Silver Home Appliances Design · 2023
Af007 Single Dose Coffee Grinder
by Nicola Zanetti and Federico Gonzales Bosque
- A' Design Award 2023 Silver Winner in Home Appliances Design
- Awarded April 15, 2023
- CLIENT: Jiangsu Amalfi Machinery Equipment CO., LTD
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 44,317
- Verification code 2D9A00F061 · Verify this award
About Af007 Single Dose Coffee Grinder
Af007 wants to give a new level of precision and quality to your coffee brewing. The design follows a modern, minimalist aesthetic style; this grinder is constructed with a durable metal body, making it both long-lasting and easy to clean. Simply because of the geometric elements, elegant because of the clean shapes assembly, modern because of the UI touch interface, and fits all kinds of environments, professional bars, or home kitchens with the basic color palette chosen. Easy as a coffee.
The AF007 Single Dose Coffee Grinder by Nicola Zanetti emerges from a rich tradition of objects that elevate quotidian rituals into experiences of refined pleasure, situating itself within the broader discourse of contemporary product design that privileges material authenticity, functional transparency, and aesthetic restraint. This work demonstrates exceptional command of form-function integration, wherein every sculptural decision serves operational purpose while contributing to a cohesive visual identity that speaks to discerning sensibilities. The vertical cylindrical architecture references historical grinding implements while thoroughly reimagining them through contemporary manufacturing capabilities and digital integration, the sleek interface panel embedding sophisticated control systems within a minimalist graphic vocabulary of plus, minus, and power symbols illuminated against darkness. The chromatic strategy exhibits particular sophistication, limiting the primary palette to warm metallics and neutral darks while allowing environmental elements to provide complementary warmth through natural wood and organic greenery. Technical merit reveals itself in the precision of component relationships, the seamless transition between the adjustment collar and main body, the considered angle of the dosing spout, and the elegant simplicity of the magnetic base system. Thematically, this design engages with contemporary movements toward single-origin coffee appreciation and precision brewing, tools that honor the complexity of specialty beans through exacting particle distribution. The presentation within a space suggesting Eastern aesthetic influence invites contemplation of the broader cultural conversation between mechanical precision and contemplative practice, between Western engineering traditions and Eastern philosophies of mindful attention. One might consider how the daily ritual of grinding coffee becomes, through such carefully considered implements, an opportunity for presence and appreciation in an accelerated world.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- A new level of precision and quality to your coffee brewing with our revolutionary coffee grinder. Designed with a modern, minimalist aesthetic, this grinder is constructed with a durable metal body, making it both long-lasting and easy to clean.
One of the most important factors in achieving a perfect cup of coffee is the grind, and our grinder is equipped with cutting-edge titanium ceramic burrs. These burrs are known for their superior durability and ability to produce a precise, consistent - Dimensions & Packaging
- Overall product dimensionis 335x245x460h mm and the weight is 8kg - Material is metal painted or brushed -Motor power is 400W brushless DC motor - Hopper capacity is 50g - 64mm flat burr with titanium or ceramic coating
- Tags
- Coffee, grinder, burr, flat, powder, beans, machine
- Production Technology
- Body is made by hi pressure metal injection molds, surface is painted or brushed.The flat burr are coated by titanium or ceramic to have a long life and precise regulation.
- Design Challenge
- Designing a minimal & modern coffee grinder was a challenge. Balancing form & function, integrating technology, and making it easy to use were obstacles. Historical & social perspective, production possibilities, information availability and technology were factors that were considered.
- Project Duration
- Designed in Italy by an international team of designers that worked online. Project was developed for th design phase on a tiem of six months and the final fine tuning of the design took around 1 month, after the engineering of functional details was completed.
- Operation Flow
- AF007 is an extremely simple and intuitive coffee grinder. The container or the filter holder is placed directly in the fork on the front side. The coffee beans are poured into the upper compartment and then the degree of grinding is selected by rotating the upper graduated cylinder. Finally, the grinding speed is selected from the interface on the product side and the coffee beans are ground and dispensed in powder form directly into the container on the front.
- Research
- We compared a lot of traditional and modern competitors products, We identified the style and the way to use the product that was matching with our idea and we translated it in a new product. Limitation from production point of view , made us come back to a more traditional shape and less innovative , considering not all the products can have an unlimited budget , we blanced the needs of production and the design push.
- Inspiration
- Investigating trends on coffee machines and coffee appliances, we took this simple, minimal and modern outlook style. Technology details such as LED lights or digital displays makes the grinder feel modern and high-tech. Minimal color palette, such as black, white, and silver, gives the grinder a sleek, modern look that comes already by the simple cilindric shape.
