Launch HN: Bottomless (YC W19) – Coffee Restocked with a Smart Scale • Hacker News Board

Re: Launch HN: Bottomless (YC W19) – Coffee Restocked with a Smart Scale

#201

Post by benatkin » Sat, Mar 16, 2019, 4:21 AM UTC

MagicPropmaker wrote: post #196

function_seven wrote: post #162

My initial reaction to this post was very dismissive. I was ready to jump into the comments and nod along with everyone else shitting all over it. But, I don't want to be like CmdrTaco and the iPod, or whoever thought an rsync bash script could replace Dropbox. If you prove this out with coffee, and work on making it for all "constant" foods in the home, this would be awesome. Milk, butter, cheese, eggs, soda, cereal…

This was tried with eggs, and it failed: https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/egg-minder-smart-tray-let... But maybe if someone does it with a camera and a little AI in a fridge for Milk, eggs, butter, etc. it could work.

As we learned earlier today, eggs make a lousy dietary staple. And since it isn't addictive like coffee, knowing is half the battle, and not ten percent of the battle like it seems to be with caffeine. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19403468

Eggs are a major food, but they aren't relied upon like coffee.

Re: Launch HN: Bottomless (YC W19) – Coffee Restocked with a Smart Scale

#202

Post by benatkin » Sat, Mar 16, 2019, 4:24 AM UTC

hyperpape wrote: post #190

titanix2 wrote: post #186

Yet another startup that throws tech at a non-issue. People buying cheap coffee just do that when doing their groceries. And people buying expensive ones are probably inclined to try new ones based on recommendations of their local dedicated store. Congratulations, you removed chit-chat with the clerk, smelling the different varieties of products, buying something unplanned, i.e. what’s make interesting to go buying…

I’m a big coffee fan, but my routine leaves me buying whatever is fresh from Counter Culture at Whole Foods. I don’t make regular trips to a coffee shop, because it doesn’t fit my schedule. If many of those roasters are decent, this would give me more variety. And today I definitely end up running out of beans at inconvenient times. Price: I brew at home, and buy roughly two bags a month, typically $11-14/bag. So I’d…

It sounds like you're closer to being able to find a use for this than many, because you like to have the same brand of coffee.

Some coffee lovers like me like variety, not just within a brand, but across brands.

Re: Launch HN: Bottomless (YC W19) – Coffee Restocked with a Smart Scale

#203

Post by DivisionSol » Sat, Mar 16, 2019, 4:24 AM UTC

MagicPropmaker wrote: post #196

function_seven wrote: post #162

My initial reaction to this post was very dismissive. I was ready to jump into the comments and nod along with everyone else shitting all over it. But, I don't want to be like CmdrTaco and the iPod, or whoever thought an rsync bash script could replace Dropbox. If you prove this out with coffee, and work on making it for all "constant" foods in the home, this would be awesome. Milk, butter, cheese, eggs, soda, cereal…

This was tried with eggs, and it failed: https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/egg-minder-smart-tray-let... But maybe if someone does it with a camera and a little AI in a fridge for Milk, eggs, butter, etc. it could work.

I’ll bite and say the reason this failed was the convience. If you merely set a carton of eggs on a weighted shelf and it would automatically order more when you’re low, it might’ve done better, and, been more generalist.

I’ll offer the optimistic hope that people are more willing to put a bag onto a scale after making a cup of joe with the added benefit of automatically having the “nuisance” of ordering and delivering solved. (Non perishable, etc)

Re: Launch HN: Bottomless (YC W19) – Coffee Restocked with a Smart Scale

#204

Post by hahajk » Sat, Mar 16, 2019, 4:29 AM UTC

rorykoehler wrote: post #187

seizethecheese wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah love grocery shopping when I’m making a meal or shopping for something unique. Personally, I’m not a fan of shopping for the same stuff over and over.

That's kind of my point. I buy coffee every week but rarely the same one. In fact discovering, comparing and contrasting various beans, washes, roasts and preparation types is half the joy of coffee.

