Back in May, I tested the Igulu F1 smart beer brewer. To rehash my thoughts from then, I found it to be a fun gadget that’s perfect for Summer parties. Using Hello Fresh-like beer kits or your own recipe, you can create homemade beer, kombucha, or other alcoholic beverages. When you’re done, you can serve the drinks from the machine, which keeps them refrigerated to the perfect refreshing temperature.
Beyond being a little too big for my small flat’s countertop (more of a me problem than the brewer’s) my only gripe was it’s a little pricey at $699 / £555. It might price out more casual beer fans looking to dip their toe into brewing, and while the automation features are appealing – especially safety ones – I felt people spending this much on a brewery kit may appreciate something more hands-on.
At least on that former issue of being maybe too expensive, the new Igulu S1 could help. It’s set to sell for $549 (around £432), but if you back it on Kickstarter, you can score it for just $299 (around £236).
Having tested the Igulu S1, I can confirm that, in many ways, it’s identical to the F1. It’s still a cylindrical-ish box within which you hook up a beer keg loaded with beer brewing ingredients. The machine then modulates the kegs’ pressure and temperature to meet your specifications – or the specs it reads from the brewing kit’s RFID chip. If it has any problems, it can automatically release pressure to prevent any accidents, and when the brewing process is finished, you can pull a pint straight from the S1’s spout.
The biggest feature difference is that it cannot dispense third-party kegs – the Igulu F1 can be outfitted with compatible pre-brewed beer kegs from your favorite brands and keep them cool. This is a slight letdown as it removes one aspect of the F1’s versatility from the new model, but if you only want to use the Igulu S1 to drink your own beer, then you won’t notice this feature is missing.
I’ve also found Igulu S1 is a little louder than the F1, so you may want to consider putting it somewhere other than your kitchen or make do with some added disruptions.
That said, a few downgrades are to be expected when it’s cheaper than its predecessor. And, as I mentioned above, if you want to save even more, you can pick up the Igulu S1 via its Kickstarter campaign (until August 25) for just $299 (around £236) – with the product scheduled to ship in December.
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hamish.hector@futurenet.com (Hamish Hector)
