I didn’t expect to fall in love with a bread-making robot vending machine on the CES show floor, but here we are. I’m in love.
Wilkinson Baking Company’s BreadBot whips up bread from dry ingredients to dough to finished product in just an hour and a half, churning out a loaf every six minutes. Then it slots the bread into what looks like a giant vending machine, where you can select the freshest (and hottest) loaf by using a tablet attached to the front of the machine.
This machines does everything: mixing, kneading, proofing, and baking. The BreadBot knows how much yeast, flour, and water to add based on atmospheric conditions, and makes adjustments and improvements with each loaf.
I want this for my house.
Sadly, Wilkinson’s BreadBot isn’t designed for everyday users. This year, the Walla Walla, Washington-based company is testing the device in grocery stores across the country, where the BreadBot’s from-scratch loaves will be an alternative to bagged breads filled with preservatives.
I tried a slice of white wheat bread fresh from the BreadBot on the CES show floor, where Wilkinson’s device drew a giant crowd attracted by the smell of freshly baked bread. (Is there anything better? No, no there isn’t.) Slathered in butter, the bread tasted like it had just come out of the oven — a nontraditional oven, but an oven nonetheless.
Keep your eyes peeled: You might spot a BreadBot at a grocery store near you later this year.
