A physicist working in IT and a UX designer, an archaeologist fascinated by ceramics - such is the duo that together created the Slowpresso coffee brewing device.
According to a study by Euromonitor, up to 70% of adult Poles drink coffee every day, with almost three-quarters of them reaching for ground coffee. Slowpresso is a new Polish device that allows you to brew ground coffee in a simple way. No electricity, no waste in the form of used capsules and no grounds in the glass. In addition, it takes up little more space than a regular mug.
Slowpresso is designed for people who want to drink tasty and essential coffee at home, at work, in a tent or on a plot, but do not want to buy expensive coffee makers or reach for instant coffee. It consists of three ceramic parts: a strainer, a pot and a lid that will fit in any kitchen cabinet. The set is completed with paper filters.
Coffee from Slowpresso is thick and suspended, so you can drink it as a small black or use it as a base for any coffee, milk or black. The density and flavor of the coffee are responsible for the specially selected proportions and shape of the strainer, which are the joint work of Stefan and Justyna Karamuz - father and daughter, who conceived and developed the design.
Slowpresso
photo courtesy of Justyna Karamuz
The presso used in the device's name comes from the Italian espressivo, meaning expressive. That's exactly what coffee from Slowpresso is: essential, full-bodied and thick. That's the consistency we've been missing from alternative brewing methods ," says Stefan Karamuz, a physicist by training, involved in the IT industry since the 1990s, and a coffee connoisseur who inspired his daughter to create the new brewing tool.
For us, but also for our customers, Slowpresso has become a home ritual that can be shared with loved ones. "Slow" in the name Slowpresso does not just refer to the brewing time, but reminds us to stop and slow down. Slowpresso means Good Coffee Unhurried, " adds Justyna Karamuz, an archaeologist, UX designer and ceramicist by training.
To brew Slowpresso coffee, simply fill a heated strainer with coffee, moisten it, then gently pour hot water over it and let it sit covered for a few minutes. You can get a brew for two people from one brew.
History of the project: from a lost strainer to Slowpresso
The Slowpresso would not have been created if it were not for an ordinary plastic strainer that Stefan Karamuz used to brew coffee in the 1980s. He served it to his family and friends. The taste of the coffee was so distinctive that everyone unanimously called it "Stefan's coffee." The strainer would probably still be in service today, had it not disappeared one day. Stefan Karamuz began his search for a new strainer to brew the perfect coffee. The search coincided with his daughter Justyna Karamuz's new occupation .
Slowpresso
photo courtesy of Justyna Karamuz
Trained as an archaeologist with a fascination for ceramics, she worked full-time as a UX designer and web designer. She pursued her passions after hours, learning to turn on the wheel in Stanislaw Tworzydło's art studio. At her father's request, she attempted to recreate a plastic strainer in a ceramic version. They created many prototypes of different sizes and proportions, testing, measuring brewing time and searching for the taste of the old "Stefan's coffee."
In addition to the strainer, Justyna began designing a perfectly fitting mug and lid, necessary to keep the brew from losing heat. As befits a UX designer, she started making different versions and selling them - initially to friends - asking them to test them in everyday use. As a result, the tried-and-true and convenient Slowpresso is now entering regular sales.
The taste of "Stefan's coffee" has also been appreciated by professional baristas: Slowpresso has already found its way not only to the first individual customers, but also to two cafes serving so-called specialty coffee.
Working with clay drew Justyna in so much that she now works exclusively on Slowpresso and other original ceramic projects.
