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BACK IN METAL

The OREA V1 and V2 made their debut precisely 5 years ago (from the launch of this unit). To celebrate this big milestone in our history, we really wanted to release something special, inspired by everything we've learned in 5 years and looking ahead to the next 5 in front of us. In fact, this version of the OREA brewer has been in the works for about 3 years - a process of finding the right approach and right manufacturing partner that could meet our requirements. Through some luck and serendipity, this unit came to be at the perfect time - launching 5 years from the first metal brewer we ever launched. 

When we stopped making the V2, due to increasing metal costs (in the past years, the raw material cost has more than doubled) a lot of folks were disappointed - and we understand that. We were too. But sometimes, moving away from something helps reveal the problems around it and helps to identify better alternatives. The V2 involved a lot of machining, post-processing, and it was solid metal - which brought some usability issues. What we have here is not only nicer to use, but a better proposition overall. The new OBSIDIAN STEEL O1 is a throwback to our much-loved black V2, grungy, textured, matte - there's nothing else quite like it out there. 

HERITAGE 

Metal is part of our heritage and it definitely is part of our future. Our metal brewers helped us make our first connections, with people that have shaped our journey. They've been in people's homes, in cafes, and in brewing competitions. They've been brewed on boats, in deserts, jungles and even nightclubs. 

Brewing with MATT COWIE, owner of AMULET in Glasgow 

OBSIDIAN, COATED STAINLESS STEEL

This brewer is made from a high grade Stainless Steel that we import from South Korea. It's probably "aerospace grade" - but more importantly we wanted to work with something very consistent reel to reel and very food grade. On the interior wall, this specific unit is glossy ceramic coated, for a silky smooth durable food safe surface. On the exterior, we use a matte coating that is baked onto the steel frame. 

Please note: while we use super durable coatings - they are still coatings (similar to the original V2). This means that if you drop it unusually hard, ding it, and so on, the coating can be damaged. This does not make the unit unsafe, as under the coatings is pure Stainless Steel, but it may impact the aesthetics over time if you do not take care of it. We also do not recommend using a dishwasher for the OBSIDIAN unit, as with prolonged use, dishwashers will eventually wear the coatings (inner and outer). If you want a totally worry-free unit, please consider the O1 BREWER RAW steel, which has absolutely no extra finishings or coatings. 

DOUBLE-WALL CONSTRUCTION

An important distinction from our V2 is that this brewer is double-walled. This double-wall creates a cushy air pocket that will keep heat in the brewing chamber and it will not be very hot to the touch, when handling the brewer. The brewing effect is somewhat similar to our plastic brewers as a result, due to a consistency of heat and low radiative effect. In fact, the exterior temperature is usually 20 degrees cooler than the plastic wall of the O1, while brewing. The result is a smooth, balanced cup that our brewers are very known for. 

ICONIC DESIGN

Engineers are not always our favourite people. They constantly tell us that what we want is impossible. They always want us to compromise and change our vision to make things easier to manufacture. But we are stubborn. We searched, pushed, and challenged them until we found a way to make exactly what we wanted. We wanted this to look like all of our other brewers. Simple, fine curves, precisely elegant in the way we want it to be. The result is flawless and uncompromising - we are just incredibly happy with the result! We are incredibly stubborn - and this is why our work is always a little unique and true to our vision. We did not want to a just a metal brewer, we wanted to make the O1 - precisely in the form you see. What was in our mind is now in front of you - with zero alterations.

VALUABLE, ENDLESSLY RECYCLABLE

We chose steel because it is a valuable material. As a result of its value - to society - steel has an incredibly high recoverability rate. 75% of the steel ever produced in human history is still in use today. Steel products have a recoverability and recyclability rate of around 90% - some of the missed recoverability has been attributed to wars, shipwrecks or natural disasters. In normal settings, steel products are recovered, and recycled - because the material is very valuable. Steel is infinitely recyclable too, meaning that you can keep turning it into new products, time after time. 

This is an important point on circularity and sustainability. We use thin sheets of metal, and very little raw material per unit. While it is energy intensive to produce, it will last you virtually forever and at the end of its use, it is most likely recovered and recycled into something else that is useful. 

UNIBODY CONSTRUCTION

To pay homage to our V2, we really wanted this unit to be a beautiful unibody piece. A solid steel base is precision-welded to the double-walled body to add some heft and stability. We really wanted to avoid a two-piece brewer, or using other materials (like others that use silicone) to create the "base". We just wanted something that feels good, solid, and is like our plastic O1 brewers that people love already. 

