Iluvdabean Senior Member Joined: 7 Mar 2005 Posts: 1,058 Location: California Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: La Nuova Era Cuadra/Gaggia... Grinder: Baratza Preciso/K-A Pro... Drip: Capresso MT 500/Pour Over Roaster: Nesco 1010/Behmor 1600
Posted Wed Jan 2, 2013, 8:00pm Subject: New concept in espresso machines coming
I was surfing the net and I found an interesting thing. These two guys have started a company with an inexpensive but seemingly very efficient design. Could this be the next new wave in people getting into espresso?
SStones Senior Member Joined: 24 Nov 2012 Posts: 209 Location: Canada Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Giga 5, ECM Giotto, Rocket... Grinder: Anfim Milano-Best Vac Pot: No :( Drip: Some $30 thing from Walmart Roaster: I buy pre-roasted.
Posted Thu Jan 3, 2013, 7:35am Subject: Re: New concept in espresso machines coming
It looks like bare aluminum, in that second picture on the homepage. That will become pitted from exposure to the coffee acids in no time and will further disintegrate bit by bit with each descaling. Descaling will be needed fairly often considering the close tolerances of the waterpassages through that thermoblock and the repeated mating of disimilar metals. Their $350 price is a high-end disposable price. If the thermoblock w/enclosed element is available for $100 then it'd be a eco-friendly machine, Replacing the thermoblock only, every 5-7 years rather than disposing of the whole machine is a step in the right direction. Perhaps it's not bare aliminum, it may be anodized but their claim that it's better "because it heats up faster" is a little fishy. It's cheaper, and the only thing better about the aluminum is that it heats up faster than brass, it also decays faster after bonding with minerals, it oxidizes faster, and warps faster in uneven heating situations. But it's cheaper. If I were thinking of buying a new disposable, I'd find one for less than $200.
Posted Thu Jan 3, 2013, 8:49am Subject: Re: New concept in espresso machines coming
Iluvdabean Said:
I was surfing the net and I found an interesting thing. These two guys have started a company with an inexpensive but seemingly very efficient design. Could this be the next new wave in people getting into espresso?
Nothing to really do with the concept the company is offering, but does kickstarter approve commercial ventures? My understanding of Kickstarter startup funding is that they do not. I may be wrong, but after reading their details there is a big question mark: Click Here (www.kickstarter.com)
Len
"Coffee leads men to trifle away their time, scald their chops, and spend their money, all for a little base, black, thick, nasty, bitter, stinking nauseous puddle water." ~The Women's Petition Against Coffee, 1674
diggi Senior Member Joined: 28 Nov 2011 Posts: 382 Location: Halifax, NS Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Spaz vivaldi S1 V2 Grinder: B Vario, OE LIDO Drip: Chemex, Espro Press,... Roaster: Poppery I
Posted Thu Jan 3, 2013, 9:23am Subject: Re: New concept in espresso machines coming
CoffeeRoastersClub Said:
but does kickstarter approve commercial ventures? My understanding of Kickstarter startup funding is that they do not. I may be wrong, but after reading their details there is a big question mark: Click Here (www.kickstarter.com)
•Single Serving. Projects in the Hardware and Product Design categories can only offer one reward per pledge. A reward consists of either one item or a set of items (e.g., salt and pepper shakers or building blocks). Offering a reward as a single quantity AND a set is not permitted. In addition, Design and Technology projects that are developing new hardware or products must show on their project pages a functional prototype — meaning a prototype that currently does the things a creator says it can do — and detailed information about their experience. Projects developing new hardware or products are also prohibited from using product simulations, photorealistic product renderings, and offering multiple/bulk quantities of the product as a reward.
So I think this means that a company can build a prototype machine and offer it on kickstarter as a one machine/pledge system. Ie: 'give me $300 for a machine if the full amount I am asking for is reached'. This is how the espro press got their big size funded, isn't it. But I think they somehow had a way to buy bulk, which seems to be in conflict with the guidelines above.
•Single Serving. Projects in the Hardware and Product Design categories can only offer one reward per pledge. A reward consists of either one item or a set of items (e.g., salt and pepper shakers or building blocks). Offering a reward as a single quantity AND a set is not permitted. In addition, Design and Technology projects that are developing new hardware or products must show on their project pages a functional prototype — meaning a prototype that currently does the things a creator says it can do — and detailed information about their experience. Projects developing new hardware or products are also prohibited from using product simulations, photorealistic product renderings, and offering multiple/bulk quantities of the product as a reward.
So I think this means that a company can build a prototype machine and offer it on kickstarter as a one machine/pledge system. Ie: 'give me $300 for a machine if the full amount I am asking for is reached'. This is how the espro press got their big size funded, isn't it. But I think they somehow had a way to buy bulk, which seems to be in conflict with the guidelines above.
I know this is going a bit off base with the OP original question, but projects such as these make me scratch my head wondering how it all works. So if the kickstarter funding is approved the fundee only gets to build one? And who does that one go to?
Len
"Coffee leads men to trifle away their time, scald their chops, and spend their money, all for a little base, black, thick, nasty, bitter, stinking nauseous puddle water." ~The Women's Petition Against Coffee, 1674
Iluvdabean Senior Member Joined: 7 Mar 2005 Posts: 1,058 Location: California Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: La Nuova Era Cuadra/Gaggia... Grinder: Baratza Preciso/K-A Pro... Drip: Capresso MT 500/Pour Over Roaster: Nesco 1010/Behmor 1600
Posted Thu Jan 3, 2013, 11:25am Subject: Re: New concept in espresso machines coming
I think the idea is plausible and if they can achieve temperature and pressure control it has to work,there are no other alternatives. A new thermoblock design may achieve this. If it suceeds it can fill a niche that those who like to constantly adjust thier machines in trying to strive for the perfect shot arent interested in. This seems to be a large niche as evidenced by the plethora of unsucessful half hearted machines. If it suceeds in winning the praise of coffee machine reviewers then it could possibly chage the way people view espresso and the process. I find it facinating.
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