We have no plans to build a DE2 model, and it will be at least 10 to 15 years before we ever consider it. The fundamental issue with naming a machine the "DE2" is that it implies a complete break in compatibility and a shift to entirely new, non-retrogradable technology. We do not want our customers to feel anxious that the hardware they purchase today will suddenly become obsolete. Instead of starting over with a new model that breaks current styling or profiles, we prefer to continuously iterate on the DE1 platform while prioritizing forward and backward compatibility so that older machines can be upgraded with our latest developments.
At this point in the DE1's lifecycle, the machine itself is no longer the limiting factor when it comes to extraction quality. The hardware already makes exceptionally good coffee. Instead, the real variables determining the quality of the beverage are your chosen recipe, the coffee beans, the grinder, and your own personal talent. There is very little we could change on the technical side of the machine to fundamentally improve the flavor in the cup. While we could potentially add a high-flow pump to emulate specific pressure-slamming techniques found on other commercial machines, we don't believe those techniques actually produce better coffee.
Rather than overhauling the machine's architecture, we are focused on resolving small user-experience pain points, particularly the acoustic profile of our pump system. We are working toward replacing our current pump setup with a new system from Olab that is roughly 10 decibels quieter. We evaluated standard dampeners, like those used in Nespresso machines, but found they suffer from premature failure after a few thousand cycles and do not meet our standards for reliability. Beyond noise reduction, our team is looking for ways to accelerate the hot water flow rate to make crafting Americanos much faster.
We are aggressively focusing on increasing our heating capacity to better serve commercial cafes, which functionally operate as high-volume milk bars. Because the vast majority of cafe drinks consist of milk flavored with coffee, a machine targeted at this market must be able to steam milk incredibly quickly with exceptional microfoam texture. To support this, we are engineering new 15-amp heaters—a massive step up from the 6.5-amp draw of the standard DE1 and the 9.5-amp draw of the DE1 XXL.