Would love to see a manual espresso maker showdown: rok, flair, robot and picopresso, with non-pressurized gadgets, in terms of quality of the coffee.

Really enjoyed this, James, so informative. While we know you by the hearing of the ear (we are Ben S.'s parents), we now get a picture. Just 2 things to add to your noted advantages to this type of espresso, based on our experience: 1) We live in remote areas of Africa where there is either no electricity or where conservation of a little coming off solar panels is desirable. We used the old version to serve espressos and caps to guests in the bush for years. Will never forget the look on an Italian catholic priest missionary's face when our daughter came out with a cap, with frothed "Nido" on top: "I can't believe it! Cappuccino!! Do you know how ling it's been since I've had a cappuccino?!" So, if you're into all things "unplugged" or "off-grid", this is an excellent answer! Which leads us to say... 2) If you're serious about being "green" for the above reasons as well as due to the felt need to eventually dispose of things without junking up our earth any more with electric machines and plastic, this is an answer! (Where we live on the edge of the Sahara there is no garbage service, everything gets thrown on the ground or buried; makes you think about where all our electrical apparatus and plastic products end up). This product gives decent coffee with peace of mind.

in Indonesia, some street coffee shop franchise use Rok Presso. They have like 4 to 5 unit of it in their store shelf to speed up the production of coffee menu, because of the high demand. it is quite reasonable due to the extremely expensive electricity cost in our country

That sproingy bit of hair at the crown has my undivided attention

Hey there James, Joseph from the states here, Texas to be specific, and I've been a follower of yours for several months at this point in time. I appreciate you doing this in-depth review of both the grinder and the espresso maker. I recently purchased the manual grinder for doing pour-over coffee in the mornings, and I wanted to note something that maybe you experienced but did not include in the video. Prior to having this ROK grinder, I had had an electric chopper, and then a handheld electric "BRIM" conical burr grinder. I had been using the chopper for several years before recently upgrading to the BRIM, although I wouldn't quite call it an upgrade because it was just as noisy as the chopper, took forever, and I didn't like the process of removing the grinds from the device. Anyway, because I was mostly dissatisfied by the BRIM, I decided to return it and purchase the ROK, and I'm so happy that I did. The ROK does not take long at all to grind (especially since I only do pour over), nail on the head there. The long throw of the handle definitely makes for an easy time grinding the coffee (I would also say kind of fun). But the thing I wanted to point out about using the ROK, is that you can FEEL the beans crunching and grinding in the burr. The vibrations travel through the whole machine and can be felt through the handle as you turn it. It is an oddly satisfying feeling, something I did not expect to experience not having used a manual grinder before. Also, being a musician, the sound of the cracking and popping of the beans being ground is enjoyable, although I feel probably not many people will side with me on that one, the volume level is a little louder than expected.

I have had a ROK for about 8 years now. I saw one at a friend's place and instantly fell for it. Though his technique was not great I could see the potential! So I made a purchase myself. For the price I think something like this is pretty unbeatable. It sure takes some dialling in to get a really good shot especially with the grind. But once you do they are as good as anything else out there. A sink is it's best friend. I initially sit it in there and pour boiling water over it and through it. One shot is done back in it goes to remove handle. Just means excess water and mess is not a problem. And if you like having fun put your lips to the tip of the grouphead and you can blow the shot out into the bin. Just do it once you finished your coffee and it's had time to cool! This plus a Bellman stovetop milk steamer makes for an unbeatable match. As mentioned in other comments it's a little more fiddly if you are making coffee for a few others. Fortunately I don't have too many friends hence the time to write long winding comments lol. Great for glamping camping too!

I would love to see a video for those who are just starting/ wanting to make espresso from home. Like recommendations for bean types, beginner machines, grinders, and things to avoid.

I bought the Rok GC about 6 months ago after watching this and have been beyond pleased with it, the quality of espresso I was getting with it within 2 weeks of use would be nye on impossible to tell apart from that of £2000+ machines I've worked with as a barista. I was so impressed with it I had to buy the grinder which was equally awesome, the size and uniformity of the grounds are top notch( the only drawback being that when making coffee for multiple people it can take a little longer than I'd like). Beyond the quality of the coffee it produces, the ritual of making coffee from start to finish with Rok products is just so satisfying, I cannot recommend them more highly!!

