True, but it was necessary. He wanted to convey the fact that it's not a pleasant experience drinking out of it although he is not opposed to the idea of the cup when used as a vessel to collect the brewed coffee. I presume that is because unlike the aeropress(where all pressure is applied towards the cup) , you press both up and away from the cup and down into the cup. This upward pull may move the head of the brewer away from an un-attacted, causing you to end up missing the cup and pouring coffee all over the counter . My point here is that the use of complex language is not done to show superiority, its just him being a good critic. And and that's a good thing.
One time I had taken my aeropress camping, and realized I had forgotten my lock-on filter holder. I decided to improvise using a bottle lid from a bike water bottle. I had to have my buddy hold it in place while I pressed down. The pressure ended up exceeding what he was capable of holding and it exploded on him. That's my story.
Didn‘t you say you would put out about 60 videos this year? At this rate you‘re done in a month or two. Not complaining, just really excited that you put out content regularly. At least it feels like it! Good stuff, keep it going!
Since finding your channel i have bought a new $200 hand grinder, an aeropress and gone lighter on my coffee roasts. I'm also watching many of your videos that are over 5 years old. This rabbit hole is deep.
Let me do some math for the pressure used in the Kompresso. 9bar = 90N per square centimeter This equals 9kg per square cm Since the stamp is 2.8cm wide, it has 6.2cm2 ...6.2cm2 x 9kg = 55.8kg So find the right grinding size for the coffee. So you need this much power to push the water through the ground coffe within the 20-30s. In my limited experience the coffee grinding has to be half the size of your standard Espresso
@@notbatman1001 I think Turkish coffee is too Fine, You'd better consider the coffee powder between Turkish coffee and Delongi espresso machine coffee. I think you can grind it a little more finely (-0.5 or -1 click) than the coffee powder used in Delongi's espresso machine for residential.
@@notbatman1001 ua-cam.com/video/STO9qfXzxOk/v-deo.html&ab_channel=%EC%98%A4%EB%A7%88%EC%9D%B4%EC%BB%A4%ED%94%BCoH%21Mycoffee I think this video will help you a lot. this video hard to understand to you because it is a Korean video, but if you use the automatic translation function to use subtitles, there will be no big problem in understanding key information. The product made in Korea, so it's a shame(?) that there are no in-depth reviews or use by foreign(from Korea) UA-camrs. Personally, I think it's a really good product, and there are few products that can extract this high-quality espresso at this price for residential .
I am using timemore slim grinder. 7 click and hard tamping produce a nice shoot. But yeah, I need to put about 60kg of weight. I put it on the floor and ask my son to stand on the pump to achieve this pressure LOL. Kinda acrobatic..
I loved the flashback after you applied the plunger to your aeropress. Edits like that, in addition to your endless knowledge of coffee, are why I keep coming back.
I bought a kompresso on a whim and immediately found out something special about it that even my entry-level gaggia pure doesn't do: BACKFLUSHING!! I love this little guy! XD The only thing I'm not sure about is durability. My aeropress is turning 5 this year and still strong as ever. I really hope I can eventually say the same for my kompresso.
@@lilking8125 Much like an aeropress, the thing is definitely made to last long. However, my biggest gripes are: 1. the prep because putting grounds inside that tiny basket always made a mess and having to tamp with that cup-thing always felt awkward; and 2. You are severely limited with the amount of coffee and liquid you can brew with. I can still recommend it to anyone REALLY interested in getting a portable elbow-grease powered espresso maker though. As for home-brewing, I've moved on to the Cafelat Robot. That thing is a genuine lever-machine and has been going strong for almost 2 years now. As a side-note, I also bought the prismo about the same time I got the Kompresso and it's still my definite go-to device whenever I yearn for some classic brewed coffee. Just don't forget to clean it after use to keep the rubber stopper from leaking. EDIT: I just realized that I got all these things 2 years ago. Weird.
I love my kompresso. I put my body weight to give more pressure, and i can get thick crema. But the downside is, if the pressure is too much, you can damage the basket. There will be a crack on the basket, and the metal filter will bend.
You Sir are just wildly entertaining to watch as you make perfect sense while imparting those coffee smarts! Honestly you have a way of making your audience feel smarter for having watched. I have made it a daily ritual while enjoying my coffees.
James, I haven't got around to personally testing the Cafflano, however, I believe the correct method for the extraction is to use your palms to apply the downward force while gripping it with your fingers below. That way you'll generate a higher pressure than just using your thumbs. Enjoyed the comparison though. With regards to the Aeropress, I remember watching a video where they created a puck my sandwiching the grinds between two paper filters. The guy built a crude lever mechanism out of timber to apply additional force and got some surprising results - not very aesthetically pleasing to the eye though ;)
I've got a Fellow Prismo, and while I was initially thought I might like an "espresso-like" alternative, I've only used it as such once or twice. Like James said in the review, the provided recipe was too strong for my liking and didn't really put out that much to actually drink. That said, it does have a place in my Aeropress arsenal. I use it occasionally for my regular 1:15 ratio cup. The holes in the filter are quite fine (smaller than the Able Brewing disc and Aerdisc), so there tends to be less sediment when I go the metal filter route. Also, the valve is a nice addition that keeps anything from dripping through while the water/coffee infuses (although, I'm not sure how much of a difference that really makes in the final cup). Thanks for the reviews. They're well thought out and well done. Keep it up!
I also roughly double the amount of prescribed water, then further dilute the coffee to make something americano-style. I quite enjoy this with darker coffees while traveling. Saves a little bit of money if I'm outside of the home.
Great video as always! My fav thing to do with the Prismo is an Iced Latte-like beverage. 20g very finely ground (~1.5 on EK-43) with 60ml water. I prefer this "concentrate" over an actual espresso in my iced latte, as it gives a more flavourful experience IMO.
This was made more than two years ago (it's May 2021 now). I ran into this and then the other one made by the European Coffee Trip channel which was done Jan 2021. The "espresso" they made is MUCH more espresso-like. In terms of recipe, both are similar: ECT used 13.5g in, 60g water resulting around 40g out. Lots of creme and the reviewer said it's 90% like espresso. Was the product improved over this two years? Was it because the guy over there applied much more pressure (that guy seems 1.5x the size of James and he was pressing really hard (in a stand up posture). It's is not easy for James to re-do a product review but it'd be interesting to see if what was done at ECT can be replicated.
Yea, i have a kompresso and i can make to closer like espresso and offten better ones than a profetional machine, i aplly 40-50kg pressin with my elbow and i have lots of crema.
The amount of coffee beans is 15g, the grind is espresso grind (slightly coarser if you want crema), and the water is boiling water, and the actual 60ml is above the scale. Cover it with the included scoop like a lid for a while and wait for the pre-infusion time, then stretch out your arms and press gently with your body weight. Occasionally, if the grind is not right, be careful not to press too hard.
@@francoezequielduarte8111 yeah, no, bullshit is it better than a professional espresso machine. also more crema does not mean a better espresso. like not at all.
Don no, there’s actually a lot more complexity to tea than people give it credit for. That would be like someone saying “coffee is simple, just throw in some instant coffee, add some hot water, you’re done”
Benjebob Hone True, there can be tea lattes, traditional Matcha where you use a bamboo whisk. The correct temperature for each different kind of tea. Different types of tea like a peach mango green tea or a sencha. Who knows really
@Jay M not really. coffee has more methods but tea leaves have much more variety. you can go from umami broth with gyokuros to wet wood and chocolate with ripe pu er - all from the same plant. even in each type of tea leaves there is so much more. a raw pu er will taste bitter and grassy if kept for only a year or two, but those flavours change to stone fruits and juiciness approaching 10-15 years and ultimately dark, woody and smokey at 25 years and beyond. i love both artisan coffee and tea but you aren't doing anyone any favours by discounting a drink with so much history and variety. i like to think of coffee as a science and tea as an art.
How apropos that I just encountered a Prismo in the wild tonight before I noticed this video. Thank you for this lovely video, and your note on strong and stable bubbles. ;)
Just FYI: amongst the coffee nerds people will be offended by the word “expresso”. James actually has a video about the history of espresso: the name is derived from the Italian word for pressuring or pressurized (I don’t recall exactly), not from the word express, though the fast time surely was a huge factor in the success story of this beverage.
First, I Love your videos. 2. The pressure applied on the Kompresso is the same as the resulting pressure on the coffee puck. The Forces are different, but the Pressures are the equal. (Pascal's Law). Pressure = Force/Area. To get 9 bars of pressure (130 lbs/sq in) at the coffee requires 9 bars of pressure to be applied to the plunger.
