A Coffee Kickstarter Cautionary Tale 2022

March 21, 2023



The CoffeeJack: https://www.coffeejack.co.uk
The CoffeeJack Kickstarter Page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hribarcain/coffeejacktm-the-pocket-sized-barista
PicoPress Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT5Rz3QV74g
How I Make Espresso: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb3IxAr4RCo

Links:

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jameshoffmann
Limited Edition Merch: https://geni.us/TensHundredsThousands

My Books:
How to Make The Best Coffee At Home: https://geni.us/howtomakethebestcoffee
The World Atlas of Coffee: http://geni.us/atlasofcoffee
The World Atlas of Coffee Audiobook: https://bit.ly/worldatlasofcoffeeaudio
The Best of Jimseven: https://geni.us/bestofjimseven

Find me here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimseven
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/jimseven

Things I use and like:
My video kit*: https://kit.co/jimseven/video-making-gear
My current studio coffee kit*: https://kit.co/jimseven/studio-coffee-kit
The kitchen set shelving is by Studio Hausen*: https://bit.ly/studiohausen (they gave me a 10% discount code to share with you which is RGNNV1D)
My glasses: http://bit.ly/boldlondon
My hair product of choice: https://geni.us/forthehair
*Affiliate links

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30 Comments
  1. Reply
    Robby Bobby Hobbies March 21, 2023 at 3:08 pm

    Not sure what the question is, but this product doesn't seem to be the answer. Supply chain, production difficulties, whatever, it's ended up at a ridiculous price. Not the end of anyone's world, some products just can't exist economically.

  2. Still waiting for mine to ship. I backed them in 2019.

  3. i wonder who's going to want to pay that much for that.

  4. It's not just the manufacturing. The logistics of shipping, especially if the kickstarter blows up way higher than originally expected, can become an absolute nightmare.

  5. Anyone else find themselves distracted by James's lovely watch?…

  6. I didn't invest in the kickstarter so I have no pre-conceived biases, but seeing the tamp not fit right, seeing that the device is very hot to the touch if preheated, the basket, and the other small problems, for me begs the question – who is making this and how much do they even like coffee? Did they decide to create a business and design this device just for fun but without any real insight experience or research of the coffee market in general? I often get that feeling with kickstarter products, 'this is something that someone has taken a punt on' without necessarily wanting to put in the effort required to become a successful business

  7. Aeropress Master Race.

  8. First off, Love your videos, Mr. James. Please do keep making them, they are splendid and produce a smile if not a chuckle in my day.

    Regarding the CoffeeJack; It has been a wild ride, but a sadly typical crowdfunding experience, (Yes, I backed it) which very nearly did not make it in several iterations. Having worked for both manufacturers and VARs, I can understand a great deal of the challenges, and was very appreciative of the updates. I did purchase the stand along with the rest of the kit, and am particularly happy having done so, as none of my proper espresso cups will not fit the apparatus bare. The only insult to injury; which I am certain the creators had a perfectly rotten time affording, was having to ask for further monies at the end just to get the shipping done in a timely fashion. That being said, I would still count it as a success, having delivered the product to my house here in the States. (as opposed to not.)

    Regarding the apparatus, thank you for the paper sandwich tip, I shall try it soon! Haven't quite found the sweet spot with the apparatus yet.

  9. As someone with some education in fluid dynamics, I’m guessing that little stamped logo that doesn’t have holes is actually intentional. They’re trying to prevent channeling through the middle (but it’s more of a cheap bandaid fix than a proper fix) Especially given the divot in the middle of the puck this kinda backs up that idea.

    To properly fix it, they would’ve needed to build a better flow disperser at the “water” side of the puck…. But that would add cost, thermal mass, and size.

  10. I backed the coffee jack in 2019. Still waiting to receive mine.

  11. thats an mwh3 bomber dosing ring if I ever did see it.

  12. Reply
    CreepinWhileYouSleepin March 21, 2023 at 3:08 pm

    Anyone developing coffee gear these days should consult with James before production lol.

  13. When the roaster I backed makes it out I'll let you know. Have a mypressie I have not needed another portable espresso maker in 10 years.

  14. Having backed well over 100 campaigns from art to full run retail products. These people know its a risk just like the stock market but you get a pre public item. Some are great and do well and other are duds. I have had a few that have never been fulfilled. You are all a test subject and many products change after the first run just like a new year product car. Everyone can keep crying but without this option in the free market the venture capitalists would only be getting richer and we the people would have extremely less modern products.

    Side note manufacturing in china is very hard for small international companies. It's the wild west money and more money talk not as many protections for the company's financial investment.

  15. would Aeropress filters work for the modification or does it require something more particular?

