Fellow Aiden makes coffee delicious enough for snobs at the touch of a button

Sometimes, even the most die-hard coffee lovers just want a quick cup of joe. Unfortunately, this often leaves people with less-than-satisfactory coffee from a traditional drip coffee machine. But now, after years of customer demand, Fellow has finally released a machine that it says offers a brewing experience at the touch of a button. After seeing it in action, there’s a lot to like.

With prices starting at $365, the Aiden certainly isn’t cheap. That said, compared to the $500 grinders and pricey accessories that so many enthusiasts crave, this may seem like a good deal to some. But the biggest difference between the Aiden and a traditional coffee maker is that, unlike a typical drip coffee maker, it has an adjustable spray head that mimics the process of traditional brewing. Fellow also uses a thick-film Ferro Techniek heating element, which is said to provide precise water temperatures (as low as one degree and as high as 210F). When combined with the ability to adjust bloom time, water usage, and more, you have a ton of control over the brewing process. Fellow even includes two different baskets: a single-serve option that offers slightly more granular produce, and a batch strainer that can accommodate larger crowds (up to 10 cups at a time).

Aiden also has a guided brewing process that walks you through various setups, but you can always create your own profile or download instructions directly from participating roasters via QR code and Fellow’s free companion app. That said, I appreciate that if you don’t want to turn on your phone just to make a cup of coffee, you can still program it, start brewing, and enter data directly into the machine via its bright color LCD screen and large controls to dial in .

But the best thing about Aiden is how easy and convenient it is to use. It has a 1.5-liter water tank and its heating element is completely silent, so you can make a cup of coffee in the morning without disturbing the silence. Once you’ve got your favorite brew dialed in, starting a batch is as simple as pouring on some ground and hitting go (and adding water to the tank if you haven’t done so already). The machine will remind you when you need to perform a cleaning cycle or descale. Because its shower head is so precise, if you schedule it to run before you get up in the morning, it’ll be ready exactly when you tell it to. Not a minute too early or too late. There’s even a cold brew setting that slowly drips water to the grounds throughout the day (of course you can set how long or short this takes), rather than relying on long soaks like other methods.

However, one feature that the Aiden doesn’t have is a keep-warm feature, but that’s because most coffee lovers tend to stay away from machines with built-in hotplates as this can cause the coffee to burn. Instead, the Fellow relies on an insulated double-walled carafe to keep it warm until you get your hands on it (which may not be too long if you’re in need of caffeine).

Finally, while your taste may vary, I like the Aiden’s minimalist design. It’s short enough to fit under most kitchen cabinets, and its sleek lines and boxy shape make it easy to clean. Although I only tasted one cup, the Scandinavian light roast I tried retained many subtle vanilla and pecan flavors that are often eliminated by traditional drip brewers.

That said, it’s important to remember that the Aiden isn’t meant to replace your V60 or Aeropress or whatever your preferred brewing method is. It’s simply designed to provide a higher quality coffee than a standard drip coffee maker if you don’t have the time or energy to brew a cup yourself. From what I’ve seen so far, it does just that.

Aiden is now available for pre-order and is expected to begin shipping in September this year. Additionally, anyone who pre-orders will receive a bag of coffee from Onyx Coffee Lab, La Cabra and Verve Coffee Roasters designed specifically for the machine, as well as a scannable brewing profile.