Colors of Af007 Single Dose Coffee Grinder
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G0E3 ShopGrand Interview about Af007 Single Dose Coffee Grinder
The grinder were designed to enhance the user experience by offering a modern, intuitive way to interact with the machine while maintaining simplicity. The touch interface allows for quick, responsive control of the grinder, enabling users to easily adjust settings like grind size and dose with just a tap or swipe.The integrated LED lighting provides clear visual feedback, such as indicating the selected grind size or showing when the grinder is in operation. This eliminates the need for complex buttons or switches, streamlining the user experience. The lighting is designed to be both functional and aesthetically pleasing, adding a sleek, modern look while improving usability, especially in low-light conditions.By focusing on simplicity and user-friendly design, we ensured that the AF007 grinder offers advanced features without overwhelming the user. The touch interface and LED integration make the grinding process more efficient and enjoyable, allowing users to achieve precise results with minimal effort.
It was inspired by a desire to create a visually appealing yet functional design that aligns with contemporary trends in both professional and home kitchen environments. Geometric shapes evoke a sense of precision and order, which is essential in a coffee grinder known for its accuracy and consistency. Meanwhile, clean, minimal lines ensure that the grinder remains sleek and unobtrusive, fitting seamlessly into a variety of kitchen/bar styles.This approach reflects the current trend of modern kitchen appliances that blend seamlessly with the overall aesthetic of the space, focusing on simplicity and sophistication. The minimalist design avoids unnecessary clutter, emphasizing the grinder's high-end functionality while making it versatile enough to complement both professional setups and home kitchens.By combining geometric precision with a clean, understated form, the design speaks to consumers’ growing preference for appliances that are not only functional but also enhance the visual appeal of their kitchen, contributing to an overall sense of style and cohesion.
With team members from diverse cultural backgrounds and expertise, we were able to combine different perspectives on functionality, aesthetics, and user experience, resulting in a more refined, globally appealing product.This collaborative approach helped us create a product that appeals to a wide range of coffee enthusiasts, from professional baristas to home users, by blending precision, ease of use, and contemporary design. The diverse viewpoints enriched the design process, allowing us to meet global market needs while maintaining a unified vision for the product.
The decision to use titanium or ceramic-coated flat burrs in the AF007 Single Dose Coffee Grinder was the result of extensive research focused on enhancing the precision, consistency, and longevity of the grinding process. Both materials were selected for their unique properties that contribute to superior grinding performance.**Research and Development Process:**We explored a range of burr materials, considering factors like durability, grind consistency, and the ability to maintain sharpness over time. Titanium and ceramic coatings emerged as the top choices due to their ability to resist wear and corrosion, ensuring a long lifespan even with frequent use. Titanium coating, in particular, offers superior hardness, reducing burr degradation and preserving the precision of the grind. Ceramic coatings provide a smooth, consistent surface that ensures minimal friction, which in turn helps maintain grind consistency and reduces heat generation, preventing the coffee from being affected by heat during grinding.**Impact on Precision and Consistency:**The titanium or ceramic coating significantly enhances the grinder’s ability to produce a uniform grind, which is essential for achieving consistent extraction and optimal flavor. These coatings also minimize the buildup of oils and coffee particles on the burrs, maintaining clean, precise cuts through the coffee beans. The result is a more consistent particle size, which translates to better brewing performance, whether for espresso or other brewing methods.Ultimately, this material choice supports the grinder's goal of offering professional-level performance with greater longevity and precision, ensuring that users can consistently achieve the perfect grind every time.
The decision to incorporate a 50g hopper capacity and a 64mm flat burr system in the AF007 Single Dose Coffee Grinder was guided by several key considerations to ensure the grinder serves both professional baristas and home coffee enthusiasts.**Hopper Capacity (50g):** The 50g hopper was chosen for its balance between being compact enough for home use, while still providing sufficient capacity for multiple doses, making it ideal for both single servings and small batch grinding. This capacity ensures that users can grind fresh coffee beans without constantly refilling, while maintaining freshness and precision in each grind.**64mm Flat Burr System:** The 64mm burrs were selected to offer a larger surface area for grinding, ensuring faster and more consistent results. For professionals, this larger burr size supports high-volume grinding, providing uniformity and precision essential for espresso and other brewing methods. For home enthusiasts, the flat burr system ensures consistent particle size distribution, improving the overall extraction and flavor of the coffee.Together, these specifications offer the versatility needed to meet the demands of both professional baristas who require efficiency and consistency, as well as home coffee enthusiasts who prioritize precision and quality in every cup.