  16. I don't even drink espresso. What am I doing here lol? Nice video.

  17. I was an early backer and received my CoffeeJack early January 2023. 

    First off, I have never liked coffee – nothing coffee flavored – at all. I have always said that I can't understand how something that smells so good could taste so bad. Nonetheless, I would enjoy an occasional espresso when out dining. I like not-sweet beverages. I so much want to like coffee, so I decided to try CoffeeJack to see if I would grow to enjoy coffee.

    My experience at home was meh… I couldn't force myself to drink what I produced with CoffeeJack. It was way too inconsistent and bitter.

    Fast forward to this video. I tried the "filter sandwich" that James recommended. WOW! it has made all the difference in the espresso I'm producing. I actually enjoyed my cup ❤. Now we shall see if having regular espresso at home will help me develop a taste for coffee in general.

    I also wanted to comment on the accessories. The stand (the only extra I purchased) is nice and sturdy, but not absolutely necessary. The unit will sit and function on a standard coffee mug quite nicely. I purchased a dosing funnel on Etsy for $5 US, and a tamper on Amazon, so my total investment is not that much money. I already owned a small zippered bag that will hold my CoffeeJack, the stand, my hand grinder, tamper, dosing funnel, and small digital scale. The whole set up ends up being only 8" x 5" x 5". Very portable. I'm happy!

  18. I ended up with one of these. I know a lot of people were angry with the delay. My experience is that kickstarters and the like often run over at the best of times, nevermind during a pandemic. I was actually very impressed with the level of communication and honesty in their updating. It didn't work out at planned, clearly, but they stuck to it and delivered a product in the end. The honesty and transparency was worth more to me than getting it on some sort of timeline.

    All that said: haven't had a chance to mess with the unit yet, but am impressed by the look and feel of it. We have the Picopresso and Nanopresso in our shop and this does seem a bit more elegant. I'll try to return with some sort of review on its use another time.

  19. For us R&D folks, the mentality of The Lean Startup by Eric Ries is sort of a bible for designing software and hardware. This feels impossible to do with the expectations of kickstarter.

  20. I will say that for a 30-pound tamper, James flings it around pretty easily.

  21. Reply
    Alexandre Vendette March 21, 2023 at 3:08 pm

    I backed it, recieved it in the early first batch of shipping. I think it is fun to have. Portable, does a better job than any 200$ electric espresso machines. A good travel/work kit for espresso drinkers.

  22. Reply
    Verdampft und zugevaped March 21, 2023 at 3:08 pm

    I would buy it and the stand, too, for half of the price and if they would offer matching filter papers for a cheap price.

  23. too much of a hassle for a brew.

  24. I just got mine a couple of weeks ago. I like it, it seems very well made. I have the stand, which I agree is necessary. Once I got mine, I ordered the tamper from Coffeejack, because I saw the need for it and I wanted one that fit. I went through the waiting process. I didn't get too frustrated, as I knew this was a tricky product to manufacture and the updates were timely. Overall, very happy with it. It is an elegant design, especially with the stand, which is very sturdy.

  25. Still waiting for mine to arrive,thank you for your review and tips

  26. I was in the group of early adopters. As difficult a time as they had getting this made during the pandemic, they did send a lot of updates. I wish I had bought the tamper and a few other items during the campaign, or that they would have included the tamper at least.
    I got mine last week and am really, really pleased. It is a very lovely product and I am happy with the results it puts out. The next test will be to see how it holds up to the wear and tear I put on everything I own.
    I wasn't sure this was ever going to happen but I am happy they pushed through and got it done.

  27. Have you tried the Cafflano klassic All in one? It's not for Espresso but Was also a Kickstarter which went well in the end and I like it quite a lot

  28. still waiting for mine……

  29. As a backer myself, the drama from the campaign and all the 100 or so regular commentors on the updates provided soap opera levels of drama; so I consider it a 2-for-1 purchase!

    I've been using the coffeejack for about 3 weeks now and I'm really satisfied with the espresso it's making. The strength and flavour, for me, are fantastic. Note that I've only used those nespresso machines before now, and it tastes worlds better than those. It's also quite fun to use, it's nice having a little ritual each time.

  30. I ordered from Kickstarter program and thought it would never arrive. I'm thankful the product finally arrived, with the extras. But my experience puling shots has been very inconsistent. Nothing close to a real expresso shot, just a small amount of strong coffee. It seems the coffee starts leaking out of the basket almost immediately and doesn't let pressure build. The effort it takes to brew coffee the shot, is not worth the effort or time. But I do use the stand to hold my Moka Pot Funnel Basket as I grind the beans for my morning coffee.

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