Stumbled upon a coming soon kickstarter campaign on Facebook. Something called kuku hub coffee maker. The concept seems interesting, any one seem something like this and what's your thoughts? It reminds me of those big nespresso machines. Link: https://m.kukuhub.com/en/coffeemaker.html

@"Hayhayc"#p55769 Principle seems similar to the Spinn (less the Spinn's built in grinder), but the over the top hyperbole with Kuku seems, well…cuckoo. portraying existing methods as inconsistent and unpredictable. https://www.spinn.com/coffee-maker

They’ve certainly got a nice polished website, no idea if the coffee will be any better for filter, can’t see it because even close to a prosumer machine for espresso.

@"MWJB"#p55771 I think it does kinda reduce some variables such as puck prepping which I think I struggle with. Although I wonder whether centrifuging will creat equal distribution to each side of the wall. But yea i don't think temp and pressure is that inconsistent in an espresso machine.

It’s important that new things are tired, it’s how we progress I guess. But, some of the claims do seem crazy. We’re all enjoying great coffee with methods that have a been around for ages. Now if this was £200 and made coffee like a £2000 machine then great. But I don’t see it being that price.

@"Hayhayc"#p55769 thanks for posting, this is fascinating stuff. I won't be backing it but following with interest.

Not sure how safe I'd feel centrifuging boiling water…

They have built one…at least. They know what materials they are using, how long it took to build. It certainly looks the finished article, so what I find strange they say we can save 47% of the price when it is officially launched…47% OF WHAT THOUGH?! 10K, 5K,? Surely they mist have a figure in mind. Mind you, as I have no idea how this kick start crwod funding malarky works I guess I am probably asking a stupid question…as usual.

@"Pompeyexile"#p55834 yea perhaps waiting thenlast min so they can adjust price or try not scare off too many people with a crazy price tag? But it seems like a normal for campaign to start way before kickstarter starting these days

Kuku hub coffee maker

Rob1

Isn’t this how Nespresso works?

MWJB

Rob1 Nespresso Vertuo not the classic capsules. In that respect it is a proven concept (if Kuku itself is not).

Hayhayc

Actually it was the vertuo that got me into the rabbit hole in the first place. I rmb the vertuo used to create a lot of foam which nespresso promoted it as crema. I suspect that’s a by product of the spinning though. Going to be interesting to see this machine making an espresso.

tompoland

This is interesting

MWJB

tompoland Do you have TL:DR summary, otherwise I’ll await the dubbed version ☺️

tompoland

MWJB

TLDR: innovative centrifugal extraction method that works for cold brew, filter and expresso. The guest expert was diplomatic but appeared (in my view) unconvinced.

jrling

donotcallmemikey I just checked their own website and their Indiegogo site and the design concept looks just the same as they started out with. They have made significant engineering improvements to selected components as part of the ongoing R&D exercise, which is to be welcomed.

Please could you let me know where you are seeing a change to a conventional design?

Thanks

Jonathan

DavecUK

jrling Please could you let me know where you are seeing a change to a conventional design?

I also looked at the crowdfunding site and in user comments they are talking about various things, not much detail, but there seem to have been changes some people are not happy with. I am not sure these changes have been reflected on the campaign info on the IndieGoGo site.

I am also unsure what motivated the poster to create a post with absolutely no detail and they have not come back after leaving the post on our forum. It feels like we’re being treated like trust pilot!

I have flagged the post for later review and will probably delete it if more detail is not forthcoming….and I suspect it won’t be.

jrling

DavecUK Thanks Dave. I suspect you are right about that post.

I looked at the nine discussions they have on IndieGoGo (without logging in as I am not registered) and none of them seemed unhappy. They were asking questions all of which were answered satisfactorily. Anyhow up, time will tell if this actually gets off the ground. I do hope so, as it is at least a good attempt with £850,000 of crowd funding behind it, to come up with seemingly a good engineered different approach to trad espresso machines.

What certainly puts me off and don’t understand why they did it, was the switch to a second crowd funding site after a successful backing on the first one?

MWJB

jrling different approach to trad espresso machines.

How is it different to Nespresso Vertuo (apart from the pods) and Spinn?

jrling

I’m not familiar with either, but capsule for Vertuo is a no-no for me and Spinn is trying to be a hands-off automatic with built-in grinder, which is not my cup of tea(!) It apparently also gums up the insides with no user access if you put oily dark roast beans in it.

Horses for Courses - but Kuku is aiming at the hands-on, hard core enthusiasts with their own grinder and wanting the nth degree of control of all the variables, I would say and that’s my preference.

MWJB

jrling The centrifugal brewing is the same principal for all three.

jrling

MWJB Agreed … but that does not mean all three are equal in performance.

My post did say - a good engineered different approach to trad espresso machines

Anyhow up, let’s see how it progresses. It could end in tears from a funding point of view.

DavecUK

I removed it the Kuku post. I think we were being used like trust pilot and I don’t believe the guy would have ever come back, seemed to want to settle a score and use our forum to do it?

donotcallmemikey2

Damn, I leave for a 2 week vacation and come back to a suspended account. I don’t really think I deserved that so here’s my 2cents and if you suspend me again whatever. I’m just spitting facts here.

The overall design changed, without any notice. It was originally designed as something unique and, honestly, really cool looking. I was looking forward to the functionality too, but I can find any of over a dozen machines that make good coffee. I honestly wanted the design and was taking a chance on their take of “the best coffee ever”.
The machine looks to be more conventionally set up - separated areas for separate modules/elements, flat design, knobs instead of whole rotating functional elements, etc. And that is fine and all, but also not what I was sold on for this product. Again, I can get a number of machines to do a good cup of coffee that look similar enough to this “v2”. And yes it’s a bit nit picky, I get that for anyone who has differing views. That’s ok, we’re allowed to have different views. But, If I buy any product and get something that’s so drastically “redesigned” honestly it feels like a bait and switch.
I understand why they changed the design, whether they want to admit to it or not. It’s an easier device to maintain, the longevity is probably considerably greater, and they don’t want to deal with as many warranty claims as they were anticipating. When you have things like a heating element so close to all the other functional components, the lifespan of it will decrease. My problem with doing this is they say they’ve had “years” of testing and an actual functional prototype with many of the coffee gurus out there saying great things about the product. Again feels bait and switchy.
The last thing that bothers me is the lack of transparency. I can’t even get a straightforward answer from them about if it’s just as easy to clean as the previous one. This bombshell was dropped on the project site after over a month of no contact. Up till that point it felt like they were really good at communicating changes and engineering needs to further the product.

Finally, I’ve done plenty of kickstarts/crowdfunding projects and there have been minor design changes with all of them. Minor changes are never a big deal, but major changes like this feel like they are trying to sell me a different product. Say what you want, say what you feel, but this is how I and a number of others feel. Trying to get any decent communication from them has been a problem since they posted this “update”. I’m not trying to get back at them for anything. They have my money, I’m vested in it, but I am saying this more as a warning since they still haven’t changed their sites for the latest design.

Image Links

https://ibb.co/rcvnKyy

https://ibb.co/fNtcxbf

https://ibb.co/gPCTGb6

DavecUK

donotcallmemikey2 I only temp suspended it in case you had simply come to deposit, never to visit again. There was very little detail in the post and you didn’t follow up…clearly because you were away. I left it for almost 2 weeks.

No problem with kickstarter feedback good or bad.

jrling

donotcallmemikey2 Thank you for drawing attention to the V2 update. As you say, a major update that V2 is compared to V1 and tucked away on the site where not many would see it, does raise very significant questions about the project, to put it mildly. At least that is my view.

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