COMPACT COFFEE MACHINE FROM KRUPS

– We get good feedback from Elkjøp staff that they are often asked about smaller espresso machines, so I feel confident that with Krups Coffee Crush we are meeting a need in the market, says Erik Sverresen of Groupe SEB.

We meet him at the end of May at Elkjøp’s training fair Campus Home, where he is demonstrating the Krups Coffee Crush. The machine makes six coffee drinks, from espresso and lungo to cappuccino and cold brew coffee, in a machine that is 15 centimetres wide. The milk steamer can also dispense hot water for americano and tea.

– You basically have all the functionality of a larger and more expensive machine, but because it is so compact you have to be a little more creative, says Sverresen.

According to Sverresen, the digital touch screen is central to the user experience.

Fast and attractive screen

– It is very responsive, intuitive and without delays. When it switches off, it is completely matte. When it is on, there are no flashing lights, just a calm appearance. The best thing is that it reacts quickly; you do not need to press hard or for long to make it prepare the coffee you want, says Sverresen.

Groupe SEB is positioning the Krups Coffee Crush towards smaller households. The machine uses coffee beans or pre-ground coffee, and must be emptied manually for each cup brewed.

– For the target group, I do not think manual emptying is a negative. This is a machine for households with one or two coffee drinkers, and you have to empty the filter or coffee grounds in larger fully automatic machines anyway. Far more important is the advantage of the compact footprint on the kitchen worktop, says Sverresen.

He believes the manual emptying of the coffee puck for each cup is actually an advantage:

– All coffee equipment should be washed every time to achieve maximum flavour, and here the coffee cannot be left sitting long enough to start going mouldy, Sverresen tells the trade magazine Elektronikkbransjen.

Steel grinder

Krups Coffee Crush costs around NOK 4,000. It has a 1.8-litre water tank, and the coffee grinder is made of stainless steel. The bean container holds 150 grams.

– Some critics may think the grinder should be ceramic, but for home use with 4–5 cups a day it makes no difference. Steel does not generate heat that destroys the coffee aromas, and lasts longer. We have made a machine that you can enjoy for many years, says Sverresen.

Krups is part of Groupe SEB’s coffee portfolio together with, among others, WMF, which is positioned at a higher price level.

– Why are there not more fully automatic machines that are equally compact?

– It will probably come, but here Groupe SEB has innovated and compressed technology that has been found in larger machines. This is a genuine innovation in terms of size, says Sverresen.