You don't apply pressure to the plunger, you apply _force_ to the plunger. That force divided by the projected area gives you the pressure. So small plunger diameter and long stroke lets you get the desired pressure and volume at the puck. I don't think that the ratio is right on this for someone other than a reasonable facsimile of Schwarzenegger to get 9 bar, but that's just a guess, I'd have to buy one and measure it to be sure.
On the metal vs paper filter thing you should check out research on cholesterol and coffee. Coffee raises cholesterol by about 10% due to cholesterol raising compounds in the coffee oils. Those compounds get completely blocked by paper filters but don't get blocked by metal filters. That means that paper filters are considerably better for heart health.
I’ve dialed in my prismo so perfectly, I get a good layer of crema that lasts a good while. Always inverted and let it pre infuse and agitate the coffee for a good 40 seconds. Absolutely delicious and I’d say it’s a 8 out of 10 in terms of “real” espresso.
Fancy sharing any more details on the recipe? I'm kinda stuck on inverted, 19g, 60ml, 15 seconds stir + 90 seconds. Works kinda well with additional filter but still not satisfying enough.
NLRoyboy good question! You would use the inverted method so you have an easier time stirring the coffee grinds and agitating them for upwards of 40 seconds! Then you just flip it over and push. I’ve gotten best results from doing that.
blackdahlia121 sorry for the late response. 19g and 60 mL sounds fine, maybe try stirring for 20 seconds then letting it sit for an additional 20 seconds for a total of 40 seconds, then push!
I like my Prismo as a small upgrade to my Aeropress. It doesn't make it far better, but I would rather use the small and easily storable Prismo as an enhancer (reusable, more full coffee oil taste, don't need to invert, cold brew press) versus getting entirely different brewer that only does the one thing. For someone who already has the Aeropress, the Prismo could be a good option if they are looking to get a metal filter for it and don't mind spending some extra dollars to get the best version of such an upgrade.
Nice presentation, James. I have a Prismo and find that we use it for long blacks rather than espresso. It's great, for a morning home coffee without spending a heap on a machine and not needing the paper filters. We put 2 scoops and fill up to 3-4 cups, for 2 people.
After owning the Prismo for a few months now, I’ve experimented a little after doing some research on the fellow website with some of their recommendations on how to pull better “espresso-style shots” (funnily enough not listed on their little instruction manual in the box). These have helped somewhat and resulted in a passable portable shot.. From memory they mention temperature to be important (thus preheating the Prismo and aeropress and using close to boiling water); agitating the coffee for longer (a minute I think 🤔); pressing hard and consistently; and also using fresh roasted coffee to get more crema.
I used a grind setting so fine that I will lean over using my bodyweight to push the liquid through (without breaking glass, aeropress or table in the process) achieving good results.
Here is the thing on foam, if you want to go a bit more "nerdy". Water has surface tension because it likes itself. So much more than anything else. Water hates oil and air, that's why it can't form bubbles or foam. Coffee, as well as soap and detergent, contains "surfactants", that are substances that like both water and air/oil. They form a film over the water surface and "makes the water think" that air/oil disappeared, so it finds itself "ok, in that situation" and stabilizes bubbles and foam.
I love that you're starting to do more product reviews! Would you maybe do a review on Bodums series of coffee gear? I have seen stuff from them that are clearly inspired by Hario and chemex, but for quite a bit cheaper. Would be cool to see a review :)
I was thinking about getting the Prismo, but have decided against it since a lot of playing around and trail and error with my Aeropress. I can make a pretty decent "espresso" shot with it, to use as a base for a flat white. I've been using this method for a week or so now, and I'm happy with the results. 18g fine ground coffee 70g water about 90c Fine mesh metal filter Stir for only a few seconds to get everything wet, then immediately plunge as hard as possible (I'm 19st, so can get a far bit of force going). Not a true espresso, not a lot of crema, but for what I want, it makes a very sweet tasting flat white.
Agree about the "Magical Crema" Mr. Hoffman, btw.. I've got both of them since last year. Honestly, I'm still brewing with Kompresso a couple times, but never again with that Prismo since making a review of it. Salam Kopi from Indonesia 🙏
Great stuff, very interesting! I like the idea of portable/handmade espresso as sort of a novelty. Have you ever looked into the ones that involve using a hand pump to create pressure, such as minipresso? Also, the quality of your videos just keeps getting better - and they were good to begin with!
I've used kompresso for 4 months, and i'd say i can make really good espresso. It's basically a naked portafilter espresso maker, compared to other manual espresso brands which utilizes pressurized porta. The main challenges are getting a proper tamp (the included tamper is horrible) and maintaining a constant pressure with hand. It's quite difficult to press with my final dialing in.
Maybe they have changed the instructions for the Prismo since James put out this video. The unit I received told me to use the same ratio (20g ultra-fine coffee to 50ml water straight off the boil), but to agitate the heck out of it for 30-40 seconds, with a total steep time (pour + agitate + wait before plunging) of 1 minute. You then place the plunger on and give a hard press to pressurize the “puck” into the bottom, and then lean hard on it to press the espresso into the cup. That always gets a respectable crema and a shot that tastes and feels very nice to me.
Great vid. Pulled it up since I got a prismo recently and love it. Well as a Aerosmith fan, er I mean Aeropress fan since back in the day I find it makes a rich coffee that is just delicious. Is it true espresso? No. Does it taste good, yes. Now I will try adding a paper filter and see what I get. Should increase pressure and take away the negs of a metal filter. In any case it's a fun tool to add to my manual brew collection. And yes, put it over a glass before putting the plunger on top. Otherwise there is no drippage issues
Finally a product I've owned and used. The Prismo was great to start with but you have to exert so much pressure and that seemed to get worse. At one point I blew it off the bottom. I've gone back to paper filters since then. I wouldn't recommend it but it does at least mean you don't have to worry about filter papers.
Slight correction about the bit about the pressure; although the piston is narrow, you calculate the pressure on the coffee at the coffee level, which has a higher surface. Which means it's the same pressure as if the whole brewing chamber is as wide as the coffee cake. In a steady state. In practice, the process is easier though in terms of mechanical work needed to be done; a narrower piston requires more travel which is easier for our muscles and minds to do. So, the narrower piston makes it easier to sustain a higher pressure for longer, but it won't increase the maximum pressure on the coffee.
FYI: You can use a paper filter with the Prismo. You still need the stainless mesh filter for support, but you put the standard Aeropress paper above it, between the coffee and the stainless filter. If you don't use the stainless filter, or try to put the paper filter below it, the paper will clog the silicone valve and stop the flow. That way you get the "benefits" (?) of using the Prismo, your coffee tastes cleaner without the oil and it is less cholesterol raising (because compounds found in coffee oil cause your liver to produce more cholesterol). The advantage of using the Prismo over the OEM Aeropress setup I guess, is that the valve stops the egress of coffee via gravity as you're letting it brew. Something mitigated by simply turning it over, using it with the OEM components and saving your money.
I bought an Aeropress, some lovely Specialty filter Coffee and the Prismo for my brother in an attempt to get him out of drinking espresso roasts from Woolworths. It hasn’t necessarily worked. He found his morning coffees were “Too fruity...” he said he prefers the “coffee that tastes like coffee”. All power to him, he knows what he wants. But from his use of the Prismo for his Espresso-like drinks and his version of a French press with it; he loves it. Mission accomplished in a way?
I've been using the Fellow Prismo for over a year now and consistently get crema using the following method: use metal filter AND paper filter (increases pressure); after grinding and pouring grounds into tube, tamp coffee grounds using plunger (or narrow spice jar); pour a few drops of water over the grounds to pre-soak puck before pouring in the remainder of the water; cover with open end of plunger (don't insert the way you did); let soak for one minute or more (for stronger brew); stir for 20-30 seconds; enjoy the aroma of the bloom!!!; press plunger SLOWLY all the way down (20+ seconds); marvel at your crema. Enjoy. Later, unscrew Prismo and push out puck and filter into compost bin.
I've just got back from travelling around SE Asia - with a Kompresso (with a Flair Pro2 funnel and a mini WDT tool i picked up from Temu) and a Timemore Nano grinder - and have to say as my travel coffee set up - often better than most coffee shops - but of course that could also be the beans and many Asian Baristas not actually drinking coffee - having tried the Nano, PicoPresso etc - easily my favourite travel coffee maker - lightweight, easy to use and clean - and makes more than acceptable espresso-like coffee
I get more crema from my AeroPress (and a larger amount of coffee - nice!) by simply using a metal filter and the inverted method. The extra weight and fuss with the Fellow Prismo seems like a waste with little or no benefit. ONE WEEK LATER: For mobile espresso-like shots, I‘m now truly enjoying my new Starpresso (the model with the glass included - not the one with the fold-out legs). It‘s proven very easy to use, and if you leave the bottom bits at home (glass holder and glass) it is highly compact and very light in weight, so perfect for travel or backpacking. For a bigger cup of dark coffee, my AeroPress still rules, but for a nice, intense shot with wonderful crema, the Starpresso is doing the job far better than either of the two items reviewed here. Still curious how the Starpresso might stack up against the Nanopresso. Will try that out one day when budget allows. Or maybe James will do that review first? :-)
Prismo helps to brew usual aeropress without inverted methods as You said. I usually add 1 or 2 paper filter. But yes, i never get “real” espresso with prismo . Kompreso needs suitable grind size to get nice espresso.
