PancakeBot 2.0 is the second iteration of the original, as denoted by its “2.0” name. The product line itself, originally a Kickstarter product, is the first 3D food printer in the world that can make pancakes in any design by dispensing batter automatically… or shall we say, robotically. In short, it’s a pancake printer that allows you infinite amount of designs, and includes very user-friendly software for your PC that drives the design of each flapjack you create.
Inventor Miguel Valenzuella’s dreamed of inventing the PancakeBot by starting off making a pancake machine out of LEGOs for his two young daughters. He got the idea from a Make magazine article, describing a pancake stamping machine made out of LEGOs. Thus, PancakeBot was born. Miguel worked on developing and improving various LEGO designs and printed his first successful pancakes after 6 months. From there, the PancakeBot has gone through several designs, and today the company has succeeded in introducing the PancakeBot and PancakeBot 2.0 to kitchens around the world.
Pancakebot 2.0 Design
The PancakeBot 2.0 comes in black, and is made of solid plastic, has a sleek and contemporary look, measures 28.7 x 17.5 x 15 inches and weighs in at just under 14 pounds. It’s very easy to put together, and it’s equally as easy to disassemble so you can store it with ease.
With the new Pancakebot 2.0, you can adjust the pressure and speed of your printing. Additionally, the device has a black dial for setting the temperature on the front panel, a non-stick flat iron plate and a drip tray underneath to help you cook cleanly. You’ll also get a batter dispenser bottle secured on the top center of the unit, which works with any type of batter. Finally, there are recipes in the box to kick-start your creative cooking juices.
In the box you’ll find the “Bot”, a griddle, an SD Card and the user manual. Any SD card up to 32GB will work with this unit. Both the hot plate and the batter bottle are easy to detach and clean.
Features and Operation
The PancakeBot 1.0 version didn’t have an SD card or a filter that stops the batter from getting into the air pump, but the PancakeBot 2.0 does, and the company has also designed a more user-friendly interface and up to date firmware for the 2.0 version.
To use the PancakeBot 2.0, as mentioned, you’ll need the software, which is a free
download. You’ll use this software for exporting different shapes and designs. With the included SD card, you simply load the card onto the PancakeBot 2.0 and let the printer do its magic, creating packages in the exact shape of your design. There is an SD card slot located right on the machine.
You can also draw your own design using the software, and follow the same exporting to SD card procedure. After you’ve inserted the SD card into the machine’s slot, you then prepare the batter to your taste, thin it down with water or milk, strain the batter, switch on the hot plate, fill the bottle up to the max line and attach the drip cap if it is not already attached. You then place the bottle into the slot, screw on the cap and check the air hose, press the Power On button, remove the drip cap, place the bottle into the slot making sure the spine is in the biggest slot.
Now you’re ready for the PancakeBot 2.0 to do it’s work. After the device has batter-printed your design, let it set on the griddle a few minutes, and then flip your pancake and let it sit on the griddle until brown. After the design is completed, it’s essentially like cooking regular pancakes. You can easily pause and restart during the printing process or adjust the speed and pressure so you get your desired results.
Testing
During our testing, we were quite pleased with the results, and the designs make pancake eating an enjoyable experience for adults, but especially for children. There is a PancakeBot community online at the company’s website where you can find more than two hundred pancake designs.
An available firmware update will improve the speed of the printer, which can go up to 9600 rpm. You’ll be able to make a pancake within 1 to 4 minutes depending on the complexity of the design, and if your own griddle fits, you can use that with the machine.
Verdict
There may be a bit of a learning curve with the software and the printer, but we’ll have to say, the PancakeBot 2.0 is a very unique product, and makes cooking pancakes a lot of fun. You may need to play with it for a bit before you being using it properly with the pressure and thickness. As such, it could be a good idea to start out with a ready pancake mix where you just add water.
The PancakeBot 2.0 also has great software, allowing you to literally draw your favorite flapjack, and it’s easy to disassemble for storage. Again, the PancakeBot 2.0 is easy, fun to use, and anyone without any drawing skills can use it comfortably. The Pancakebot 2.0 sells for $299, and you can purchase it here.
To comment on this article and other GadgetGram content, visit our Facebook page, or our Twitter and Instagram feeds.
