Some people swear there’s a perfect way to make a gin and tonic and others will always ask for their water to be served with lemon. But coffee is one of the most preference-heavy beverages, going way beyond just milk and sugar options. Bitter, bold, scorching hot, caffeinated … the list goes on. Once you figure out your favorite beans and ratios involved, it might be smooth sipping, but Auroma Brewing Co. hopes to take some of that guesswork out.
Calling its Auroma One an automated coffee system, the machine “learns taste profiles over time.” You make your coffee, take a drink, then open the accompanying app to score your brew based on its bitterness, texture, and strength. The coffee maker uses this feedback to start making a you-centric cup, Goldilocks style. It will switch up the coarseness of the grind, temperature, and water-to-coffee ratio until you’re satisfied. After that, it will lock in those settings, so you always know what you’re waking up to. Once your machine pegs your preferences, it will recommend beans from partner roasters, then help you tailor it to your taste buds.
But it’s not all about predictability. Its creators also think it’s the ideal way for coffee fiends to find new flavors. If you don’t want to chug mediocre cup after mediocre cup, you can sample a small brew. Because the machine has three ways of brewing the same type of bean, this could also allow you to discover new things about yourself — or, at least, your coffee preferences. It’s basically like having your own personal coffee tasting.
The Auroma One is available now Kickstarter for $249, with shipping starting in October 2016. There are still quite a few steps in its timeline, like alpha and beta testing. Eventually, the machine will go on sale for $299.
Update 11/11/2015: Updated to change a typo in the price.