Thank you for your continued videos and content. I do own the Prismo. While I don't use it that often (as I have a "real" espresso machine at home), it really does travel well along with the very light and compact and indestructible Aeropress. As you can notice, there is a considerable difference in space these two devices take up. The Prismo can fit inside the tote bag along with the Aeropress, compact grinder, and other little things. That's why I like it. When traveling you can make both your coffee and espresso-like beverage, all with just some hot water. I also like the fact that with the Prismo you can adjust and play around with different recipes, ratios, etc. All this being said, my #1 go to 'real' portable espresso machine is the "Handpresso" which although can only make small shots, they truly are pretty great shots, and you can adjust the bars of pressure and decide how much pre-infusion you want.
i use the prismo and it's the closest thing that i have to an espresso. I brew my 20g fine coffee and 50-60ml water. I add a bit of milk (50-60ml) my recipe: Inverted method (which i think adds more pressure when you tilt the Aeropress) - A add paper filter which does a cleaner taste (filters out the sediments from the fine grounds) - add beans to preheated aeropress - gently stir til 35s mark. close aeropress using plunger - on 1minute or 1:10 mark, flip the aeropress and plunge as quickly as you can - crema usually happens, add milk and voila!
Great video, James. I'm in pursuit for the best manual espresso at home (I own an aeropress with an Able steel disk filter, and a 2-cup Brikka) and your reviews of the Flair, ROK, and these two are fantastic insight. Looking forward to more content.
Thank you James, I'm trying to learn different coffee making ways during quarantine, learning the cremea is similar to head on beer, helps increase my confidence in attempting to make espresso as it isn't a you either get it wrong of you get it right, but you make improvements over time. Thank you for being you and helping to take me to make a slightly better cup
The Kompresso is the best, and if you ask me, cheapest way to helping one get one step closer to a "home-made cappuccino". In addition to it, you only need the cheapest french press money can buy, in which one gets its frothed milk (and also helps with the pour if it's got a lip) and a stove-top kettle in which water gets boiled or milk gets warmed up.
This is what I also usually do... I actually quite like it this way (with paper filter). To me a coffee that's too strong of an espresso/too fresh, can be toned down by prismo "pseudo-espresso".
Grateful for your videos, James. I also use the Prismo with an added paper filter. When I was troubleshooting after my first few attempts, the folks at Fellow sent me the recipe below. Far from espresso, but intriguing. The Prismo might have more to offer than your espresso-focused review gives credit for. fellowproducts.com/wade-preston-winning-prismo-recipe/
I’ve had the Kompresso for a couple years now, and I won’t say that I’ve got it completely dialled in or perfect, but I do like the experience. I’ve fiddled a bit with pressing from the top of the column like with an aeropress compared against gripping the little wing handles between my palms and fingertips the way Cafflano recommends in the manual. The difference is night and day. I have to recommend the official method, because it really does seem to result in a richer, more flavourful cup.
You made an excellent point in comparing crema to the head of a beer. Given enough time, the crema will disappear just like the head of a beer. I live 30 minutes away from the nearest espresso machine (thus my interest in this video) and will buy 12 oz of espresso in one go to use over several days with my regular Moka pot coffee. The crema disappears even before i get home. The unimportance of it never occurred to me until this video.
Would you consider trying the Fellow again with a slightly modified recipe? I think the recipe has likely changed recently, with a longer agitation time. I have been using the Prismo exclusively for more than a month now, and it is producing more crema than it looked like you pulled, and seems to be close to espresso I have gotten at some coffee shops. I also think you can build greater pressure with a faster plunge
Great review James. I've had a kompresso for about a year now and I'm able to get some really tasty shots out of it. However, I think the tamper scoop is a really poor fit so made my own. Teamed up with an EK I've consistently been able to get amazing tasting 22%EY shots. My technique tends to be 14g at my usual espresso grind, tamp nice, flat and firm but not too hard. Fill right up with water straight off the boil. Leave for 10s, gently press until 30s till drips start to form then press with full force. Given then surface area, 9 bar is possible but it's not easy, it requires your body weight and gripping force. But does 9 bar really matter anyway?
@@bengeeshoots I bought steel discs off ebay and glued one of them to a used spice jar. Not only do you get a lightweight tamper but also some bean storage.
Love the fact that James could transition into a physics youtuber. With that in mind, the “I’d like to see their maths on that” comment blooms into something much more serious ;-)
love the oring for the metal filter on prismo. I feel as though when I use metal filters on aeropress, they dont form enough of a seal between brewer and cap.
I just got the fellow aero press attachement. I've brewed a few shots and I agree that their recommendation for ratios seems off. I think a little more water will help. I was very pleased with an iced "latte" I was able to make. Still able to taste the coffee through the milk and sugar. I think for milk drinks it's a nice little tool. But yes if you're looking for true espresso this is not the way.
I'm all in on your channel, I've become such a big fan in such a small time - well presented, great topics, great delivery. I really hope you get a ton of more exposure. You seem like you'd make on hell of a cool friend to have!
I can hit the kompresso to high pressure eventually. Using the right grind size until I have to use half of my body weight to push all the way through. And the extraction is quite good with thick golden crema.
If you put a SECOND paper filter on top of the bloomed puck in the aero press, then press (I forget whether you fill to the top first, or float the filter on top of the bloom--you get faux crema. BUT it’s extremely hard to push the piston down-it’s like a gym workout. I would imagine that valve disc is based on this old aero press trick.
Love your reviews, James. It's nice to see a professional go through some of the trials and tribulations when trying out a new gadget. God knows, it's happened a million times to me and you always seem to think you're the only messing this up :-) If you have not had enough yet of little handheld espresso machines, give the Nanopresso by Wacaco a try. (They're claiming 18 bars, by the way!) After many years of buying coffee gadgets (and mostly discarding them after one or two uses) this is the brewer I have used exclusively at home for over a year now; and it's performed admirably. Over the course of this year I have perfected my routine and can pull very consistent, very delicious shots of, what I would claim, real espresso. It takes very little time, clean up is easy and it is extremely portable. Not that I have taken it anywhere - it's actually taken the place of my home espresso maker. My holy grail for the couple of espressos I have at home every day. A caveat though: I think purchasing the Barista Kit they offer is a necessity.
James, again another great review. It's interesting to see these two products side by side, I'm not into any of them, I like the result I get when using paper (Chemex, V60, Aeropress) Also, great that you kept your word and you're giving the reviewed products back to your backers, thats neat! I see your lighting improved a lot, the videos you're doing lately are (technically speaking) more dynamic, well lit. As usual, I'll be waiting to see your next release.
Ive got the Cafflano Kompresso at home and have had pretty great results with it considering what it is. From watching what you have done here, you need to dial it in a bit. I ussually dose 16g and use the baratza encore. I have found that depending on the coffee of course, somewhere near the "3" setting on the encore is about right for a decent manual espresso. I think you need have a bit more of a play around with it. My results are certainly better than yours in this video
Okay, so I bought the Fellow 'Espresso' attachment, knowing that it wouldn't really do espresso and, like you, I found that even saying espresso-like is a stretch, but it does make really nice coffee. I've been playing around with it and hit the following sweet spot for brewing with the aeropress. 250ml of 175˚F water (sorry in US), 20g coffee, medium espresso roast from Metropolis, Chicago, a tiny bit more than espresso grind on my unsophisticated grinder one notch towards superfine pour over, stir, let sit for 2 mins Stir one more time Let sit for 30 secs plunge at a medium pace, not the frantic push recommended for espresso and it makes a really lovely brew, soft, not at all bitter, full-flavored and complex with a really good ending. And this is with a not great (although one of the best budget conical burr's I've seen) Breville grinder. With your grinders I think you'll find something really nice.
I use the fellow. I don't use weight like i should but i fill it to about the 2 mark with a paper filter on top slowly add water and press. Definitely better than the recommended
I bought the Prismo and didn't think the amount of water they suggested was enough. Also, although I used 212F water, it wasn't sufficiently hot the way I like actual espresso. Haven't used it much, as the Aeropress makes quite good coffee on its own.
