I bought a portable espresso maker thinking it'd be one of those "nice in theory" gadgets that would collect dust after one trip. Instead, it's become one of the few travel purchases I refuse to leave home without.
I usually stay in great hotels, but even luxury properties can be hit-or-miss when it comes to coffee. Some have pod machines with mediocre capsules, others don't open the café until later in the morning, and sometimes I just want a proper espresso while watching the sunrise from my balcony.
A portable espresso maker completely solved that. I pack a small bag of freshly ground beans, heat water in the room's kettle, and within a couple of minutes, I have an espresso that's honestly better than what many hotels serve. It also saved me from hunting down coffee shops during early flights, road trips, and remote stays where decent coffee was surprisingly hard to find.
It seemed like an unnecessarily nerdy purchase when I bought it. Now it's one of those items that quietly makes every trip feel a little more like home—and I probably enjoy it more than any souvenir I've ever brought back.
Ridiculous Travel Purchase
What Travel Purchase Looked Ridiculous Until You Actually Used It? What became indispensable?
I bought a portable espresso maker thinking it'd be one of those "nice in theory" gadgets that would collect dust after one trip. Instead, it's become one of the few travel purchases I refuse to leave home without.
I usually stay in great hotels, but even luxury properties can be hit-or-miss when it comes to coffee. Some have pod machines with mediocre capsules, others don't open the café until later in the morning, and sometimes I just want a proper espresso while watching the sunrise from my balcony.
A portable espresso maker completely solved that. I pack a small bag of freshly ground beans, heat water in the room's kettle, and within a couple of minutes, I have an espresso that's honestly better than what many hotels serve. It also saved me from hunting down coffee shops during early flights, road trips, and remote stays where decent coffee was surprisingly hard to find.
It seemed like an unnecessarily nerdy purchase when I bought it. Now it's one of those items that quietly makes every trip feel a little more like home—and I probably enjoy it more than any souvenir I've ever brought back.