Somm’s wine dispenser is devoted to providing the perfect pour to customers and at the same time ensuring that people are able to track their palates. The company launched a Kickstarter campaign on April 7, and within 15 hours, its wine dispenser attracted $100,000 in backing from oenophiles.
Much more than a wine dispenser
Many customers who are eager to get hands on the sleek machine by Christmas willingly paid $199 for it. The wine dispenser features an array of smart features and uses custom containers. It can be thought of as a Keurig for wine.
The containers — called Sylos – can hold up to three bottles’ worth of wine. Communication between the containers and the machine helps in adjusting things like temperature and aeration, depending on the kind of wine it is pouring. During the pre-order period, they are reasonably priced, ranging from “the equivalent of $5 to $39 a bottle,” the report says.
Somm’s wine dispenser promises not just a custom pour but also tracks a user’s palate. It also gives tips to users on what other wines they might like using a connected smartphone app.
How Somm’s wine dispenser is different
Somm seemingly got inspiration for its machines from pod-based coffee systems, and it has shown intent to overcome some of its pitfalls. The Keurig K-cup has faced criticisms for being an environmental plague, but Synek claims that the CO2 impact of Somm’s containers is 70% less than that of bottles.
Keurig Green Mountain attempted to make machines incompatible with any coffee pods that it didn’t make on its own, and for this reason, it courted a lot of controversy. Though it helped the company’s bottom line, it did lock in some serious consumer backlash.
Meanwhile, Synek has gone in the opposite direction with its beer machine and at the same time has introduced several add-ons that make it a lot easier to use with various beers, including homebrews.
Enjoys solid backing
Crowdfunded projects do not always follow up on their promises, but the track record of Synek, the company behind the Somm, is actually very solid. Synek crowdfunded and created its countertop beer dispenser in 2014 with several features similar to the Somm.
According to the current projections of the crowd-funding tracking site Kicktrag, the Somm will raise more than $1 million by May 10, the date when the campaign ends. The retail price is projected at $299.