I've got the Prismo, but I still prefer to use the original filter cap with paper filters most of the time. I will brew a cup with Prismo now and then, but I prefer the cleaner, less cloudy feel of paper-filtered aeropress coffee. That being said, the quality of coffee brewed is not worse, it's rather just a matter of preference. I think it also depends on grind size - I got some nice results with Prismo, coarser coffee and more water. And if I traveled with my aeropress, I'd take Prismo with me because of the reusable filter. And you can forget about the "invert" method, which makes everything kinda simpler. All in all, if you have spare money, it's a nice thing to have, but not a "must-have". P.S. and as kaiman already noted, the valve doesn't require much pressure at all. It doesn't fell like you have to press harder through Prismo than through a regular aeropress setup.
I second this. I stopped trying to do "espresso-like" stuff with the Prismo, but still like using it so I don't have to bother with inverted. Also, if you angle the plunger and kinda rotate it in, you can get in on there without the Prismo squirting all over your counter.
Hmm. I do the Prismo with 20g of the brown stuff with two paper filters put on these, and 70g of water, obtaining pretty nice effect. This may be a bit unholy, or maybe even: barbaric, yet what I obtain makes my heart go twice as fast for some good 5 minutes, and myself quite happy too.
I wish there was an affordable, portable, manual maker for people like me with rheumatoid arthritis. Sometimes my hand hurts using an Aeropress! I guess I'm stuck with a drip, pour-over, or Moka pot. I want something I don't have to plugin! lol
You don’t have to press with your hand. In the video “6 Tips from the maker of Aeropress”, he uses his forearm just below his elbow on the press and his other hand on lower wrist. It’s hint #6 at the end. ua-cam.com/video/iLmVNl9Bknc/v-deo.html
As usual I get so excited to see your videos pop up. Please do make a video on an in-depth about espresso like what you were talking about. I've learnt so much from you.
I have the Kompresso and earlier on I had a discussion with an engineer colleague of mine on whether such a device could generate the benchmark 9 bars of pressure. It seems it can! It does take substantial grip strength to do so (about 26kg per hand, from what I remember) but it seems our grip generates that and more. I'll try to recover the math and share. Perhaps it's not the pressure aspect that gives that 'missing' element to Kompresso coffee. I find the shot time to always be quite short (under 20 seconds) so maybe it compares to a similarly fast shot on a machine.
Bob Low I have actually dragged the shot time to 18-20s to get 14g in and 20-22g out by grinding finer and overfilling above the 60ml mark. Considering that is also the shot time for a 1:1.5 on a machine, that’s not too bad! I do not clench the kompresso but use full upper body weight to push down and the result is a very viscous-y output.
You can hit the shot time, even using 10-15g, by grinding finer. Also, preinfusion is done by low pressure so the air will bubble uppon the shower screen I love my Kompresso
Great review. I was massively disappointed by the Prismo myself. You should try out the Nanopresso though! Really brilliant and makes great espresso in my opinion.
so I discovered this channel through my recommendation feed, this is the first video I watched and I've been watching a lot of your videos of the past few days, and I couldn't be happier. The only thing I'm not to happy about is the amount of money I'm about to spend because I want to experience fresh coffee but we don't own a coffee maker or anything.. so after watching your french press video 5 times I think I'm just gonna get a french press for now and expand from there. also I need to buy a grinder and stuff, and I think it will be fun! and If I don't like it at least I'll be able to make delicious coffee for the people I know like coffee. However I'd like to see more guides.. like a pourover guide (though I've already seen that comment somewhere...)
Ditto AND compare it to the handpresso? Plus, I think they have both had upgrades with models that have additional features/advantages in capacity, etc.
But these make single shots correct? I am looking for a double shot maker, any ideas? I researched and found this one: STARESSO Portable Espresso Maker, 3rd Gen Upgraded Manual Espresso Machine,【
Thanks for confirming my experience with the cafflano. Their filter/grinder-all-in-one is my FAVOURITE coffee gadget but the espresso one just isn’t up to what they promised. HOWEVER still a fun gadget from time to time when no espresso machine is around.
I personally use the Prismo but not for the advertised "Prismo-presso" which I find to be a marketing gimmick. A regular aeropress with the prismo (and no paper filter) is too muddy as it lets through too many fines. I find where the product really shines is its valve which essentially turns the aeropress into a full-immersion brewer and does away with a precariously balanced inverted aeropress. I use it mainly for travel, especially since you can plunge when ready. If carefully insert the plunger after filling the valve does not open. I also use it in conjunction with paper filters for reasons stated above. TLDR: Prismo is great for travel but mostly because of the valve.
Flavor comes down to fresh roasting more than anything. I use a lot of grounds for my Aeropress. I have been brewing for many many years and the Aeropress is my go to method. You didn't mention how fresh your beans are and if they were roasted recently? Keep in mind, coffee goes stale and loses flavor within days of the roast regardless of storage. With fresh roasted beans, I haven't found a better brew than the Aeropress, except some good espresso machines. Once in a while, I'll do french press, cold brew or moka pot.
I have the prismo but haven't ever been satisfied with anything I've made on it tbh. I would love to see your take on the Wacaco Nanopresso. It is my favourite manual 'espresso like' coffee brewer.
I have a Nanopresso (and a Minipresso, as a matter of fact) and I quite like them both. I think James would find them better espresso-like coffee makers.
For those who have the Prismo, I wonder if you could try something and get back to me. There was another video on UA-cam where a guy was able to increase pressure in the Aeropress by temping the coffee and putting a filter both beneath as usual and on top of the tempt puck. I suspect the Prismo may help increase the pressure even more with this combination and I'm intrigued as to the quality of the shot that you could get.
Hi James, brilliant video! Please consider doing a review of the Cafflano Klassic travel pour-over kit. I'm curious to see if you think it's just a gimmick or it might be a real option for us road warriors who want to brew a larger cup than an Aeropress can provide. Thanks!
With the prismo I find that putting the plunger between 1 and 2 and doing it upside down works well, then you don’t have to put the plunger and have it already start pouring.
"I don't love this as a drinking vessel" I would probably have said "I hate this cup"
Me too.. James is a fancy man though. xD
True, but it was necessary. He wanted to convey the fact that it's not a pleasant experience drinking out of it although he is not opposed to the idea of the cup when used as a vessel to collect the brewed coffee.
I presume that is because unlike the aeropress(where all pressure is applied towards the cup) , you press both up and away from the cup and down into the cup. This upward pull may move the head of the brewer away from an un-attacted, causing you to end up missing the cup and pouring coffee all over the counter .
My point here is that the use of complex language is not done to show superiority, its just him being a good critic. And and that's a good thing.
the difference between an Englishman and an American
One time I had taken my aeropress camping, and realized I had forgotten my lock-on filter holder. I decided to improvise using a bottle lid from a bike water bottle. I had to have my buddy hold it in place while I pressed down.
The pressure ended up exceeding what he was capable of holding and it exploded on him. That's my story.
point the lid into the bottle(or your cup) and press against the ground?
sounds like your buddy's story more than your story :p
Can we get a hair tutorial next? thanks.
He can only hold the hair dryer with his left hand. His right arm was injured playing cricket.
Step 1- have good genes
Step 2- stick head out of fast moving car
Refer to Cameron Diaz’s technique in the film There’s Something About Mary. Some prep work will be required.
nice
Been a sub for years, still waiting
i love your attitude, a bit blunt with an air of sarcasm, and hint of poshness.
Yeah, it's called British! :-)
@@fifthof9501 Have you ever watched Geordie Shore? It makes Jersey Shore look sensible and refined. Not all British people are posh.
@@fifthof9501 came here to say exactly the same!
I really enjoy listening to him
Didn‘t you say you would put out about 60 videos this year? At this rate you‘re done in a month or two. Not complaining, just really excited that you put out content regularly. At least it feels like it! Good stuff, keep it going!
he's getting good cash, like 10k a month from patreon, im glad he is, his videos are very good and he keeps buying stuff
@@sebaba001 10k a month sounds like his grinder budget, love seeing him with all his toys
Since finding your channel i have bought a new $200 hand grinder, an aeropress and gone lighter on my coffee roasts. I'm also watching many of your videos that are over 5 years old. This rabbit hole is deep.
Let me do some math for the pressure used in the Kompresso.
9bar = 90N per square centimeter
This equals 9kg per square cm
Since the stamp is 2.8cm wide, it has 6.2cm2 ...6.2cm2 x 9kg = 55.8kg
So find the right grinding size for the coffee. So you need this much power to push the water through the ground coffe within the 20-30s.
In my limited experience the coffee grinding has to be half the size of your standard Espresso
So maybe Turkish coffee grind size?