I've been using this since before Covid. Not many people have reviewed this ROK presso. The latest version has many updates, from new competition screen, bigger arms, pressure bar, smaller plunger, etc. really has potential.

Hi James, lovely concise look at this gear. Nice job. I’ve had the original unit for many years (presso) and just today updated it to the new GC piston assembly. Just ran the first shot and must say the difference in the feel and extraction is very noticeable. Physical effort required to extract is far less, extraction starts almost immediately compared to previous assembly and now requires a bit of extra concentration in lever position to control the shot. Very obvious that new piston diameter reduces effort to build pressure and pressure builds immediately. I would echo all of your thoughts to anyone who asked me about the ROK, esp regards to pre-heating. I dose around 16-17.5gm, often around 17.5, level by hand and tamp. Hottest possible water (off boil) as you suggest is a winner, as when it hits the chamber a few deg are probably dropping off, (without me measuring). While I don’t use the machine daily (mostly when camping) I’ve never had a problem with it. I have a handful of other ‘portable espresso makers’ sitting in the cupboard and this one produces the best results in my opinion. It also looks damn cool. Cheers, James

I have been a Rok user going on 8 years. The GC update was a major improvement. I agree with the advice about preheating the water chamber/piston and basket; I use the basket immersion in a cup of boiling water method. Finally I must comment on the excellent customer service I have received from Rok. I was in email communication with them about replacement parts when I received an unsolicited email from customer service saying that after review of my emails it appeared I was covered under warranty. Rok ended up sending me a complete new unit.

Thank you Mr. Hoffman. After watching this video I bought this combo of grinder and brewer and as an entry level espresso-enjoyer am more satisfied than I thought,I would be, since it fits perfectly in my small kitchen, I love that style, it makes great espresso (even without any experiance in coffee making beforehand) and without the noise and cost of heavy machinery. Greatings from germany. And thanks for the lots of great content you provide. All that effort for making the world a better place with good coffee doesn't go unnoticed.

06:37 I use funnel from aeropress and it fits perfectly with rok's portafilter

Not sure when I purchased my first “Presso” but I would really question twenty years; maybe more like ten. I now have three of them and just upgraded one with this mechanism; it has definitely upped the depth f flavor. Very nice that they make this upgrade available for owners of the older models. Rather than trying to heat up the plastic parts of the machine, just put the portafilter in some hot water for several seconds; I put it in the cup I am going to make my cappuccino in, then it is prewarmed to so I am not putting hot espresso in a cold vessel. The grinder is wonderful, I got the initial crowd-funded one and it is still working perfectly. Finally, definitely going to open up the bottom of one of my portafilters.

I’ve had my ROC espresso machine since 2011. Nine years. I got it to make lattes when I went camping. In 2012 I thought that buying expensive espresso machines -$700- would make better coffee. The $700 started to make yucky espresso (off tasting) in less than a year. I pulled my ROC out of the camping gear. I’ve been using - the old one- since then. It hands down makes better espresso than any machine I’ve ever owned. But here’s the thing- the waste reduction alone! The $100 espresso machines break down in under a year. My $700 machine is about to be donated - with the $1,000 machine before that. And all through that time?? The original ROC is still pulling great espresso! I’m getting the new press today and I don’t have to buy a new frame to put it on! Significantly better in so many ways! Best espresso press I’ve ever had! If you pull this thing out when your camping, you’d better be ready to be the morning barista. It pulls everyone in to see what this “cool looking contraption is.” If you have any engineers, firemen, or builders they will be enthralled.

I had version 1 of the ROK grinder fresh from their Indigogo fundraising campaign. On the whole I liked it for the year I had it. What I liked most is the zero retention of grounds. I used it almost exclusively for cupping, and measuring exact doses and little-to-no waste between beans was fantastic. What I didn’t like was the way larger grounds and sometimes whole beans would pop out of the top of the tiny hopper. So I cut a used plastic takeaway container lid to fit the top diameter, put a hole in the middle the size of the drive axle, and then split the radius to easily slip it on and off. The other thing I found challenging was changing grind size from finer to courser. Often the adjustment ring would start to spin freely and I would have to disassemble it and clean out whatever was jamming it. In other words, set it and forget it is best practice. Permanently mounting it to a workspace was also a bonus. I used a small C clamp to affix it to the edge of my countertop so I could one-hand the grinding. But like you said, doing the actual grinding is a snap. Cheers!

