Outin - Nano Espresso Maker Forest Green

Outin Nano

A lay-by on a long drive, a flask of hot water in the boot, a capsule in your pocket. You screw on the adapter, pour in the water, hold the button and a shot of espresso with crema lands in the cup.

Outin Nano is a portable pressure espresso machine for capsules and ground coffee, and it heats the water itself from its own battery. No socket needed.

Who it is for

• You drive long distances and would rather not stop for vending-machine coffee.
• You work outdoors or out of your car and want espresso where there is no mains power.
• This is your first espresso machine and you want simple operation: one button, a capsule, water.
• You already have a machine at home and need something for trips that fits beside a bottle in a rucksack.
• You drink espresso. Nano has no milk frother, so a cappuccino means frothing the milk separately.

Capsule or ground coffee, 50 to 80 ml of espresso

Nano brews two ways. Drop a Nespresso Original capsule into the adapter, or spoon ground coffee into the filter basket. Everything after that is the same. The tank holds 80 ml and has level markings, and the machine brews exactly as much as you pour in: anywhere from 50 to 80 ml. The pump works at 20 bars, which is what leaves crema on the shot.

How to brew

Making coffee is straightforward:

1. Load a capsule or the ground coffee basket into the adapter and screw the adapter onto the machine.
2. Pour water to the level you want.
3. Press and hold the button: 2 seconds with cold water, 5 seconds or two quick clicks with hot water.
4. Wait a moment and enjoy your espresso.

Cold water or boiling water

That is the only decision to make before brewing. Boiling water from a flask means coffee straight away: the machine skips heating and starts extraction. Cold water means about 200 seconds of waiting while Nano brings it up to 92°C on battery power.

The battery notices the difference too. One charge gives you 5 brews of 50 ml from cold water, or over 100 from boiling water, because then the battery only runs the pump.

Battery and charging

The built-in battery holds 7500 mAh and charges over USB-C with the cable in the box. You need a 5 V/3 A adapter: chargers under 15 W will not charge the machine because they cannot supply enough power. In a car, a 12 V or 24 V charger above 10 W will do the job. The heating element draws 90 W.

Build: 670 grams and an IPX4 rating

The body combines food-grade stainless steel with ABS. It weighs 670 grams, stands 25 cm tall and measures 9 cm across, so it travels like a water bottle in a side pocket. The construction is leak-proof and heat-insulated, and the IPX4 rating means it takes splashes from any direction. The set also includes a cup that screws onto the body.

The LEDs tell you what is happening

Four LEDs on the body show two different things depending on the moment. While charging they show the battery level: one LED means 25 per cent, four mean a full battery. While heating, the same LEDs show water temperature, from 20°C at one LED to 96°C at four.

The machine also signals problems:

• two flashes and one beep: low battery,
• two flashes and two beeps: battery overheating protection,
• two flashes and three beeps: no water in the tank.

Looking after it

• After every brew, unscrew the adapter, bin the capsule or the puck and rinse the adapter and basket under running water.
• Never submerge the body. Wipe the outside with a cloth.
• Wash the cup, adapter and basket by hand, separately from the body.
• Rinse the system now and then: pour cold water into the tank and double-click the button, with no capsule and no coffee.
• Use filtered or bottled water. Hard tap water leaves scale in the heating element.
• Leave 5 to 10 minutes between brews so the heating element can cool down.
• Do not grind too fine. A grind dialled in for a portafilter machine can be fine enough to clog the basket.

A few terms worth knowing

Crema. The hazelnut-coloured foam on top of an espresso, made of gases forced out of the coffee under pressure. Its presence tells you the extraction ran at the right pressure and on fresh coffee.

Bars. The unit of pressure at which the pump forces water through the coffee. Espresso needs somewhere above ten bars, and the Nano pump works at 20.

Nespresso Original capsules. The older, smaller cone-shaped capsule standard, sold by plenty of roasters. Nano works with that standard and with compatible capsules. The larger, round Vertuo capsules do not fit.

IPX4. A water resistance rating. The 4 after IPX means the device withstands splashing water from any direction, but not immersion.

Technical specification

Frequently asked questions

Does Outin Nano work with Nespresso capsules?

Yes, with the Nespresso Original standard and with capsules compatible with it, including those from independent roasters. Vertuo capsules are a different shape and do not fit the adapter.

How many coffees will one charge make?

Five brews of 50 ml if you pour cold water and the machine has to heat it. Over a hundred if you pour boiling water from a flask, because then the battery only runs the pump.

What does 20 bars mean?

It is the pressure at which the pump forces water through the coffee. Espresso needs upwards of ten bars, and pressure is what decides the crema and the body of the shot. Below that, the coffee comes out thin and without foam.

Can I make a cappuccino with it?

Nano brews espresso and has no milk frother. A cappuccino works if you froth the milk separately, with a hand frother for instance.

How do I clean it?

After every coffee, rinse the adapter and basket under running water and wipe the body with a cloth. The body must never be submerged. Every so often, run plain cold water through the machine by double-clicking the button.

Can I use it on a plane?

No. The manufacturer states the machine must not be used during a flight. Rules on carrying a battery-powered device in your luggage are set by the airline, so check them before you fly. Above roughly 2,100 metres the manufacturer reports weaker brewing.

In the box

• Outin Nano espresso machine
• capsule adapter
• ground coffee filter basket
• cup
• ground coffee spoon
• USB Type-C cable