Kickstarter is a world of the weird and the wonderful, a place where new products can be brought before the public and funded based solely on the merit of their ideas. We’ve covered a number of coffee Kickstarters over the years, some that made hundreds and others that made literal millions. And the latest Kickstarter to be brought to our attention definitely falls in the latter category. The Meticulous Espresso machine has raised over $4 million and may become the most funded food-related campaign in Kickstarter history.
Meticulous Espresso touts itself as the “world’s first robotic lever espresso machine” as well as the “first home espresso machine with an integrated high-precision scale.” The espresso-only machine—there’s an automatic steam wand sold separately—is a one-touch coffee maker. All you have to do is add the coffee and the water and the machine will do the rest. Very much in line with the Fellow school of coffee design, the Meticulous Espresso machine utilizes a built-in Acaia scale and 10 different sensors in the brew chamber—six of which are for water temperature—to pull shots based on the user’s selected profile, including a classic profile as well as downloadable custom ones created by experts. With the attached smartphone app, users can also program the pressure profile for their machine.
And with still a little over two weeks left in the campaign, Meticulous has raised over $4.2 million. ZPM espresso machine backers are having hot flashes.
As reported by The Spoon, Meticulous is edging closer and closer to becoming the most funded food-related Kickstarter in history. That honorific currently goes to the Otto G32, a gas grill that raised €4.47 million (roughly $4.9 million USD). But as The Spoon notes, sometimes funding success can be a kiss of death. Along with the aforementioned ZPM, ultra-backed Kickstarters like that of the PicoBrew and the Anova are often victims of their own success, unable to deliver on the promised rewards to the thousands of backers. Even the Otto, per The Spoon, is having trouble in this regard.
But what Meticulous may ironically have going for it over other big-earning Kickstarter campaigns is that it is expensive. The standalone espresso machine has a retail price of $2,000; it’s another $350 if you want the milk steaming machine. Unlike the ZPM, the revolution they are selling is not in the price point. Even with a Kickstarter discount, the price tag still clocks in above the $1,200 mark. So while they’ve raised over $4 million, they will have significantly fewer units to get out the door than similarly earning Kickstarters. There are currently 3,200 backers averaging $1,300 each.
Still, past failures of other successful Kickstarters is no indicators that this one will also meet such a fate. And would-be backers willing to the take a $1,200 flyer can get their hands on perhaps the next great home espresso machine, maybe as early as December. If that sounds interesting, head on over to the Meticulous Espresso Kickstarter page to learn more.
PS: The Timemore grinder has just eclipsed the $5 million mark on Kickstarter, beating out the Otto. With roughly the same amount of time left in the campaigns, this one might be a photo finish.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
