Who knew Polaroid and espresso were unlikely companions? This concept rather cleverly combines the two into the ‘ultimate coffee machine for amateurs’. If Polaroid brought great retro photography (and photo development) to the masses, the Polaroid Express does the same for instant coffee. Plus, can we just take a second to appreciate how clever the name Polaroid Express is?! (as a play on Polar Express and Espresso)
The coffee machine looks like a massive camera, with the signature friendly rectangular form and the clever use of colors to create that friendly appeal associated with the instant camera company. Designed to be portable (it IS a concept, after all), the apparatus has a rather simple form factor and feels intuitive to operate. All you really have to do is select how many cups you want (the machine can make as many as 4), and hit the ‘shutter’ button and the Polaroid Express gets to work, filling coffee from a set of pre-fed pods into cups at the base of the machine. Lift the top off to reveal the base tray and voila! You’ve got your cups of coffee, freshly made and ready to consume… in an instant!
Designer: Elif Bulut
The Polaroid Express accepts a 2×2 tray of coffee pods, making a total of 4 cups of coffee.
The Polaroid Express’ simple design models itself on the cameras, which only require you to compose your shot and hit the shutter button. Here, all you do is select the number of cups you want to be made and hit the red button and the machine does all the work. It works similarly to how a Keurig or Nespresso machine might. Pods fit into the area right beneath the control panel, and the upper reservoir is filled with water. Once you hit the button, it heats the water up (the rainbow strip on the front acts as a temperature indicator), and as soon as it reaches the right temperature, the machine brews the coffee and dispenses it in the cups right below.
Designed to be perfect for amateurs, the Polaroid Express isn’t just simple to use, it’s fun in its own way too. The rainbow color scheme brings a certain joy to the coffee-making experience (it’s something teens and tweens will appreciate for sure), and the machine’s base comes with a variety of colored trays, allowing you to add a pop of color to your kitchen counter. The trays are paired with matching colorful-base glasses too!
