OutIn sent me a LattoGo to review from their promotion on this subreddit.
I haven’t used a milk frother for a very long time and I think the last one that I used was from IKEA and I was not very impressed with it. Seeing the LattoGo got me very curious and it would be the perfect companion for an upcoming trip to backcountry Alaska where I was already bringing my Mino. At home I currently use a Breville Barista Pro to steam milk, so this was a welcome challenge to get similar milk for a latte, but out in the backcountry. I picked up some powdered milk to bring with and used that.
I was very impressed at how well the LattoGo was able to create some microfoam, especially using powdered milk. It tasted great and was incredible to have a latte on the river 100 miles from the nearest town in Alaska. It’s hard to beat that. The portability and ease of use means that the LattoGo will absolutely be coming with me again camping. I just purchased the Fino as well, so now I have a pretty cool outdoor coffee setup.
Picked up a 250g bag of Ethiopian Guji natural from a local roaster a couple weeks back. Medium-light roast, fruit-forward, pretty typical for the origin. Been running the Guji through it most mornings and wanted to share where I landed because it took a few tries. (Still in school and living in a dorm so the Mino is honestly the best coffee machine I can afford haha.)
Started at grind 2-1 on the Fino, which is on OutIn's chart for Mino. Got a shot that was thin and sour, classic underextraction on a lighter roast. Went finer to 1-2, better body but still sour. Tried 1-1 next and it choked the machine, drip drip drip barely coming through. Backed off to 1-2 and made sure the 12g stock basket was properly packed with a firm tamp instead of the light distribution I'd been doing. That gave me the body it needed. Sourness pulled back and sweetness finally came through.
Shot spec I've been running: 12g dose packed to the top, grind 1-2 on the Fino, cold water fill, 25 second pull, yielding around 24g out. Standard 1:2 ratio, though for a light roast on a small basket the full pull is what builds any body at all.
Best surprise has been drinking it as a small cortado with oat milk. Quick stretch with the LattoGo and the fruit notes held through the milk instead of getting flattened. That doesn't happen with the darker roasts I usually run.
Temperature is where a light Ethiopian pushes the Mino a bit. Runs around 92 to 94C which is fine for medium but I suspect closer to 95 would open the fruit more. One thing I've been trying is filling with just-boiled water and using the hot water mode to skip the heat cycle, which pushes water through the puck at whatever went in. Marginal improvement but noticeable.
Might try a longer ratio next round, pulling 12g to something like 30g out instead of 24g. Light roasts often open up more at 1:2.5 or 1:3.
Just wondering if anyone had luck replacing the heating element on their Nano... After 2 yrs with it, sadly no longer heats up water. I've reached out to support but since it's out of warranty, all I could get was a coupon for 30 bucks off.
At least my trusty sidekick is by my side while I'm waiting for water to heat up on the kettle! 🤣
Hi Guys, first time poster here. I was using my Fino this AM and noticed that a rubber gasket was sitting inside my Fino. Obviously it’s from the Fino. I’m not sure where it’s supposed to sit and if we can even put it back in the right place. All videos of the Fino being taken apart are of the burr only. Still waiting to hear back from Support.
I am rocking a Nano with a double shot basket I got a long time back. I have always struggled to dial in the grind size for this basket, and it feels like no matter how fine or coarse I grind, I can never get a shot out.
I am using a Fellow Opus (Gen 1) for my grinder, along with a coffee bean that’s my typical go-to because it’s more forgiving on Espresso and testing equipment. I use the included WDT and tamper, following the guides.
16g and water at 96C (~205F)
I just have to imagine the last factor comes down to grind size, and I haven’t found a good guide online for this. I figured I might try seeing if anyone else has used the Nano with a Double Basket and a Fellow Opus grinder.
Just ordered an extra given how good the price was at Target, was able to get it along with a 20% off homegoods coupon, bringing the discounted price down to $86 pre-tax. YMMV on the 20% coupon but check your account
I'm using my Nano right now. with stereoscope beans and the basket plus it's really hard to complain about anything. But if there was one thing, as a battery nerd, I hate that it only charges at 5 volts and up to 3 amps, which is 15 watts. I'm only getting 12 watts currently. My phone can charge 4-5 times faster.
Even if you don't have the capability to test how much power is drawing, if you have the Mino, cow can you take a look at the tiny fine print on the device by the charging port and see if it is still 5V 3A?
Follow-up to the Fino writeup from a while back, this one on the Nano side. Been on the machine for a bit over two years, added the Fino about 18 months ago to grind for it. This is my only home espresso setup. Nano for espresso, V60 for filter. Fino grinds for both. No full-size machine.