I am a coffee newbie and received my Rok a few days ago and was struggling to get a decent espresso from it. Finally after a few days of practicing with different coffees , grinds etc I am finally getting the results I was hoping for. I now have a much better understanding and appreciation of what is needed to make a good cup of coffee.

I just started looking into these. As someone who is new to this, I appreciate the informative reviews. Thank you!

I’ve had a rok first gen for about 10 years now. It is my go to for espresso when camping and caravan trips off grid.

I've had the ROK for several years. I like it still. I've taken to doing the "double fill" method where by you pre infuse the coffee with the first chamber of water and then top off, lifting the levers so that when you pull the shot, you're pushing water rather than air. It makes pushing the rest of the water through to clean a bit more laborious but I like the feel of the process a bit more

I have an old Rok that I updated with the kit. Every once in a blue moon I will underheat the unit. So, it's definitely a critical step to make sure that the Rok has been heated adequately warmed. But is only "budget" espresso machine I've bought is still working and seems like it will never stop. And, yes, pressing the arms down is a great moment each morning. I'm sure that I'm sure my body is already preparing for the forthcoming coffee.

Great review! I really love the look of these machines, somehow industrial yet elegant and sleek at the same time.

I have the earlier model. Here are some comments... I hold the grinder by placing my left hand in the bean hopper with the shaft between my fingers. That keeps the last couple bean fragments from shooting around and is a nice grip. I small spritz of water on the beans will keep the static down (which can be an issue if the humidity is low). I use the funnel that came with my Aeropress to reduce spill when pouring into the portafilter. Mine came with a useless tamper so I had to order one elsewhere. To help with the tamping I took an ice hockey puck (I am Canadian) in to work and drilled a conical hole and cut a slot to hold the portafilter while I loaded and tamped the coffee in. It came with a milk frother that I didn't like much so I use one of those battery powered whippers.

Thanks for the reviews. I'm a big fan of the Rok grinder, which I normally use with an Aeropeess. Works really well, and looks beautiful.

I ended up getting the grinder + espresso maker combo and have been very happy with them. I've encountered, and solved, two issues with them which may be of help to people: 1. The grinder tends to fling beans all over the place as they get down to the burrs due to the open design. I ended up making a makeshift lid to go over the top of it out of aluminium foil. It'd be great if the Rok people made a machined aluminium lid or something of that kind. 2. As noted by James, filling up the portafilter with ground coffee is very messy if just using the included cup. I ended up getting a portafilter cone thingy that slots in so I can dump the grounds in without losing a bunch. Other than that, it's been very good as an espresso maker. I tend to boil some water and submerge the portafilter into a coffee cup full of it while grinding the coffee. After that, dry the filter, fill with coffee, tamp and reboil the kettle in order to get the hottest water possible. I tend to preinfuse for about 15sec. One thing I found, if you like even better crema is elevating the espresso cup a little so it's closer to the portafilter.

Such a good review James, thanks for an impeccable work. Greetings from COLOMBIA 🇨🇴

I love my rok, I use 16g shot to a 35g yield and have a 12 sec pre infusion. That's on the old version.

I've never actually liked espresso but I just keep watching this channel and the reviews

I recently started to get a certain interest in manual espresso maker. the Rok is one which caught my attention and I m quite amazed to find out that this model has been in the market for a decade! thank you for your interview James.

I bought the ROC when he was still called Presso. I’ve been using it for about 10 years when we’re camping. I get the same results as with my large espresso machine at home. My procedure is to heat water in a teapot and pour it over the aluminum body before the first use. The mistake I often see in people is that they do not preheat the device and believe the 30ml of hot water would be enough.

