Kickstarter

Miir Launches Kickstarter for New Pourigami Brewer

May 9, 2019 By Michael Leave a Comment

Miir Pourigami Does the world need another pour-over dripper? If you asked us yesterday, we would have said no. Between the Kalita Wave (our daily go-to), the Hario V60 (the device that started it all for us), and the million other conical and flat bottom drippers out there, there’s enough brewing devices to keep coffee bloggers such as ourselves gainfully employed writing reviews and tutorials that explore each gloriously subtle difference. And if you, say, wanted to crowd-fund a new pour-over device? Forget it. That shipped sailed years ago.

Well, that’s what we would have said right up until the point we watched the video for the Miir Pourigami, a collapsable brewer currently being crowd-funded on Kickstarter….

This New Smart Grinder Just Raised $100,000

August 1, 2016 By Michael Leave a Comment

Voltaire Smart Grinder

Whether it’s a neighborhood café trying to scrape together the capital for a roaster or an aspiring inventor looking to fund the first round of production, coffee projects are no stranger to Kickstarter. But only the more ambitious set their make-or-break goal at a cool 100 grand. But then again, the Voltaire Smart Grinder is not your typical coffee Kickstarter project. …

Handground: the World’s First Crowdsourced Coffee Grinder

February 8, 2015 By Michael 5 Comments

A new hand grinder is poised to change the way you brew coffee. Handground is the world’s first crowdsourced coffee grinder. Company founders Daniel Vitielo, Brandon Warman, and Joaquin Herlein explain, “We were attempting to apply a Japanese principle called Kaizen to our coffee routine… Since Kaizen means continuous improvement we started to look for better options. Yet after searching the market and seeing the same ancient designs being repeated over and over we finally thought, we can do better.” Handground enlisted the input of over 1,000 coffee professionals and home enthusiasts worldwide during each step of the design process. Everything from the overall aesthetic, the ergonomic crank, and even the name of the company was voted on by the panel of contributors. The collaborative effort has clearly touched on a perceived need in the coffee community. Their Kickstarter project was fully funded on its first day and show no signs of slowing down. …

When it Comes to Travel Mugs, Corking is A-OK

June 19, 2014 By Michael 1 Comment

Here at the Compass we’re fans of well extracted coffee, craftsmanship, and entrepreneurs who are willing to take a risk to follow their dreams. We’re not fans of unnecessary waste, and there’s no denying coffee shops leave a large carbon footprint in the form of disposable cups. Besides, we just can’t get past that paper taste that doesn’t compliment our coffee’s delicate sweetness or acidity.

We’re sure a lot of coffee aficionados share our troubled conscience every time we order to-go, but let’s face it, who has the time to dine-in these days? If only travel mugs were better. Plastic tastes horrible, not to mention the health scares. A stainless steel thermos is great for commuting, but makes a poor drinking vessel. Ceramic is a time-proven classic, but unless you’re Daenerys Targaryen, good luck picking it up without a second degree burn.

Robert Knox of Whitefish, Montana understands your dilemma, and has developed a product with you in mind….

You Can Back Flatlands Coffee on Kickstarter

May 26, 2014 By Michael 2 Comments

One of the reasons we started the Coffee Compass was to bring attention to the many quality-focused cafes that are currently flying under the radar. Granted, the coffee scene in New York or London doesn’t really need the press, but the American heartland is filled with a growing number of committed baristas at craft coffee shops that deserve to have their story told. Depending on how their Kickstarter campaign goes, Flatlands Coffee in Bowling Green, OH might be the next one….