@@notbatman1001 I think Turkish coffee is too Fine, You'd better consider the coffee powder between Turkish coffee and Delongi espresso machine coffee. I think you can grind it a little more finely (-0.5 or -1 click) than the coffee powder used in Delongi's espresso machine for residential.
@@notbatman1001 ua-cam.com/video/STO9qfXzxOk/v-deo.html&ab_channel=%EC%98%A4%EB%A7%88%EC%9D%B4%EC%BB%A4%ED%94%BCoH%21Mycoffee
I think this video will help you a lot. this video hard to understand to you because it is a Korean video, but if you use the automatic translation function to use subtitles, there will be no big problem in understanding key information. The product made in Korea, so it's a shame(?) that there are no in-depth reviews or use by foreign(from Korea) UA-camrs. Personally, I think it's a really good product, and there are few products that can extract this high-quality espresso at this price for residential .
Thanks, @@eugene_sjlee5700 . I'll keep that in mind.
I am using timemore slim grinder. 7 click and hard tamping produce a nice shoot. But yeah, I need to put about 60kg of weight.
I put it on the floor and ask my son to stand on the pump to achieve this pressure LOL. Kinda acrobatic..
I loved the flashback after you applied the plunger to your aeropress. Edits like that, in addition to your endless knowledge of coffee, are why I keep coming back.
"We're all...agitated appropriately" 😂
I bought a kompresso on a whim and immediately found out something special about it that even my entry-level gaggia pure doesn't do: BACKFLUSHING!! I love this little guy! XD
The only thing I'm not sure about is durability. My aeropress is turning 5 this year and still strong as ever. I really hope I can eventually say the same for my kompresso.
How is it now?
How is it now??
@@lilking8125 Much like an aeropress, the thing is definitely made to last long. However, my biggest gripes are: 1. the prep because putting grounds inside that tiny basket always made a mess and having to tamp with that cup-thing always felt awkward; and 2. You are severely limited with the amount of coffee and liquid you can brew with. I can still recommend it to anyone REALLY interested in getting a portable elbow-grease powered espresso maker though. As for home-brewing, I've moved on to the Cafelat Robot. That thing is a genuine lever-machine and has been going strong for almost 2 years now.
As a side-note, I also bought the prismo about the same time I got the Kompresso and it's still my definite go-to device whenever I yearn for some classic brewed coffee. Just don't forget to clean it after use to keep the rubber stopper from leaking.
EDIT: I just realized that I got all these things 2 years ago. Weird.
@@clericneokun thank you so much 👏
I love my kompresso. I put my body weight to give more pressure, and i can get thick crema. But the downside is, if the pressure is too much, you can damage the basket. There will be a crack on the basket, and the metal filter will bend.
You Sir are just wildly entertaining to watch as you make perfect sense while imparting those coffee smarts!
Honestly you have a way of making your audience feel smarter for having watched.
I have made it a daily ritual while enjoying my coffees.
James, I haven't got around to personally testing the Cafflano, however, I believe the correct method for the extraction is to use your palms to apply the downward force while gripping it with your fingers below. That way you'll generate a higher pressure than just using your thumbs. Enjoyed the comparison though. With regards to the Aeropress, I remember watching a video where they created a puck my sandwiching the grinds between two paper filters. The guy built a crude lever mechanism out of timber to apply additional force and got some surprising results - not very aesthetically pleasing to the eye though ;)
Me using an Aeropress:
- You know what would slap? If the coffee came out of a butthole
I've got a Fellow Prismo, and while I was initially thought I might like an "espresso-like" alternative, I've only used it as such once or twice. Like James said in the review, the provided recipe was too strong for my liking and didn't really put out that much to actually drink.
That said, it does have a place in my Aeropress arsenal. I use it occasionally for my regular 1:15 ratio cup. The holes in the filter are quite fine (smaller than the Able Brewing disc and Aerdisc), so there tends to be less sediment when I go the metal filter route. Also, the valve is a nice addition that keeps anything from dripping through while the water/coffee infuses (although, I'm not sure how much of a difference that really makes in the final cup).
Thanks for the reviews. They're well thought out and well done. Keep it up!
I also roughly double the amount of prescribed water, then further dilute the coffee to make something americano-style. I quite enjoy this with darker coffees while traveling. Saves a little bit of money if I'm outside of the home.
Great video as always!
My fav thing to do with the Prismo is an Iced Latte-like beverage.
20g very finely ground (~1.5 on EK-43) with 60ml water.
I prefer this "concentrate" over an actual espresso in my iced latte, as it gives a more flavourful experience IMO.
That look on your face when the Aero let out the coffee was perfect.
This was made more than two years ago (it's May 2021 now). I ran into this and then the other one made by the European Coffee Trip channel which was done Jan 2021. The "espresso" they made is MUCH more espresso-like. In terms of recipe, both are similar: ECT used 13.5g in, 60g water resulting around 40g out. Lots of creme and the reviewer said it's 90% like espresso. Was the product improved over this two years? Was it because the guy over there applied much more pressure (that guy seems 1.5x the size of James and he was pressing really hard (in a stand up posture).
It's is not easy for James to re-do a product review but it'd be interesting to see if what was done at ECT can be replicated.
I'm guessing they grinned finer than James and so needed more pressure to get the water through. That seems like the way to go here.
Yea, i have a kompresso and i can make to closer like espresso and offten better ones than a profetional machine, i aplly 40-50kg pressin with my elbow and i have lots of crema.
The amount of coffee beans is 15g, the grind is espresso grind (slightly coarser if you want crema), and the water is boiling water, and the actual 60ml is above the scale. Cover it with the included scoop like a lid for a while and wait for the pre-infusion time, then stretch out your arms and press gently with your body weight. Occasionally, if the grind is not right, be careful not to press too hard.
@@francoezequielduarte8111 yeah, no, bullshit is it better than a professional espresso machine. also more crema does not mean a better espresso. like not at all.
I wish there was a James Hoffmann for tea
tea is simple, throw bag of tea, some hot water, you're done
Don no, there’s actually a lot more complexity to tea than people give it credit for.
That would be like someone saying “coffee is simple, just throw in some instant coffee, add some hot water, you’re done”
Benjebob Hone
True, there can be tea lattes, traditional Matcha where you use a bamboo whisk. The correct temperature for each different kind of tea. Different types of tea like a peach mango green tea or a sencha. Who knows really
I’ve found “mei leaf” to be quite the channel for tea heads
@Jay M not really. coffee has more methods but tea leaves have much more variety. you can go from umami broth with gyokuros to wet wood and chocolate with ripe pu er - all from the same plant. even in each type of tea leaves there is so much more. a raw pu er will taste bitter and grassy if kept for only a year or two, but those flavours change to stone fruits and juiciness approaching 10-15 years and ultimately dark, woody and smokey at 25 years and beyond.
i love both artisan coffee and tea but you aren't doing anyone any favours by discounting a drink with so much history and variety. i like to think of coffee as a science and tea as an art.
How apropos that I just encountered a Prismo in the wild tonight before I noticed this video. Thank you for this lovely video, and your note on strong and stable bubbles. ;)
Great to see another of these "non standart espresso gear" reviewed by you Mr. Hoffmann! Thank you.
Your videos are very pleasant to see early in the morning with a cap of expresso. Coffees become more tasty
Wtf is "expresso"?
@@inviktus1983 something that comes in 'caps', apparently.
I think he's talking about drugs!
Just FYI: amongst the coffee nerds people will be offended by the word “expresso”. James actually has a video about the history of espresso: the name is derived from the Italian word for pressuring or pressurized (I don’t recall exactly), not from the word express, though the fast time surely was a huge factor in the success story of this beverage.
First, I Love your videos. 2. The pressure applied on the Kompresso is the same as the resulting pressure on the coffee puck. The Forces are different, but the Pressures are the equal. (Pascal's Law). Pressure = Force/Area. To get 9 bars of pressure (130 lbs/sq in) at the coffee requires 9 bars of pressure to be applied to the plunger.
You don't apply pressure to the plunger, you apply _force_ to the plunger. That force divided by the projected area gives you the pressure. So small plunger diameter and long stroke lets you get the desired pressure and volume at the puck. I don't think that the ratio is right on this for someone other than a reasonable facsimile of Schwarzenegger to get 9 bar, but that's just a guess, I'd have to buy one and measure it to be sure.
On the metal vs paper filter thing you should check out research on cholesterol and coffee. Coffee raises cholesterol by about 10% due to cholesterol raising compounds in the coffee oils. Those compounds get completely blocked by paper filters but don't get blocked by metal filters. That means that paper filters are considerably better for heart health.