Been using a ROK for 5+ years daily, if your grind is right, they are amazing! 100% dependent on the grind as that determines the back pressure and length of the shot. This changes with different types of beans or even if they have been in the grinder hopper for a couple of days etc. What I like about it is, not having to rely on mechanical mechanisms in an espresso machine. Even the most expensive machines require a ton of maintenance, this thing keeps on going. Probably getting 95% of the quality of an expensive maching without the down sides. Just my opinion.

Just ordered mine. I wanted something reliable that can produce good espresso at a reasonable price. Can't wait to try it out.

Love these personal up close review of the mecanical style of coffee makers

Quick tip : the Aeropress funnel fits nicely inside the PF, it's a bit tricky to remove though, as the bed of coffee will be quite high.

I love my ROK, I've had the 1st gen for around 6 years now. It was a bit of a learning curve (I had never done espresso), but i find it to be easy to use and clean, and it takes up almost no space. I'm glad I found this video, I'm starting to have problems with the old chamber and it's nice that it can be upgraded for a decent price!

This seems great for me. I want a totally manual process but with as little steps as possible. Beautiful sort of vintage aerospace design too

Do a video on the best coffee makers and grinders to buy for someone on a student/early-career budget!

James thankyou for your thoughts I really appreciate this I have just found your channel last week and have been watching though all your videos this has been my favourite and making me want to dive deep into home espresso I'm off to buy a rok espresso maker 👌🏼

I’ve been using the rok grinder at the office for filter coffee at the office for a year. Co workers love it and now take turns to grind it. And it’s really quick for filter coffee. The cup gets a boat load of static. Other than that, it’s fun.

I've been using the old ROK hand grinder for over a year now and am still impressed daily by the consistency of my espresso grinds. Duribility thus far has been a non issue, although I see they have replaced the stiring mechanism in the burr cup with a metal peg. Hopefully the plastic wand in mine will last, or if not, they do a simple retrofit like was done for the press. Go ROK!

Finally, the Rok has come back to coffee entertainment! If you smeeeeeeeeeeeeell, what the Rok, is brewing!

James U R doing a great job. Unlike other KZfaqrs U get straight 2 the point. Plus UR videos R informative. Regards, KB from TURKEY.

Thank you for the review, I find it very interesting to see what other people think as I have been using the more original Rok now for years while at home and travelling in an RV. We make around 6 to 10 shots a day using the Rok grinder. What I love about the original machine is that the chamber where you pour the water in is transparent and it is easy to see how much water you have poured. As I always feel slightly different about the coffee I want at the time of making it I love the control I have over the grind, the tempering, the amount of water, the time of preinfusion and the pressure and speed I pull the shot. I use rapidly boiling water at all times and get the best results with it. I don't do reviews but I am a heavy very practical minded user and find the Rok easy to use, easy to clean and easy to maintain.

I’m trying to find an off grid espresso maker and just picked up a first generation Rok. So far, having fun with it and will purchase the update kit in the coming weeks. Great video!

"Pretty good" is a great compliment coming from James.

Hi James- I recieved one of these to upgrade my old Rok that broke. 100% better after swapping. I have crema every time now, while before almost never.

looks like I’ve found my dream set up. What a bizarre yet wholesome channel to find down the rabbit hole. I didn’t know I needed it.

Who are the 145 dislikes? What exactly were you expecting? I love these videos. Detailed concern for my coffee production will probably never be at this level, but I sure enjoy watching someone who is.

I'm rewatching old gear reviews...I hope we get some new gear reviews and updated reviews!

I have the newer model and have been using it make great espresso for about 6 months now. I love it and yes the heat management is a challenge

Great honest review as always.

Your soothing voice mixed with tasteful eloquence and straight up good quality images makes for binge watching your channel. Thank you for all the good content. Now, I have this ROK GC and I pour delicious espressos with it. Crema however, is but a fleeting shadow of what might have been there. Just can't seem to get one, no matter how hot everything is, how fine our fresh the grind is, faster or slower pulling of the leverages - which by the way I like to vary it as I feel like it, but at the same time makes it pretty hard to gauge "proper" pressure throughout the pull. Last but not least I thought about a previews manual espresso puller I had, the Handpresso, which is very compact seemingly way better built than the wacaco, looks like a beautiful gadget, deffo convo starter, and I would take up on hikes with hot water and have sneaky espressos on top of the mountain with minimal gear. Cheers!

