A Latte Art Printer Takes the Work Out of Latte Art

Coffee Ripples, YouTube
Coffee Ripples, YouTube | Coffee Ripples, YouTube

It takes thousands of tries to finally be able to pour out a beautiful rosetta on a cappuccino, and thousands more to reach the peak of Instagram latte art perfection. Now, with the introduction of the Ripple Maker, even amateurs can impress their customers or friends with intricate latte art. The printer, created by parent company Steam CC, can take any image and print it on latte, cappuccinos, or other foamy drinks in less than 10 seconds.

The Wi-Fi enabled machine allows customers and baristas to choose a design from the pre-existing catalog or upload their own content through a free app. Once the image is selected, the Ripple Maker uses a combination of 3D and Ink Jet printing technologies to transform the natural coffee extract from the Ripple Pods into latte art—or Ripples.

"Latte art is one the most shared images on social media. We're taking latte art to a whole new level," Yossi Meshulam, the CEO of Steam CC, said in a press release. "When you put something beautiful in someone's hands, they want to share it. That's how we're making a ripple on the world."

Ripple Maker partnered with Lufthansa, making the German airline the first global brand to adopt the appliance. Later this year, they’ll be placing Ripple Makers into First and Business class lounges.

The Ripple Maker is $999 and requires a $75 per month service plan. They’ll begin shipping in September 2015.