We get it: Sometimes you just want a freakin’ cup of coffee, pre-brewed in a big batch and poured into a travel mug faster than you can say “no room, thanks.” But coffee doesn’t always have to be a quick, to-go experience — it can be a mindful one. That’s what the Kickstarter campaign for Manual Coffeemaker No1 is all about: bringing the craft brew experience from the coffee bar to your kitchen counter so you can spend more one-on-one time with (your cup of) joe.
There’s nothing tech-y about this pour-over coffee maker. Certainly not in its name, not in its devastatingly handsome design (in fact, it’s described as a “low tech appliance”), and not in its final product. Manual Coffeemaker No1 (MCM) is simply a tool that highlights the CRAFT of making coffee by hand. And like other crafts, mastering a perfect pour takes time and finesse. But with full control over the brewing process, MCM gives you the means to make a nuanced, high-quality… oh let’s face it: a damn fine cup of coffee. So after a string of early morning cuppings, you could end up giving your local barista a run for her tip jar.
The sculptural object acts as both a funnel and a stand for your tidy transparent pour-over station. Made of laboratory-grade glassware — the same kind used for a French Press or Chemex — the brewer is as durable as it is dapper, especially set atop its round bamboo base. To extract the caffeinated goods, you simply pour hot water through a filter full of freshly ground beans — you’ll need a long-spouted kettle to do it right — then watch as your brew drips its final drip into the provided carafe or into your fave mug. The entrancing process and the resulting cuppa are sure to wow your brunch guests (yes, even the coffee snobs among them).
We’re just as wow-ed by MCM’s well-crafted Kickstarter pledge packages. For $80, you not only receive a first production run of the Coffeemaker, but you also get a package of starter filters and a 12 oz bag of custom roasted single origin coffee from my pals at Gaslight Coffee Roasters in Chicago (FYI: back in my barista days in the Windy City, I worked with some of the fine baristas and roasters who are now a part of the exceptional Gaslight crew. So take it from me, their coffee rules!). Plus, that pledge also makes you the proud owner of MCM’s ‘User Manual’ zine that “explores the space between people and their food: the rituals, processes, and tools we use to make and eat.”
At the other end of the spectrum, a $750 pledge will earn you a personal three hour brewing session with the mind behind MCM, Craighton Berman, who runs his own design and illustration studio that focuses on building a more meaningful connecting with the making process. And this campaign does just that: It not only encourages you to stop and smell the grounds, it immerses you in an artisanal-focused lifestyle. We’ll be keeping our eyes on you, Mr. Berman!
Would you by a Manual Coffeemaker No1? Or is the convenience of to-go brew too easy for you to pass up? What products do you own that help you focus on the making process? Tell us in the comments below.
