Fingerprint recognition coffee machine

If James Bond ever asked Q for a coffee, he’d probably be pointed in the direction of this.

The Philips Saeco Xelsis Digital ID is the first coffee machine to use fingerprint recognition to identify how you like your coffee.

When the appliance is fresh out the box, the user presses their finger on a small pad on the machine three times.

This creates a user profile so they can programme just how their coffee should be made – including its strength and amount of milk and froth.

From that point on, every time they touch the pad it will know their preferences.

And after pressing a button to indicate their choice of drink – such as a cappuccino or latte – the machine makes it just the way they like.

The fingerprint technology, which seems more at home in a spy novel than on a kitchen counter, is just one of the stainless steel machine’s suave gadgets.

A panel on top of the appliance warms cups before the coffee is made.

And when it is, the machine’s milk carafe self-cleans, by pushing water through its pipes and into the drip tray.

The device can even be programmed to switch on at any time – so it can be ready for when the alarm clock goes off.

The Saeco Xelsis, which is made in Italy, goes on sale on Amazon at the end of the month for a staggering £1,700.

But Philips believes coffee lovers won’t be put off by the hefty price-tag.

Vivienne Palmer, from Philips, said: ‘There is a variety of coffee machines, but the Saeco Xelsis is top-of-the-range.

‘There has been a real demand for these coffee machines – they are a sort of status symbol in the home.

‘Coffee has become much more popular but different consumers want different things; there are many consumers who love good coffee but do not want to get too involved in making it every day.

‘So we created the machines with fingerprint technology for ease of use – it means making coffee is much more convenient and has a consistently high standard.’

If the user wishes to make coffee for other people, they can exit their own profile and follow picture instructions on the screen.

They can also alter their own settings if their tastes change.

Six users can programme their fingerprints and preferences, along with their name.

The Saeco Xelsis can make variations on nine drinks, including espresso, macchiato, latte and cappuccino.

Already granulated coffee, such as decaffeinated, can be used in one of the machine’s compartments.

And for even more variety, the machine also has a steam arm for boiling water for tea.

EXPERT'S VERDICT

Paul Meikle-Janney, managing director of barista and café consultancy firm Coffee Community said:

"This machine is like a barista in a box.

"Some machines are light and flimsy, but this is constructed well and has some features not usually seen in the home.

"It is straightforward to set up, but what’s most impressive is that its factory settings are correct. For example, an espresso should measure 30ml, and this machine is set at that amount right away, which is very rare for a home machine.

"It makes fresh coffee with the beans of your choice. You are only ever grinding that next portion of beans so it’s as fresh as it can be, and the fingerprint feature means you’re going to get good coffee every time.

"The machine makes dense froth – you don’t want those big bubbles in it – which is still there 10 minutes later.

"It uses ceramic grinders, whereas many machines use ones made from steel. Ceramic is much quieter, which is great if you’re the first one up in the morning. Steel also wears down quicker, which can smash up the beans too much and leave a bitter taste.

"The machine works out as good value for money because beans are cheaper than buying a cup of coffee every day.

"And importantly, it cleans itself, so it’s more likely to be used.’

From: dailymail.co.uk