The brushless DC motor design, with its 400W power system, offers a significant balance of performance and energy efficiency, making it a key feature of the grinder’s design.**Performance and Efficiency:** Brushless DC motors are known for their high efficiency, as they eliminate the need for brushes that can create friction and reduce power output. This efficiency allows the motor to provide consistent, high-torque performance without the energy loss seen in traditional brushed motors. The 400W power system ensures that the grinder operates at a high level of precision, delivering fast and consistent grinds without overloading or overheating, even during extended use.**Advantages Over Traditional Motors:** Compared to traditional brushed motors, brushless DC motors are more durable and require less maintenance, as they have no brushes to wear out. This leads to a longer lifespan for the motor. Additionally, brushless motors are quieter, offering a more pleasant grinding experience, especially in home settings where noise can be a concern. The absence of brushes also reduces the risk of motor failure and ensures smoother, more efficient operation over time.In summary, the 400W brushless DC motor enhances the AF007’s overall performance by providing efficient power, longevity, and quieter operation, making it an ideal choice for both professional and home coffee grinders.
The integration of the graduated cylinder mechanism for grind selectionwas inspired by the desire to offer a highly precise and user-friendly grind adjustment system. Traditional grinders often use stepped or stepless mechanisms that can be difficult to fine-tune, especially when users are aiming for very specific grind sizes. The graduated cylinder offers a clear, intuitive way to select grind sizes with greater accuracy and consistency.**Design Solution:**The graduated cylinder system allows users to quickly and clearly see the grind settings, similar to a dial, but with the added benefit of marked increments that guide precise adjustments. This system removes ambiguity, providing a tactile and visual reference for users, so they can easily replicate grind settings for consistency. It combines the best aspects of both stepped and stepless adjustments—offering fine-tuning without the complexity and potential inconsistency of a purely stepless system.**Effectiveness Over Conventional Systems:**Compared to traditional systems, the graduated cylinder provides smoother, more accurate adjustments with a clear visual indication of the setting. It simplifies the process for users who might struggle with traditional stepped systems, where the precise grind adjustment can sometimes feel imprecise. This system also offers flexibility, allowing users to easily switch between different grind sizes without having to guess or experiment, enhancing both the user experience and the consistency of the grind. In essence, the graduated cylinder mechanism enhances ease of use, precision, and repeatability, making it a standout feature for both professionals and home coffee enthusiasts.
**Durability vs. Aesthetic Appeal:** One of the primary challenges was ensuring the metal body was durable enough to withstand the rigors of frequent use while maintaining a high-end, visually appealing finish. Metal injection molding (MIM) allowed us to create a robust, precise structure, but ensuring the surface finish—whether painted or brushed—was both resilient and refined required careful material selection and finishing techniques. The painted finish needed to be resistant to scratches, stains, and wear, while the brushed finish had to maintain its texture without losing its integrity over time.**Manufacturing Precision:** MIM allowed us to achieve the complex shapes and fine details needed for the grinder’s design, but ensuring consistency in the molding process was crucial. This included maintaining tight tolerances so that all components fit together seamlessly, enhancing both the grinder’s functionality and its overall aesthetic cohesion.**Material Selection for Finishing:** The choice of materials for the painting and brushing finishes also played a critical role. We had to select coatings that not only looked sleek but also provided protection against fingerprints, oils, and moisture, ensuring the grinder maintained its polished appearance with prolonged use. Additionally, the brush finish needed to be finely executed to highlight the sleek, modern look of the design while preserving the integrity of the metal.Ultimately, the combination of metal injection molding with carefully applied finishes allowed us to balance durability and aesthetics, resulting in a coffee grinder that is both highly functional and visually striking, withstanding the demands of daily use while maintaining an elegant design.
Innovations, like its precise graduated cylinder mechanism, titanium or ceramic-coated burrs, and intuitive touch interface, are likely to shape the future of coffee grinding technology. We can expect more grinders to adopt advanced, user-friendly features for better control and consistency, especially for home users. The compact design and versatile capacity of the AF007 highlight a trend toward grinders that work seamlessly for both professionals and home enthusiasts. Additionally, the focus on durability and sustainability through materials like metal injection molding and brushless motors may influence future coffee equipment to prioritize longevity and eco-friendliness.
The Silver A' Design Award recognition for the AF007 Single Dose Coffee Grinder has reinforced our commitment to balancing innovation with practical functionality in future projects. This achievement has shown us the value of creating products that not only push the boundaries of design but also meet the real-world needs of users. Moving forward, we’ll continue to prioritize user-centric features, ensuring that advanced technologies like precise grind mechanisms and intuitive interfaces are accessible and easy to use.The recognition has also deepened our understanding of the importance of aesthetics in functionality. It motivates us to integrate form and function seamlessly, ensuring that each design element not only enhances the product’s performance but also elevates its visual appeal. As we approach future projects, we’ll remain focused on creating appliances that offer both cutting-edge innovation and everyday practicality, while ensuring they resonate with a broad audience.