I have one of the originals and I use it every day. I find it great for my limited ability, BUT I've been teaching myself how to make Turkish coffee so it hasn't been getting as much love lately.

I use the original ROK grinder with my Gaggia Classic. I use a piece of newspaper instead of the dosing cup (it's easier to control a pour of the grounds into my portafilter) and I use the Ross Droplet technique to avoid the static issue. It's a very easy device to clean, and dead simple to operate. It works for me.

Great video. I've been interested in this for awhile.

Great review James! I have one on the way!

I would love it if you made a video on coffee grounds ratio to coffee liquid ratio . Thanks for this amazing video

We got our grinder during the kick starter campaign for it and have been using it every day since then (3+ years). It still works great, a few signs of wear, but overall still grinding no problem.

I'm really impressed with the grinder. I would pair the Rok grinder with the Flair for a cheap at home manual espresso setup. Expensive grinder but it's capable of an even espresso grind.

"Fiddly" - my new word to describe laborious espresso making... Love it, James!

i'm not a connoisseur but I bought one of these after using subpar machines. ive had the grinder and the press for a few years and i think it works great, always a think layer of crema and my lattes are unquestionably better than starbucks, we have some good coffee shops around but it makes me feel good knowing my espresso is better than starbucks, i've enjoyed your other reviews and I finally decided to watch this one to see how the rok compares, and I am happy that it seems to be relatively a decent machine, i just love being able to make my own espresso

I have the old unit and have got back into using it recently - I basically do it as in the video, and get decent coffee now that I've binned the plastic scoop/tamper that came with it and got a proper one. I end up running three or four blank shots through it while I grind coffee, find a cup and all that, but my kitchen is really cold in the morning. My only tip is to use an Aeropress funnel to fill the portafilter - it's almost exactly the right size :) Now to investigate upgrade kits...

i've always wondered about the rok since it looks way better than other manual spro machines. good review

I have been using mine for a few months now. My 1Zpresso JX grinder fits the portafilter perfectly. I also always put hot water in the Rok and I put the portafilter in a cup of hot water when I am grinding my beans.

spot on home coffee toy reviewing 👍

I am using my rok second edition and grinder almost on daily basis to make my morning latte. For latte I preheat coffee maker. When I add water I let it sit for 45 seconds max. If it goes beyond that the coffee will be very bitter. 35-45 seconds, brew and then use that as a base for my latte. If I make espresso, less than 30 seconds for water to sit is preferable I think.

I was curious about this. & it’s awesome to see you review it because I feel like you genuinely have the least biased honest review on it. Not leaning one way or the other too much & being honest about the pros & cons. My manager David at Starbucks put me on to your content & I enjoy your tranquility while still conveying points.

Good to hear that the latest upgrade can be retro-fit to my older one. I like design and function of the Rok, but have had some bad corrosuon issues in the arms in top pivot. The design of the pivot bolt and holes leads to wear and holds moisture. Given it is always getting wet and steamed it should be made a bit better. Im considering having the arms plated to stop the build up of oxidisation and the resultung pitting.

I bought a Rok espresso machine a few years ago and just recently upgraded it with the GC upgrade kit. It is a great improvement! I get better pressures and better crema. I do like the zen-like process and the idea of the simple machine with few parts - and the parts are user-replaceable and fairly priced. And that's a good thing, because I recently broke the bayonet ring (the thing the portafilter locks into) and the new part is like $12 shipped. That part is kind of a weak link. Basically, if you grind too fine and find yourself really having to push down the arms hard, then you might break it. It is aluminum after all.

always love this channel

To lock in from left-to-center, you can just turn the machine around. It works both ways.

thank you Mr. Hoffman, I just ordered one based on a visual from Kruve. I thought about the Flair, but like the two handed approach of the ROK. I have been lurking at the edge of espresso, working on gaining experience with the Aeropress. Another inspiration came from a Denver based artist who was selling espresso shots on the streets of Denver out of his VW Bug. His device was a ROK.

I... I don't even like coffee what am I doing here? These are some excellent reviews though.

