What if [insert coffee gadget here] were cheaper? For example, CafÉ Solos...

As some of you have gathered by now from my blog posts, I’m a fan of the press-style coffee I get from my Eva Solo(s) (aka Café Solos). But I don’t see this zippered brewer through rose-colored glasses. I know it’s overpriced, which is a shame. I’ve tried a little to generate Eva Solo-related conversation here and elsewhere without much success and always figured that part of the problem had to be due to few people owning or having had a chance to use the device. What would happen if the “sticker shock” factor were removed from the equation when those in the market for coffee gear were deciding whether or not to pull the trigger? Well, we’re about to find out!

See, earlier this week there was a Groupon deal offering Café Solos for $39 + $6 shipping. At $45 total (more or less 50% off), all of a sudden these things must have seemed much more attractive because at least 620 of them were sold. You can check my math by clicking on the “Buy it for a friend” link here. The deal’s no longer active, though, sadly—sorry I didn’t manage to promote it here in time. Since this Groupon was discussed on various coffee sites, odds are that several of these recent buyers will be chatty, eager to post their impressions of the Café Solo publicly. I’m looking forward to reading what people think. Not simply because I want my high opinion of the Solo validated somehow, but rather because I enjoy honest exchanges about coffee paraphernalia I’m familiar with. It’s a good way to learn, test long-forgotten assumptions, break out of coffee-brewing ruts.

Let’s broaden the discussion here toward the end. I’m sure you can think of other coffee gadgets that fall into the same category as the Café Solo, e.g. with prices that represent a barrier to widespread adoption. Which ones in particular, and how much less would these need to cost in order for you to satisfy your curiosity about them?