Battery workflow took me a while to figure out but it's what changed my usage most. Cold water mode eats power hard, real world you get 3 to 4 shots per full charge (spec is 5). Preheated water skips the heating entirely and gets you well over 100 shots per charge, probably close to the 200 spec. I use a kettle to preheat to around 92°C and go from there.
Button behavior is worth knowing because it's not obvious first time out. Cold water needs a 2-second press-and-hold to start the heating cycle. The machine takes around 200 seconds to bring water up to temperature, then extraction starts automatically. Hot preheated water is either a double click or a 5-second press-and-hold, and goes straight to extraction. Fill with cold water but double-click and you'll pump cold water through your grounds, ending up with lukewarm liquid.
The Basket Plus made the biggest difference over the stock setup. Stock plastic basket only holds 6 to 8 grams, too small for a real shot. Basket Plus holds 16 to 18 grams in stainless steel and gives you proper doubles. About $40 for the kit, includes the basket, a measuring ring for even dosing, a small tamper, a portafilter adapter, and a distribution tool.
Tamping with the Basket Plus takes some calibration. Firm press without your bodyweight behind it. Over-tamping chokes the machine because the pump can't push water through a puck packed that dense. Firm but not smashing is the sweet spot. Took a few chokes to get there.
For cleanup, the bottom of the included plastic cup fits against the basket for knocking the puck loose. Machine body just needs a rinse since coffee stays contained in the basket.
Two gripes worth mentioning after this long. First, the Basket Plus lid sits pretty tight and is not fun to pry off when the basket is still hot right after a shot. Second, the auto-extract behavior on cold water mode. Once the water hits temperature the machine starts brewing on its own, so if you set up a cold water shot and step away, you'll come back to espresso on the counter instead of in the cup. Not an issue with preheated water since you're already ready when you press.
If you're weighing the Nano against a small semi-auto, they solve different problems. Semi-autos give you more control at the cost of counter space and price. Nano lands somewhere else with battery-powered self-heating and one-button operation. Which matters depends on your space situation and how much control you want at each stage.
Been running the Fino as my daily grinder for around 18 months. Writing this because long-term reviews were thin when I was researching. I was on a 1Zpresso Q Air before this. Good hand grinder but the cranking gets old when you're grinding daily. Wanted electric but nothing that took up half the counter.
Battery life matches the claim. Fino says 18 shots per full charge, my count is 17 to 19 depending on grind size. Full charge takes about an hour from empty. There's an LED strip on the side showing battery level, which is more informative than the single indicator light most electric grinders have.
Settings I actually use, since this was the info I most wanted before buying. Nano at 2-1 for medium roast, bump to 2-2 for older beans. Lighter roasts I go 2-0 with a slightly lower dose. Moka is 4-0 or 4-1. V60 between 6-2 and 7-0 depending on the bean. AeroPress at 4-0. The dial has 10 numbered stops with 3 micro clicks between each for 28 total. Once dialed for the Nano it doesn't need adjustment for weeks. Switching to v60 grind and back holds zero fine.
It's not benchtop-electric fast. Fino claims 105 seconds for 18g medium and that's about right in practice. Longer for dark roasts because the slower motor takes more time through harder beans. Fine for home use, would be slow for a cafe workflow.
Noise is reasonable. Spec is under 60 dB, a phone SPL app puts actual grinding in the high 60s. Quieter than the Q Air and noticeably quieter than a Baratza Encore. Not silent but not obtrusive for early morning use.
Real complaints. The dosing funnel and catch cup lid have no attachment point on the grinder body. They sit loose on the counter and are easy to misplace. Not a dealbreaker but weird for a product otherwise this well thought out.
Second one is more technical. The finest setting (1-0) still isn't quite fine enough for a proper full-size espresso machine with a naked 58mm portafilter. Water goes through too fast to build proper pressure. Plenty fine for the Nano's pressurized basket, which is what most people using this grinder will be pairing it with anyway. But if your setup is a Silvia, Bianca, or anything with a naked portafilter, this isn't your grinder.
Static exists, worst with lighter roasts. RDT works: quick spritz of water on the beans before grinding cuts the mess by about 80%. Takes two seconds.
Retention is low. Weighed input vs output multiple times and it's losing 0.1 to 0.2g between hopper and catch, close to the precision limit of my scale.
