Meticulous is showcasing its smart espresso maker, which it says is the world’s first robotic lever espresso machine, at CES 2025 in Las Vegas this week. The prototype has raised nearly $5 million in funding on Kickstarter and another $1.6 million million on Indiegogo. The company’s first batch of espresso machines is set to ship in March.
The Meticulous Espresso uses a digital motor and high-precision sensors to automatically make espresso, allowing anyone, from experienced baristas to home coffee enthusiasts, to achieve control over the brewing process.
Meticulous CEO Carlos Pendas explained that to make espresso, you need two things: heat and pressure. Traditional espresso machines achieve this through an arrangement of boilers and valves, and the underlying mechanism for these machines has remained the same for decades, Pendas noted.
Meticulous has designed its espresso machine from the ground up to leverage newer technology. Although the machine still generates heat and pressure, it does so using digital actuators, sensors, and software.
The machine features 10 digital sensors that monitor things like water temperature, pressure, flow rate, and the weight of the liquid in the cup. With this data, the machine can make real-time adjustments, just like an actual barista would.
You can also weigh your grounds directly on the machine. Once the machine starts brewing, the scale works with the flow sensor to determine exactly how much water is going through the coffee and into the cup to adjust its flow and stop at the right brew ratio.
Six of the machine’s sensors are designed to keep consistent water temperature. The Meticulous Espresso’s heating coil gets the water to its ideal temperature in about a minute and keeps it there for the entire extraction. You can choose from a list of classic espresso profiles to make your shot, or download custom profiles from experts around the world.
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The espresso machine is available to preorder for $1,350.
Alongside Meticulous Espresso, the company also announced the Meticulous Milk steamer, which features a coil that heats a tiny bit of water almost instantly. The steamer has sensors that let it steam milk automatically, letting users choose their temperature and texture.
The Meticulous Milk is available for preorder for $250.