I’ve dialed in my prismo so perfectly, I get a good layer of crema that lasts a good while. Always inverted and let it pre infuse and agitate the coffee for a good 40 seconds. Absolutely delicious and I’d say it’s a 8 out of 10 in terms of “real” espresso.
Fancy sharing any more details on the recipe? I'm kinda stuck on inverted, 19g, 60ml, 15 seconds stir + 90 seconds. Works kinda well with additional filter but still not satisfying enough.
Why would you do inverted instead of regular when the prismo doesn't leak through
NLRoyboy good question! You would use the inverted method so you have an easier time stirring the coffee grinds and agitating them for upwards of 40 seconds! Then you just flip it over and push. I’ve gotten best results from doing that.
blackdahlia121 sorry for the late response. 19g and 60 mL sounds fine, maybe try stirring for 20 seconds then letting it sit for an additional 20 seconds for a total of 40 seconds, then push!
@@Livingwithdirt 🤔thanks, but I don't get how this will make stirring easier. But also I don't have the prismo yet.
I like my Prismo as a small upgrade to my Aeropress. It doesn't make it far better, but I would rather use the small and easily storable Prismo as an enhancer (reusable, more full coffee oil taste, don't need to invert, cold brew press) versus getting entirely different brewer that only does the one thing. For someone who already has the Aeropress, the Prismo could be a good option if they are looking to get a metal filter for it and don't mind spending some extra dollars to get the best version of such an upgrade.
This is exactly why I bought it , it's very useful
Nice presentation, James. I have a Prismo and find that we use it for long blacks rather than espresso. It's great, for a morning home coffee without spending a heap on a machine and not needing the paper filters. We put 2 scoops and fill up to 3-4 cups, for 2 people.
After owning the Prismo for a few months now, I’ve experimented a little after doing some research on the fellow website with some of their recommendations on how to pull better “espresso-style shots” (funnily enough not listed on their little instruction manual in the box). These have helped somewhat and resulted in a passable portable shot..
From memory they mention temperature to be important (thus preheating the Prismo and aeropress and using close to boiling water); agitating the coffee for longer (a minute I think 🤔); pressing hard and consistently; and also using fresh roasted coffee to get more crema.
I used a grind setting so fine that I will lean over using my bodyweight to push the liquid through (without breaking glass, aeropress or table in the process) achieving good results.
Here is the thing on foam, if you want to go a bit more "nerdy".
Water has surface tension because it likes itself. So much more than anything else. Water hates oil and air, that's why it can't form bubbles or foam. Coffee, as well as soap and detergent, contains "surfactants", that are substances that like both water and air/oil. They form a film over the water surface and "makes the water think" that air/oil disappeared, so it finds itself "ok, in that situation" and stabilizes bubbles and foam.
7:55 “Is that branded?” 😂 They branded Your beans.
I love that you're starting to do more product reviews! Would you maybe do a review on Bodums series of coffee gear? I have seen stuff from them that are clearly inspired by Hario and chemex, but for quite a bit cheaper. Would be cool to see a review :)
I was thinking about getting the Prismo, but have decided against it since a lot of playing around and trail and error with my Aeropress. I can make a pretty decent "espresso" shot with it, to use as a base for a flat white. I've been using this method for a week or so now, and I'm happy with the results.
18g fine ground coffee
70g water about 90c
Fine mesh metal filter
Stir for only a few seconds to get everything wet, then immediately plunge as hard as possible (I'm 19st, so can get a far bit of force going). Not a true espresso, not a lot of crema, but for what I want, it makes a very sweet tasting flat white.
Agree about the "Magical Crema" Mr. Hoffman, btw.. I've got both of them since last year. Honestly, I'm still brewing with Kompresso a couple times, but never again with that Prismo since making a review of it. Salam Kopi from Indonesia 🙏
Great stuff, very interesting! I like the idea of portable/handmade espresso as sort of a novelty. Have you ever looked into the ones that involve using a hand pump to create pressure, such as minipresso?
Also, the quality of your videos just keeps getting better - and they were good to begin with!
I've used kompresso for 4 months, and i'd say i can make really good espresso.
It's basically a naked portafilter espresso maker, compared to other manual espresso brands which utilizes pressurized porta.
The main challenges are getting a proper tamp (the included tamper is horrible) and maintaining a constant pressure with hand. It's quite difficult to press with my final dialing in.
what is your opinion after a year? Would you use it in a office setting?
Maybe they have changed the instructions for the Prismo since James put out this video. The unit I received told me to use the same ratio (20g ultra-fine coffee to 50ml water straight off the boil), but to agitate the heck out of it for 30-40 seconds, with a total steep time (pour + agitate + wait before plunging) of 1 minute.
You then place the plunger on and give a hard press to pressurize the “puck” into the bottom, and then lean hard on it to press the espresso into the cup.
That always gets a respectable crema and a shot that tastes and feels very nice to me.
This is what I do as well, though I find I prefer a 75-80 second steep time. 15g finely-ground espresso and 38g water.
Great vid. Pulled it up since I got a prismo recently and love it. Well as a Aerosmith fan, er I mean Aeropress fan since back in the day I find it makes a rich coffee that is just delicious. Is it true espresso? No. Does it taste good, yes. Now I will try adding a paper filter and see what I get. Should increase pressure and take away the negs of a metal filter. In any case it's a fun tool to add to my manual brew collection. And yes, put it over a glass before putting the plunger on top. Otherwise there is no drippage issues
Finally a product I've owned and used. The Prismo was great to start with but you have to exert so much pressure and that seemed to get worse. At one point I blew it off the bottom. I've gone back to paper filters since then. I wouldn't recommend it but it does at least mean you don't have to worry about filter papers.
Slight correction about the bit about the pressure; although the piston is narrow, you calculate the pressure on the coffee at the coffee level, which has a higher surface. Which means it's the same pressure as if the whole brewing chamber is as wide as the coffee cake. In a steady state.
In practice, the process is easier though in terms of mechanical work needed to be done; a narrower piston requires more travel which is easier for our muscles and minds to do.
So, the narrower piston makes it easier to sustain a higher pressure for longer, but it won't increase the maximum pressure on the coffee.
I actually really like how your hairstyle evolves through these video journals
He drivers to work with his head out the window to dry his hair.
FYI: You can use a paper filter with the Prismo. You still need the stainless mesh filter for support, but you put the standard Aeropress paper above it, between the coffee and the stainless filter. If you don't use the stainless filter, or try to put the paper filter below it, the paper will clog the silicone valve and stop the flow. That way you get the "benefits" (?) of using the Prismo, your coffee tastes cleaner without the oil and it is less cholesterol raising (because compounds found in coffee oil cause your liver to produce more cholesterol). The advantage of using the Prismo over the OEM Aeropress setup I guess, is that the valve stops the egress of coffee via gravity as you're letting it brew. Something mitigated by simply turning it over, using it with the OEM components and saving your money.
I bought an Aeropress, some lovely Specialty filter Coffee and the Prismo for my brother in an attempt to get him out of drinking espresso roasts from Woolworths. It hasn’t necessarily worked.
He found his morning coffees were “Too fruity...” he said he prefers the “coffee that tastes like coffee”. All power to him, he knows what he wants. But from his use of the Prismo for his Espresso-like drinks and his version of a French press with it; he loves it.
Mission accomplished in a way?
I use my Prismo for loose leaf tea almost exclusively. It didn't really cut it for me as a coffee brewing device. Love the videos!
I've been using the Fellow Prismo for over a year now and consistently get crema using the following method: use metal filter AND paper filter (increases pressure); after grinding and pouring grounds into tube, tamp coffee grounds using plunger (or narrow spice jar); pour a few drops of water over the grounds to pre-soak puck before pouring in the remainder of the water; cover with open end of plunger (don't insert the way you did); let soak for one minute or more (for stronger brew); stir for 20-30 seconds; enjoy the aroma of the bloom!!!; press plunger SLOWLY all the way down (20+ seconds); marvel at your crema. Enjoy. Later, unscrew Prismo and push out puck and filter into compost bin.
I've just got back from travelling around SE Asia - with a Kompresso (with a Flair Pro2 funnel and a mini WDT tool i picked up from Temu) and a Timemore Nano grinder - and have to say as my travel coffee set up - often better than most coffee shops - but of course that could also be the beans and many Asian Baristas not actually drinking coffee - having tried the Nano, PicoPresso etc - easily my favourite travel coffee maker - lightweight, easy to use and clean - and makes more than acceptable espresso-like coffee
So obviously someone needs to invent a cloth filter for the aeropress now.
Invent? Just try one out?
