in mind. It’s a very handy coffee maker that I can hold with one hand.
It weighs around 1 kilogram, making it lightweight and very easy to transport or carry around.
From an aesthetic perspective, I think it looks fantastic. It has a beautiful and modern design. The body is made of aluminum or aluminum alloy, which feels very pleasant to the touch and is described as durable.
It feels premium with its metallic and rubber components. The construction feels sturdy and well-made, durable enough to withstand some rough handling. There’s a serrated texture on the body that provides a good grip for holding.
Coffee Capsule Compatibility: What Pods Work with the Conqueco Coffee Maker?
The Conqueco portable Espresso coffee maker primarily works with coffee capsules. Specifically, it’s compatible with Nespresso-type aluminum capsules.
This means it should work with pods from main brands like Nespresso original, Law original, Starbucks, and Lavazza, as long as they are the right shape.
The machine also has flexibility because it can be used with my own ground coffee. To use a capsule, I insert it into a piece that screws onto the main body, pressing lightly before screwing the top back on securely.
How the Conqueco Portable Coffee Maker Works
The operation of the Conqueco portable Espresso coffee maker is very simple.
The water tank is located at the top. It has an aluminum base and a plastic outline. Inside, there are marks indicating the recommended 40 ml for an espresso and a maximum capacity of 80 ml. I’ve measured the maximum capacity, and it is indeed 80 ml.
The machine features two buttons. The top button is used when I add room temperature water, and the machine needs to heat it. The bottom button is for preparing coffee without waiting, but requires me to add already hot water at the top.
I haven’t actually used the bottom button myself, I’ve only used the top one for heating and dispensing.
A significant advantage highlighted in the sources is its ability to boil water independently. This feature is especially useful when a heat source isn’t readily available, such as during a road trip or camping in the great outdoors.
For those who prefer hot coffee, this is definitely a “game changer”. When using room temperature water, the machine takes about 3 minutes to heat up before it’s ready.
Specifically, heating 80ml of cold water took 4 minutes and 58 seconds before the extraction could begin.
Using boiling water straight from a kettle dramatically speeds things up, an 80ml extraction took only 16 seconds. If using preheated hot water (but not boiling), it might take around a minute or so.
The extraction process itself is simple:
- Insert the capsule
- Add water,
- And press the appropriate button.
If using room temperature water, I press the top button, the machine makes a small beep, and the button lights up.
After heating, I press the pump button for five seconds to dispense the coffee. The machine operates with 15 bars of pressure, which is said to allow for a perfect extraction. The brewing process brings out the full flavors and aromas of the capsule.
It extracts the amount of water I put in and stops dispensing automatically. An 80ml extraction after heating took 41 seconds.
The coffee is delicious with a very good layer of foam. The taste is just like what I would get from a home capsule coffee maker and can even rival coffee from a professionally trained barista. Naturally, the taste also depends on the specific coffee pod used.
At last, removing a used capsule is very simple. I just unscrew the piece and remove the used capsule easily.
Clever Cup and Lid Design: Smart Features for Portable Brewing
The plastic lid of the machine serves a dual function. It can be removed and used as a cup to serve the coffee.
A particularly clever design feature is that the plastic lid has small protrusions that allow it to attach to the coffee maker, letting it stand on its own while dispensing, so I don’t have to hold it.
This is definitely a “genius feature”. It allows enough room for the espresso and steam to come out.
Battery Life and Charging the Conqueco Coffee Maker
The Conqueco features a built-in rechargeable battery. The capacity is 13500 mAh and it charges easily with the included USB cable. I can charge it using a standard USB charger/plug (not included), a car’s USB port, or even a power bank.
A full charge allows for up to five cups of hot espresso when heating room temperature water. If I put boiling water in, I can get loads and loads of shots out of it.
Charging from a power source like a power bank or wall socket can take around 2 hours to fully charge up.
The battery level indicator has only three levels instead of the more common four. So it’s split into ~33%, ~66%, and 100%. Checking the battery status requires pressing the button quite hard, almost for half a second.
Is the Conqueco Portable Espresso Maker Easy to Use?
Overall, the Conqueco portable coffee maker is very simple and easy to use. Its design allows for one-handed operation.
Removing used capsules is also very simple. To turn the machine on, I hold a button down for 2 seconds.
How Good Is the Espresso from the Conqueco?
As mentioned earlier, the machine produces delicious coffee with a decent layer of foam. The taste is compared favorably to home capsule machines and even coffee from a professionally trained barista.
It delivers a nice and hot coffee. The final taste is dependent on the quality of the coffee pod used.
Optional Travel Case for Conqueco Portable Espresso Maker
There is a travel case available, but it must be purchased separately. If I plan to be out and about frequently with the machine, this case is considered well worth the investment.
It is specifically made for the Conqueco portable coffee machine and provides good protection, keeping everything nice and secure with nothing rattling around. It features a solid, big, and chunky handle.
Inside, the case has space for the machine (which fits inside its included pouch), a foam insert designed to hold five small Nespresso pods.
There is also space inside for the charging cable. The case is black with nice red accents and branded zips.
Pros and Cons of Conqueco Portable Coffee Maker
After fully tested Conqueco portable coffee machine, here’s a summary of the key advantages and disadvantages I’ve gathered:
Pros of Conqueco Portable Coffee Maker
- It’s lightweight (less than 1 kg) and compact, making it very easy to transport or carry around.
- Feels premium with its aluminum alloy body and is durable. It feels well-made.
- Includes a useful protective pouch.
- The plastic lid doubles as a cup and has a clever design to stand the machine while dispensing.
- Produces good tasting coffee with a decent layer of foam.
- Compatible with Nespresso pods from various brands (Nespresso original, Law original, Starbucks, Lavazza, etc.) and even coffee grounds.
- Ability to heat water independently is a major plus, especially when heat sources are unavailable. This is a “game changer”.
- Simple and easy to use, including one-handed operation.
- The optional travel case is well-made and provides good protection and storage.
Cons of Conqueco Portable Coffee Maker
- Battery level indicator only has three levels.
- Checking battery status requires pressing the button quite hard.
- Doesn’t indicate how much time is left during the brewing process.
- Limited number of coffees per charge (around 5) when relying on the machine to heat room temperature water.
Final Verdict: Is the Conqueco Portable Coffee Maker Worth Buying?
From my personal perspective, the Conqueco portable coffee machine appears to be a well-built, handy device that successfully brings the experience of capsule coffee to mobile settings.
Its ability to heat water independently is a stand-out feature, making it incredibly versatile for outdoor activities like camping and hiking, as well as travel and office use.
However, the limited number of hot coffees per charge is a factor to consider if for extended off-grid trips when relying solely on the internal heating element, though this seems to be a common limitation for portable battery-powered heating elements.
Anyway, for someone like me who prefers portability and the convenience of self-heating for on-the-go coffee, the Conqueco portable coffee maker is a good option, especially given its competitive price.