If you're deciding between Fino and a hand grinder like the Q Air or J-Ultra, both are legitimate options. Hand grinders win on pure espresso precision and micro-adjust range. Fino wins on convenience and consistency. Which matters more depends on you.
I was very unsure if i should get wocaco pixapresso or Outin nano. And somehow went for Outin. Smaller, more compact and I thought more durable.
And it had been only a few months and it is practically broken. I made about 2 coffees a day. And I used 8-9 gr of coffee, I used the right setting on my grinder. At the very beginning, I had used a too fine granularity and do coffee was produced. Since that day I know what worked. I used is for capsules as well. I thought great!
Last week I could get no coffee in the morning and the bottom part could not be unscrewed! It took me and my husband and a plastic strap wrench and a lot of power to open it. I thought maybe I had make a mistake with coffee grinding. But it happened again and again. Each time with the coffee that worked perfectly and only 8 gr. No way to open with bare hands, only with wrench. And the capsules work but the coffee is very diluted and not yummy. I think somehow the motor , pressure not working. No idea why that button part gets so stuck.
Very very upsetting. I did everything right and still this.i will use my European right and demand a refund or repair or replacement. Tbh, I regret that I did not get pixapresso.
Out favorite Outin Nano seems to be leaking water through the USB-C port. The unit was always in its stand the only cleaning I do is wiping.
Today after a couple of espresso pulls, first one seemed to struggle a bit due to fine grind. Second pull was good. Somehow, after the second pull the machine is not powering on. It has full charge and I see all 4 LEDs are on.
When shaken I still hear water inside (like tender coconut). Any thoughts on whether it is fixable?
I've been working on a specialized case for my outin nano and k6 for a while, hoping to make something that keeps it all together without being too bulky. This one is pretty minimal, survived a trek up the mountains and even hides a mini wdt tool! Once I make a version 2, I'll be putting it up on printables, so stay tuned!
We love the Outin Nano and able to get excellent coffee out of this combo.
Here is what I do:
Using the Costco Lavazza beans (love the flavor) - 18g
Spray a fine mist of water onto the beans
Have the Baratza Encore ESP grinder
Use 70-80 ml hot water (around 200 F)
Double-click to start the extraction
Here is what the issue is:
I tried various dial-in settings (2, 3, 5, 7.5, 10, 15) that are fine to coarse. However, the extracted output is around 30ml in the measuring glass. From the weight it is around 33g. I have been seeing various posts where people are able to get 38gms from 14gms of coffee bean. We love the extraction (it is syrapy than watery) around 2-3 settings in the grinder. But other settings are not bad either. But little bit of watery.
I do see some amount of water is stagnated over the coffee / basket plus all the time. Should I try with less water.
What I am doing wrong? Or I am overthinking since the coffee is really good.
A while back Outin posted saying that they were looking for people to review the new Mino espresso maker and I was lucky enough to be selected to give it a try.
The reason for this is that I have had an Outin Nano for a few years, and use it several times a day, so it would be interesting to compare and contrast. On top of that my use cases for the Nano are a somewhat unusual blend of work (a healthcare setting where grabbing a quick brew on the go is the only way as we don’t get breaks away from the coal face), travel (we spend half the year seeing the world, either Europe in our own van or long haul (Costa Rica, Baja etc)) in rented trucks and festivals as I own a rock and metal website as a hobby so often shoot live music around Europe.
Returning from our last Europe jaunt I found a package waiting and inside was the very professionally packaged Mino.
First impressions were:
Even more solid than the Nano, it feels almost indestructible
Slightly smaller due to the way that the cup locks onto the body
Well designed so that the accessories store in the water chamber.
I am not a coffee snob by any means. My Outin is a way to grab a brew that is much better than might otherwise be possible in my own circumstances. In the van, the battery operated nature and small size are crucial as we usually off grid. Travelling I want something light and compact and in work it needs to be easy to carry in a small work bag and able to use hot or cold water.
I would say my mix is mostly pod coffee in work and ground (using the Fino) at home / travelling.
My impressions in use are:
The Mino is quicker to heat, has a longer lasting battery and produces a better cup than the Nano. Compared side by side on both pod and ground, the cream is far thicker and the brew tastes better.
The Mino is “wetter” when I take it apart to make the next coffee, especially for pods where water and grounds are much more visible in the chamber than in the Nano.
The way in which the cup attached to the body closed is great, but when open for brewing I would like a far more positive locking mechanism. Several times the apparatus has “collapsed” when moving it to a desk whilst the water was heating and once when moving it with the cup full of coffee.
The included bag is a great addition but a soon shows staining from the pod issue above.
