Miito

Reinventing the kettle. Writer Jessica Christin Hametner

When Design Academy Eindhoven graduates Nils Chudy and Jasmina Grase of Chudy and Grase design launched Miito in 2015, they turned the electric kettle, as we know it, on its head.

Heating liquids directly in their drinking vessel, Miito is more efficient than a traditional kettle (these tend to be overfilled, wasting water and energy). Miito is also simple and rather nifty to use. One selects their desired temperature depending on the liquid they wish to heat, be it water for tea, a bowl of soup, or baby formula. Then, the Miito rod is submerged, shutting itself off automatically once the optimal temperature is reached.

The venture was inspired by sustainability strategist Leyla Acaroglu, whose quote “One day of extra energy use [from overfilling electric kettles] is enough to light all the streetlights in England for a night,” prompted Chudy and Grase to initiate a Kickstarter campaign that reached its $150,000 goal in just 38 hours (a total of $818,000 was raised within a month). Miito quickly evolved from concept to design, winning several awards, including the prestigious James Dyson Award for student design in 2014. Chudy and Grase founded their eponymous design studio soon after, moving from Copenhagen to Berlin, where Miito is now based.

In October 2016, Miito exhibited at Global Grad Show, the world’s largest student gathering, as part of Dubai Design Week, where they launched their newest initiative: a collection of teas that include a selection of gentle green brews, antioxidant oolong, and super-food goji berry infusions, all enveloped in contemporary packaging.

By eliminating the unnecessary and focusing on how design impacts our everyday lives, not just today, but for years to come, Chudy and Grase’s Miito demonstrates that design can instigate positive change in our world.

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