GSI Espresso Maker

[Ade]

Has anyone used a GSI Espresso maker? Are they any better that one little Italian ones. I'm worried an XGK might melt the handle on it. They're also bulkier but I only want it for BC.

 

If anyone has used one? I'd like to know what they thought of it.

 

Cheers,

 

Ade

 

Of course you might ask why I'd want such a yuppie, foo foo item in the first place. Well my climbing partner for a four week trip is a bit of an epicurian and has finally rebelled against another Folger's coffee bag trip. He has a point - I could get better coffee out of my butt than a Folger's bag.

[Zach]

I have one like the GSI. It works well but if you are carrying it into the backcountry you will need to bring a lot of beans. It uses about as much to make one shot as you would use to make a cup or two with a french press or drip filter. That Italian thing is a percolator. I'd recomend one of those plastic cone filter holders that sit on top of your cup. You can get them at the grocery store for two dollars. Or if you want to go really light you can just just put the grounds in one of your socks and drop it in boiling water. That will give you cup of joe on the same level as the folgers bags.

[willstrickland]

I've had one for about 4 years now, the stainless steel version of the one you linked (which is alum). Works very well, easy enough to clean. But I'm using it in car camping situations so the weight might be more than you want to bother with.....although it's not really that heavy and the alum has to be a bit lighter. No complaints with mine. Just make sure you have some drinking vessel that will fit between the spout and the "shelf" thing or you'll have to hold your mug kinda half tilted under it while it brews and spews.

 

You could always do the french press top on the Alladin mug thing. Better than folgers, and lighter than 'spro maker.

[tomtom]

REI to the rescue.

 

[Dr_Crash]

French press. Or the second espresso maker you showed because it will contain the coffee (it's not really espresso) as it percolates.

[ken4ord]

I have used both camping, but as you mentioned the handle does get a little messed up from using it on a XGK. My GSI lasted about 5 years and is great solo, but with another person, you have to have some way of cooling it down so that you load it for a second shot. They also make a doble shot pourer . Most recently, I got into brewing in advance and carrying my shot in small nalgene bottles. My home expresso maker always made a better shot and the weight of shot was just a little heavier than the little maker. This works great for overnights or couple of nights, but if I was going longer I would bring my GSI.

[mattp]

For car camping (helicopter or fixed wing approach) on a glacier, I'd think that would be just the thing. It is not all that bulky and those little extras make life in camp more fun when you are sitting there reading books and waiting for weather. Cooling it down will be no problem.

[chucK]

Those things make some good coffee, so go for it if weight is not an issue.

 

 

One thing to watch out for is the copper spout. It is very fragile. A buddy of mine brought one with us on a three day backpack trip. He pulled it out of the pack after the first day's hike to find the spout busted off. Since we were on a loop trip, he had to carry a worthless big chunk of aluminum the whole rest of the trip .

 

I had the same thing happen to mine on a trip to Red Rocks. It looks like you might be able to unscrew the spout to prevent such catastrophes.

[G-spotter]

I have one of them and I've been using it for 4 years now, no issues. If you need to make 2 cups, put it in the snow or in a pot of cold water to cool it down between goes so you can swap out the ground without burning your hands.

 

It isnt real espresso but if you use turkish grind, it's pretty close.

[crackers]

I have bialettas in a number of sizes and i love them.

the one real cup sized one weighs 14 ounces.

the two real cup sized one weights 15 5/8 ounces.

the three.5 real cup sized one weighs 2 pounds 1 ounce.

 

the thing i like about them is that they are pretty near industructible. i much prefer them over the bernice's coffee press cup things, even though those were invented in missoula montana by a friend of a friend. i have no real experience with the GSI ones.

[slothrop]

I've got a demitasse (espresso-shot-sized cup) with my GSI coffee maker that fits right under the spout. Beware trying to fit a wider cup in there, though. While brewing a second shot into a regular metal mug, the whole thing tipped over as the last of the coffee squirted into the cup. Argh!

[tomtom]

So what do you folks actually do with coffee grounds on a trip?

 

Pack em out or dump them on the snow?

[chucK]

Dump 'em

 

Do you think that's bad?

 

I'll dump 'em in an existing firepit if one is around.

[slothrop]

Carry 'em around, put a pinch between cheek and gum every now and then. You can also sprinkle some grounds in your blue bags to improve the aroma.

[chucK]

I guess if it was somewhere bluebags were required, I'd carry out the grounds. Actually, someplace like that would probably be a spot I'd be saving weight and going with the instant.

[G-spotter]

smear and burn

[ncascademtns]

While brewing a second shot into a regular metal mug, the whole thing tipped over as the last of the coffee squirted into the cup. Argh!

 

I had the same problems and by looking at the picture of the one shown in this thread above, it looks like they redesigned this one. The 1 cup maker is the one that they first came out with and it would tip over for me often plus the base was two small to sit on top of any of my stoves.

 

http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductD...t_cat=undefined

 

You can see how the small cup would hang over the edge a bit. They designed it so that when the water was in the base at the bottom it would hold the cup but when the water was transfered to the cup, the base was not heavy enough to support the cup with coffee in it. I ended up tossing mine in my kitchen somewhere and never used it again. Looks like this one will not tip over so easily.

[catbirdseat]

You know you are in the Northwest when climbers talk about espresso machines.

[Distel32]

3 in 1

 

lightweight, delicious, the best....

[archenemy]

Dump 'em

 

Do you think that's bad?

 

I'll dump 'em in an existing firepit if one is around.

Coffee grounds are good for the soil. I use them in my compost heap; they will not harm the dirt.

[Couloir]

You know you are in the Northwest when climbers talk about espresso machines.

My thoughts exactly. I have never even considered this. It's freeze dried Folgers for me.

[chirp]

Get a simple coffee press instead.

As always, I am a press guy and for my upcoming RR trip I grabbed one of these. They make Nalgene bottle adapters but the thought of hot liquid in my bottle really is a turn off, plus isnt there some sort of chemical leaching as is? Anyhow, he French Press is always simple and brews good solid stuff (No monkeying around). Plus this doubles as a cookpot or mug if needed. Figure I just get my Starbucks partner markout and be styling in the RRCG ghetto.

 

[foraker]

I've been wondering why this whole thread makes me a bit....ill.

[Jonsky]

The GSI Espresso Maker was outdated the minute Mypressi and Handpresso came out. They're small, lightweight and not as fragile as the GSI.

 

I wonder if there are any other good ones out there. Can anyone recommend others?

[dennyt]

This is my new favorite - the Aero Press. Not quite espresso, but way better than any press or filter. A little big, but light & easy to clean. Love it.

 

 

This review got me started.