The human mind truly knows no limits; this is what we have learned from our time in the tech space at the very least. Sometimes we get software hacks that use JavaScript to simulate a functioning Windows XP environment, while at other times we get a Raspberry Pi-powered miniature console that fits inside a mint tin. This time, though, we have something so absurd that you have to think that just because we can do something, does it mean that we should do it? Enter Coffeematic PC.
The Coffeematic PC is the Frankenstein invention of Doug MacDowell which combines a coffee maker with a PC in a fully functional setup where both just work. This project from 2024 has been making rounds on the Hacker News forums where MacDowell has initiated the thread to discuss his invention.
A quirky blog post explains the background of the project of combining a General Electric drip coffee maker with a "gaming" PC. The former pumps hot coffee at 90°C/194°F through two radiators on top of the PC and down to a CPU on a motherboard on the back of the PC. This brewed coffee is then dispensed to the user through a tube.
Of course, this makes no sense. Coffee is hot while the CPU is meant to be cooled down. This is exactly why this machine is almost self-destructive. MacDowell has a crudely drawn graph on his blog in which he says that he monitored the temperature of the flowing coffee every five seconds for 75 minutes, and learned that both the coffee and the CPU eventually find thermal equilibrium at 33°C/91°F. During this process, the PC continues functioning and does not crash at all.
The hardware of Coffeematic PC is listed below. Interestingly, it includes a CPU from AMD and a watercooler for Intel, which actually fits well in its profile of being a Frankenstein machine:
• GE Coffeematic Coffee Maker 10 Cup
• ASUS M2NPV-VM AM2 Motherboard
• AMD Athlon II X4 640 3 GHz Quad-Core OEM/Tray Processor
• Hynix 1GB 2Rx8 PC2-5300U-555-12 PC2-DDR2 RAM
• Acer SA100 240 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
• HIS H467QR1GH Radeon HD 4670 1 GB Video Card
• Antec Earthwatts Green 430 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply
• Linux Mint Operating System
• CPU Water Cooling Block for Intel
• Water Cooling Computer Radiator
• 12V Mini Food Grade Self Priming Diaphragm Fresh Water Transfer Pump
• Waterproof Toggle Switch 12V
• Brass Hose Barb 3/8" to 3/16"
• Brass Hose Barb, 5/16" to 3/16"
• 90 Degree Elbow Hose Barb 3/16"
• 90 Degree Elbow Hose Barb 3/8" 10mm
• 90 Degree Elbow Hose Barb 5/16" 8mm
• Food Grade Silicon Tubing 3/16" ID x 5/16" OD
• Food Grade Vinyl Tubing 5/16" ID - 7/16" OD
MacDowell has emphasized that this is not the first coffee maker + PC build, in fact, it is the fifth since 2002. While the project is certainly interesting and does offer two fully functional machines, it's clearly not practical and primarily seems to be focused on unleashing creativity and having just plain fun. That said, one has to wonder what are the safety risks of streaming hot coffee through a PC, while also inviting the risks of spillage and leaks.
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