Behind The Design: The NEW HiBREW H4C Portable Espresso Maker

Exceptional coffee anywhere—no compromises. Our product design team followed these guiding principles when reimagining what a portable espresso maker could be in 2025.

After countless hours of testing and refinement, we've created a device that doesn't just make coffee on the go—it combines true portability with versatility and uncompromising quality.

With innovative engineering and a sprinkle of HiBREW magic, the H4C is ready to take your coffee experience to a whole new level outside your kitchen.

** The NEW HIBREW H4C will be launched on Kickstarter soon.

Solving Real Coffee Challenges On The Move

We noticed a frustrating pattern among coffee lovers who travel or enjoy the outdoors.

Traditional portable espresso makers either couldn't heat water (requiring a separate heating solution) or had such limited battery life that they were impractical for genuine outdoor use.

We also spoke with hundreds of coffee enthusiasts about their experiences with portable coffee makers. The recurring pain points were lukewarm coffee, tiring manual pressing, inconsistent brewing temperatures, and the inability to use their preferred coffee format (grounds vs. capsules).

This research led us to develop the H4C's most distinctive features: replaceable batteries for extended use, precise temperature control, and unprecedented versatility in coffee formats (Ground coffee, Nespresso Capsule and Dolce Gusto Capsule).

Freedom To Brew Your Way

We recognized that coffee lovers have strong preferences about their brewing methods. Rather than forcing users to adapt to our system, we designed the H4C to adapt to them.

The H4C is the first portable espresso maker that works seamlessly with ground coffee, Nespresso Original capsules, AND Nescafe Dolce Gusto capsules. This versatility means you can enjoy your preferred coffee format whether you're camping in the mountains or staying in a hotel.

The Dolce Gusto compatibility is particularly exciting as it opens up a world of milk-based drinks like lattes and macchiatos without requiring separate milk heating equipment—perfect for those who prefer creamy coffee creations even when away from home.

Power That Lasts As Long As Your Adventure

Battery life has always been the Achilles' heel of heat and brew portable coffee makers. Most devices either can't heat water at all or run out of power after just 3-5 cups.

Our engineering team took on this challenge by developing a system with three rechargeable lithium batteries that can be easily swapped. This approach gives you 3-5 cups of coffee with heating enabled on a single charge—and when the batteries run low, you can simply replace them rather than waiting hours for a recharge.

For users who already have access to hot water, the H4C can brew over 200 cups on a single charge when using the direct brew function.

This dual-approach to power management makes the H4C uniquely practical for extended outdoor use.

 

Temperature Precision For Perfect Extraction

Coffee extraction is heavily influenced by water temperature, yet most portable devices brew at whatever temperature they can achieve—often too cool for proper extraction.

Our temperature control system allows you to set your preferred brewing temperature between 85-95°C, ensuring optimal extraction for your specific coffee beans.

The real-time temperature display gives you confidence that your coffee is brewing at exactly the right temperature, resulting in noticeably better flavor compared to other portable systems.

 

Thoughtful Details That Make a Difference

The H4C includes several clever design elements.

For the coffee purists among us, we've developed the H4C Pro edition, which includes a comprehensive set of professional puck preparation tools and a bottomless portafilter. This allows experienced baristas to witness the extraction process in real-time and fine-tune their technique for that perfect, authentic espresso flavor that rivals what you'd get from traditional espresso machine.

We've also designed an Extended Battery Kit, sold separately, which includes six additional lithium batteries and a dedicated charger. Paired with your existing power bank, this kit ensures you'll never run out of brewing power, even on multi-day excursions.  

The brewing stand is a small addition that makes a big difference in the user experience. Instead of holding the device throughout the brewing process, you can place it on the stand and let it work its magic while you prepare for the day ahead.

The protective case makes the H4C truly portable. The case securely holds the machine and its accessories, protecting your investment while making it easy to pack in a backpack or travel bag.

The bottom cap that doubles as a cup—one less item to pack while ensuring you always have a vessel for your freshly brewed coffee.

Overcoming Design Challenges

Creating a heating system powerful enough to quickly reach brewing temperature while remaining efficient enough for portable use was our biggest challenge.

It took our engineering team a few months to perfect the heating element that can bring water to 90°C in less than 4 minutes while maximizing battery efficiency.

Incorporating compatibility with multiple coffee formats without compromising the machine's compact size was another significant challenge.

The adapters needed to be robust enough for daily use while remaining small enough to fit within the H4C's travel-friendly dimensions.

We’ve overcome all these challenges.

 

The Perfect Companion for Coffee Lovers on the Move

The HiBREW H4C represents a new era in portable coffee making. By addressing the limitations of traditional portable espresso makers and incorporating features that genuinely enhance the coffee experience, we've created a device that doesn't ask you to compromise on quality, no matter where you are.

Whether you're an outdoor enthusiast seeking great coffee on mountain trails, a business traveler tired of hotel room coffee, or simply someone who appreciates the freedom to enjoy exceptional espresso anywhere, the H4C delivers an experience that will transform how you think about portable coffee.

Have questions about the H4C or want to share your coffee adventures? Tag us in your photos or videos on Instagram with #HiBrewOnTheGo. We love seeing where our customers take their coffee passion!