$8,098,464 raised out of $100,000
Overview
Platform
Indiegogo
Backers
2
Start date
Mar 03, 2024
Close date
Mar 04, 2024
Concept

Customize your coffee to perfection – flavor, thickness, hot or cold.

Story

Imagine a world where your coffee creations know no bounds. The KUKU Maker opens the door to endless flavor possibilities, where every extraction state and every coffee bean becomes a canvas for your creativity. With this machine, you have the power to craft a coffee experience that is truly unique and tailored to your imagination.

 

 

 

 

 

About Crema in Espresso – KUKU Maker vs Traditional?

 
 
 
 

 

Despite advancements, coffee equipment has not yet reached its full potential. By following precise extraction parameters, coffee equipment can help us achieve a consistent and flavorful cup of coffee. Even the most experienced baristas must respect these guidelines. While we have some flexibility, such as selecting unique coffee beans or exploring post-extraction treatments like placing an ice ball under the portafilter, and of course adding milk or sugar – the extraction process itself demands adherence to the coffee machine’s specific rules, which can also place constraints on the operator.

The KUKU Maker is a revolutionary coffee machine. It not only ensures a consistent taste with traditional coffee by following predefined rules – it also empowers you to customize extraction parameters to your personal preferences during the brewing process. With a wide range of adjustable options, including extraction pressure, temperature, time, and grind fineness, the KUKU Maker offers exceptional control and flexibility – opening a new world of delightful coffee flavors to all.

 

 

 

Different machines and drinks require different grind sizes, and using the wrong grind size can greatly impact the coffee’s quality. Grind size influences multiple extraction variables, and adjusting other variables cannot fully compensate for it. As a result, the coffee can end up under-extracted, resulting in a sour and unpleasant taste, or over-extracted, leading to a bitter and overpowering brew. Therefore, when using traditional coffee machines, simply adjusting the coarseness of the ground coffee offers limited ability to alter the coffee’s taste.

The KUKU Maker is a versatile coffee maker that caters to your preferences, allowing you to choose from a range of grind sizes, from superfine to extra coarse. With its parameter separation feature, the individual settings do not interfere with one another. You can effortlessly preset the temperature and pressure while focusing solely on the grind to unlock a spectrum of flavor variations from tangy to sweet, all from the same coffee bean. Even if you choose the wrong grind size, it won’t ruin your coffee but rather take you on a delightful journey of exploring different coffee flavors.

 

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.

By using a high-precision inductive brushless motor for the drive, and intelligent control algorithms – KUKU Maker achieves defined speed control and therefore accurate pressure control. You can easily adjust the pressure by adjusting the speed of the brushless motor from normal atmospheric pressure to high pressure.

In addition, you can set the RPM (from 3000 to 7000 rpm) during extraction as desired, and the brushless motor can instantly adjust speed to meet requirements.

 

The extraction of aroma substances in coffee is temperature-sensitive, resulting in unique changes in the aroma compounds within the coffee powder. KUKU Maker provides the freedom to adjust the extraction temperature, making it effortless to establish other parameters and conduct independent evaluations of the flavor and taste variations in coffee at different temperatures.

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 KUKU Maker ensures rapid heating performance by implementing electromagnetic induction heating technology. It takes less than 50 seconds to heat 60 ml of water for espresso to the desired temperature. Similarly, 300 ml of water for Americano can be heated to the desired temperature in about 4 minutes.

Inside the KUKU Maker’s water chamber, a temperature sensor will detect the water temperature in real time and maintain uniform water temperature by continuously regulating the water flow through the impeller. 

 

The KUKU Maker operates on the cyclic extraction principle, breaking free from the limitations of traditional methods that rely on adjusting water quantity and powder compaction to control extraction time. You have the freedom to choose whether the water should circulate through the coffee powder for extraction and for how long. By doing this, you can easily adjust the coffee’s strength. This flexible control is not bound by the status of other parameters.

 

 

Enjoy the perfect cup of coffee along with the convenience KUKU Maker provides. Just pour water and coffee grounds into the machine, then toggle the switch to select your desired coffee type. You can also control KUKU Maker remotely using the app. Whether you crave espresso, cold-brew espresso, Americano, pour-over, or a drink based on our expertly crafted barista-specialized coffee templates, making your favorite coffee is quick and hassle-free.

Room-Temperature Espresso

 

Over the past decade, cold brew coffee has gained popularity due to its perceived smoother, sweeter, and less acidic sensory profile than its hot brew counterpart. However, the preparation of cold brew coffee is typically time-consuming, ranging from 6 to 24 hours of extraction at refrigerated or room temperatures.

The KUKU Maker is a multifunctional coffee device that can quickly make not only cold-brew coffee but also cold-brew espresso.

