Description:

The Newton BRUA is a manual lever-press espresso maker that is imbued with clarity, simplicity, and consequent beauty geared towards user experience.

The product name derives from a play on the words ’brewer’ (as in coffee brewer) and ‘rua’ - the Māori word for two. The use of the word ‘rua’ is significant because BRUA is the second edition of the manual espresso maker and proudly a New Zealand made product in a time when supporting the local economy is essential.

Building on the success of the original Newton, the BRUA anticipated and responded to the surge in demand for specialty coffee making equipment driven by the recent lockdown protocols globally. Users around the world are engaging with the coffee making process and continuing to enjoy great quality coffee using the product, filling the void created when local coffee houses have been forced to close.

For the BRUA to successfully respond to the increasing interest in domestic coffee equipment and continue to support the local economy, it was imperative that the revised product still be manufactured locally and assembled by the designers, without compromising on product quality. The design needed to strike a balance between retaining the iconic ‘Newton’ look and feel and increase functionality, with a much less laborious assembly process.

The uniqueness of the BRUA lies not only in the product's minimalist appearance, but also in the distinctive way the product operates - specifically how the brew chamber fills with hot water as it gets drawn around the piston via the vacuum created as the handle is lifted. This refined design makes the BRUA's usability simplest in its class without the need to disassemble the brew chamber for pre-heating or filling.

An honest combination of materials, texture, colour and form clearly communicates with the user how to operate the product. For example, the knurled surface of the coffee basket holder immediately suggests to the user it is to be gripped and turned. A tapered lip at the top of the cylinder visually describes exactly where to pour the hot water to fill the brew chamber and the tactile material qualities of the timber handle intuitively invites the user to engage with the product.

Although not specifically driven by sustainability, responsible practices have been carefully considered with every aspect of the Newton BRUA. The product has been designed for longevity with recyclable materials used for both product and packaging.