It’s almost impossible now to find a kitchen gadget that doesn’t have a smart variant with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or a companion app added in. (I suppose I haven’t seen a smart pasta maker yet, but it’s probably only a matter of time at this point.)

GINA is a Bluetooth-connected smart drip cone So I’m not that surprised to hear that Goat Story, a Slovenian coffee gadget company, has announced its new Kickstarter campaign for GINA, a Bluetooth-connected smart drip cone for pour over coffee.

There are three main differences between the GINA and a regular coffee cone: there's a Bluetooth-connected scale in the base for measuring the amount of coffee grounds and water; a smartphone app that will walk you through proper water / coffee ratios and brewing times; and an adjustable dial for controlling the rate of coffee into a cup.

GINA won't be perfect for serious coffee connoisseurs When it comes down to it, GINA does what it says on the box: it brews pour over coffee. It's also capable of making cold brew, with the app helping to determine the exact rate for the water to drip over the grounds. And while the app wasn’t quite finished yet in the demo I saw, the idea of walking users through measuring grounds, water, and proper pour times for different coffee blends does seem like an interesting idea for coffee drinkers who want to learn how to make better coffee or try new brewing methods. But GINA won't be perfect for serious coffee connoisseurs; they will still have to rely on other gadgets in their quest for the perfect cup, as GINA offers no help when it comes to measuring water temperature or ground fineness.



Of course, it’s important to note that a regular drip filter can costs as little as $2.99 for a cheap plastic cone, and even a similar ceramic filter can had for a fraction of the GINA’s $150 cost. And while the integrated Bluetooth scale is nice, it’s a big price to pay when compared simply putting a drip filter on top of a far cheaper kitchen scale and just keeping track of measurements on your own — even if GINA will look nicer on your countertop.

Potential backers should keep in mind that Goat Story does have previous Kickstarter experience in actually fulfilling campaign rewards from its first product, the Goat traveling mug. However GINA is a far more ambitious project with its embedded hardware and a connected smartphone app, and its a significant leap for a company with little experience in actually shipping a product of this complexity.

But if you really like coffee, want to try and start learning how to make better coffee, and you don't mind paying extra for style, GINA is available for backing on Kickstarter for an early price of $150.