Coffeesock has been making one for years
I get more crema from my AeroPress (and a larger amount of coffee - nice!) by simply using a metal filter and the inverted method. The extra weight and fuss with the Fellow Prismo seems like a waste with little or no benefit. ONE WEEK LATER: For mobile espresso-like shots, I‘m now truly enjoying my new Starpresso (the model with the glass included - not the one with the fold-out legs). It‘s proven very easy to use, and if you leave the bottom bits at home (glass holder and glass) it is highly compact and very light in weight, so perfect for travel or backpacking. For a bigger cup of dark coffee, my AeroPress still rules, but for a nice, intense shot with wonderful crema, the Starpresso is doing the job far better than either of the two items reviewed here. Still curious how the Starpresso might stack up against the Nanopresso. Will try that out one day when budget allows. Or maybe James will do that review first? :-)
I think you meant to say Staresso. The other one with the legs you are referring to is the Staresso Mirage.
@@ida4587 Yes, quite right: Staresso.
For as much as the Kompresso wants to be a travel option, it looks far too much like a bong for me to travel with it.
This new Era of Hoffman is very exciting. Keep it up, James! I'm loving the content you're putting out and I'm happy to support you through Patreon.
Prismo helps to brew usual aeropress without inverted methods as You said. I usually add 1 or 2 paper filter. But yes, i never get “real” espresso with prismo .
Kompreso needs suitable grind size to get nice espresso.
Thank you for your continued videos and content. I do own the Prismo. While I don't use it that often (as I have a "real" espresso machine at home), it really does travel well along with the very light and compact and indestructible Aeropress. As you can notice, there is a considerable difference in space these two devices take up. The Prismo can fit inside the tote bag along with the Aeropress, compact grinder, and other little things. That's why I like it. When traveling you can make both your coffee and espresso-like beverage, all with just some hot water. I also like the fact that with the Prismo you can adjust and play around with different recipes, ratios, etc.
All this being said, my #1 go to 'real' portable espresso machine is the "Handpresso" which although can only make small shots, they truly are pretty great shots, and you can adjust the bars of pressure and decide how much pre-infusion you want.
i use the prismo and it's the closest thing that i have to an espresso. I brew my 20g fine coffee and 50-60ml water. I add a bit of milk (50-60ml)
my recipe:
Inverted method (which i think adds more pressure when you tilt the Aeropress)
- A add paper filter which does a cleaner taste (filters out the sediments from the fine grounds)
- add beans to preheated aeropress
- gently stir til 35s mark. close aeropress using plunger
- on 1minute or 1:10 mark, flip the aeropress and plunge as quickly as you can
- crema usually happens, add milk and voila!
Great video, James. I'm in pursuit for the best manual espresso at home (I own an aeropress with an Able steel disk filter, and a 2-cup Brikka) and your reviews of the Flair, ROK, and these two are fantastic insight. Looking forward to more content.
Thank you James, I'm trying to learn different coffee making ways during quarantine, learning the cremea is similar to head on beer, helps increase my confidence in attempting to make espresso as it isn't a you either get it wrong of you get it right, but you make improvements over time. Thank you for being you and helping to take me to make a slightly better cup
The Kompresso is the best, and if you ask me, cheapest way to helping one get one step closer to a "home-made cappuccino". In addition to it, you only need the cheapest french press money can buy, in which one gets its frothed milk (and also helps with the pour if it's got a lip) and a stove-top kettle in which water gets boiled or milk gets warmed up.
I like when you trow the box. Lol . 😅
You can actually brew with the Prismo using an additional paper filter. Doesn't require that fine of a grind, too.
This is what I also usually do... I actually quite like it this way (with paper filter). To me a coffee that's too strong of an espresso/too fresh, can be toned down by prismo "pseudo-espresso".
Grateful for your videos, James. I also use the Prismo with an added paper filter. When I was troubleshooting after my first few attempts, the folks at Fellow sent me the recipe below. Far from espresso, but intriguing. The Prismo might have more to offer than your espresso-focused review gives credit for. fellowproducts.com/wade-preston-winning-prismo-recipe/
I’ve had the Kompresso for a couple years now, and I won’t say that I’ve got it completely dialled in or perfect, but I do like the experience.
I’ve fiddled a bit with pressing from the top of the column like with an aeropress compared against gripping the little wing handles between my palms and fingertips the way Cafflano recommends in the manual. The difference is night and day. I have to recommend the official method, because it really does seem to result in a richer, more flavourful cup.
You made an excellent point in comparing crema to the head of a beer. Given enough time, the crema will disappear just like the head of a beer. I live 30 minutes away from the nearest espresso machine (thus my interest in this video) and will buy 12 oz of espresso in one go to use over several days with my regular Moka pot coffee. The crema disappears even before i get home. The unimportance of it never occurred to me until this video.
Would you consider trying the Fellow again with a slightly modified recipe? I think the recipe has likely changed recently, with a longer agitation time. I have been using the Prismo exclusively for more than a month now, and it is producing more crema than it looked like you pulled, and seems to be close to espresso I have gotten at some coffee shops. I also think you can build greater pressure with a faster plunge
Great review James. I've had a kompresso for about a year now and I'm able to get some really tasty shots out of it. However, I think the tamper scoop is a really poor fit so made my own. Teamed up with an EK I've consistently been able to get amazing tasting 22%EY shots. My technique tends to be 14g at my usual espresso grind, tamp nice, flat and firm but not too hard. Fill right up with water straight off the boil. Leave for 10s, gently press until 30s till drips start to form then press with full force. Given then surface area, 9 bar is possible but it's not easy, it requires your body weight and gripping force. But does 9 bar really matter anyway?
Hey, what's an EK?
same opinion with you the original tamper not fit the basket..
hey, how did you make yo ur own tamper??
@@bengeeshoots I bought steel discs off ebay and glued one of them to a used spice jar. Not only do you get a lightweight tamper but also some bean storage.
@@unol 😂 classic 👌
Love the fact that James could transition into a physics youtuber. With that in mind, the “I’d like to see their maths on that” comment blooms into something much more serious ;-)
love the oring for the metal filter on prismo. I feel as though when I use metal filters on aeropress, they dont form enough of a seal between brewer and cap.
really laughing during the prismo valve accidently open. Because I faced the same thing before hahahaha.
I just got the fellow aero press attachement. I've brewed a few shots and I agree that their recommendation for ratios seems off. I think a little more water will help. I was very pleased with an iced "latte" I was able to make. Still able to taste the coffee through the milk and sugar. I think for milk drinks it's a nice little tool. But yes if you're looking for true espresso this is not the way.
I'm all in on your channel, I've become such a big fan in such a small time - well presented, great topics, great delivery. I really hope you get a ton of more exposure.
You seem like you'd make on hell of a cool friend to have!
I can hit the kompresso to high pressure eventually. Using the right grind size until I have to use half of my body weight to push all the way through. And the extraction is quite good with thick golden crema.
If you put a SECOND paper filter on top of the bloomed puck in the aero press, then press (I forget whether you fill to the top first, or float the filter on top of the bloom--you get faux crema. BUT it’s extremely hard to push the piston down-it’s like a gym workout. I would imagine that valve disc is based on this old aero press trick.
Love your reviews, James. It's nice to see a professional go through some of the trials and tribulations when trying out a new gadget. God knows, it's happened a million times to me and you always seem to think you're the only messing this up :-)
If you have not had enough yet of little handheld espresso machines, give the Nanopresso by Wacaco a try. (They're claiming 18 bars, by the way!) After many years of buying coffee gadgets (and mostly discarding them after one or two uses) this is the brewer I have used exclusively at home for over a year now; and it's performed admirably.
Over the course of this year I have perfected my routine and can pull very consistent, very delicious shots of, what I would claim, real espresso. It takes very little time, clean up is easy and it is extremely portable. Not that I have taken it anywhere - it's actually taken the place of my home espresso maker. My holy grail for the couple of espressos I have at home every day.
A caveat though: I think purchasing the Barista Kit they offer is a necessity.
James, again another great review. It's interesting to see these two products side by side, I'm not into any of them, I like the result I get when using paper (Chemex, V60, Aeropress) Also, great that you kept your word and you're giving the reviewed products back to your backers, thats neat! I see your lighting improved a lot, the videos you're doing lately are (technically speaking) more dynamic, well lit. As usual, I'll be waiting to see your next release.
I own a prismo and I used it for a regular aeropress brew. got it from contributing to the aeropress movie. I would say great for brewing coffee.
Ive got the Cafflano Kompresso at home and have had pretty great results with it considering what it is. From watching what you have done here, you need to dial it in a bit. I ussually dose 16g and use the baratza encore. I have found that depending on the coffee of course, somewhere near the "3" setting on the encore is about right for a decent manual espresso. I think you need have a bit more of a play around with it. My results are certainly better than yours in this video
0:06 the boxes and your hands hitting the table to the beat is a really nice touch that many wouldn't even notice!
