Coffeematic PC: 'Crazy' invention uses hot coffee maker to 'cool' computer
Human thinking truly knows no bounds; at least that's what we've learned from the world of technology. Sometimes we see software hacks that use JavaScript to simulate a working Windows XP environment, other times we see tiny Raspberry Pi-powered consoles that fit in candy boxes. But this time, we've seen something so bizarre it's almost unbelievable. Meet the Coffeematic PC.
The Coffeematic PC is a "monstrous" invention by a man named Doug MacDowell that combines a coffee maker and a PC into one complete system - both of which work normally. This 2024 project is taking the Hacker News forum by storm, where MacDowell started a thread discussing his invention.
A quirky blog post explains the inspiration: combine a General Electric drip coffee maker with a "gaming" PC. The coffee maker pumps hot 90°C/194°F coffee through two radiators on the case, then down to the CPU mounted on the motherboard at the back. The finished coffee is then piped out to the user.
Of course, this doesn't make sense. Coffee is hot, and CPUs need to be cooled. That's exactly what makes this machine so self-destructive. On his blog, MacDowell posted a hand-drawn graph showing him monitoring the temperature of the coffee stream every five seconds for 75 minutes. The result: both coffee and CPU eventually reached thermal equilibrium at 33°C/91°F. Throughout the process, the PC ran without a single hang-up.
The Coffeematic PC's hardware specs are listed below. Interestingly, the machine uses an AMD CPU but is water-cooled for an Intel one - a detail that fits the image of a "Frankenstein machine" very well:
- GE Coffeematic 10 Cup Coffee Maker
- ASUS M2NPV-VM AM2 motherboard
- CPU AMD Athlon II X4 640 3 GHz Quad-Core (OEM/discrete)
- RAM Hynix 1GB 2Rx8 PC2-5300U-555-12 PC2-DDR2
- SSD Acer SA100 240GB 2.5"
- HIS H467QR1GH Radeon HD 4670 1 GB Video Card
- Antec Earthwatts Green 430W Power Source (80+ Bronze)
- Linux Mint operating system
- CPU water cooler for Intel socket
- PC radiator
- 12V food grade self-priming diaphragm pump
- 12V Waterproof On/Off Switch
- 3/8" to 3/16" Copper Pipe Connector
- 5/16" to 3/16" copper pipe connector
- 90 degree pipe elbow 3/16"
- 90 Degree Pipe Elbow 3/8" (10mm)
- 90 Degree Pipe Elbow 5/16" (8mm)
- Food Grade Silicone Tubing 3/16" ID x 5/16" OD
- Food Grade Vinyl Tubing 5/16" ID - 7/16" OD
MacDowell stresses that this isn't the first build of its kind—in fact, it's the fifth since 2002. While the project is fun and resulted in two fully functional devices, the Coffeematic PC is clearly not practical, and is intended primarily for creative expression and. pure fun. Still, there are questions about the safety risks of running hot coffee through a PC, along with the potential for leaks and spills.
