I’m not a coffee person, not even an itsy bitsy bit. I prefer a nice hot cup of tea thank you very much. But for all my java bean loving friends, I have something to share that may get you pumped up… with caffeine. Sorry, couldn’t resist. It’s the Airspresso espresso maker. Yes, I know it doesn’t look like any espresso maker you’ve ever seen before. That’s the point. Instead of using steam to make a 120ml shot of espresso, it uses hot water and air pressure – from an ordinary bicycle pump. The Airspresso is available from my cuppa.com in Australia for $180.91 (US$183.48).
[Via user submission – Thanks Clive!]
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Neat, but… Bicycle pumps don’t have to be food-rated normally. Are you sure this wouldn’t get oil or something into your coffee?
(Admittedly, I’m one of those who think oil might *improve* the taste of coffee, so I’m just wondering if they’ve actually thought this through.)
Try Handpresso for a slicker version of this with the 16 bar pump already built in. Perfect.
Mineral oil is not used in modern bike pumps as they have neoprene seals which are damaged by this type of lubricant. The Airspresso uses the same type of seal which lubricated by olive oil or a food grade lubricant such as inox.
While its similar to the Handspresso in its use of compressed air the Airspresso is designed to be used in extreme conditions where every gm counts, all the parts are field serviceable and it is ultra robust. It can also be adapted to pumps used in bike 4WD trips kayaking and mountaineering so you do not have to carry an extra pump.