MOONRAKER™

Our Love Letter to the art of Espresso
$475 USD $
USD $475 USD
Edition | Ultra Edition | Ultra

Overview

Perfectly calculated spirographic movement for flawless powder homogenization; we combined the art of espresso puck prep with the engineering of a Swiss watch. The MOONRAKER™ rewrites the book on WDT and espresso puck prep as we know it. 

All initial units are SOLD OUT, so everything now is available for PREORDER only. Please see availability tab for timing.

Materials

The MOONRAKER™ is made of all premium materials. The casing is machined and anodized aerospace grade aluminum combined with machined and polished stainless steel. All of the needles are medical-grade stainless, wrapped with copper alloy springs. The ULTRA edition utilizes a solid brass movement (gears), whereas the STANDARD edition is crafted with an anti-static glass fiber reinforced and food-safe polymer. Both editions use embedded neodymium magnets to retain the needles, which also allows for quick replacement. The top surface is chemically-strengthened and back-printed glass, allowing you to peer directly into the MOONRAKER to watch the magic happen.

What does it do?

The Weiss Distribution Technique (or WDT) has been documented on the online coffee forum home-barista.com since 2006 as a method utilizing needles to break up clumps and achieve perfect "puck prep." The MOONRAKER™ takes that concept and mechanizes it with a calculated and calibrated spirographic movement to ensure perfect homogeneity. While other WDT tools create endless trenches along the same path, the MOONRAKER's patent-pending mechanism endlessly randomizes and homogenizes the coffee bed. There is no better way to prep for tamping.

Included in package

  • One MOONRAKER™, pre-loaded with 10 needles
  • One Caddy, solid machined and anodized aluminum.
  • 20 spare needles (mix of long and short)
  • One Coffee Brush

Compatibility

The MOONRAKER™ is designed for optimal compatibility with our own Unifilter and Unibasket products. It will work just as effectively, however, on all standard 58mm portafilter baskets. While it is optimized for 18-22g baskets, larger and smaller basket sizes can be accommodated by cutting the length of the included spare needles. 

Availability

Both the STANDARD and ULTRA are available for pre-order, current orders are expected to ship in SEPTEMBER 2023.  All pre-orders will be eligible for cancellation/refund before the ship date. We will send out email updates about the production progress to anyone who opts-in to our email list and makes a pre-order.

Recommended Pairings

01 00

Unibasket

$170
$170 USD
Unifilter extraction, drop-in basket form.
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The EG-1 Grinder

$3,895 – $4,295
$3,895 – $4,295 USD
Premium grinding for out-of-this-world coffee.
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The MOONRAKER™ story.

The MOONRAKER™ is where watchmaking, astronomy, and physics all intersect with espresso tools. It is our sincere LOVE LETTER to the art and science of espresso.

The Spirograph Movement

With all existing products the pins are always following the same track, so more turns will only result in compacted grooves being formed in the coffee bed. With the MOONRAKER, the more turns performed the more the powder is randomized/homogenized. In our testing, 2+ turns is sufficient for a perfectly prepared coffee bed.

Detail Images
The Spirograph Movement
The Spirograph Movement
The Spirograph Movement

With all existing products the pins are always following the same track, so more turns will only result in compacted grooves being formed in the coffee bed. With the MOONRAKER, the more turns performed the more the powder is randomized/homogenized. In our testing, 2+ turns is sufficient for a perfectly prepared coffee bed.

Easily Swappable Needles
Easily Swappable Needles
Easily Swappable Needles

The MOONRAKER™ uses two gauges of stainless needles, 300 and 200 microns respectively, which are configured at 2 separate heights to break up clumps deep in the bed and rake the surface effectively for a flat, tamp-ready surface. They are held in by neodymium magnets so they can easily be pulled out and swapped in a matter of seconds.

Varied Needle Depths
Varied Needle Depths
Varied Needle Depths

Good homogenization requires deep-bed mixing combined with top-bed mixing. We carefully calculated, simulated, and thoroughly tested needle length combinations to come up with the ideal mix.

Perfect Extractions
Perfect Extractions
Perfect Extractions

Taking the guesswork out of the pre-tamp preparation means you'll be seeing a lot more of these: perfectly extracted shots without channeling, higher in extraction yield, sweeter in flavor, and more likely put a smile on your face as you sip on a perfectly balanced espresso.

Standard vs. Ultra
Standard vs. Ultra
Standard vs. Ultra

The two are only different in the materials used for the movement (gears). For the STANDARD edition, the gears are molded from a food-safe, self-lubricating, and antistatic polymer that ensures a lifetime of smooth use. The ULTRA edition, with a nod to its watchmaking roots, features solid brass gears with resin-filled text and lap-finished surfaces.

Technical Specifications & Details

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Technical Details

  • Size: 75mm diameter x 65mm height (2.9" x 2.55")

  • Weight: 300g (STANDARD), 405g (ULTRA)

  • Material (body): Stainless 304, Anodized Aluminum, Chem-strengthened glass.

  • Material (needles): Stainless 316 with Cu springs.

  • Material (base): Anodized Aluminum with microfiber foot.

Technical Details