Unless you have an automatic push-button machine, pulling the perfect shot of espresso at home either takes tons of trial and error or a unit that will cost you thousands of dollars — or both. With robot baristas becoming a reality, enthusiasts have begun to realize that the consistency and fine-tuned quality offered by an autonomous mechanism might actually have some value. However, without any tastebuds of their own (yet), these robots must rely on a human palate to test the coffee and adjust its metrics ahead of time.
Robotic baristas have now arrived in our homes in the form of Meticulous Espresso, a new device that blends the consistency of robotics with both the quality of a pull lever and the user-friendliness of an automatic machine — the first of its kind in the world. Ten digital sensors inside monitor and adjust the water temperature, pressure, flow rate, and weight of the liquid. Whether the water you pour inside is hot or lukewarm, the machine will make sure to get it to your desired temperature before brewing. These metrics are all saved and used for the future so that you don’t have to worry about human error next time you’re brewing.
Sporting a futuristic design, the all-in-one machine features a high-precision Acaia scale underneath the drip tray for weighing your grounds as well as an integrated software interface that’s operated with a simple dial on the front. If that’s too simple for you, there’s an option to fine-tune every aspect of your brewing process with the accompanying smartphone app where you can create your own pressure and flow curves via touchscreen and even write your own control algorithms. You can then share and compare your profile metrics with users across the globe and try other people’s “perfect espresso” shots as well. Sold separately, the Meticulous Milk can also be used for those who prefer a different type of coffee drink, with manual and automatic modes as well.
Not only is the Meticulous Espresso simple to use for even the most novice home baristas but the price point aims to be significantly less than the typical high-end home units. Currently being funded on Kickstarter, Meticulous Espresso can be yours for the early bird price of $1,299.