MADE WITH CARE BY HUMANS

We visited our factory twice in the process of making these brewers to see how they work, what the standards are, and to understand and capture each step of the process. A lot of hands touch one of these beautiful brewers - cutting, shaping, shaping some more, welding, polishing, laser etching, testing, quality control, packing, shipping. A brewer is something simple to you - but we ask you to please remember that making something is not easy. There are a lot of steps, a lot of masters at each one, and a lot of people involved. We want our products to be as affordable as possible, but we also want to work with good factories and pay a fair price. 

WHY WE MADE THE O1 (baby O)

Another brewer? Really? YES. Because many have asked us for this and we'll tell you exactly why. We stopped making small/compact/155 size brewers a few years ago. We wanted to focus on one size to make things easy for us, from a paper, guidance, and supply chain perspective. Bigger brewers are versatile, but small brewers excel in two main areas that many people care about:

BETTER FOR SMALL DOSES

A lot of our customers brew just single doses (10-18g) and want a format of brewer that fits that range better. A smaller device will allow the brewer to get closer to the bed of coffee with the kettle spout, giving more control on application of water and control of agitation. It also has less material and thus will take away less heat over the brew from the coffee slurry.

EASIER FOR TRAVEL

A smaller brewer is a lot easier to pack, on the go. It weighs less and fits in more corners of a bag. It's just an easier object to bring around with you, and that matters to a lot of folks!

WHAT OTHERS SAY ABOUT THE O1

THE OREA TASTE PROFILE

We calibrate our brewers by taste - not by some arbitrary number. We design using our taste buds, with a process that involves bending the design to give us our dream taste profile from each device, in their own way. We tend to calibrate with people we respect in the industry - people with great taste. We are always aiming for balance, clarity, and clean vibrancy. This has helped create the "OREA taste profile" which so many people really love and is there in all of our brewers. This unit is no different - a new material - same beautiful taste profile. 

ORIGINAL OPEN BOTTOM

Our original OPEN bottom design has featured in our Glass, Porcelain and V4 plastic brewers for years. The OPEN bottom provides a ridge for the flat paper to stand atop, designed to find the perfect balance of support and space. The paper naturally bends through the middle, encouraging a more central flow of water through the coffee bed. With this style of brewer we find our most unique profile of acidity, with a more conical flow pattern through a shallow flat bottom bed. Candy-like acidity without sacrificing balance, sweetness and body. A masterpiece that has been much duplicated but not yet replicated.

SUPREMELY CONSISTENT

This design has been praised for years by our customers for the consistency brew-to-brew. In a way, it is the design where we interfere least, letting gravity dictate how water flows and how the bed can behave. We love this inherent simplicity and the consistency it brings.  The profile in the cup sits somewhere between the conical brewers and traditional flat brewers. Brighter and clean acidity, but a lot of balance. This bottom produces a lighter, more tea-like body than our other flat bottoms, which many praise and love. If you are after brews with thicker body, we recommend our V4 or Z1 brewers.

BREWING OPTIONS

The O1 is very flexible. You can brew in various ways and use different types of paper, which can be found around the world from many suppliers. 

BREW WAVE

WAVE filters are easy, fast, and extremely available around the world. They allow more bypass, airflow, and create a narrower bed. Usually under the same parameters, they result in a less concentrated brew. Many like them for their ease of use, plug-and-play nature, and quick brew times. The O1 is compatible with the traditional 155 WAVE sized paper / our SMALL sized WAVE paper.

BREW FLAT

FLAT filters are fun, delicious, and offer a higher quality of brew due to a lowering of bypass and the creation of a wider, shallower bed of coffee in our brewer. Many like them for the juicy, sweet, full-bodied cups they help create by ensuring more water passes through the coffee and less around it. The O1 is compatible with the SMALL, 155 OREA Flat Filters / the SMALL, 155 Sibarist FAST Flat Filters.

EXPERIMENT

There is no right answer to which kind of filter to use. It depends on what you value! We continue to explore and to support many brewing styles across our flat bottom brewers. We love to see people really try a lot of - sometimes weird - approaches. It's in the spirit of OREA - we hope you never stop.

SUPPLY CHAIN CHOICES

We make the STEEL O1 in China with a family-run metal products manufacturer. We have visited them twice already, to see each step of the process and how all work is carried out. We get to work directly with the owners and they take our feedback to heart. They treat their products with special care and respect - they are not the cheapest, for sure. But we really wanted to work with the best. From the raw materials they source to their openness of us visiting and filming everything, they've been a joy to work with from day 1. We know that our pricing to you - or their pricing to us - will never be the lowest - if you're looking for that, there are other companies to shop from. We are focused on quality and paying back in the value chain - supporting those that do business the right way. 

PARTICULARS