Platform about design and technology in the kitchen, home, and bathroom industry
Starting the morning with a strong cup of coffee, ending a pleasant dinner with a delicious ice cream and a coffee, or simply sipping a cup throughout the day. In every household, on every countertop, we find a coffee machine. More and more, we are building them in, just like other kitchen appliances. More space on the worktop, you know.
VOF De Kunst scored a big hit in the 1980s with a song about coffee. Throughout the song, the singer describes his morning routine, a description that is probably very accurate for many people. He gets up because he has to, not because he is awake. He walks through the house and gets where he needs to be, not because he can see everything so well, but because he knows where all the ‘obstacles’ are. But everything changes after pouring and drinking that first cup of coffee. With the phrase ‘I'm alive again’, he underlines the power of black gold. Later in the song, the power of the coffee lady is discussed, who, if she wanted to, could have a major impact on the workings of a school, a factory, a hospital, and a university. Without coffee, there would be no performance, it seems. A cup of coffee by VOF De Kunst, an ode to black gold.
Of course, that black gold doesn't just flow into your cup by itself. Various machines are available, each with their own methods for ultimately producing your coffee, with or without milk and sugar. A filter bag containing the coffee? Senseo? Nespresso? Or a machine in which users deposit carefully selected coffee beans themselves? They all exist. There's something for everyone, based on the space available on the countertop, the budget, the degree of use (or addiction), and so on. Choose the machine and the corresponding method carefully. The end result will be to your liking.
The rise of built-in coffee machines can be compared to that of (built-in) wine cabinets. Wine is growing in popularity. More (young) people are getting into tasting, drinking, and sometimes even collecting different types and bottles of wine. From a professional appliance, the wine cabinet has grown into a mainstream kitchen appliance, no longer a curiosity but a fully-fledged appliance. Coffee was already popular and still is. However, in recent years we have also seen the emergence of numerous appliances in this area. Just think of the introduction of Senseo and its coffee pads and George Clooney, who, in his familiar style, came to recommend Nespresso machines and different flavors. Numerous manufacturers jumped on the bandwagon and elevated coffee to a level comparable to that of wine. Not just a drink to start the morning, but a noble beverage to be enjoyed. The built-in appliances also look very elegant and form an aesthetic whole with the traditional kitchen appliances we all know. There is no shortage of functions and useful features. Every manufacturer promotes its appliance with all the bells and whistles, often including tips on flavors and preparations. And coffee lovers are reaping the benefits.
