Has there ever been a home appliance brand as design-forward as Balmuda? Since its debut in Japan two decades ago, the brand has racked up numerous international design awards, with every product it builds as much as a piece of modern art as a helpful gadget.
The Brew is Balmuda’s take on an automatic coffee machine, and like everything else we’ve seen from the brand, it occupies a singular place in the market. It’s beautiful — that goes without saying — but it also promises heightened performance, emulating a manual pour-over coffee maker to supposedly make a superior cup of joe. But is it really as good as it looks?
Balmuda The Brew: What We Think
Balmuda’s first coffee maker certainly lives up to the brand’s reputation. It’s gorgeous and looks great on a countertop. It’s high-performing, churning out noticeably more robust and clear-tasting coffee than your average drip machine. But, it’s expensive — arguably too expensive — given the amount of plastic in the machine and its limitations as a coffee maker.
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The Brew is beautiful but feels cheap
The Brew is one of the most attractive coffee makers you’ll likely ever see, no question about it. It’s sleek, with a pleasing hourglass shape — likely inspired by the classic Chemex pour-over coffee maker — and its matte black finish contrasts beautifully with the stainless steel accents and carafe.
But upon closer inspection, you discover everything black on the body is made of plastic, giving The Brew a bit of a hotel-room-coffee-maker vibe. I like the look, but I’d love to see more metal and less plastic for this kind of money.
It’s surprisingly fun to use
Thankfully, the machine is not lacking in Balmuda’s typical design quirks. To remove the dripper, you rotate it 90 degrees rather than pulling it straight off, a unique feature that shows the whimsical creativity of Balmuda’s designers. Turn the machine on and you’re greeted with more whimsy.
First, there’s a short welcoming chime as the adorable little light bulb on top comes alive with a warm orange glow. Then, press the two buttons to select your size and brewing mode and hear them each emit a different retro beep. Finally, press “start” to begin brewing and hear a little jingle, followed by a clock-like ticking that lets you know your coffee is in the works.
If you like coffee, you’ll love what The Brew brews
There’s a lot of technology hidden in The Brew that allows for things like precise temperature control and carefully measured flavor extraction. Frankly, it all works wonders. After a (somewhat lengthy) show of steam and drips from the stainless steel dripper, the resultant beverage tastes just like pour-over coffee. (It only makes one cup at a time, but that’s probably for the best, since there’s no warmer for the carafe.)
Of the three modes, I’m surprised to say my favorite is the iced coffee setting, which still produces hot coffee, but in a more concentrated form. Toss some ice cubes in once it’s done brewing, let them melt and pour into an ice-filled glass for a strong, tasty treat.
Balmuda The Brew: Alternatives
Balmuda is not the first brand to automate the pour-over coffee experience, nor is it the first company to do so in beautiful fashion. Chemex makes an automatic machine that works with (and includes) its iconic and gorgeous glass brewer, and it costs half as much as the Balmuda. The Ratio Eight is priced around the same as the Balmuda, comes from a trusted coffee nerd brand and can brew 16 to 40 ounces at once. It's also available in several attractive options.
Finally, of course, there is the classic Technivorm Moccamaster, which hews a bit closer to plain ol' drip coffee than the others mentioned but is still plenty attractive and has loads of fans who will attest to the quality of its coffee. Like with the Chemex, you could buy two Moccamasters for the cost of one Balmuda.