This makes it easy to quickly make a few cups of cold brew concentrate. You can drink it immediately or pack it for enjoyment on the go.

 

 

If you’re looking to prepare a delicious espresso, pour-over, or an invigorating Americano, all it takes is pouring the desired amount of room-temperature water and the appropriate quantity of coffee grounds, and you’re ready to start your day on a caffeinated note.

Max. water capacity 300ml & Max. powder capacity 40g

 

 

We’re reaching out to coffee experts and champions to test the KUKU Maker and share their best coffee recipes on the KUKU APP. You can download your favorite coffee recipes to KUKU Maker within the app for quick access in the future.

 

 

The KUKU Maker is engineered to produce coffee with a richer flavor profile, offering the ability to adjust various extraction parameters and explore a wide array of unique coffee creations.

While the extraction parameters in a traditional coffee machine may appear independent, they are interrelated and can affect one another. For instance, modifying the grind size distribution in espresso will inevitably alter brewing pressure, flow rate, and the duration of powder-to-water contact. Therefore, it is imperative to establish a careful balance among these variables, as any disturbance can lead to over-extraction, under-extraction, or an unpredictable flavor outcome.

The core concept behind the KUKU Maker’s Parameter Separation is to break the previously inseparable connections between the parameters that impact coffee extraction, allowing for independent adjustments. This unique approach enables you to modify specific characteristics of the coffee by altering a single parameter, without influencing the others. By offering a wide and significant range of adjustable extraction parameters, the KUKU Maker provides ample space for personalized experimentation.

 

In conventional espresso machines, the heat and pressure are generated outside the extraction core (between the brewing head and the portafilter basket). This is independent of the extraction of the coffee liquid. In this structure, if we want to maintain a stable pressure and temperature output, manufacturers generally need to invest in heat and pressure control structures – which drive up costs. Essentially, the more stable the coffee machine, the higher the price. Even so, this stability is “relative”, and will be susceptible to a variety of variables such as the quality of a puck.

With the KUKU Maker, we have adopted a structure that is different from that of a conventional coffee machine for a more efficient and stable extraction process. By referencing the principles of industrial centrifuges, we designed an open water chamber and a removable powder funnel. When the coffee machine is in operation, the powder funnel containing the coffee powder rotates at high speed, causing the water in the water chamber to be lifted into the funnel and generating water pressure through centrifugal force. The combination of the powder funnel and the water chamber creates a centrifugal pump-like structure, where the powder chamber acts as an impeller, and the “brewing head” is a simple outlet for the coffee liquid.

This design ensures that the pressure and temperature of the water during the extraction process are generated and maintained directly inside the machine, avoiding energy loss and attenuation during the transfer process, thus providing a more consistent quality of the coffee produced.

 

 

 

 

As we know, for espresso, in addition to the quality of the machine itself, the uniform distribution and pressing of the coffee powder is the key to minimizing the channel effect and producing a good quality espresso, which can significantly increase the extraction ceiling. If this process is not done properly, the extraction pressure, flow rate, and time will be affected.

With the KUKU Maker, you do not need to intentionally prepare the coffee puck, nor do they need to invest extra costs to make the water flow more evenly through the coffee grounds. Centrifugal force automatically distributes the coffee powder evenly on the wall of the funnel, and the water rises into the funnel through high-speed rotation and passes evenly through the coffee powder for extraction under the action of centrifugal force. All these are done automatically, without manual operation of powder cloth and pressing, directly avoiding the micro-channel effect and ensuring more stable coffee production.

 

Traditional coffee machines have a startup delay of several minutes due to the time it takes to heat water to a specific temperature and build up pressure to reach optimal levels. When you make coffee one after the other, the quick use of hot water and pressure can make the temperature and pressure unstable, causing the quality of each cup to vary.

The KUKU Maker does not pre-store hot water and motor speed. Instead, it individually heats each cup and controls the motor speed in real time. This unique process ensures that the production of the last cup does not affect the next, enabling the KUKU Maker to maintain a high degree of consistency in continuous cup production. 

Is it necessary to clean the KUKU Maker after each cup?

When making coffee with the same beans in succession, just dump the powder and move on to the next cup. It’s advisable to clean the KUKU Maker when you’re done for the day or switching bean varieties, and the cleaning process is straightforward and explained in the Cleaning section below.

 

 

 

To clean the KUKU Maker, simply pour around 100ml of water into the water chamber, place the cup on the drip tray, activate the machine’s toggle, or click the clean button on the APP to activate the auto-cleaning mode. Wait for about 20 seconds, and the residual stains will be rinsed out through the spout, completing the cleaning process.

