While I will most likely not be going camping anytime soon, there are a lot of people who enjoy this kind of thing. There are also a lot of campers or outdoor enthusiasts who like to enjoy having a cup of coffee once they have pitched their tents or reached their mountainous destination. Sure they can just bring a flask or heat water for their instant coffee but wouldn’t you rather “brew” your own coffee when you’re marveling at nature?
This product concept is called Moka-mp and based on that name, you kind of already know what it is. It is a portable moka coffee pot that is light enough but still durable enough that you can bring it with you when you’re climbing a mountain or spending the night camping outdoors. It’s meant to help you enjoy your time with nature while still drinking a cup of brewed coffee.
The moka pot doesn’t look like your usual stovetop coffee brewer. If you didn’t know that it brews your coffee, you might think it’s just a regular portable cooking pot, albeit smaller. The bottom part holds the water while just above it is a safety valve and the space where you put your coffee powder and where the coffee magic happens.
This can become an essential part of your camping and outdoor gear if it becomes an actual product eventually. Those who love both coffee and the outdoors will have a good time as they sip their (hopefully) delicious cup while enjoying the wonders of nature. However, I’d stick to my cup of coffee in an air-conditioned coffee shop, thank you very much.
When I travel to a new place, one of the things that I always want to try out are the local coffee places. However, not all places have really great original beans and not all coffee addict travelers would trust coffee shops especially if there are not a lot of recommended places. So I know some people who are picky with their caffeine fix who actually travel with all sorts of coffee paraphernalia. Of course this adds to their luggage so it’s not always that convenient. So having paraphernalia that’s handy and at the same time gives you that kick that you need is a must.
Designers: Vanshika Singhal and Yashi Jivnani
BrewPin is a portable coffee machine using the moka pot brewing method that was developed as a concept for coffee brand Bialetti. It is meant for those picky travelers that need to have their espresso shot when they want a caffeine boost and there isn’t any local coffee shop that would suit their taste or if there aren’t any coffee shops in general, like in the mountains or in rural areas. It looks like your typical portable coffee tool but it looks like it’s much easier to use.
The bottom part has a silicone cover with power coat and above it, you find the stainless steel water tank. There’s also a funnel filter and a coffee pod tank as well as a perforated plate where the moka magic happens. There’s a borosilicate glass on top where you pour your coffee in and a nozzle to pour the coffee from. Basically you just plug in the BrewPin, let the coffee brew your espresso shot and then flip it, twist off the cup, and enjoy your caffeine boost.
As someone who often complains that the hotel coffee is almost always no good, this can be a great tool to tide me over until I’m able to get to a proper coffee shop. The only downside to this is that you need to plug it in but if they’re able to create something that would harness energy from somewhere else to get that espresso shot, it would be perfect.
The term “revolutionary” is often overused whenever a new product is announced. However, it’s rare for a product to live up to such a label truly. One that does is the iPhone, and the reasons for this are well-known. The coffee brewing machine industry is a significant global market. In 2020, it was valued at approximately $6.36 billion and is projected to grow annually by 7% from 2021 to 2028. The Keurig coffee maker is the most popular machine so far, and it is known for its convenience and wide variety of flavors. But if you desire more than a quick cup of coffee or yearn for a variety of flavors that extend beyond a pod, the KUKU Maker is for you. It’s a revolutionary machine that combines high-tech brewing and extraction features with the satisfying experience of old-school hand-poured coffee. Let’s delve into the details, making it the most innovative coffee maker ever.
The KUKU Maker allows for customized extraction parameters, giving you complete control of the extraction pressure, temperature, grind fineness, and extraction time. The outcome for traditionalists ensures their needs are met if not exceeded. Still, modern coffee brewers can’t even come close to achieving this for the adventurist looking to boldly brew into new territories.
KUKU Maker uses centrifugal force to generate pressure, which makes it possible to maintain a stable extraction pressure throughout the extraction process, regardless of the state of other parameters.
Streamlining the coffee-making process and brewing great tasting coffee is what the KUKU Maker does best. You no longer have to manually prepare the coffee puck or invest in extra resources for even water flow through the coffee grounds. This is due to the machine’s use of centrifugal force to distribute the coffee powder along the funnel’s wall. There’s an open water chamber and a funnel for coffee powder, which can be removed. The funnel rotates at high speed, pulling water from the chamber into the funnel. This creates pressure through centrifugal force. During brewing, the water rises into the funnel from the high-speed rotation, passing through the coffee powder evenly due to centrifugal force. This automation removes the need for manual tasks like tamping down the coffee grounds, preventing issues such as channeling, and ensuring a more consistent coffee extraction process.