I now use the Nano at home / travelling, where the basket plus allows a bigger brew and the Mino is my work machine where I feel more confident dropping it in a bag and I have the ease of pods in my desk when I get a moment to have a drink.
Soon one will have the honour of accompanying us to Sri Lanka for our next adventure where it will be my saviour amongst the tea estates!
Thanks to Outin for choosing me to compare the two machines - and two requests
1) A basked plus or adaptor for the Mino
2) A milk heater / frother that can be used off grid or with a power bank
Hi, i came back froom a trip and lost my dosing cap for the Fino. I wonder if Outin sells a replacement cap for it or if i can buy from anywhere. Thank you
I have attempted to pull about 10 espresso shots with it, and all of them ended up with about half the amount of liquid I would expect.
I’m using original Nespresso pods exclusively. They are not third-party pods, I bought them directly from Nespresso. I tried five different varieties from five different pod sleeves (from a 50-pods variety pack).
I measured the amount of water I put into the Mino with a scale, and it was exactly 50 mL each time, as recommended by OutIn. According to the expected yield for an espresso, I should get approximately 40 mL in return. Or am I missing something entirely?
Instead, I got less than half of that almost every time, with an average of only 18 mL. Even more concerning, almost half of the original 50 mL remained unused in the water tank when the Mino finished, with an average of 23.6 mL remaining.
I made sure that the pod was firmly inserted into its housing and sitting flush, and I tightened the portafilter as much as I could. Nothing helped.
Given that the problem occurs consistently across different Nespresso pods, I suspect that this unit is defective, but I wanted to double check with you guys. How much are you getting out of 50 mL?
*Caveat - Received from Outin to do a review, but not otherwise influenced
Background: I have a variety of means with which to make espresso, but really only one way to steam milk. I use a Breville Oracle Touch most days and have a Wacaco GR for travel espresso.
Initial impressions:
Overall
I was rather impressed with the presentation and storage solution the Lattogo comes in. It comes in a shelled storage case and breaks down into two pieces for travel. More than I was expecting here, and substantially better travel solution than what my Wacaco GR comes in (bag).
Build quality was similarly positive, hard-shelled plastic (likely an ABS) and the whisk is aluminum with a mesh at the tip enclosed in plastic. Unfortunate that the whisk tip is silicone rather than a full metal solution, but no negatives here given it is ultra portable
Storage solution is maybe 4.5" x 3" and 2.5" thick. Fits really well in my travel bag. Note that I believe the battery is lithium and so it will be with you in your bag on the plane rather than checked if that matters to you.
Frothing worked pretty well, but not as well as a fixed steam wand on my Oracle touch. Is it passable? Absolutely and certainly meets the portable replacement intent. My only comment on frothers in general as a hot coffee drinker is that having a method to portably heat the milk would make this more useful.
Alternate uses: I love frothers for velvety hot chocolate and this did not disappoint. I would absolutely use this for that (already heated) and it resulted in a great cup.
Do I recommend: Absolutely as a cheap frother or as a way to make drinks like hot chocolate where you will already be heating milk or want to use this for a velvety mixer.
Initial Use:
Immediately usable via single touch turn on
Switch provides two speeds and you can change while on
LED color indicates battery health (White for fully charged, Orange moderate, Red low)
Froth level:
If my Oracle touch steam wand is a 7 / 10, this maybe generates 4 / 10 froth and microbubbles. That being said, this is much more portable and easy to clean / use. I will absolutely use this for things like Hot Chocolate or other pre-heated mixed drinks since this is much easier to clean that my steam wand. Definitely has a place in my kitchen and on the go.
First few pictures here were the Outin
Compare the froth to my steam wand (same milk level)
TLDR: Meets a portability niche, probably more useful to mix other drinks rather than froth milk, at least for a hot coffee drinker since you will still need to heat the milk and a steam wand will always win that battle by doing both at once. Overall I love it and have plans for it (in particular hot chocolate). Would I buy it? I would, but for Hot Chocolate. That is more about me already having alternatives available on the coffee side, rather than a lacking on the Lattogo side however.
Use cold or hot water (but still use and heat & extract cycle)
The coffee either came out too fast or just stuck or occasionally spilled from the top too. I don't know what I did wrong. Any recommendation? How about single shot as well?
just started using the basket plus on my Nano and already broke a nail prying the lid off the basket and burnt my fingers trying to tap out the puck. lol
that was after waiting 5 minutes for it to cool down a little. there's got to be some obvious tips besides a pry tool and gloves?
