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GSI Outdoors Expresso Maker - 4 Cup

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Indulge yourself at camp with a cup of steaming espresso--it takes just 90 seconds to make with this Italian coffee maker.

Made from lightweight aluminum, this European-style espresso machine is finely crafted with a brass steam pipe
Designed for use on low heat over your backpacking stove
Tank holds 10 oz. of water and fresh ground coffee

Imported.

Item 401040

$6.99

with coupon code ANNV13
May 17-27 Details

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GSI Outdoors Expresso Maker - 4 Cup Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

GSI Outdoors Expresso Maker - 4 Cup

2.9

(based on 17 reviews)

53%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Compact (5)
Easy to clean (5)
Stable (5)
Durable (4)

Cons

Heavy (7)
Heavy / bulky (7)
Not durable (6)
Difficult to clean (3)

Best Uses

Car camping (14)
Backpacking (5)
Hiking (3)

- Reviewer Profile:
- Avid adventurer (7), Casual/ recreational (6)
- What Is Your Gear Style:
- Comfort driven (10), Survivalist / minimalist (6)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (6)

Reviewed by 17 customers

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Displaying reviews 1-10

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Jan

2013

3.0

I love it but...

By FredrockInVa

from arlington, va

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy To Clean
Makes great coffee

Cons

Bulky
Heavy
Not durable
Poor Manufacturer Support

Best Uses

Car Camping

Comments about GSI Outdoors Expresso Maker - 4 Cup:

I've had this thing for years with no problems, makes a great cup of coffee. Sadly, I tried a new, smaller pack and packed things a bit tight. The brass stem got bent and cracked. I figured that I could get it replaced, it's threaded so how hard could it be? I brought it to REI to ask about a replacement stem. Not available but they offered to take it back. Nice but i hate to throw things away. I had someone to contact GSI to ask about a replacement but no go. they offered to sell me the top for $20... more than half the price.
I bought a die and threaded the stem and she works fine.
It seems wasteful for an outdoor company.

Comment on this review

Sep

2012

(0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Good Cup of Coffee

By Damascus Steele

from Livermore, CA

About Me Professional/Guide

See all my reviews

Pros

Compact
Durable

Cons

Difficult to Clean
Unstable

Best Uses

Backpacking
Bicycle touring
Car Camping
Hiking

Comments about GSI Outdoors Expresso Maker - 4 Cup:

I need quality gear that can stand up to being out in the wilderness for a month at a time. Most minimalist equipment tend to breakdown easy for me. I can't have problems or it gets buried. Most of all I demand a good cup of coffee. Out of all the options, this one made the most sense for me. If you understand your equipment and how to handle it, hopefully you can make it work out there.

Comment on this review

Jun

2012

3.0

pretty good some of the time

By APS

from western WA

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Cons

Bulky
Difficult to Clean
Not durable
Unstable

Best Uses

Car Camping

Comments about GSI Outdoors Expresso Maker - 4 Cup:

It takes a lot of attention to detail to make this work well. If you slack off on cleaning it you might find it difficult to get a good seal between the exterior top and bottom (if you misfit the pieces inside with the gasket, or if campsite debris or coffee grounds get into the threads or around the gasket...). If I have whatever peace of mind is necessary to supply that kind of focus to absolutely making sure it is properly assembled, it will work most of the time. But if it doesn't seal, and it does leak out the sides rather than make espresso through the spout, it takes a while to cool down enough to open up and see what went wrong and remedy it. This can make for a long morning if all you want is your d**n coffee to get started.

I still haven't figured out if it matters which way the internal plate that goes between the funnel of coffee and the gasket faces.

Comment on this review

Feb

2012

4.0

Best Cup of Coffee

By whitemountains

from Sanbornton, NH

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Compact
Easy To Clean
Stable

Cons

Best Uses

Backpacking
Car Camping

Comments about GSI Outdoors Expresso Maker - 4 Cup:

I use this coffee maker daily, I found that it makes the best cup of coffee. I use this maker when backpacking, traveling and sitting at home. The biggest adavantage for me, is that it lets me plan the exact amount of coffee I will need. Where as coffee presses can deplete my stock prematurely.

Comment on this review

Apr

2011

3.0

Some tricks for use...

By PJinHawaii

from Hawaii

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Compact
Makes good espresso

Cons

Heavy

Best Uses

Canoe camping
Car Camping

Comments about GSI Outdoors Expresso Maker - 4 Cup:

I like my 4-cup alum. espresso maker and take it when I can afford the weight. It definately falls in to the luxary category for us.

As other reviewers mentioned, the spout can break. I discovered that the spout is not glued in place, but ls actually threaded on the bottom and can be removed quite easily by just unscrewing it. Now, when I pack it away, I just unscrew the spout and pack it separately.

