Top Brewer

The Scanomat Top Brewer is the ultimate coffee machine for the homeowner that likes an uncluttered countertop. You can control the grinding and brewing hidden below the countertop with a touch pad controller or by using your iPhone or iPad.

The Top Brewer has dual grinders and a height-adjustable goose neck spout that can brew a cup of coffee from a cold start in 45 seconds. Once warmed up the Top Brewer can deliver a hot cup of coffee in 15 seconds or a shot of espresso in 25 seconds. The refrigerated compartment keeps milk fresh for on demand foaming at the correct texture for Lattes, Cappuccinos, Macchiatos or what ever it is you desire.

Another great feature is that the Top Brewer cleans itself automatically. The cleaning system cleans all hoses with water after each cup.

Two models are available; the Pro and the Compact. The Pro requires a drain so some extra planning is required for installation.

If coffee isn’t your thing, the Top Brewer can be configured to dispense hot and cold water, milk, fruit juices or even just steam for blanching vegetables. Pricing is available upon request.

Be your own Barista

The Top Brewer app is easy and intuitive. Adjusting your coffee strength or amount of milk is as simple as moving the slider to your personal preference. You can also save the customized settings in your app. Scanomat built the app with real-time status so you can oversee the whole brewing process.

Those who own more than one Top Brewer can control multiple machines simultaneously via the app’s favorites screen. It gives you control all of your machines in one view, so you can be churning out a variety of drinks with a few taps, turning you into the ultimate barista.

This appliance has benefits outside the home. Imagine your local coffee shop with a team of Top Brewers that lets you order your coffee drink just the way you like it from your iPhone or iPad while you stand in line to pay for the beverage.

August 11, 2013

Another Useless iPhone Accessory

Range is a cooking thermometer designed to plug into your iPhone, iPod or iPad offered currently only on Kickstarter by Supermechanical.

Range was designed in two variations: The Aqua has a six-inch, rounded thermometer tip and three-foot cord for general use, while the Ember has a two-inch, pointed probe and four-foot cord designed specifically for meat. Supermechanical claims Range can withstand temperatures of up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

The networked thermometer concept isn’t new. Competitors such as the iGrill and iCelsius BBQ also plug into your smartphone or tablet. But Supermechanical says neither have the range of Range’s functionality — such as the ability to graph out your temperatures over time.

What set’s Range apart is its ability to graph temperature changes over time so you can compare the batches of food you are preparing. I know more cooks than candy makers and none have ever expressed a need for graphing temperature. What chefs do need is consistent temperature – or at least the knowledge that they have reached the desired temperature.

Supermechanical makes one mention that this as a convenient tool for Beer makers. If any home brewers are reading I’d like to know if you’d find the emperical data helpful.

So, despite the great graphic readout on your phone or tablet and the fancy alarms, this thermometer is no better than most (IMHO) because you can’t leave the room or your will not hear the alarm. Seriously? Why is this not Wi-Fi or Bluetooth enabled to talk to your phone when you have to step away or are cooking a dish with a long roasting time?

Supermechanical claims they don’t use Bluetooth because it’s not reliable. After doing a little further reading I found that they say you can push your notification to another iOS device as long as you have an internet connection.

If you are a candy maker, do you really want to risk getting your phone or tablet all sticky? I wouldn’t. I also wonder about having your iOS device close to heat. While the probe and heat-resistant cable may be able to withstand 450 degree temperatures how will your tablet fare?

August 4, 2013

High Tech Kitchen

The Prisma Kitchen from Italian Manufacturer Toncelli Cucine Spa is clean and minimalistic with tablet technology built into the countertop. The island concept is a collaboration between Toncelli Designs and consulting firm Experientia to create a new kitchen experience.

The black glass countertop seamlessly incorporates the large Samsung tablet and is trimmed with anodized aluminum. The sliding cutting board is a great feature if you are not vertically challenged. I would think it would be okay for dicing small things but I wouldn’t try to cut a pineapple or a watermelon on it. I do like the contrasting red color. The center of the cutting board turns via lazy Susan hardware. I’m not sure it is necessary but Toncelli states it is for viewing upright items like a tablet – do you need another one?

