We’ve all heard the joke about using the optical drive tray as a makeshift cup holder for our beverage when gaming or working on the computer, and it might now have a good use thanks to this built-in coffee machine.
A YouTuber decided to take this concept to its logical extreme, by building a fully functional coffee maker right inside the case of his custom PC. The mad geniuses behind this integrated machine are Nerdforge. Martina and her partner Hansi are known for tackling original projects, but even by their standards, integrating a complete coffee brewing system into a computer tower was no easy task.
At first glance, the idea seemed simple enough: just insert a pod machine into the case and call it a day. But Martina didn’t want to do things by halves. Its ambitious goal was to create a PC-integrated coffee maker that can grind beans, brew and serve a fresh cup of coffee at the touch of a button. No need to manipulate orders or multi-step processes, Just fire it and forget it, right from your desktop.
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This PC turns into a real coffee machine
As absurd as this premise may seem, Martina managed to implement it through intense DIY work that involved modifying the case, 3D printing custom components, using an Arduino controller and a endless assembly so that all the mechanisms fit perfectly together.
The basis is a gigantic Corsair 1000D case, which offers enough space to accommodate not only the usual PC hardware, but also all the additional accessories necessary for automated coffee preparation. Martina made her own coffee grounds dispenser and integrated heater and brewer from a hotplate, pumps, pipes and other DIY parts.
She then connected the whole thing to an Arduino board that orchestrates the entire sequence with the press of a single button. The system begins by dispensing and grinding the beans, running hot water through the beans to brew coffee, then filling and presenting your cup sitting on the dispenser tray. Sensors prevent the cycle from running without a cup in place, and light signals let you know when your coffee is ready to drink. Finally, Martina added stained wood panels to give the whole thing a rustic atmosphere, inspired by a ski chalet.
The PC is still functional despite its exclusive additional functionality
Under the hood, the PC is not to be outdone, with an Intel Core i7-14700K processor and an Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti graphics card. So while you enjoy a fresh cup of coffee on this machine, you also have enough power to game, edit videos, or do any other task you throw at it.
Cooling was obviously a major concern, hot water being an essential element in the coffee making process. So Martina set up an air intake at the front of the case with fans that route air directly to the critical components, while exhaust fans on the other side remove any excess heat.
Will this creation hold up to months and years of regular use? It’s difficult to say for sure, given the unique nature of all the components involved. Unfortunately, given the modernization of the boxes, the YouTubers probably couldn’t have added a CD player that could have been used as a cup holder.