Interview about Wsd Speciality Coffee Maker, winner of the A' Home Appliances Design Award 2023
The design is a specialty coffee machine for drip coffee. It has an automated movement of the parts to collect ground coffee and move, with a rotation, to the water outlet position. One button and it's done! The user can modify or pre-set the details of grinding, temperature, and volume of water. The state-of-the-art machine is designed to brew the favorite blends to perfection, with precise temperature control and customizable settings.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsThe journey behind the WSD Specialty Coffee Maker was about blending innovation with the art of coffee brewing. We wanted to elevate the experience by combining cutting-edge automation with user-friendly design, creating a unique futuristic way to prepare your coffee. Inspired by futuristic architecture, we focused on sleek, minimalist design while integrating smart technology like precision temperature control and personalized brewing profiles. Our goal was to enhance the coffee-making process without sacrificing the tactile, hands-on connection users have with their coffee. The result is a machine that’s both technologically advanced and intuitively delightful to use.
It was designed with the goal of enhancing extraction uniformity and providing a more consistent, balanced coffee profile. Inspired by professional drip coffee techniques, this system replicates the manual pouring action often used in high-end pour-over brewing. By mimicking the rotational and steady pour patterns, the coffee maker ensures that water is evenly distributed across the coffee grounds, maximizing extraction.In traditional drip machines, water can sometimes concentrate in one area, leading to under- or over-extracted coffee. The rotational movement of the WSD mechanism prevents this by creating a gentle and consistent saturation of the grounds, leading to a balanced flavor. Additionally, the automated feature makes it easy for users to achieve barista-level precision with every brew, regardless of experience, which aligns with the brand’s mission of democratizing specialty coffee.
The combination of a touch interface with a magnetic knob in the WSD Specialty Coffee Maker was guided by two main design principles: intuitive control and aesthetic simplicity. Our goal was to create a machine that is approachable, easy to use, and visually appealing, without sacrificing precision. Inspiration was from induction cooking plates.The touch interface provides a modern, streamlined look that’s easy to clean and minimizes the number of physical buttons, which aligns with a minimalist aesthetic. Users can select and customize their brewing preferences quickly, making the machine accessible for both casual coffee drinkers and enthusiasts.The magnetic knob adds a tactile element to the experience, giving users fine control over specific settings, such as brew time and water temperature. This was inspired by the desire to give users a sense of craftsmanship and control. By pairing these elements, we’ve created an interface that balances high-tech convenience with a satisfying, hands-on feel—enhancing both usability and the emotional experience of making coffee.
It was a deliberate decision aimed at creating a timeless, refined aesthetic that emphasizes simplicity and sophistication. Our design philosophy was rooted in the belief that the coffee maker should enhance, rather than dominate, the kitchen environment. By opting for a more understated, monochromatic interface, we allowed the machine’s form and material quality to take center stage, appealing to those who prefer a clean, minimalist style.We found that a simpler display actually enhances usability by presenting only essential information, avoiding the potential distraction of bright colors and complex animations. Users can focus on the brewing process without visual clutter, which helps create a calmer, more intentional coffee-making experience.
The international collaboration brought diverse perspectives that enriched the design point of view. European team members emphasized precise, customizable settings for espresso, while our Asian team focused on compact, space-saving design, and American colleagues prioritized intuitive user experience. This blend of insights led to unique features, like the magnetic knob, which combines tactile feedback with a minimalist aesthetic.A shared emphasis on sustainability also influenced the design, resulting in modular, durable components. This global input shaped the coffee maker into a product that balances advanced functionality with simplicity, appealing to coffee lovers worldwide.
By studying the practices of professional baristas and coffee aficionados, we identified that consistency and control over these parameters are key to unlocking the best flavors in each brew.Our team research revealed that slight adjustments in grind size, water temperature, and volume can drastically affect the taste profile of coffee. To address this, we integrated precise controls that allow users to tailor these variables to match different coffee beans and brewing styles, much like a barista would. This technical flexibility enables both beginners and seasoned coffee lovers to explore specialty coffee with ease, empowering them to replicate café-quality results at home.
ABS was chosen for its durability, lightweight nature, and resistance to heat, making it ideal for components that need structural integrity without adding unnecessary bulk. It also allows for a sleek, seamless finish that complements the minimalist design.Glass was incorporated to conveys a sense of luxury, purity and cleanliness, which aligns with specialty coffee’s emphasis on quality.Metal elements, especially in areas that experience more wear, like the drip tray and framework, provide strength and longevity while adding a modern, premium feel. The metal’s reflective qualities contrast with the matte surfaces of ABS and the clarity of glass, creating a balanced look that feels both robust and elegant.Together, these materials deliver a coffee maker that is visually cohesive, durable, and functional, embodying an aesthetic that feels modern and purposeful in any kitchen.
One primary challenge was meeting the expectations of drip coffee enthusiasts who value simplicity and consistency, while also introducing innovative features to enhance the brewing experience.Achieving barista-level precision in an automated machine was a central hurdle. This required fine-tuning the controls for grind size, water temperature, and flow rate, elements traditionally tailored to pour-over or espresso machines. Another challenge was maintaining a minimalist design without sacrificing user control. This led us to incorporate the touch interface and magnetic knob combination, which enables customization while preserving a sleek, uncluttered aesthetic.
We identified core functions and mapped them to a single button with different press actions. Clear visual or haptic feedback was added to guide the user through each step, ensuring confidence and ease of use.This approach, combined with the touch interface and magnetic knob, creates a seamless experience where users can enjoy both simplicity for daily use and deeper control for specialty brewing, making the machine accessible to both beginners and coffee enthusiasts.
By elevating the overall coffee experience and expanding coffee culture.In regions where espresso or alternative brewing methods dominate, the WSD Specialty Coffee Maker’s precision controls—such as grind consistency, temperature regulation, and water volume—could redefine the drip coffee segment. By offering a highly customizable, specialty-grade brew in a familiar drip format, it introduces a new level of quality that appeals to coffee enthusiasts seeking an accessible, yet high-performing machine.Additionally, its minimalist, sleek design and intuitive interface make it appealing to modern, tech-savvy consumers in emerging markets who are increasingly exploring coffee beyond instant options. The integration of smart technology in the WSD Specialty Coffee Maker could also resonate with younger generations, influencing them to explore drip coffee as a high-tech, personalized brewing method.
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