LG Electronics to release coffee machine Duobo

LG Electronics Inc. will launch its first capsule coffee machine "Duobo" on Thursday through Kickstarter, the largest crowdfunding platform in the US.  

Duobo is a capsule coffee machine that can extract two capsules simultaneously. Unlike conventional coffee machines that extract coffee with only one capsule, it allows users to create coffee according to their taste by using two capsules with different flavors and aromas.

Customers can set the extraction temperature, volume, and other settings for each capsule through a dedicated app to create their own recipes. LG Electronics also shares recipes created by professional baristas to make it easy for customers to enjoy a variety of coffees.

Revealing the product on Kickstarter is part of a marketing strategy aimed at early adopters who want to be the first to use the product. Although the product is planned to be sold for $799, it will be available for $399 for the first 250 customers through Kickstarter. Afterward, it will be sold for $499.

Duobo's design is inspired by space exploration. It reflects the initial slogan of "Discovering the Taste of Space." The release date of the product, July 20, is chosen to commemorate the landing of Apollo 11, the first manned moon landing by humans in 1969.

Write to Ik-Hwan Kim at lovepen@hankyung.com