The learning curve associated with properly concocting coffee and espresso drinks can be daunting for those new to the home preparation game. What is the water to bean ratio? At which temperature and for how long should this brew? There are numerous variables that go well beyond the basics. There are even more decisions to be made when you’re ready to invest in the hardware and accessories required to drip, press, pour, or pull a cup of coffee.
Nunc. is a new player in the coffee category. The startup – spearheaded by a two-time barista champion, rocket scientist, engineer, designer, and loT expert – arrives with the launch of nunc. Portafilter Machine and Grinder, a sensor and AI-enhanced grinding and brewing system engineered to remove the guesswork from the art and science of coffee.
Designed in partnership with Stuttgart-based design and innovation studio Phoenix, the 2-piece portafilter espresso machine and sidekick burr grinder requires minimal effort and know-how to operate.
Load fresh roasted beans into the machine’s SmartHopper, initiate the grinding process, and the nunc. automatically identifies the beans before commencing the brewing procedure. The machine takes care of weighing and grinding the beans. The lone barista-like task required of the user during preparation is the satisfying tamp and load of the portafilter into the brewing group.
Even before brewing ensues, users can further dial in the flavor using different recipes to suit personal taste. The default allows the system’s artificial intelligence software to handle all of the complex variables, including grind size, dosing quantity, pressure, flow, and temperature.
A novel feature is nunc.’s circular display, which gives users the ability to check out the flavor profiles. The intuitive graphic shows whether your next drink will be Strong, Fruity, Mild, Roasty, or a myriad of combinations.
Steaming oat milk, dairy, or almond milk to optimal temperature and frothed consistency is also handled automatically by nunc. and its built-in steaming wand.
Oat, dairy, or almond milk – the nunc. steams them perfectly and, if you wish, automatically to the right consistency and temperature. If there is one skill set a nunc. user can dedicate themselves to mastering that the machine has yet to learn is the final touch of pouring latte art.
The grinder, machine, and coffee are directly connected via Bluetooth and NFC technology. The nunc. sets all parameters perfectly for you (grind size, dosing quantity, pressure, flow, temperature, etc.).
Like other smart connected devices, the nunc.’s operating system can be updated with additional features via software updates.
Instead of small individual coffee capsules, nunc. uses larger capsules with 120-140g of freshly roasted beans.
Part of nunc.’s high price can be attributed to the fact it is currently manufactured in Switzerland, with a portion of its internal tech developed in-house, alongside Italian sourced pumps.
By all appearances and spec comparisons nunc. shares many of the same tech-enhanced conveniences as the xBloom (albeit with larger dose capsules). Both machines retain a portion of the romanticized ritual of preparing coffee, but simplify the process to the point only minimal effort and knowledge is required of its user. At 2.499 € – approximately $2,730 – the nunc. Portafilter Machine incl. Grinder’s price paired with its extremely limited 250 piece run will make it as rare as a cup of competition-grade Geisha varietals.
