The making of SOLO SPIN

SOLO SPIN is our answer to a question we kept meeting at competitions. This is the story of how it came to be. Why we went for immersion, why we refused to redesign SOLO to get there, and who made it happen.

Why immersion

The idea started on the competition stage. In compulsory rounds we watched the Hario Switch appear on table after table, and for a good reason. Immersion is consistent. When the coffee soaks with the valve closed, water reaches every particle, and the cup you brew on stage is the cup you brew at home. That consistency is also what cafés need. A recipe the whole team can replicate, shift after shift.

We wanted that control for SOLO. But we did not want a different SOLO.

Staying true to the original design

No standard silicone attachment on the market fits SOLO without compromise, and we were not willing to compromise. We did not want a switch mechanism that adds heavy bypass, and we did not want to force a special edition of the dripper just to make an accessory work.

So the rule we set for ourselves was simple. One silicone base that locks onto the SOLO you already own, the original PP version and the new Tritan version alike. Nothing about the dripper itself had to change.

The secret of the ribs

Here is the part we never talked about. The outer ribs on SOLO were engineered as a locking mechanism from the very beginning. They look like a design detail, but they were quietly waiting for this base. What took time was the silicone itself. Long rounds of testing stiffness, so the base grips firmly without stressing the dripper.

Crafting the new SOLO Tritan

Alongside the base we crafted a new SOLO in Tritan. The V2 body is slightly larger, made for the spinning technique that gives SPIN its name. It meant a new mold, an altered injection molding direction, and hand inspection of every piece that leaves the line.

The people behind SOLO

Five people made this project real. Designing, testing, brewing, rejecting, and starting again, for about a year and a half. The first drop is a limited quantity, made with the same care as the prototypes on our own brew bar.

Questions about SPIN? Write to us at jackie@mazelab.coffee.