As the interest in making high quality coffee at home has increased over the past decade, so too has the design of the tools of the trade. Whereas it used to be all about function, with any old boxy monstrosity making the cut so long as its output was desirable, nowadays a piece of gear must consider its counter profile as much as its usability. And it’s high time the knockbox got a facelift.
Enter the Olympus. Created by Oakland, CA’s Proper By Design, the Olympus combines a knockbox and a tamping station into one counter-friendly footprint with the home user in mind. And it’s live on Kickstarter now.
At a slim 5.6” wide by 6.75” long, the 4” tall knockbox creates an all-in-one spot for the messier part of espresso prep. The base consists of eco-friendly molded cork topped with a powder-coated hardened steel tray, “designed to withstand the rigors of daily espresso preparation,” per the Kickstarter, and is able to hold six to 12 spent pucks.
The tamping station features the same hardened steel but covered in thick silicone to protect the basket and portafilter during knocks. And the tamping pad has been designed to accommodate a range of home portafilter sizes, from 51mm all the way to the industry standard 58mm.
With under two weeks left in the campaign, the Olympus knockbox has raised $500 of its $2,500 goal, which means there are a handful of deep discount rewards left to be claimed. There are still Super Early Bird pricing available at $79, over 40% off the MSRP. If the campaign makes, rewards are expected to start shipping out in February of next year.
It may not arrive quite in time for the holiday gift giving, but I’m sure the home espresso maker in your life wouldn’t mind a little “IOU One Knockbox” in their stocking this year. For more information or to back the campaign, visit the Olympus’s Kickstarter page.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
