If you're anything like me — that is to say, pretty interested in coffee — you're probably recommended plenty of those pretentious espresso workflow Shorts on YouTube. If so, that means you've probably seen the 9Barista Espresso Machine Mk.2 (or its predecessor, the Mk.1) stovetop coffee maker pop up in your feed.
It's the one that looks like a jet engine — tall, thin, metal and covered in cooling fins. And it's essentially a super-high-pressure mokka pot, that can actually brew legit espresso.
Now, despite classing myself as an espresso enthusiast, I'm permanently skeptical of coffee YouTubers — not all of them, just the ones that make those insufferable process videos which are essentially just a way to show off all the overpriced, sleek-looking gadgets they use to make marginal, if any, difference to the final espresso. Y'know: spinny WDT tools, automatic tamps, spraying their beans and pucks with divine concoctions — the result being an espresso shot that takes four times longer than it needs to.
As such, I was pretty darn dubious about the Mk.2. Firstly, it just exudes coffee snob. And at $699 it's priced accordingly. That's right, for all intents and purposes — Seven. Hundred. Dollars. For a glorified mokka pot.
I've gotta say though, after a month of testing, I'm eating my proverbial hat, because this thing is genuinely awesome. In fact, I'd say it's one of the best espresso machines you can buy.
I'll have a full review of the 9Barista Espresso Machine Mk.2 out very soon. Until then, though, here's a quick rundown of why this hunk of exorbitantly-priced coffee snobbery is actually worth the money.
Legit espresso
The most important thing is, of course, the espresso. I was expecting the 9Barista to make something akin to mokka pot or AeroPress coffee — essentially just a super-short black.
The first shot I pulled (if "pulled" is even the right term) on the 9Barista had me more than a little surprised. This thing makes actual espresso, and I'm not taking liberties when I say that.
According to 9Barista, the pressure chamber at the base of the Mk.2, when heated, pressurizes water to 9-bar, the ideal pressure at which to push water through grounds to extract all the right coffee goodness.
The first giveaway to this being properly pressurized espresso was the crema, which emerges through the Mk.2's upside-down 53mm single-walled basket. Thick, light brown, replete with tiger stripes when you get the grind right — it's exactly as it should be. And I could bathe in it (if it weren't like +90°C).
According to 9Barista, when heated, water in the bottom pressure chamber climbs to 179C and 9-bar pressure. When it hits 9-bar, a valve opens and the pressurized, superheated water transfers upwards into a brew chamber. On its way to the second chamber, the water is cooled to 100°C by a metal heat exchanger, and then cooled again by metal fins to reach 93°C. Still at 9-bar in the brew chamber, the water is forced through the puck of coffee grounds.
And that brings me on to temperature. It isn't feasibly possible for me to check the internal temps of the Mk.2 (or indeed the internal pressures) to verify the brand's claims, so I need to take 9Barista at its word.
However, according to the manufacturer, after passing through the upper chamber en-route to the coffee puck, those jet-style cooling fins bring the water temperature down from 100°C to 93°C — bang on the right temperature for brewing espresso without burning the grounds.
And the results speak for themselves. The espresso is glorious. Full-bodied and rich, complex yet balanced.
If you'd blindfolded me and fed me that first shot I pulled on this thing, I'd have believed it was made using a commercial machine.
I've been testing with the Varia VS3 grinder, which uses conical burrs that are better for bringing out the delicate flavors of lighter roasts. It's been a great test for the 9Barista, testing whether it can do justice to those complex profiles.
It can.
Take it anywhere
Perhaps my favorite characteristic of the 9Barista Espresso Machine Mk.2 is its versatility. You don't need electricity, only water and a stove (electric, gas or induction).
That means it doubles up as a fantastic espresso machine for travel. I've tested several travel espresso makers, including the fantastic Wacaco Picopresso and its slightly-less-fantastic (but still decent) little sibling, the Wacaco Nanopresso.
Don't get me wrong, those machines are decent, especially the Picopresso. But they don't quite make the real thing. The 9Barista does.
Now, the tradeoff for that is size and weight. The 9Barista Mk.2 is not quite as portable as either Wacaco machine. It's larger and more awkward with its two handles. And it's substantially heavier. If you're hiking, I can see the additional weight of the 9Barista machine being a problem, although I guess that depends how seriously you take coffee — do you really need that bivvy?
For less intense hikes, camping or general vacationing, the 9Barista is simply unparalleled as a travel espresso machine. I have several camping trips and hikes planned this summer, partly to test and review some of the best hiking boots, and the 9Barista will be a regular feature in my day pack.
Yeah, but $699...
I know. It's a lot, isn't it. But... is it really?
I certainly wouldn't pay $699 for a travel-only espresso maker, but we coffee fanatics are used to paying a lot more than that for premium machines like the Diletta Mio or Smeg EMC02.
$699 is not miles away from the starting price of decent entry-level home espresso machines, like the Breville Bambino Plus.
The 9Barista is a home espresso machine. And a travel machine. It can't make milk drinks, sure, but if you're an exclusively espresso or black coffee drinker, that might not bother you. And besides, there's always the Subminimal Nanofoamer Pro Gen 2 for milk.
In those terms, the 9Barista Mk.2 doesn't actually seem like bad value, at least in the context of its market.
I should point out that $699 is the price of the Pro package, which includes an IMS precision basket, a metal basket cap (which functions like a shower head in a full espresso machine), anodized handles for improved heat resistance, and an open portafilter.
The Standard package costs $599.
Worth it for the purists
As I said above, I'll be covering the 9Barista Espresso Machine Mk.2 in a full review very shortly. There I'll cover the performance in more detail, including things like brew times, ease of use, scalding liability, build quality, 9Barista customer service, and a detailed price comparison.
I've been testing the Mk.2 for about a month now, though, and I already know my verdict. 9Barista knows its audience: people who care about making good espresso and are willing to spend money on an espresso machine to get it.
For those people, it's a brilliant product. Use it at home, take it on vacation — as long as you can access a stove (of any form), you can use this versatile little coffee maker to brew perfect espresso.
It's pricey, sure, but so worth it.
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