PicoBrew, the Seattle-based makers of high-tech home-brew machines, just gave the boot to the Precision Cooker on Kickstarter. The Pico Model C brewing machine set a new record in the crowd-sourcing site’s food category by raising $1.812 million.
PicoBrew’s fourth successful campaign, which ends at midnight on Saturday, started on April 3 with a goal of $350,000. That goal was met within seven hours, and now, 4,208 backers later as of Friday morning, the 7-year-old startup owned legitimate bragging rights.
“Wow! Thank you to all of our Pico Model C backers for helping us make this campaign the number one Food Kickstarter of all time,” PicoBrew CEO Bill Mitchell said in a news release. “We couldn’t have done it without you! The support we’ve continued to receive from the Kickstarter community, especially those who have backed us since our very first project, is just incredible.”
Kickstarter’s previous record for an item in its food category was $1.811 million, set by Anova with its Precision Cooker.
Founded in 2010 by Mitchell, the former Microsoft executive, his brother, Bill, a food scientist, and engineer Avi Geiger, PicoBrew’s countertop Model C is the latest in a line of machines designed to automate and accelerate the process of making quality beer at home. The Kickstarter campaign offered early backers a chance to purchase the new model at prices starting at $329.
“PicoBrew is one of our favorite creators, bringing round after round of innovative products to the Kickstarter community,” Clarissa Redwine, Kickstarter’s design and technology outreach lead for the West Coast, said in the news release. “We picked the Pico Model C as a ‘Project We Love’ early on and are thrilled that, with the help of over 4,100 backers, it broke the record for Most Funded campaign in our vibrant Food category.”
