Pre-orders for the Cocoa Press chocolate 3D printer begin in April
Valentine’s Day may have already passed, but it doesn’t hurt to get an early start with a $1,500 investment on the Cocoa Press chocolate 3D printer. Yes, you read that right. Instead of melted plastic, this machine uses chocolate. We’re not complaining.
The Cocoa Press chocolate 3D printer will be one of the extremely few consumer-friendly chocolate printers that runs entirely autonomously and produces delicious 3D-printed masterpieces based on either your own unique designs or those acquired from websites such as Printables. Starting on April 17, a DIY kit can be pre-ordered for $1,499.
Instead of resin, the Cocoa Press uses chocolate cartridges. Each cartridge contains 70 grams of a cocoa and palm oil mixture. Before printing, the cartridge must be preheated for about 15 minutes to a temperature that sits just below average body temperatures. While customers can use their own chocolate, it may take a few test runs to find a blend that prints similar to what Cocoa Press uses. The company will be selling 10-packs of chocolate cartridge refills for $49 each.
Additionally, there’s a guarantee that all parts of the 3D printer that come into contact with the chocolate can be cleaned. The six-inch printing bed appears to be covered in a small piece of silicone material that resembles Silpat, which should make it simple to remove prints once they’re cooled down.
Just to note, assembly of the 3D printer will require around 10 hours to complete. Don’t be too alarmed as the setup process will be quite streamlined, but it also won’t be the easiest task hence the 10 hours. Cocoa Press expects to ship in the US and Canada as early as September.