Meraki Espresso Machine Wins iF DESIGN AWARD GOLD 2025 in Kitchen Appliances
The short answer
The Meraki Espresso Machine received an iF DESIGN AWARD GOLD 2025 in the Kitchen Appliances category. iF reports that its 2025 jury evaluated almost 11,000 submissions from 66 countries and selected 75 Gold winners.
The official winner listing identifies Merakitech Limited in Hong Kong as both the client/manufacturer and the design organization. It also names Li Zongwei, Chen Xu and Lin Yuchao as members of the design team.
For a home buyer, the award is most useful as independent recognition of how Meraki brings professional espresso hardware, guided controls and a compact countertop form into one coordinated system.
What does the iF Gold award mean?
iF evaluated the 2025 entries using five criteria: idea, form, function, differentiation and sustainability. Gold was reserved for 75 designs across the competition, not for every category winner.
On Meraki's official winner page, the jury highlighted the machine's compact footprint, professional character, materials, ergonomics and user experience. Its summary closes with a simple verdict: “Though not at all flashy, this is a true star.”
That distinction matters because an espresso machine lives on the counter. It needs to work as a technical system while remaining approachable enough to use every day.
View Meraki's official iF winner listing →
Who makes and designed the Meraki Espresso Machine?
The official iF record lists Merakitech Limited, Hong Kong, as the client/manufacturer and design organization. The named designers are Li Zongwei, Chen Xu and Lin Yuchao.
This tells you who developed the award-winning product and where the company is based. It should not be read as a claim that every component or finished unit is manufactured in Hong Kong; the product label and official support documentation are the right sources for unit-specific country-of-origin information.
The iF listing records a 2024 launch, development time of up to 12 months and target regions covering Australia/Oceania, Europe and North America.
How the design translates into a better home workflow
Meraki's design is not only a visual shell. The machine coordinates the grinder, scales, boilers, pump and touchscreen so that each stage of espresso preparation is easier to measure and repeat.
An espresso-tailored grinder keeps dialing in connected
The integrated grinder is designed around espresso rather than general-purpose coffee grinding. Its 45 espresso-focused settings give users room to adjust flow without adding a separate grinder to the counter.
Grind by weight measures the dry dose. Instead of relying only on grinding time, the system helps the user return to a known coffee weight and understand whether the next adjustment should be grind size, dose or another variable.
Brew by weight makes the result visible
A second built-in scale measures the liquid espresso in the cup. Dose and yield are therefore tracked within the same workflow, making brew ratios easier to repeat and reducing the need to move a separate scale in and out of the drip tray.
Dual boilers support espresso and milk drinks together
True dual boilers separate brewing and steaming duties. For cappuccinos, flat whites or several drinks in a row, that means the user can pull espresso and steam milk at the same time instead of waiting for one shared heating system to change modes.
A commercial-style rotary pump provides a stable foundation
Meraki uses a rotary pump for steady water delivery and a calmer mechanical character than the familiar buzz of many vibration-pump machines. The pump does not make excellent espresso by itself; its value is how it works with accurate grinding, measured dose and yield, temperature control and puck preparation.
Professional hardware remains practical for daily use
The US 120V model warms up in approximately four minutes. The touchscreen guides the workflow while keeping the process semi-automatic, so users still grind, prepare the puck and steam milk rather than pressing one button for a finished drink.
Explore the system in more detail through Meraki's guides to a professional espresso machine for home and a dual-boiler espresso workflow.
Who is Meraki best suited to?
Meraki is a strong fit for someone who wants hands-on espresso with more built-in measurement and fewer separate tools. It is especially relevant if you value:
- a coordinated grinder, dual-scale and brewing workflow;
- simultaneous brewing and steaming;
- a rotary-pump platform in a home-focused machine;
- visible dose and yield instead of relying on guesswork; and
- guided controls without switching to a fully automatic process.
It may not be the right choice if you want the smallest possible appliance, the lowest entry price or a one-touch superautomatic. It can also be more integrated than necessary for someone who already owns a grinder and scales they do not want to replace.
Explore the Meraki Espresso Machine →
Frequently asked questions
Did Meraki win the iF DESIGN AWARD or iF Gold?
Meraki received the Gold distinction in the 2025 Kitchen Appliances category. iF selected 75 Gold winners from almost 11,000 submissions across the full 2025 competition.
Who makes the Meraki Espresso Machine?
The official iF winner record identifies Merakitech Limited in Hong Kong as the client/manufacturer and design organization.
Was the Meraki Espresso Machine designed in Hong Kong?
Yes. The iF listing identifies Merakitech Limited in Hong Kong as the design organization and names Li Zongwei, Chen Xu and Lin Yuchao as designers.
Why did the jury recognize Meraki?
The jury emphasized its compact countertop presence, professional character, craftsmanship and the balance of form, function, ergonomics and user experience.
What is the practical advantage of Meraki's integrated design?
The grinder, grind-by-weight measurement, brew-by-weight measurement, dual boilers, rotary pump and guided interface work as one system. The benefit is a shorter, more repeatable path from beans to espresso without assembling several separate devices.
Sources
Continue to Meraki Gen 2
See how the award-winning platform continued to evolve in the introduction of Meraki Gen 2.