A woke original

Streaks ahead in the sustainability game, Belgian brand Moccamaster has made modular coffee machines since the 1960s

‘My grandfather, Gerard Smit, designed the first Moccamaster in 1968,’ says Rob van Cooten, of the brand’s founder. ‘He believed he could create a machine that makes perfect coffee and that also lasts a lifetime.’ He would be proud, then, that the Moccamaster ‘KBG Select’, originally designed in 1974, is still available to buy today. ‘The aim,’ continues van Cooten, ‘was to sell 150,000 coffee makers in six years, but that goal was achieved within a year. Since then, the design has been optimised but never changed.’ A timeless classic, it has endured.

‘It’s not customer friendly or sustainable to buy a new machine if one part goes wrong, which is why we use a modular design, so that parts can easily be replaced,’ explains van Cooten, pinpointing the kind of sustainable thinking that makes this brand feel younger than its years. All of the Moccamaster machines are made by hand in Amerongen, the same town where the company was founded and, adds Van Cooten, ‘there are now 21 colours, including brights and neutrals as well as matte and polished finishes’.

To make great coffee, the original master’s grandson says brewing temperature and extraction time are crucial. ‘We have engineered every component to guarantee a consistent brewing process,’ he adds,

‘so coffee is never sour or bitter. It takes a Moccamaster six minutes to brew a full 1.2-litre jug.’

Last year, Moccamaster teamed up with iconic fashion and lifestyle brand Supreme for its fall/ winter campaign, producing two limited-edition machines. They sold out instantly – proof that, after six decades, this fully caffeinated brand can’t be caught napping. What should we expect for 2023? ‘Even more sustainable packaging, new products and further exciting collaborations,’ promises van Cooten. Moccamaster ‘KBG Select’, £249 (moccamaster.eu).