As part of a comprehensive project to creative innovative kitchen appliances for the Chinese market and regarding the trend of growing numbers of coffee fans in China, we developed the concept of a modular coffee machine that combines important core functions of the coffee world with a tea maker and a hot water dispenser. The machine replaces up to 4 individual devices, reducing the space required, which usually is very limited in Chinese kitchens and reducing the use of material and resources that would be required if several individual devices were purchased.