Kara Pod turns air into mineral-enriched water for Nespresso coffee

Kara Pod is the world’s first self-refilling coffee machine. It pulls moisture from the surrounding air and turns it into fresh, mineral-rich drinking water. How insane is that? It can produce up to 3.2 liters of water per day and also brews coffee using Nespresso coffee pods and the like.

The average person spends $1,000 annually on bottled water and creates tons of waste. That’s about 300+ plastic bottles per year, which eventually ends up in landfills, or our oceans. It’s also a major contributor to microplastics which have inundated our local environment. An alternative, of course, is tap water, but that also contains microplastics, as well as chlorine and other chemicals. You can always slap a filter on the faucet or use a filtration device, but those don’t catch everything, and they can also increase waste. So, what’s the answer? What if you could pull water from the air around you? That’s right, moisture plucked right out of the air that’s fresh, delicious and ready for use. It sounds like a fantasy, right? Well, it’s not.

The Kara Pod is a unique device that does exactly as described. It’s the world’s first self-refilling coffee machine, too. It pulls moisture from the surrounding air and turns it into mineral-rich drinking water. Like a dehumidifier, but better. You can drink it as-is, or use the machine to produce coffee via Nespresso pods. It can produce up to 3.2 liters of water per day, which is about 13 full-size cups.

How does it achieve all of this? It uses a patented AirDrive technology to capture the moisture, purify it with heat, sterilize it with UV, and then run it through carbon filtration. Afterward, the system infuses the water with essential minerals, transforming it into clean, mineral-rich, great-tasting water. It’s about the size of your average countertop coffee machine, too, so it’s viable in apartments, condos, off-grid cabins, and, of course, family homes. It uses the same technology that’s in Kara Pure, just slimmed down.

How does the Kara Pod make water and Nespresso coffee?

Most coffee machines require a consistent refill of water, usually filtered, to continue making your hot, scrumptious brews. The Kara Pod doesn’t. It self-refills thanks to the built-in air-to-water technology. It’s compatible with all pod-type coffee refills, Nespresso pods included. Yes, they’ve partnered with Nespresso so the official pods work.

A smart touchscreen on the device allows you to select your coffee sizes, from 6 ounces up to 12 ounces. Just add your preferred pod, place your mug or cup in the right spot and select your brew size. The machine makes the mineral-rich water, which also ensures the coffee tastes fantastic. Since coffee is mostly water, the quality of the fluids you use makes all the difference.

The minerals added include magnesium, calcium, and sodium, boosting hydration, energy, and balance. Plus, there are separate taps for water and coffee, so if you just want water you’re not getting the brew-tastes mixed in.

The Kara Pod team estimates that this machine can save you up to 83% of the average costs you’d spend on drinking water, per year. That’s about $1,464 annually, based on the average bottled water consumption, and that’s per person. With this machine there’s no waste, no plastic, and no chasing down refills or filtration cartridges. There’s zero waste from the machine, as well. No filters, no refills, just air.

While the Kara Pod is currently live on Kickstarter, as a crowdfunded campaign, it has already garnered well over the $5,000 goal — the campaign raised a total of $161,000+ as of the time of writing. That means it is fully funded and you’re pre-ordering the device. The first shipments are expected to go out in October, 2025.