Coffee fans always appreciate a nicely brewed cup of java, and these days you don’t need to be sitting outside a café on a quaint Italian square to enjoy one. Some models such as Bonaverde and Immerset promise a rewarding coffee experience, and they are now being joined by a new design called Invergo. The folks behind it are targeting the consumer market with a pour-over machine that improves extraction and saturation. What's more, it doesn’t cost a fortune to run.
Invergo’s main novelty is how the ground coffee is treated and extracted. It features a patent-pending technology called Autospout, which ensures the coffee is evenly saturated. This is thanks to a pouring system that consists of a single stream of water that comes down in a rolling, circular pattern. This reportedly prevents the coffee from turning out bitter.
Another aspect of coffee-making that is key to arriving at a tastier result is the temperature of the water. Invergo uses a computer-controlled sensor that ensures the water temperature remains stable throughout the brewing cycle.
Coffee lovers also appreciate a cup that is neither too strong or too weak and watery. The composition of the drink needs to be right. For that, Invergo uses the Specialty Coffee Association of America's Gold Cup ratio. According to the organization, this means the coffee brewing formula is 3.25 to 4.25 oz (92 to 120 g) of coffee per 64 fluid oz (1.9L) of water.
The impatient coffee drinker will be happy to know the machine's instant water heater means no warm-up time. And those who like their coffee cold are catered for with the cold brew function. Heating is turned off and the unit dispenses small doses of water over a long period of time.
Among the smart features the machines offer are the possibility of storing user settings so they can replicate a perfect cup, and programming the coffee maker, which should save time in the morning.
Invergo is compatible with a range of pour-over units, including models such as Chemexes and Hario V60s. The design has been made flexible, so the drip tray can be removed to accommodate larger cups. In fact, the machine allows the user to make from a small cup of around 5 oz (0.14 L) to a carafe holding 50 oz (1.5 L).
The machine should be compatible with any kitchen size as it takes little space at 6 in (15.2 cm) in width, 14 in (35.6 cm) in height and 11 in (28 cm) in diameter. The water tank holds a volume of 84 oz (2.5 L) and temperature ranges between 195ºF (90ºC) to 205ºF (96ºC). The whole package includes a pour-over cone and a thermal carafe.
As to the low cost of running Invergo, this is mainly because the machine does not use single-serve coffee pods. These little shots of coffee add up to a pretty penny when calculated by the kilo. Invergo uses standard ground coffee instead, which is much cheaper.
Invergo is currently fundraising on Kickstarter. To get the whole package, with a set of ceramic vessels included, funding options start at US$150. More information is available in the pitch video below.
Sources: Invergo, Kickstarter
