What's interesting is that the mechanics are totally automatable (a coffee machine is "just" a boiler, pump, and particle filter, after all - add a grinder if y

What's interesting is that the mechanics are totally automatable (a coffee machine is "just" a boiler, pump, and particle filter, after all - add a grinder if you want that too). And there are some very good machines out there that will do this. The problem is that there are a lot of variables in a recipe that are tuned to the particular coffee so if you automate the entire brew, the person using the machine needs to tune all those variables. And the process being automated is so simple that you're not saving time or trouble. The more interesting capsule coffee makers scan the capsule to tune the brew parameters for the particular coffee being brewed, but it's obviously a lot more expensive than a pour over and kettle.