 

The brewing head of a traditional espresso machine is crucial for coffee extraction. It directly affects temperature and pressure stability. It needs frequent cleaning and regular replacement of small parts, such as the rubber ring, to avoid malfunctions like clogging or affecting the coffee taste.

For KUKU Maker, coffee grounds will only stay in the powder funnel and not in the water chamber. The powder funnel is removable, so you can easily pour out the coffee grounds and clean it. Unlike traditional coffee makers, KUKU Maker has a simple structure with only a coffee dispensing spout, making it less prone to damage.

 

In traditional coffee machines, whether fully automatic or semi-automatic, the cleaning of the pipe is a big problem. If the cleaning is poor, it will not only shorten the life of the coffee machine but also affect the quality of the coffee. In addition, with the resistance heating method, the resistance heating module must be installed inside the boiler, which is in contact with the water and will easily be covered with scale over time. This ends up causing damage to the machine and makes maintenance difficult. Cleaning the inside of a coffee maker is not an easy task and often requires a professional to do the job.

The KUKU Maker is designed with an open water channel, and the electromagnetic induction heating module is not in direct contact with water, so it will not be covered with limescale and will not be damaged. As it does not have a traditional boiler, there is no dead space for cleaning. The powder funnel is removable, and the liquid outlet has a simple structure, so it is easy and efficient to clean without difficulty.

 

The KUKU Maker is IP65 rated, ensuring that the electronic components inside the machine are not susceptible to deterioration and damage, even when used in places such as constantly humid kitchens.

 

Unlike many coffee makers that use plastic (easy to deteriorate) or sheet metal (easy to rust) for the coffee maker body, KUKU Maker uses food-grade stainless steel and aluminum alloy for the entire body, which is corrosion-resistant. 

Some components requiring insulation use non-metallic materials. For more information, please refer to the material description in the tech specs section below.

 

The rotary ring and toggle on the coffee maker are two frequently used components that are also prone to deterioration and failure with prolonged use. To ensure durability, we have adopted a multiple Hall sensor solution and designed sealed Hall switches that operate magnetically without direct physical contact.

 

The KUKU Maker has a hidden display on the tray that is used to show basic information such as the current coffee-making template, temperature, equivalent pressure, extraction progress, and more. The hidden design is effective in preventing the display from being damaged by humid environments as well as collision damage. You can’t even see the screen when KUKU Maker is off.

 

 

 

The electromagnetic induction heating technology used in the KUKU Maker saves more than 50% of electricity compared to traditional resistance heating.

The KUKU Maker’s heating system does not work in standby mode, while conventional coffee makers need to be heated to maintain water temperature and pressure in standby mode.

 

The product features an all-metal housing, IP65 waterproof design, and electromagnetic induction heating. Its simplified outlet and open waterway ensure a simple structure and greater durability in daily use without the need for regular replacement parts. This design minimizes the environmental impact and reduces the cost of use.

 

 

 

The powder funnel of the KUKU Maker is the main element of its extraction, and a lot of user-friendly design has been done to maximize its ease of use.

For frequent pour-over users, the KUKU Maker offers an optional 0.5mm mesh-size powder funnel. This size significantly accelerates the extraction process, ensuring faster extraction of coffee flavor substances without over-extraction. When using boutique coffee beans, it enables you to complete extraction quickly, maximizing the extraction of delicious coffee flavors while reducing the presence of undesirable substances in the water.

 

The KUKU Maker can use up to 300ml of water. You can decide the amount of water to use based on the type of coffee you want. For example, if you use 18g of ground coffee, you can use 36g of water at a 1:2 ratio, 18g of water at a 1:1 ratio, or a smaller amount of water. This can be adjusted to suit your coffee needs.

 

We understand that noise is a significant concern for you, and we share the same concern. Through a dedicated optimization process, we have managed to bring the noise decibels of the KUKU Maker to a level comparable to that of a grinder. However, we are committed to going beyond this and will persist in our efforts to further minimize the noise.

It is worth mentioning that the KUKU Maker will come with a magnetic lid. This is why, in the video, we performed noise level tests by covering the powder funnel opening with our hands.

 

We’ve currently optimized the motor in terms of machining accuracy, leading to a considerable reduction in both sound and clutter. We’ve taken a sound comparison video of the new motor and the old motor. Given that mobile phones amplify sound when recording, please use the old motor as a benchmark to assess the sound level of the new motor. 

 

Next, we’ll carry out two more optimizations to further reduce the noise.

* Firstly, regarding the control logic: 
1. Enhance the accuracy of motor rotor position detection by adjusting the Hall device for rotor position sensing; 
2. Optimize the motor controller FOC algorithm.