Me too, but I also like the “surprise me” subscription services like wine clubs. It’d be a decent backup plan if too many users complained about the monotony.

Re: Launch HN: Bottomless (YC W19) – Coffee Restocked with a Smart Scale

#205

Post by ClassyJacket » Sat, Mar 16, 2019, 4:31 AM UTC

titanix2 wrote: post #186

Yet another startup that throws tech at a non-issue. People buying cheap coffee just do that when doing their groceries. And people buying expensive ones are probably inclined to try new ones based on recommendations of their local dedicated store. Congratulations, you removed chit-chat with the clerk, smelling the different varieties of products, buying something unplanned, i.e. what’s make interesting to go buying…

I don't necessarily disagree that this might be too niche to be a viable business, but I think you're being overly dismissive and ignoring that there is at least some market for people who do just want to restock the same coffee all the time.

You could apply your argument to any consumable item, it isn't coffee-specific. Lots of people figure out the one they like and stick with it.

I know people who order the same coffee all the time. Is it a big enough inconvenience for them to need it automated? I don't know. But they don't care about chit chat with clerks.

Re: Launch HN: Bottomless (YC W19) – Coffee Restocked with a Smart Scale

#206

Post by gatherhunterer » Sat, Mar 16, 2019, 4:35 AM UTC

rorykoehler wrote: post #187

seizethecheese wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah love grocery shopping when I’m making a meal or shopping for something unique. Personally, I’m not a fan of shopping for the same stuff over and over.

That's kind of my point. I buy coffee every week but rarely the same one. In fact discovering, comparing and contrasting various beans, washes, roasts and preparation types is half the joy of coffee.

Wouldn’t a service like this also suppress competition by making part of the market impenetrable to new companies?

Re: Launch HN: Bottomless (YC W19) – Coffee Restocked with a Smart Scale

#207

Post by jvagner » Sat, Mar 16, 2019, 4:48 AM UTC

function_seven wrote: post #162

My initial reaction to this post was very dismissive. I was ready to jump into the comments and nod along with everyone else shitting all over it. But, I don't want to be like CmdrTaco and the iPod, or whoever thought an rsync bash script could replace Dropbox. If you prove this out with coffee, and work on making it for all "constant" foods in the home, this would be awesome. Milk, butter, cheese, eggs, soda, cereal…

I’m sticking with dismissive.

Re: Launch HN: Bottomless (YC W19) – Coffee Restocked with a Smart Scale

#208

Post by rorykoehler » Sat, Mar 16, 2019, 5:15 AM UTC

gatherhunterer wrote: post #206

rorykoehler wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's kind of my point. I buy coffee every week but rarely the same one. In fact discovering, comparing and contrasting various beans, washes, roasts and preparation types is half the joy of coffee.

Wouldn’t a service like this also suppress competition by making part of the market impenetrable to new companies?

I guess that's why YC invested in it.

Re: Launch HN: Bottomless (YC W19) – Coffee Restocked with a Smart Scale

#209

Post by seizethecheese » Sat, Mar 16, 2019, 5:30 AM UTC

hahajk wrote: post #204

rorykoehler wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's kind of my point. I buy coffee every week but rarely the same one. In fact discovering, comparing and contrasting various beans, washes, roasts and preparation types is half the joy of coffee.

Me too, but I also like the “surprise me” subscription services like wine clubs. It’d be a decent backup plan if too many users complained about the monotony.

We actually default people into a "surprise me" subscription.

Re: Launch HN: Bottomless (YC W19) – Coffee Restocked with a Smart Scale

#210

Post by moonka » Sat, Mar 16, 2019, 5:40 AM UTC

I rolled my eyes reading the synapsis, because I am picky with which coffee I order, and prefer to grab bags of local roasters. Then I looked at the roasters you offer and was impressed. I'll be putting in an order once I finish the bag in my cupboard I just picked up. If only you had Slate* it would be perfect for me because you'd have 4 out of the 4 I prefer instead of just 3 out of 4.

*https://slatecoffee.com/