“The “prismatic” composition of the surfaces transmits an immediate sense of weightlessness, emphasized by the lights
that illuminate the pieces from below.”

The overall concept is successfully minimalistic while also being complex in its ingenuity. The lack of visible hardware and almost floating appearance of the island keeps the cabinetry streamlined but not boring.

The large screen would make recipe viewing easier than using a smart phone or a tablet. Unlike a tablet, it can’t be knocked off its perch. I think as long as the screen resolution is nice then viewing your screen at an angle would be acceptable.

I am curious if the type of person who would be most likely to want this technology might also be the person who grows tired of it the fastest. What do you think? Is this the type of item someone buys for themselves or do they buy it to impress others?

Toncelli has been creating beautiful kitchen designs for over 50 years. Their philosophy is to produce and distribute all over the world fitted kitchens enriched by the handicraft tradition. The secret to success is their “passion for beauty and the will to satisfy always the client.”

July 28, 2013

St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway

For as little as $100, you could win a new home worth between $300,000 to $600,000 and help the children who receive life-saving treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

The state-of-the-art facility, located in Memphis, Tennessee, is two-and-a-half million square feet of magic with about 3,600 employees.

On average, about 7,800 patients are seen at St. Jude every year, most of whom are treated on a continuing outpatient basis as part of ongoing research programs — having treated kids from all around the world and all 50 states.

St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of the family’s inability to pay.

Since it began in 1991, more than 200 houses have been given away. To date the Dream Home program has raised more than $260 million for St. Jude. The Dream Home program is now one of the largest single-event fundraisers for St. Jude nationwide.

This year, the program will include more than 30 St. Jude Dream Home Giveaways and will continue to grow.

Houses for the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway are now being constructed in multiple states using donated land, labor, materials and fixtures. One national donor, Brizo Faucets, recently hosted a tour and sponsored children activities at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Target House; where children and their family stay if the treatment is scheduled to last more than three months.

Brizo is a fashion forward brand that has united talented Designers and Design Bloggers from across North America and abroad for social media events that go beyond discussing design and inspiration. They treat each group, fondly referred to as the Blogger19, as part of their design family. They genuinely care about our thoughts on where the industry is going as well as the challenges we face in the field.

The recent reunion trip of all the Blogger19 groups was a great way for me to feel like I was finally able to let Brizo know I care about what is important to them.

blogger19 group photo Memphis — Blogger19 Group Photo

This was an amazing, eye-opening experience. I have to thank Brizo for opening my eyes to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital network of patient care and research. I wish Florida had a Dream Home – you have to be a resident of the state where the home is built to buy a ticket. Fortunately, there are other ways to give support. I find it impressive that 81 cents of every dollar donated to St. Jude goes directly towards funding the research necessary to fight some of the most heart-breaking diseases.

A fellow designer commented that she didn’t feel like she was in a hospital but rather a mall food court. At St. Jude you don’t see wheelchairs; children are pulled by their parents in little red wagons. The air is triple filtered so it has no odor. The walls and corridors are painted and decorated in fun themes. It’s quite possibly the most inspirational place I’ve ever been. I have so many photos from the trip I really have no idea how to share them all.

St. Jude Brizo Collage | KitchAnn Style — Activities at St. Jude with Brizo

We got in on some of the fun and posed in the photo booth after the kids were done with their props and camera ready poses.

If you’d like to know more about St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or make a donation, follow the link HERE.

Author: Ann Porter

Top Brewer

Another Useless iPhone Accessory

High Tech Kitchen

“The “prismatic” composition of the surfaces transmits an immediate sense of weightlessness, emphasized by the lights
that illuminate the pieces from below.”

St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway

“The “prismatic” composition of the surfaces transmits an immediate sense of weightlessness, emphasized by the lights that illuminate the pieces from below.”

“The “prismatic” composition of the surfaces transmits an immediate sense of weightlessness, emphasized by the lights
that illuminate the pieces from below.”