Cafflano Kompact Review

The Liquid Lab Team gave the Cafflano Kompact  an overall average rating of 8 out of 9 planets. In a nutshell, it’s a must have for traveling, camping, back-packing and boating, unless, of course you already have an Aeropress – and even then – given its ease of use, it still might be worth the purchase!

Read each individual review below:

Mike (aka drip-all-day):

The ultimate travel coffee maker for people tight on space!  The first thing that you notice about the Cafflano Kompact is that it is REALLY compact.  It comes in a very packable carrying case measuring 4.5” wide and 3” deep.  This must be the smallest coffee maker I have ever had my hands on.  But don’t let its size deceive you, the Kompact packs a powerful punch.  I found it very easy to use; just throw some ground coffee into the bottom of the silicone bellow, add hot water and let steep for 3 to 5 minutes.  After steeping simply squeeze the Kompact and bam!  A fresh delicious cup of coffee.  For those of you that have battle other pressure driven portable coffee makers, rest easy, the Kompact is virtually effortless.

For my perfect cup, I found that the grind size was crucial.  I tried both a standard drip grind as well as an espresso grind.  The finer grind was DEFINITELY the way to go.  The courser grind did not allow for sufficient pressure to build up in the unit, greatly reducing the flavor of the coffee being pushed through.  I also found that letting the coffee steep slightly longer resulted in the bolder flavors that I look for in coffee.  Better yet, unlike some of the other portable coffee makers I have played around with, clean up on the Kompact was fairly painless.

This is most likely not a daily driver for me, but I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a coffee maker they can throw in a backpack for camping or their carry-on to travel with.  As I mentioned earlier, for its size the Cafflano Kompact packs a powerful punch.   I give it 7.75 planets.

Stella (aka the Sipper):

This little accordion gem will have you singing in the mountains!

It’s impossible not to compare the Kompact to the Aeropress as these travelers create a very similar, strong brew that, in my opinion, are best used as more of a concentrate.  I add a little additional hot water to both as well as a little cream and sugar and BOTH create an incredible brew.  I’m going to give the slight nod to the Cafflano Compact though – less moving parts, equally great brew (maybe ever-so-slightly not as strong) and the big difference:  how easy it is to extract/press.  The biggest complaint most people have with the Aeropress is that is takes a lot of force to expel the brew – a LOT!  So it’s hard on the hands and wrists (and even elbows when you really get into it).  The Kompact is almost effortless!

Once you dial in your grind (I went pretty fine the second go-round when i realized it wasn’t tough to press) – the Kompact is crazy quick to use.  Add grind, hot water, let it steep a couple of minutes and let it sing.  My biggest tip is to make sure all parts are screwed tight – otherwise, you’ll get a big of leakage. The only reason I wouldn’t make this my go-to every day is the one cup factor. I’ll continue using my 3 cup French Press, but you can bet you’ll find the Kompact with me in my backpack, on any road trip and in my boat for over-nighters! 8.5 out of 9 planets for me – Best travel coffee maker yet!

Scott (aka Chief Beverage Maven):

The Cafflano Compact is a great little coffee maker!  Emphasis on ‘little’.  I often travel with an Aeropress, but the Cafflano Compact is a great alternative with a few key differences.  First and foremost, it’s genuinely compacted into a very small area making it even easier and lighter to travel with.  Second, it works more like a French Press that you then squeeze out into your mug of choice.  The coffee steeps in a silicone container that contracts as you push it down.  So you can decide how long you want your coffee to brew, and voila! — push it through its built-in super fine mesh filter and in to your cup or mug for a great single cup of coffee.

8 of 9 Planets

TR (aka Sud Bud):  What set me in orbit:  I’ll admit, I’ve not been a big user of the Aeropress, the single most popular on-the-go single serve coffee maker of the past 10 years.  I’ve tried it on a few trips, and while it made a great cup of joe, I still find it clunky and a bit messy, especially considering that you have to carry the extra paper filters.

The Caffllano Kompact has hit the market and taken my two biggest issues with the Aeropress and thrown them out like a used paper filter.  The kompact is not only very easy to use, its even easier to pack with you.  The design of the unit folds down into its own carrying case which is about 1/3 the size of the Aeropress when storing it for travel and is comparable in weight as well with the Aeropress coming in at 8 ounces & the Cafflano at 11.2 ounces w/case.  In addition, the built in stainless steel filter works great and I don’t have to worry about running out of, or carrying, extra paper filters.  Simply expand the unit, add your desired coffee (according tot he strength and flavor you like), add hot water and press.

Where I’d take it: When I fly, car camping, backpacking just about anywhere!

What brought me down to Earth:  The price is roughly twice that of the Aeropress.  However, when you consider how many filters you need to purchase over the life of the Aeropress, there is no doubt that the Cafflano Kompact will be cheaper in the long run.

8 out of 9 planets in my solar system.

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