repairable & recyclable kara coffee machine sets a sustainable standard for appliance design

thomas mair prolongs the life-cycle of a coffee machine

 

Setting a more sustainable standard for domestic appliance design, the modular Kara coffee machine is built to be repairable, recyclable, and long-lasting. Seeking to reduce landfill waste and increasing each product’s lifecycle, product designer Thomas Mair composes the machine of simple, clearly labeled, modules that can be swapped out easily and without any prior technical knowledge.

 

With an attractive design that adds a splash of color to the kitchen, Kara urges the user to fix the machine if any problems arise, with the integration of easily labeled components, a written instruction manual, and an interactive touchscreen which guides the maintenance process.

each module is easy to remove without special tools | all images courtesy

 

 

a modular design that makes repair more accessible

 

Thomas Mair notes that: ‘the way we treat electronics is fundamentally broken. When an appliance breaks, instead of fixing it, we replace it. When we do it’s estimated that only one fifth of electric goods actually get recycled. This is not, and cannot be sustainable.’ Setting out to fix this problem, the designer conceives an alternative way of designing and building electronics — one that looks at the entire life cycle of the product and encourages maintenance and repairability, while minimizing waste. The result is a trendy modular coffee machine design where repairing it is the only logical choice.

Kara coffee machine by Thomas Mair

 

 

As such, the Kara coffee machine is designed to be easily repaired without the need for specialised tools or technical knowledge. The shell is designed so that each part can be 3D printed if you don’t have access to its original replacement, and technical components — which are part of an open system — can be easily replaced or substituted. Designed to be easily disassembled and recycled, the machine uses different colors to distinguish separate plastic parts for easy use, and also for an attractive design to enliven the kitchen.

 

Kara also heavily leans into design cues to communicate its repairability. On a day-to-day basis, users interact with the front which includes everything they may need to prepare their cup of coffee, while the concealed back is dedicated to maintenance and repair. Meanwhile, internals aren’t hidden and are instead embraced as part of the design. Labels further clearly indicate when something is in the right place and aligning magnets make assembly a breeze. The supplementary user manual also explains each step simply and logically for the layman, while a small touchscreen informs about the maintenance processes.

Kara in use

 

the transparent back case comes off with ease

Kara’s hopper and brewhead assembly are modeled after a tamper and spoon

Kara’s touchscreen is easy to use and informs about maintenance and repair

Kara’s front includes everything the user needs to interact with it

Kara’s back is dedicated to repair

each module has a QR code that links to a product passport, informing about materials, repair & recycling

Kara is easy to disassemble and recycle. It uses different colours to distinguish separate plastic parts

a screwdriver is stored in a little drawer in the base

 

 

project info:

 

name: Kara
designer: Thomas Mair

 

 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: ravail khan | designboom