Makita’s rugged coffee maker runs off drill batteries and is perfect for building sites

Thomas McMullan Read more March 20, 2018

Japanese power tool manufacturer Makita is branching out into barista territory with a bulky coffee machine designed to be a perfect fit for building sites.

Makita’s rugged coffee maker runs off drill batteries and is perfect for building sites

As The Asahi Shimbun reports, the “CM501D” uses the same lithium-ion battery packs as the company’s power tools, meaning workers can swap out their cordless screwdrivers for a cup of coffee.

The company claims that its largest 18V BL1860 battery can muster around 640ml of coffee, or around 5.3 cups. Makita thinks this will be particularly useful on building sites where electrical sockets are in short supply.

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This isn’t actually Makita’s first foray into coffee production. The Japanese company initially launched a cordless coffee machine in 2015. The newer model weighs in at 1.5kg, and will set you back 11,900 yen (£80). It works both with Makita’s own coffee pods and standard ground coffee. Still, there’s no milk steamer, so don’t expect a flat white from your site manager.

As well as being a fit for a construction, Makita’s machine looks hardy enough to withstand any kind of apocalypse thrown at it. If you’re looking for a damn fine cup of coffee at the end of the world, the CM501D is your friend.

Beyond the world, however, that honour has to go to the ‘ISSpresso’, installed on the International Space Station (ISS). Designed by by Argotec and Lavazza, the orbiting coffee maker can produce espresso coffee – as well as tea – all in zero gravity. Before the ISSpresso, astronauts were stuck with drinking instant coffee. The Italian Space Agency decided to put a stop to that, and included the coffee maker as one of its experiments as part of the Futura mission in 2015.