You have the flexibility to use ice water or room temperature water directly for extraction, or you can employ KUKU Maker to swiftly heat room temperature water to your desired temperature before initiating the extraction process.
The size of the coffee grinds plays a vital role in the coffee-making process as it affects the amount of time the water interacts with the coffee grounds, ultimately impacting the brew’s flavor. For instance, coarser grinds are best suited for methods requiring longer extraction time, such as the French press or cold brew. The larger particle size allows the water to extract the coffee slowly over several minutes, resulting in a well-balanced and flavorful brew. On the other hand, a finer grind is ideal for an espresso or a Moka pot, where the water passes through the coffee quickly under high pressure. This rapid extraction process requires smaller coffee particles to ensure that the water can extract the coffee’s flavors efficiently. With the KUKU Maker, you can effortlessly adjust the grind size to match your preferred brewing method and taste preference.
Another way to assert your control over how your coffee tastes is to customize the size of the coffee grinds from very fine to very coarse. You can adjust each setting separately, so changing one won’t affect the others. Varying the temperature and pressure settings allows you to experiment with the grind size to bring out different flavors in your coffee. So, even if you don’t get the grind size right, you still have a tasty cup of coffee and experience new flavors.
Room Temperature Espresso
Between the tangy and sweet extremes, there’s a world of flavors to explore, such as floral, nutty, or earthy notes. The ability to adjust multiple parameters with the KUKU Maker opens up a world of possibilities, letting you craft a coffee experience that is uniquely yours. These flavors are improved by a brushless motor and intelligent software that control the extraction pressure. The pressure can be altered simply by adjusting the motor speed. Furthermore, you can select the desired rotations per minute (RPM) during extraction, ranging from 3000 to 7000 RPM. The motor will immediately adjust its speed to match your selection.
The KUKU Maker is a multifunctional coffee device that can quickly make not only cold-brew coffee but also cold-brew espresso.
The temperature of coffee extraction affects its flavor and aroma. Cold brew coffee is made using lower temperatures and longer extraction times. It is prepared by immersing ground coffee in cold water for 12 to 24 hours. KUKU Maker can make a cold brew in just two minutes using ice water. Alternatively, you can use room-temperature water for extraction or heat the water to your preferred temperature using electromagnetic induction heating technology. This advanced method allows you to brew the perfect espresso in under 50 seconds with 60 ml of water. If you prefer an Americano, heating 300 ml of water takes about 4 minutes.
The KUKU Maker offers a unique way to control the strength of your coffee. Using cyclic extraction, you can adjust the water flow through the coffee powder to personalize your coffee experience. This machine provides flexibility for adjusting the concentration of your coffee grounds, allowing you to brew a perfect cup to suit your taste. Cleaning the KUKU Maker is a straightforward process. Start by pouring about 100ml of water into the water chamber. Set a cup on the drip tray to collect the rinse water. Activate the machine’s toggle or select the clean button on the KUKU Maker APP to start the auto-cleaning mode. Within 20 seconds, any lingering stains will be rinsed out through the spout. Your KUKU Maker is now clean and ready for your next coffee brewing session.
Unlike traditional espresso machines, the KUKU Maker is easy to maintain. Conventional machines often require frequent cleaning and part replacements, particularly the brewing head, which is crucial for coffee extraction. Over time, you might need to replace small parts like the rubber ring to avoid clogging and potential taste issues. Cleaning out the Coffee grounds is relatively quick and simple since they’re only contained in the removable powder funnel, not the water chamber. Its minimalistic design, featuring only a coffee dispensing spout, reduces the chances of breakdowns. Therefore, it requires less upkeep than traditional coffee makers. Its body is made from corrosion-resistant, food-grade stainless steel and aluminum alloy, and it is IP65-rated to protect its electronic components from damage in humid environments. The machine also features a multiple Hall sensor solution with sealed Hall switches for durability. Additionally, it has a hidden display to reveal information during operation, designed to prevent damage from humidity or impact.
Mocaf is the ideal electric coffee bean grinder for daily coffee lovers who enjoy crafting their favorite brew at home. It effortlessly transforms beans into uniformly sized grains for immediate brewing. Equipped with ultra-sharp 60mm stainless steel flat burrs, 29 grind settings, and 4-speed adjustments, it gives aficionados the perfect way to create a fresh, flavorful brew every time.
Finding the perfect coffee grind is as personal and crucial for coffee enthusiasts as a Wall Street trader seeking a custom-tailored suit. Coffee grounds come in many varieties, and the grind significantly influences the richness of the brew. That’s why Mocaf’s 29 grind settings range from coarse to extra fine settings, letting you achieve the perfect blend that matches your preferred coffee flavor and strength, aligning perfectly with your unique taste preferences.