* While in terms of design:
 1. Upgrade the special bearings that are for the high-speed motor.
2. Replace sheet magnets on the motor’s rotor with the ring magnet, aimed at reducing motor vibration.

 

The KUKU Maker has a long distance between the spout and the base, which allows it to accommodate large-capacity cups when making cold brew or pour-over coffee. When making espresso in a tiny cup, to avoid the effects of heat loss over a long distance, the KUKU Maker is equipped with a retractable single spout to accommodate cups of different heights, to hold the coffee better and prevent splash. It is removable and very easy to clean.

In addition, the KUKU Maker has an optional retractable dual spout splitter to suit your different needs.

 

If you want to customize the taste of your coffee, you can use the APP to set the pressure curve, control the temperature and time, and save all the parameters used, such as the number of grounds, the amount of water, the degree of grinding, and so on. When you have made an ideal cup of coffee, you can also save it as a template and store it in the coffee maker for future recall – even when not using the app.

Of course, you can also directly access the ready-made templates provided by KUKU Maker. Our guest baristas will constantly provide their templates for making different types of coffee with KUKU Maker in the app, which you can quickly download and use. You can also share your templates with your friends.

 

The KUKU Maker is a versatile coffee maker designed with a minimalist structure and compact size that doesn’t require much counter space.

 

 

 

 

 

We support global shipping. Please be aware that shipping and taxes are not included in the pledge levels. After the campaign, we will start collecting your shipping fees through a survey.

Currently, this is the estimated shipping fee. The shipping fee may be adjusted based on actual costs. Based on our long experience handling shipments, shipping by sea/rail to a warehouse in the corresponding country and then distributing the parcels is the most favorable way to ship. We have cooperated with local warehouses in the USA, Canada, Germany, the UK, Australia, Singapore, China and Japan. Therefore, for orders from regions where we have corresponding warehouses (including all EU regions), if the backers do not have special requirements, after KUKU Maker’s mass production, we will uniformly send them to the corresponding warehouses according to the corresponding regions of the order and then distribute them.

Orders from other regions will be shipped directly from Zhongshan/Shenzhen/Hong Kong.

**Note that these prices are dependent on the situation and may increase or decrease by a few dollars in the months to come.

Taxes will vary based on where your rewards are shipped and will be collected after the campaign. For the following countries, we’re collecting taxes before shipping, so you won’t have to worry about paying them at the time of delivery, extra fees, or being held up in customs. No taxes are included in the prices of the campaign and will be collected after the campaign has concluded before shipping.

● United States: State sales taxes may apply.

● European Union, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Japan: VAT/GAT taxes may apply. 

● Other Countries/Regions: We will not charge any taxes in the survey. However, when your reward is delivered, you may be responsible for sales tax, VAT/GST taxes, duties, import fees, or other taxes/fees.

 

In our pursuit of creating an innovative coffee tool with a minimalist aesthetic, we decided to think outside the box and undergo a complete redesign. While using off-the-shelf components like pumps, gauges, and sensors would have made development easier and more cost-effective, we decided to individually design and customize almost all the components, including motors, motor controllers, temperature probes, heating circuits, and solenoid valves. This allowed us to achieve a compact form factor and the desired functionality, rather than simply assembling readily available market components.

 

Let’s take the KUKU Maker exterior body as an example. To ensure quality and safety, we opted for a comprehensive use of stainless steel and aluminum alloy metal materials, which were meticulously shaped through CNC machining.

The aluminum alloy process involves several steps, including CNC machining, grinding, sandblasting, ultrasonic cleaning, and hard oxidation.

With user safety in mind, it is essential to remove any burrs and sharp edges that may be present after CNC machining the aluminum alloy. This involves manual grinding and sandblasting as necessary steps.

When designing and manufacturing a coffee machine with exceptional durability, it is essential to focus on its wear and corrosion resistance. Following the sandblasting process, we will perform anodized hard oxidation. Before anodizing, ultrasonic cleaning is also a critical step that effectively eliminates grease and oil from the workpiece’s surface, guaranteeing color consistency.

The stainless steel production process includes CNC machining, deburring, grinding, and polishing as essential steps.

Recognized for its toughness, stainless steel demands considerable time allocation during the CNC machining process. Moreover, meticulous manual removal of burrs and sharp edges resulting from CNC machining is imperative to uphold superior quality standards.

Our extensive experimentation revealed that a smooth surface is highly resistant to limescale accumulation and can effectively reduce its formation. 

Hence, we implemented a comprehensive stainless steel polishing procedure. This intricate process involves several meticulous steps, including rough grinding, fine grinding, polishing, fine polishing, and mirror polishing, with a majority of these steps demanding manual precision.

 

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