The early DE1 designs
Who was responsible for the initial look of the Decent Espresso machine?
Brad Larson was the first mechanical engineer on the team. He was responsible for the machine's original conception, its initial physical layout, and what it ultimately looks like today.
Why did the team change the design of the machine's legs?
The very first renders featured distinct legs that the team ultimately decided looked too similar to the Kees van der Westen Mirage espresso machine. Additionally, the original concept featured "crazy animal feet" with rubber on them, which the team quickly swapped out for more standard, practical rubber pads. Below: picture of an early DE1 design.
What happened to the idea of an external, asymmetric water tank?
The original concept placed a glass water tank on the side of the machine, creating a striking asymmetric look. The team loved this setup because it allowed for easy filling and kept water completely away from the internal electronics. However, after about a year of trying to make it work, they had to give up because the glass was incredibly difficult to manufacture, and the water uptake assembly became far too complicated. This forced them to move the water tank underneath the machine.
Why did the team abandon using a Pyrex glass drip tray?
Early on, the team was set on making a glass drip tray using Pyrex, inspired by suggestions from their online community on Diaspora. They even tested actual glass lasagna baking dishes during prototyping. However, they abandoned the idea because Pyrex manufacturing requires massive production scales—demanding an upfront order of roughly 20,000 units, which represented too massive of a long-term commitment for the company at the time. Furthermore, the prototypes looked a bit too much like literal lasagna dishes, drawing some design mockery.
mirjam created 2026/06/29.