Espresso Maker by Litchi Hand Held Travel Coffee Maker 3 OZ with An Additional Filter Basket, Carrying Bag

I purchased the Litchi Portable Espresso Maker mainly for work. I read all the reviews before purchasing and I have to say that when I received it the following day using Prime, I was very happy with my first cup of coffee. Fast forward a couple of weeks and my espresso maker started to play up. The plunger used to pump the water through began sticking and as I have arthritis in my hand this made it difficult and painful to use. I wrote to the supplier, Litchi Direct using the Amazon contact details and despite chasing, I heard nothing. after another couple of weeks I contacted Amazon customer assistance and they arranged a refund.As I was very happy with the espresso maker initially, I decided to purchase another on the basis that it could just have been a faulty unit. It arrived the following day and again I used the unit for work, so it was being used maybe 2 or 3 times a day max. I work in an office which is clean and well maintained. I flushed the unit through to clean it and was again surprised when about 10 days later, the new unit started to stick again. Rather than the plunger returning to the up position after each pump, you now have to pull it out, again making it painful and awkward to use.I have noticed that the plunger is getting wet, not sure if that's normal and I'm assuming that this is causing some kind of suction to occur in the barrel which in turn is holding the plunger in the down position. There is no way to dry the inside of the unit as it is effectively a sealed unit.So I've just contacted Amazon again and they have again had to approve a refund for the second time. This is really disappointing as the unit makes a great espresso. It's an ideal size and portable. It would be a great product if there was someway to dry the unit out to stop it sticking.

I'm blown away by how good this product is. I work in a place with what could be a good cafe, but they never clean the filters for the espresso machine in between orders. So my drinks always tasted bitter and stale. I'm not allowed to bring in a proper electric espresso machine because health and safety nonsense, but this thing is a phenomenal answer to my problem.It makes an incredibly smooth shot of espresso with a wicked crema on top.Arguably, it's a bit of a ballache to keep clean, and I would say definitely leave the cleaning until after you've enjoyed your espresso otherwise it'll go cold and the crema will dissipate a bit. The cleaning is a small price to pay for such a beautiful drink from a compact, hand powered gizmo. Can't recommend this highly enough.*pro tip* if you place an aeropress paper filter in between the coffee and the metal filter cap, you can create even more pressure which creates an even better crema and an even smoother drink. Not necessary at all, but if you want to really push the boat out...

---- Update 2 (4 star)So the seller did contact me and sent through a new unit, this was though the amazon messaging system so there was a delay in getting the message, I have waited for a few months to update this after the failure of the first unit. This second unit has NOT gone wrong so far and is producing good espresso style coffee on a daily bases. Thank you to the seller. overall worth buying particularly if you want a portable espresso solution.thanksUpdate 1 (1 star)--- 3 months in and the pump has gone. not in heavy use. contacted the seller with no response. I would not advise making a purchase despite the initial good review. (what a shame)Surprisingly good!The Coffee: The flavour is always dependent on the quality of what you put in but with a couple of days refinement in quantity, the out come is espresso! not quite as intense as a high quality independent shop bought one but is equivalent (in my opinion) to a high street chain provision!The Mechanism: Light and easy to pump, you are getting coffee out after just 6 or 7 strokes. Within 20 or so you are done. The filter baskets and assembly are a good quality,easy to clean and seems robust. It packs up nicely for portability.AMENDMENT: I would not buy this product again - the pump now seems to be failing. (purchased in feb, its now april)Practicalities: It is new to me and I have not used it long, you need to ensure the parts are assembled and aligned carefully to make the seal when brewing, this is not hard to do due to the quality of the manufacturing but I do not know how long the seals will last longer term. For the price that may not be an issue, a stainless steel version would be very cool. I also noticed that that after a run under the tap to clean it, waiting for it to dry before storing is easier then trying to towel dry due to the design intricacy. This is not an issue at home but may be a nuisance on the go.I am very pleased with this product.

Wow, just wow. Took on camping trip. Great espresso every day. Almost as good as my professional kitchen top dedicated espresso machine. Beats a chain espresso. Compact, easy to use and clean. Can't recommend highly enough.

Amazing results can be achieved with this little miracle. It does break though, but they send replacements next day. I give it 5 stars because now I can disassemble the broken one and figure out the problem and understand the design. So it's a win win for me. Sometimes you have to look for benefits outside the products initial use :)As for usage - it is simple and takes approximately same time as if you were using an espresso machine. Requires a bit of strength to pump, but the result is superb. Honestly, i have not had a better or even similar espresso in the UK in the last 7 years, costa or starbucks or italian restraints do not compare. The coffee you get is strong, smooth, has multiple tastes, it becomes much more than just a stimulant, and it is portable. So, even with notion that it may break down in few months, I still rate it as 5 stars.P.S. Make sure you register on their website to get 12 months warranty. And keep the pumping bit completely away from the water, use damp cloth or tissue to clean if you want it to last longer. Also, read the manual, it's a good laugh in terms of a google translate job.

I started using this product on May 24th, today, exactly two months later, it seems like the joint of the pump has punctured and all the water is coming out though the sides of...

Not bad for making espresso, even tho water pressure and temperature are totally different from professional machine.

Made good coffee but did not survive two outings (3 days in April and 5 days in July) before breaking. A valve assy broke inside, spilling boiling water on your hands as you pump.

Fresh expresso everytime. I can carry it around while my travelling. Easy to operate and portable. Just add ground coffee and hot water and your expresso is ready.

Very nice product. I like it

This is a great gadget! I am an expresso lover and this product has changed my life. The product is compact, light and easy to clean.

Purchased for use on the road, because the major chains of coffee shops are more interested in selling deserts than proper coffee, and more interested in telling you how great...

Got this on a Deal Of the Day for £15 and wish I'd got two. Simple to use, have about three or four a day, and easy enough to clean too.

I've always been sceptical of these portable devices but finally bit the bullet knowing I had a series of trips coming up where it could be useful.

Really like how easy it is to assemble the espresso maker. The quality of the coffee is great and presses through the filter well. Love the bag it comes in as I take it to work.