Okay, so I bought the Fellow 'Espresso' attachment, knowing that it wouldn't really do espresso and, like you, I found that even saying espresso-like is a stretch, but it does make really nice coffee. I've been playing around with it and hit the following sweet spot for brewing with the aeropress.
250ml of 175˚F water (sorry in US),
20g coffee, medium espresso roast from Metropolis, Chicago, a tiny bit more than espresso grind on my unsophisticated grinder one notch towards superfine
pour over, stir, let sit for 2 mins
Stir one more time
Let sit for 30 secs
plunge at a medium pace, not the frantic push recommended for espresso
and it makes a really lovely brew, soft, not at all bitter, full-flavored and complex with a really good ending.
And this is with a not great (although one of the best budget conical burr's I've seen) Breville grinder. With your grinders I think you'll find something really nice.
Could you review the Mr. Coffee? I don’t trust Joe DiMaggio.
I could watch you review literally anything!
The faces you made while unboxing!! Also loved how you just threw the box of cafflano! (nothing against the product, you just looked cute doing it)
I use the fellow. I don't use weight like i should but i fill it to about the 2 mark with a paper filter on top slowly add water and press. Definitely better than the recommended
I bought the Prismo and didn't think the amount of water they suggested was enough. Also, although I used 212F water, it wasn't sufficiently hot the way I like actual espresso. Haven't used it much, as the Aeropress makes quite good coffee on its own.
I've got the Prismo, but I still prefer to use the original filter cap with paper filters most of the time. I will brew a cup with Prismo now and then, but I prefer the cleaner, less cloudy feel of paper-filtered aeropress coffee. That being said, the quality of coffee brewed is not worse, it's rather just a matter of preference. I think it also depends on grind size - I got some nice results with Prismo, coarser coffee and more water. And if I traveled with my aeropress, I'd take Prismo with me because of the reusable filter. And you can forget about the "invert" method, which makes everything kinda simpler. All in all, if you have spare money, it's a nice thing to have, but not a "must-have".
P.S. and as kaiman already noted, the valve doesn't require much pressure at all. It doesn't fell like you have to press harder through Prismo than through a regular aeropress setup.
I second this. I stopped trying to do "espresso-like" stuff with the Prismo, but still like using it so I don't have to bother with inverted. Also, if you angle the plunger and kinda rotate it in, you can get in on there without the Prismo squirting all over your counter.
Hmm. I do the Prismo with 20g of the brown stuff with two paper filters put on these, and 70g of water, obtaining pretty nice effect. This may be a bit unholy, or maybe even: barbaric, yet what I obtain makes my heart go twice as fast for some good 5 minutes, and myself quite happy too.
I wish there was an affordable, portable, manual maker for people like me with rheumatoid arthritis. Sometimes my hand hurts using an Aeropress! I guess I'm stuck with a drip, pour-over, or Moka pot. I want something I don't have to plugin! lol
You don’t have to press with your hand.
In the video “6 Tips from the maker of Aeropress”, he uses his forearm just below his elbow on the press and his other hand on lower wrist.
It’s hint #6 at the end.
ua-cam.com/video/iLmVNl9Bknc/v-deo.html
As usual I get so excited to see your videos pop up. Please do make a video on an in-depth about espresso like what you were talking about. I've learnt so much from you.
Are you still using the prismo regularly? Would be willing to share some thoughts and/or recipes that you've found work well with it?
I have the Kompresso and earlier on I had a discussion with an engineer colleague of mine on whether such a device could generate the benchmark 9 bars of pressure. It seems it can! It does take substantial grip strength to do so (about 26kg per hand, from what I remember) but it seems our grip generates that and more. I'll try to recover the math and share.
Perhaps it's not the pressure aspect that gives that 'missing' element to Kompresso coffee. I find the shot time to always be quite short (under 20 seconds) so maybe it compares to a similarly fast shot on a machine.
Bob Low I have actually dragged the shot time to 18-20s to get 14g in and 20-22g out by grinding finer and overfilling above the 60ml mark. Considering that is also the shot time for a 1:1.5 on a machine, that’s not too bad! I do not clench the kompresso but use full upper body weight to push down and the result is a very viscous-y output.
You can hit the shot time, even using 10-15g, by grinding finer.
Also, preinfusion is done by low pressure so the air will bubble uppon the shower screen
I love my Kompresso
Great review. I was massively disappointed by the Prismo myself. You should try out the Nanopresso though! Really brilliant and makes great espresso in my opinion.
so I discovered this channel through my recommendation feed, this is the first video I watched and I've been watching a lot of your videos of the past few days, and I couldn't be happier. The only thing I'm not to happy about is the amount of money I'm about to spend because I want to experience fresh coffee but we don't own a coffee maker or anything.. so after watching your french press video 5 times I think I'm just gonna get a french press for now and expand from there. also I need to buy a grinder and stuff, and I think it will be fun! and If I don't like it at least I'll be able to make delicious coffee for the people I know like coffee. However I'd like to see more guides.. like a pourover guide (though I've already seen that comment somewhere...)
Hey James, hope you will do a review on Wacaco Nanopresso... I freaking love it.. makes good espresso with proper crema & what not.. cheers!!
Ditto AND compare it to the handpresso? Plus, I think they have both had upgrades with models that have additional features/advantages in capacity, etc.
But these make single shots correct? I am looking for a double shot maker, any ideas? I researched and found this one:
STARESSO Portable Espresso Maker, 3rd Gen Upgraded Manual Espresso Machine,【
@@khaledzurikat7190 Wacaco Nanopresso with Barista double shot pieces or models.
@@khaledzurikat7190 Wacaco Nanopresso has a double shot model Barista upgrade.
Ma Ba thanks. I already got the Staresso Mirage (double shot) and it’s perfect
Thanks for confirming my experience with the cafflano. Their filter/grinder-all-in-one is my FAVOURITE coffee gadget but the espresso one just isn’t up to what they promised. HOWEVER still a fun gadget from time to time when no espresso machine is around.
I personally use the Prismo but not for the advertised "Prismo-presso" which I find to be a marketing gimmick. A regular aeropress with the prismo (and no paper filter) is too muddy as it lets through too many fines. I find where the product really shines is its valve which essentially turns the aeropress into a full-immersion brewer and does away with a precariously balanced inverted aeropress. I use it mainly for travel, especially since you can plunge when ready. If carefully insert the plunger after filling the valve does not open. I also use it in conjunction with paper filters for reasons stated above.
TLDR: Prismo is great for travel but mostly because of the valve.
You can just add a paper filter onto the metal filter of the prismo to change the flavor.
I heartily concur. That's what I always do.
Flavor comes down to fresh roasting more than anything. I use a lot of grounds for my Aeropress. I have been brewing for many many years and the Aeropress is my go to method. You didn't mention how fresh your beans are and if they were roasted recently? Keep in mind, coffee goes stale and loses flavor within days of the roast regardless of storage.
With fresh roasted beans, I haven't found a better brew than the Aeropress, except some good espresso machines. Once in a while, I'll do french press, cold brew or moka pot.
I have the prismo but haven't ever been satisfied with anything I've made on it tbh. I would love to see your take on the Wacaco Nanopresso. It is my favourite manual 'espresso like' coffee brewer.
I have a Nanopresso (and a Minipresso, as a matter of fact) and I quite like them both. I think James would find them better espresso-like coffee makers.
I third this sentiment. I believe Nanonpresso is far superior to the ones reviewed. Hope you get to review it James.
For those who have the Prismo, I wonder if you could try something and get back to me. There was another video on UA-cam where a guy was able to increase pressure in the Aeropress by temping the coffee and putting a filter both beneath as usual and on top of the tempt puck. I suspect the Prismo may help increase the pressure even more with this combination and I'm intrigued as to the quality of the shot that you could get.
Fwiw you can use a paper filter on top of the fellow filter. I like that its depth allows a slightly larger volume of brew water into the Aeropress.
Hi James, brilliant video! Please consider doing a review of the Cafflano Klassic travel pour-over kit. I'm curious to see if you think it's just a gimmick or it might be a real option for us road warriors who want to brew a larger cup than an Aeropress can provide. Thanks!
Maybe you'll try to use paper filter with prismo over the metal one? It can do some additional pressure i think
For some strange reason the hair style reminds of Something about Mary !
With the prismo I find that putting the plunger between 1 and 2 and doing it upside down works well, then you don’t have to put the plunger and have it already start pouring.
"something that wraps itself around a bubble to make it STRONG AND STABLE"
Theresa may quote lol
One of your best videos, super informative! Thanks :)