I also agree about the sputtering problem (can make a mess). This can be mitigated by either a tall coffee cup or, what we do... an alumn foil splatter guard fashioned around the outlet of the spout. Works fine.

Be careful that the cup you use can stand the heat at the base. We use a metal camping cup and transfer the resulting nector to our respective mugs with some reconstituted soy milk. With a bit of frothing... Presto!! Soy latte in the woods!

Comment on this review

Oct

2010

(0 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

Get a clue

By bogiesan

from boise, ID

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Not one

Cons

All of the above

Best Uses

Bookend

Comments about GSI Outdoors Expresso Maker - 4 Cup:

If I am thinking of buying a sleeping bag, I come to REI because we're the specialists in that stuff. If I am thinking of coffee, I go to a coffee specialist.I research "espresso makers' on google and I might find [@] or [@] and I'd discover the difference between the stuff that dribbles out of a moka pot and real espresso and I'd know what to expect in terms of the coffee experience and then I'd be able to shop for a quality moka pot that was not only lightweight and durable but efficient and practical but probably NOT cheap. Just like the remarkable down sleeping bags I bought from REI. These terrible cheap junk mokas should not be in REI's inventory, they're just junk. Total ripoff if compared to what else is on the market. Do your homework and return this item.david boise ID

Comment on this review

Sep

2010

5.0

The only espresso I drink

By Kathey

from South Lake Tahoe, CA

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy To Clean
Lightweight
Stable

Cons

Best Uses

Car Camping

Comments about GSI Outdoors Expresso Maker - 4 Cup:

The four cup was an upgrade for us from the one cup. For two people, the four cup is the way to go, making all the espresso at once. I don't drink coffee, but when out on a climbing trip, travelling in our van, a soy mocha latte in the morning is just what is needed! Always impresses the fellow climbing bums. We haven't had any leaking problems with this one, but the one cup device leaked alot. We store it in the box it came from and are careful with it since we've read other reviews and it seems like it can break easily. Ours is still in great shape. I even use it at home occasionally. Love it and a great deal!

Comment on this review

Dec

2009

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Excellent product for coffee addict!

By TPH372

from LA

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Durable
Easy To Clean

Cons

Best Uses

Backpacking
Car Camping

Comments about GSI Outdoors Expresso Maker - 4 Cup:

Mine is a 4 cup stainless steel. A Thanksgiving gift from my son. Did not have instruction when I got it, but pdf is readily available at GSI website. Very solidly made and I have no doubt that this will last a loooong time.This machine work every time with my Giga Power as well as, with my kitchen stove. Takes only 2-5 minutes depending on the amount of finely grind coffee used. 4 cups is the small expresso cup which is about 10.5 oz. If you want great expresso in the wilderness, look no further.

Comment on this review

Jul

2009

(6 of 10 customers found this review helpful)

2.0

Not worth it's weight...

By Flyin Brian

from Antioch, Ca

About Me Casual Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Compact

Cons

Bulky
Heavy

Best Uses

Comments about GSI Outdoors Expresso Maker - 4 Cup:

First of all, I admit I am a coffee snob. I roast in my garage and have a full espresso setup with professional grinder in my kitchen. I saw this at REI while we were getting a few items for a 4 day backpacking trip and thought "what the heck" even though it weighs almost 1 lb, maybe we can make an exception and splurge a little, just to have a real americano in the morning instead of the cowboy coffee I usually make. The results are it does make a decent espresso, but I am planning to return it as it is not worth the trouble or weight to haul around on a backpacking trip. I spent 4 days waking up and dreading having to use this thing and wishing I had even one paper coffee filter to make some drip coffee. It's not like this is some unproven design, it's the same as the stovetop Moka Express by Bialetti, only it doesn't work as well as my Bialetti. This thing starts off great with a good shot coming out, then it starts sputtering and spitting and blows coffee drops all over the place. I think the funnel inside may be too short, as there is water left inside when it is done brewing - a lot more than in a Moka machine.

If you are car camping or in a cabin where you aren't concerned about weight, then sure you could use this machine. But you wouldn't use this machine because you could by a Bialetti Moka for the same or less, and have a FAR superior experience.

Comment on this review

Jan

2009

(3 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

2.0

Only if someone else carries it....

By John F

from Maryland

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Cons

Bulky
Heavy
Not durable

Best Uses

Car Camping

Comments about GSI Outdoors Expresso Maker - 4 Cup:

Too flimsy, bulky and heavy for backcountry use. Makes a nice cup of coffee - definite luxury item if you're in the woods. Better suited for car camping or in a cabin where the fragile tube is less likely to get wrecked.