The size of coffee grounds significantly impacts the brewing process and the resulting flavor of the coffee. When water passes through the coffee grounds, it extracts flavors and compounds. If the grind is too coarse, the water will pass through too quickly and not extract enough flavor, resulting in a weak and under-extracted brew. Conversely, if the grind is too fine, the water will take longer to pass through, leading to over-extraction and a bitter taste. Therefore, having control over the grind size allows for precise control over the extraction process, enabling you to fine-tune the strength and flavor of your brew to your exact preference.
For instance, it’s generally recommended to use a medium to coarse grind for iced coffee. This is because iced coffee is often brewed using the cold brew method, requiring longer extraction time. A medium to coarse grind ensures the coffee isn’t over-extracted during this process, which could lead to a bitter taste. Instead, it allows for a smooth, well-rounded flavor that is perfect for a refreshing iced coffee. On the other hand, for espresso, a fine grind is typically recommended. The espresso brewing process is quick, usually taking just 20-30 seconds, and requires finely ground coffee to ensure optimal extraction. The fine grind exposes more coffee to the hot water during brewing, leading to a robust and full-bodied shot of espresso. However, the grind should not be too fine, as that could cause over-extraction, leading to a bitter and burnt taste. Therefore, achieving the right balance with a fine, but not too fine grind is the key to a perfect espresso shot.
The 29 grind size levels range from a powder-like consistency for Turkish coffee to a coarser grind for Cold Brew. Turkish coffee, known for its traditional and rich flavor, is prepared directly in a pot by simmering finely ground coffee, often with sugar. The coffee is then served, allowing the grounds to settle at the bottom of the cup. This method is celebrated for its bold and robust taste, providing a unique coffee experience deeply rooted in cultural traditions—the settings range from gear 1 to 3.
Espresso is a fundamental aspect of coffee culture, crafted by pushing a minimal amount of nearly boiling water through finely ground coffee beans under high pressure. This brewing technique is celebrated for its intense flavor and creamy consistency. Espresso forms the base for a variety of beloved coffee drinks such as lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos, and more, making it a staple in the coffee community. Mocaf recommends gear 4-9 if you’re using an espresso machine.
The Moka Pot, an Italian invention named after the Yemeni city of Mocha, offers a unique coffee-making method. This stovetop or electric device brews coffee through ground coffee by forcing boiling water, pressurized by steam. The result is a robust brew, similar to espresso, known for its rich flavor. For optimal taste, use gear settings between 10-16.
Pour-over coffee involves a hands-on brewing process where hot water is meticulously poured over coffee grounds in a filter. The water slowly seeps through the grounds, dripping into a carafe or directly into a cup. This approach provides significant control over brewing, resulting in a clean, flavor-rich coffee. It appeals to those who enjoy the subtleties of coffee tasting. For this method, use gear settings 17-22.
The art of cold brew coffee involves settings on gear 23-29. It’s unique for its preparation method, where coffee grounds are steeped in cold water for an extended period, usually between 12 and 24 hours. This approach yields a smoother, milder coffee concentrate with less acidity than hot-brewed coffee. Cold brew is versatile and often served over ice, diluted as desired with water or milk for a refreshing, gentle coffee experience.
The grinding speed of coffee grounds significantly affects the final quality and flavor of the brewed coffee. This is mainly due to heat generation and grind consistency, which are both influenced by the speed of grinding.
Variable Coffee Grinding Speeds Accommodate Diverse Tastes
Mocaf offers four different grinding speeds to cater to your personal preferences. Choose a rate that suits your taste. Selecting a speed that’s too high can generate heat due to friction between the beans and the grinder’s burrs. This heat could further roast or partially cook the beans, potentially reducing the coffee’s nuanced flavors and aromatic oils. These oils and flavors are crucial for the coffee’s overall taste profile, so preserving them for the best brew quality is important. Therefore, controlling the grinding speed is essential to limit heat production and retain the coffee’s original flavors.
Another critical component of a quality coffee grinder is the burrs. These determine the consistency and quality of the ground coffee, which are crucial for optimal extraction and flavor. Unlike blade grinders that chop beans inconsistently, burr grinders crush coffee beans between two abrasive surfaces (burrs) to achieve a more uniform grind size.
Uniformity in the size of coffee grinds is crucial for even extraction during brewing. If the particles vary in size, water won’t flow through them consistently. This inconsistency can lead to over-extraction in some particles and under-extraction in others, resulting in a bitter and sour coffee cup. A uniform grind ensures all coffee particles are exposed to water for the same duration, yielding a balanced and flavorful cup.
