IKAPE Alkaid Manual Espresso Machine Review | Unplugged Screw-Driven Coffee Innovation

 Among the vast array of coffee equipment, I’ve always felt that unplugged devices deserve to be considered a category of their own—and one that has won the hearts of many coffee geeks. Recently, a product called the IKAPE Alkaid Manual Espresso Machine caught my attention and genuinely made me think: maybe it’s time to let “no electricity” go a little wilder.

Founded in Shenzhen in 2021 by Vincent Tong and Alex Zeng, IKAPE specializes in manual coffee tools and accessories. Among their lineup, the Alkaid manual espresso machine is undoubtedly the most eye-catching. Its most striking feature is that, unlike traditional lever-style manual espresso machines, the Alkaid uses a screw-driven transmission system to extract espresso. Turning the wooden crank handle rotates a gear, which drives a threaded rod upward. As the shaft rises, a linkage lowers the piston, and water is pushed into the brew head by the piston, which is driven by an internal worm-gear mechanism. Reversing the crank allows the piston to return to its starting position.

I’ve personally used traditional lever-style manual espresso machines—specifically the first-generation Flair NEO—and I clearly remember how physically demanding they could be. By contrast, the screw-drive mechanism of the Alkaid amplifies relatively small input force through gearing, allowing extraction pressure to be controlled more easily and steadily. In practical terms, this means that with minimal downward force, the screw mechanism can achieve the optimal 9 bars of pressure, making the whole process significantly less strenuous.

The Alkaid features a 58 mm E61-style brew head, meaning it’s compatible with all E61 portafilters and standard 58 mm accessories. It also comes equipped with a visible pressure gauge that displays extraction pressure in real time. Typically, turning the handle about six full rotations produces a noticeable pressure change. To properly control the pumping speed, you need to keep an eye on the pressure gauge during extraction and adjust accordingly, avoiding an overly aggressive start. The 58 mm E61 group head offers excellent extraction efficiency, allowing the full flavor profile of the coffee beans to shine through. Of course, like other manual, non-electric espresso machines, it lacks electronic heating control, so you’ll still need to preheat the brew head with hot water in advance.

The Alkaid also incorporates a piston bottom-out protection design. As the piston descends, it applies suction pressure to the brew head. While continuously pumping the handle, the piston keeps moving downward; when you feel a distinct rebound force, it indicates that the piston has reached the lowest point of the brew head. At this stage, reversing the handle (counterclockwise) retracts the piston, making it easier to develop a clear sense of tactile feedback during operation.

As for post-brew cleanup, the design is equally thoughtful. After extraction, hot water remains inside the brew head. By turning the handle counterclockwise, this residual water is drawn back up, preventing unwanted dripping. You can then easily remove the portafilter and place a cup underneath to catch any remaining water. Finally, pulling out the plunger releases the suction, allowing the last drops of water to fall into the cup—effectively avoiding the messy drips that often follow manual espresso brewing.

The Alkaid measures 400 × 270 × 150 mm, weighs 7 kg, and is priced at $749.99 USD on the brand’s official website, which is roughly 5,290 RMB.

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