Thank you! I'm using the old one and super interesting with the new piston. I agree on all your tips. Pre heating (also to prevent breaking the part), I put the hot water to almost full (My experience is that will add more pressure), my fav pre infusion is with a liiiittle bit water (lift the lever until a small portion of water gets in) and wait 15-20sec. I think that'll make your shot sweeter. Then kind a put a little pump 1-2 times, again, to add more pressure. I agree on 16grams for 40grams. Best grind setting if you can do it in 25sec. Rest of the water? Just put another glass and finish it and dump it.

I have the flair espresso maker and the ROK and I will probably get the conversion kit for the ROK. I haven't used it over a year as I have been using the flair.

Thanks for the video and the tip to warm up the machine beforehand! I have the previous version and just got the conversion kit for Christmas. It's great! The new pressure is much nicer. Next I'm gonna get the grinder. I have a Severin 80 Euro grinder, which is really not doing it for me for espresso.

I just love my Rok espresso maker, been using it 2-3 times a week for the past 10 years, and now 3 times a day since confinement... I did purchase the update since I have the first generation. It really did change the taste of my espresso, for the better. Also did purchase a new portafilter, cracked the black handle after some years of knocking it to remove the coffee cake. Anyway, like you said the zen routine around this machine is what got me into buying one and keeping it.

Looked at this & like it , needs a group head pressure gauge though to look at whilst extracting , then can just take the extraction to get the grind right Thanks for vid

I saw on their youtube that you could also use the bottom of the dosing cup as a sort of tamper as well. That's pretty thoughtful design.

Love your comparison videos on manual expresso makers and your honest reviews. After watching this specifically and most of your other reviews it reinforced my decision to purchase a cafelat robot. Price for price; all are sort of similar. Heat issues appear to be an issue in making a good cup though, as well as ease of making and feel my final choice appears right.

5:12 "They doo doo"

I live on a boat so totally off grid. Every morning I boil a pot of water for the washing up and heat my Roc in it as I go. Only way to get really good coffee from this is to get the whole thing proper hot!!

What a great review! I use rok also at my cafe and apartment just a tip from me just put hot water inside the chamber and leave it while grinding and heating the milk for caps so when you already finish grinding the chamber and portafilter will be hot enough

I just got this piece of beauty and has made me enjoy my local Kenyan coffee

I'm tempted to buy the ROK, but it doesn't have the pressure gauge like the Flair does, since I'm completely new to manual brewing. So my mind is now set to buy the Flair and buy the ROK grinder

I'm using a ROK. I cut a bib out of black silicone to make preheating more efficitne. It fits snugly around the flat part of the plunger just below where it attaches to the levers, so when the levers are all the way down, it sits flush atop the brew chamber. Keep the heat inside the machine while preheating. I just did this mod a couple days ago and it does seem to produce a hotter brew.

I have the Grinder. It is awesome. I do french press and pour over. I have considered getting the Espresso making because it is simple

Interesting. Good design indeed.

somehow so addicted to how it looks, spiderman :D Merry Christmas

I am on a budget and in need of good coffee, so if it outputs good espresso and costs 150 UK pounds, I don't care how much time and effort is needed to preheat it - I want this thing NOW.

Hi James, I love your videos and I love how you explain all of this And I hope you do a review about espresso maker Cafflano Kompresso. I watched a video that Dritan Alsela like this product Thank so much James, I really love it.. cheers

Aliens controlling his review through that antenna

Excelent video James, I am learning so much about expresso coffee making although I have absolutely no intention on making any LOL! Regarding the heat issue with these machines, how about someone invents a machine with some kind of deposit to put the heated water in just the right amount to correctly preheat the system and make it easily refillable for the next shot if needed. Thank you and keep up the great content!

such a beauty

Thank you for the video, You where not to happy about the tamper recommend another tamper that fits the ROK?

James. Love your videos. As we all know, aesthetics are an often unacknowledged but important aspect of barista craft. With that in mind-who made your beautiful jersey and how can I acquire one? Thanks a million x

James is like the more passive coffee version of Gordon Ramsay

I love your videos. And I love a good espresso.

How far up the ‘videos to make’ list is the V60 tutorial James 🤔

Where did you get that sweater? It’s really nice