Professional 60mm Flat Burrs Guarantee Consistent Grind Sizes
In essence, Mocaf features a set of precision 60mm stainless steel flat burrs to ensure a consistent, adjustable, and quality grind that is crucial for extracting the full flavor potential of coffee beans and enhancing the overall coffee experience.
Mocaf ensures minimal coffee grounds retention due to its razor-sharp steel burrs and innovative high-force grinds knocker design. This allows for completely capturing and dispensing coffee particles into your custom cup.
Designed with Powerful Knockers to Ensure Zero Leftover Grounds
Mocaf’s integrated scale and timer are vital features. You can set your desired grind weight or grinding time. The device automatically turns off when it reaches the set parameters. This guarantees a precise amount of ground coffee every time.
Mocaf Coffee Grinder includes features such as automatic stop, and options for grinding based on weight or time
A magnetic anti-splash cup is not essential, but it makes dosing coffee grounds directly into the cup neat and clean. Just put the cup on the base, and it will align to the center automatically and accurately.
To top it off, Mocaf features a spacious detachable bean hopper that can hold up to 850 grams of whole coffee beans, ensuring a fresh grind is always available. Its transparent container provides a clear view, enabling easy bean-level monitoring.
Mocaf Coffee Grinder has a capacity to hold up to 850 grams of coffee beans
Once you’ve finished grinding the coffee beans to perfection, cleaning is simple and quick, enabling you to enjoy your drink sooner.
Diving into the world of coffee is a slippery slope because it’s a never-ending void of products and processes that can improve your brew. The last time I checked, people were recommending using a frozen metal ball in the espresso pouring process to help preserve more delicate flavor profiles. The point is, coffee aficionados will stop at nothing to make sure they’re brewing the best coffee possible… and for the most part, the products they use are absolutely unnecessary (I’m looking at you, coffee needle distributors), but the second I lay my eyes on the Olympus Knock Box, I knew there was something different about it. Designed as a practical addition to your coffee brewing setup, the Olympus Knock Box is a two-part accessory that serves as a tamping station as well as a bin for your coffee after it’s been brewed. Made from molded cork, powder-coated steel, and silicone, the Olympus helps you brew your coffee efficiently (and cleanly too). The tamping station lets you quickly tamp your portafilter, while the knock box itself lets you whack out that puck of coffee after it’s been brewed and extracted. Unlike extracting your espresso over a frozen metal orb, the Olympus Knock Box is just one of those devices that makes the brewing process more convenient, cleaner, and just more effective, whether you’re a home-brewer or a barista at an artisanal cafe.
Knock Boxes have been around for a while, but haven’t really gained much prominence and I think it’s time we change that. Having a knock box with your coffee machine is just about as sensible as wearing an apron while cooking. Just like you wouldn’t want to get your clothes dirty while making food, you wouldn’t want to have your counter or floor a mess while you’re tamping your coffee or knocking the espresso puck out into a bin after extraction. The Olympus provides a nifty station for you to do both activities, keeping your kitchen clean while looking like an elegant little container worthy of adorning your countertop.
Olympus’ knock box design does away with the traditional knock bar, instead utilizing a central rubber silicone pad. This way you can empty out your portafilter with just one clean mess-free hit – perfect for the home coffee bar (that might be doubling as a counter).
The Olympus has a gorgeously simple-looking design that relies on a winning combination of minimalism and a brown/black color palette. The Olympus’ base is made from a molded cork composite that uses micro-granules of cork bound with a natural binding agent that’s nature-friendly, toxin-free, and has zero plastics. It has the appeal of engineered wood, which goes rather well with the black components that sit on top. Nested into this cork base is the powder-coated steel bin that holds as many as 6 espresso pucks in its receptacle.
Once filled, you can merely empty the bin into your trash or add it to your compost pile or kitchen garden. Finally, upon the steel tray sits the Olympus’ tamping station, made out of stiff-yet-flexible silicone. The station has a unique design that accepts portafilters of various sizes, ranging from 51mm to as big as 58mm. The filter snugly fits in, getting secured by a set of silicone fins that prevent it from slipping as you firmly tamp your coffee grounds. Once you’re done, the rim of the tamping station is the perfect point to knock your filter, causing the puck of coffee to fall out in the bin. The silicone is stiff enough to provide a reliable knock without any loud clacking sound.
Designed for homes and tiny hideout cafes, the Olympus has a compact form factor that occupies a mere 6.75″x5.6″ rectangle on your countertop (with a 4″ vertical). Although our hearts are overwhelmingly set on the brown and black variant, there’s another one with a brown base and a white tray and tamping station (although you’ll probably notice dirt faster on it). For coffee enthusiasts looking to own a perfect knock box, the Olympus starts at a 20% discounted price of $99 and ships globally starting Jan-Feb 2024.
