mypressi's handheld coffee Twist

Juniper Foo | Apr 29, 2009

No George Clooney smoldering the screen, but this aims to hit the spot with espresso to go anytime, anywhere. (Credit: mypressi)

Thanks to the delectable George Clooney and peer pressure, I finally caved and bought a Nespresso machine with a steam wand. Unfortunately, the hassle of dealing with the milk residue in the wand and washing up after each use soon overcame the convenience of instant capsule-to-cup coffee. Since then, the Nespresso's been sitting neglected and forlorn in a corner. Now the mypressi Twist has been announced, it's ever so tempting to indulge my inner caffeinated geek.

Looking like a take on the gourd rattler, the Twist not only seems a darn sight easier to clean up, it sounds dead easy to operate, too. To use, simply drop in a (recyclable) CO2 cartridge (yields up to eight single shots) into the pressure chamber, fill the basket with freshly ground coffee or a coffee pod (needs adapter), fill the upper compartment with hot water, and pull the trigger.

Since there's no external power needed, the 500g mypressi Twist is truly portable, just like it claimed. For now, my saving grace is that this US$129 gadget is due out only later in the year, and doesn't seem to be shipping to Asia anytime soon.

The onboard pneumatic engine requires a gas cartridge, commonly used for whipped cream or soda water, to do the brewing. But this also leaves the mypressi Twist wire-free for handheld convenience. (Credit: mypressi)