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Titanium Meaisín Caife by Carl Mertens

Titanium Meaisín Caife by Carl Mertens is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Duais Óir A' Design Award in Dearadh Fearas Tí Competition Category.


ÓrFearas Tí· 2026

Titanium Meaisín Caife

by Carl Mertens

Client: Carl Mertens

Duais Óir A' Design Award Winner in Fearas Tí Category

Colors

The Design

About Titanium Meaisín Caife

Is meaisín caife leathuathoibríoch dlúth é Titanium a dearadh do chistineacha a bhfuil spás teoranta cuntair acu. Tá an corp cruinn múnlaithe trí insteallmhúnlú agus péinteáilte i gcian ísealsáithithe, agus é maisithe le cruach dhosmálta scuabtha. Léiríonn crios taispeána trédhearcach agus éifeachtaí soilsithe stádas an mheaisín go soiléir. Treoraíonn soilse táscaire ailínithe an phortascagaire an socrú beacht. Tá an scáileán cithfholctha agus an ciseán scagaire déanta as tíotáiniam íon, atá frithbhaictéarach agus friotaíoch in aghaidh creimthe. Déanann aonad meilte inbhainte an glanadh agus an chothabháil níos simplí.

The Recognition

About the Duais Óir A' Design Award

Bhuaigh an dearadh Titanium Meaisín Caife Duais Óir A' Design Award, aitheantas thar a bheith clúiteach a bhronntar ar dhearaí den chéad scoth, iontacha agus sármhaithe. Is cruthuithe an-nuálacha, fíorasacha agus drithleacha iad buaiteoirí Óir a léiríonn géiniais, eagna agus máistreacht a ndearthóirí. Táthar ag súil go mbeidh an dearadh Titanium Meaisín Caife ina aireagán a mholtar go mór, ceannródaíoch agus séadchomharthach a sholáthraíonn luach nach bhfacthas riamh cheana. Is tionscadal iontach, measúil é an dearadh seo a bhuaigh Duais Óir A' Design Award a dhéanann sárleas do theorainneacha na healaíne, na heolaíochta, an deartha agus na teicneolaíochta agus a chuireann chun cinn iad. Cruthaíonn an dearadh Titanium Meaisín Caife mothúcháin dhian mhianta, músclaíonn sé paisean, spreagann sé cruthaitheacht agus cuireann sé draíocht orainn.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties
This compact semiautomatic coffee machine breaks from the traditional boxy form, combining rounded vintage lines with modern lighting effects to create distinct retrofuturistic aesthetics. Features such as a transparent display zone, portafilter alignment indicator lights, and a removable grinding unit simplify operation and elevate user experience. The overall design allows coffee enthusiasts to enjoy a professional, convenient, and ritualistic coffee making experience even in limited spaces.
Dimensions & Packaging
285mm*321mm*345mm
Tags
Retrofuturistic Aesthetics, Transparent Display Zone, Interactive Lighting, Pure Titanium Antibacterial Components, Removable Grinding Unit, Professional Experience, Compact and Space Friendly
Production Technology
The body is injection molded, polished, and spray painted for a smooth texture and an elegant cyan color. Drip tray and group head are made of brushed and polished stainless steel for a professional look. Key parts including shower screen and filter basket are made of pure titanium, which is antibacterial and corrosion resistant, ensuring safety. The top transparent bean hopper and removable grinding unit show coffee bean status, preventing clogging and facilitating cleaning and maintenance.
Design Challenge
The main challenge was to maintain the core performance of professional coffee machines while reducing overall size. The design team addressed this by reorganizing the internal structure with a modular layout to ensure stable extraction pressure within a compact form. The removable grinding unit successfully balances ease of disassembly with consistent grinding performance, allowing the small coffee machine to deliver professional level performance comparable to larger machines.
Research
Research shows the demand for professional grade coffee is steadily rising, yet urban kitchens often lack sufficient counter space for traditional large coffee machines. This product balances space efficiency and professional performance. With removable components and a compact layout, it preserves core features like professional extraction pressure while reducing its size, bringing professional coffee making into a compact space and delivering a premium coffee making experience.
Inspiration
The exterior draws on the mechanical aesthetics of classic Italian espresso machines with a distinct pressure gauge while integrating modern home aesthetics through a rounded body and a silver track, perfectly balancing vintage charm with contemporary technological appeal. An elegant low saturation cyan body accented with brushed stainless steel reinforces both professional quality and modern style.
Project Duration
The project was initiated in April 2025 in Jinhua, Zhejiang. The design is expected to be completed by April 2026, with its first public presentation scheduled at the CARL MERTENS Distributor Conference. Full production will then begin in June 2026 in Jiangmen, Guangdong.
Operation Flow
The transparent display zone and lighting effects make information and machine status immediately clear. Portafilter alignment indicator lights guide precise placement, simplifying operation. Dual wide angled, ergonomically tilted, antislip detent side levers improve extraction pressure control while the short throw steam lever reduces the risk of scalding. The removable portafilter base supports based and baseless use, while the drip tray with vortex pattern shows the place for cups.
Team Members
Heping Zhou
Jijia Wu
Guitao Mei

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