The Nunc espresso machine and grinder combo with a cartridge loaded to the hopper. All images courtesy of Nunc.
German high-tech appliance startup Next Level Coffee GmbH has arguably taken IoT in coffee making to its most advanced level yet with Nunc, a new high-end home grinding and espresso drink system.
Buyers in Germany are slated to receive the first production units of the new system this summer following a discounted pre-order price of just over US$2,700. Full-price sales to additional markets are expected to commence in 2025, according to the company.
The Nunc System
The Nunc’s standalone espresso machine unit and standalone grinder communicate with one another via Bluetooth, while proprietary 150-gram (5.2-ounce) whole bean containers communicate via NFC circuitry.
When containers are loaded into what the company calls the grinder’s “SmartHopper,” instructions are downloaded and shared between the machines.
The grinder’s “MagicGrind” system automatically self-adjusts the grind setting, dose and RPM of the 64-millimeter flat burrs. The “MagicShot” system in the espresso machine adjusts water quantity, temperature, pressure and flow per activation. A steam wand can automatically perform different steam profiles for varying quantities and types of milk.
Users can still savor some of the craft of espresso making as they position the 58-millimeter portafilter beneath the grinder’s chute, then tamp and load it into the proprietary group. Yet much of the rabbit hole that comes naturally when switching between coffees is filled automatically, thanks to the machine’s cloud-linked sensors and automation components.
“The device eliminates the need for complicated settings and enables the user to prepare perfect coffee effortlessly and intuitively,” Dominik Maier, managing director and co-founder of Next Level Coffee, told Daily Coffee News. “The revolutionary and patented Nunc concept is seamlessly embedded in a holistic digital ecosystem and takes the hassle out of every single step for the coffee lover.”
Encased in matching laser-welded steel, the minimalist yet robust grinder and espresso machine are both built to look and feel appropriate in high-end homes and offices.
The 4.5-liter water reservoir is made from a clear fluted food-safe polymer that matches the grinder’s hopper. Nunc ships with two hoppers that are removable and sealable for swapping coffees. The whole-bean canisters that fit inside them are made from a house-formulated recyclable paper, with a recyclable-paper NFC card embedded.
Nunc Coffees
The person in charge of sourcing the roasted beans that are loaded into the proprietary Nunc canisters is two-time Dutch Barista Champion and certified Q Grader Coen van Sprang, who is also founder and head roaster of Zurich, Switzerland-based Balloon Coffee Roasters.
“We source our coffees directly and through partners who work in harmony with nature and share our goals: first-class quality, freshness, consistency, honest and sustainable prices and practiced transparency,” Maier told DCN. “Nunc covers the end-to-end supply chain.”
Next Level plans to expand its coffee sourcing program to include more beans from local roasters in the markets where the system is sold.
Nunc and Next Level
Founded in 2021 by Maier, Marius Kütemeyer and Markus Unger, Next Level Coffee spent three years developing Nunc in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands, involving over interdisciplinary experts along the way, according to the company.
Maier told DCN approximately half of the company’s funding has come from angel investors in the coffee, food and tech spheres. The other half has come from an unnamed “financially strong global market leader from the coffee industry” and investment firms. The company has not disclosed the amount of money it has raised.
While Nunc’s initial focus is on the home coffee market, Maier said the patented technologies behind the system are potentially scalable for commercial applications.
“Next Level Coffee is a data-driven technology company using intelligent software and scalable data analysis tools,” said Maier. “The hardware is interchangeable and additional model lines can be created at any time with varying levels of complexity, functionality and price points.”
Pre-orders at the discounted price of €2,499 (US$2,713) launched in Germany in December 2023. The anticipated full price of the Nunc system is approximately €3,299 ($3,582).
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Howard Bryman
Howard Bryman is the associate editor of Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine. He is based in Portland, Oregon.
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