A beverage brewer includes a pump, intake tube and outflow tubes, a brewing material holder, and a container. The intake tube is connected to an inlet port of the pump. The outflow tube is connected to an outlet port of the pump. The brewing material holder is configured to hold brewing material at an issue end of the outflow tube. The container is arranged at an issue portion of the brewing material holder. A suction end of the intake tube is arranged for fluid communication with an interior of the container. The pump is configured to draw fluid from within the container through the intake tube and to issue the fluid into the brewing material holder through the outflow tube, to brew a beverage in the brewing material holder and issue the brewed beverage into the container. At least a portion of the intake tube is attached to the container.

A capsule or container is provided having optimized recycling attributes. The capsule is provided for use in a machine for preparing a consumable product from capsules. The capsule includes a body that defines an interior space with an opening. A cover is disposed over the opening. A filter is disposed in the interior space to define a chamber between the filter and the cover. The body, filter and cover are preferably formed of the same substantially pure polymer material. Ingredients are disposed in the interior space for preparing a desired product. A hinge is provided to tether the cover to the body. The cover is attached with a peelable seal to the body so that cover may be peeled away from the body while remaining tethered at the hinge.

A system is provided for making a beverage capsule for use in a beverage preparing machine. The system includes a filter station for sealing a filter to an interior space of a body for the beverage capsule to define an ingredients chamber; an ingredients station for depositing a desired volume of desired ingredients into the ingredients chamber; and a cover sealing station for sealing a cover to the body. The cover being sealed to the body to define a hinge zone and a peel zone, wherein the hinge zone has a stronger seal than the peel zone.

A process is provided for making a beverage capsule for use in a beverage preparing machine. The process includes the steps of: sealing a filter to an interior surface of a body for the beverage capsule to define an ingredients chamber; depositing a desired volume of desired ingredients into the ingredients chamber; and sealing a cover to the body to cover the opening. The cover is sealed to the body to define a hinge zone and a peel zone, wherein the hinge zone has a stronger seal than the peel zone.

A dispensing apparatus for dispensing a beverage preparation ingredient from a pod. The dispensing apparatus comprises a pod support region configured to support a pod, an actuator configured to engage with a corresponding actuator engagement region of the pod, and a rotation mechanism for rotating the pod. The apparatus is configured to cause the actuation member to cause an opening to be formed in a pod supported by the pod support region. The apparatus is further configured to cause the rotation mechanism to cause the pod to rotate about an axis of rotation during a dispensing operation, so as to cause the beverage preparation ingredient to be released from the pod via said opening.

A beverage brewing funnel for conforming a structure of a filter paper inserted therein is disclosed. The beverage brewing funnel includes a frame have a base, a drain aperature formed in a bottom surface of the base, and a wall extending upwardly from the base and defining a mouth. The beverage brewing funnel also includes ribs extending away from the wall and spaced apart from one another. Each rib has a portion radially and inwardly positioned along the wall. One of the portions includes a fin projecting upwardly and prominently from the portion. The fins form a raised central area relative to the frame.

Automated replenishment of consumables is a growing area of interest for customers and businesses alike, in that it has the potential to both improve customer satisfaction and create a steady stream of orders for a consumable service or product. As recognized herein, kitchen appliances, including those for dispensing beverages, present specific challenges to integration with a replenishment service, especially where multiple packages or formats of consumables may be utilized by a single kitchen appliance. Aspects provided herein include methods, systems, and devices for tracking consumption of foodstuffs prepared by a kitchen appliance, including either counting discrete quantities of foodstuffs or estimating non-discrete quantities. A signal requesting replenishment of at least one foodstuff may be transmitted to a replenishment server based on the counting and/or estimating.

A beverage machine with a holder including front and side walls around an opening where beverage material is held to form a beverage where the walls slope downwardly and inwardly toward the opening. A peripheral wall may extend upwardly from the opening and form a trough around the opening with the front and side walls.

A capsule or beverage brewing system or fabric is provided having optimized filtration characteristics. The capsule is provided for use in a machine for preparing a consumable product from capsules. The capsule includes a body that defines an interior space with an opening. A cover is disposed over the opening. A filter is disposed in the interior space to define a chamber between the filter and the cover. The filter has a basis weight of 40 gsm or less. Ingredients are disposed in the interior space for preparing a desired product. A portion of the ingredients have a grind size of less than 100 microns.

A capsule or container is provided having optimized recycling attributes. The capsule is provided for use in a machine for preparing a consumable product from capsules. The capsule includes a body that defines an interior space with an opening. A cover is disposed over the opening. A filter is disposed in the interior space to define a chamber between the filter and the cover. The body, filter and cover are preferably formed of the same substantially pure polymer material. Ingredients are disposed in the interior space for preparing a desired product. A hinge is provided to tether the cover to the body. The cover is attached with a peelable seal to the body so that cover may be peeled away from the body while remaining tethered at the hinge.