Thank You for Making Our 7th Batch Possible 🎉

Since the beginning of the development of the Strad Preheating Unit (SPU), we know many of you have been eagerly waiting for updates. We are also fully aware that this project has experienced periods of delay due to different circumstances, including the setup of our new workshop in Barcelona and the continuous small improvements we have been incorporating into the Strad manual lever machine itself.

However, throughout all this time, we have never lost sight of the importance of creating this preheating unit, especially considering the number of requests we have received from many of you.

With this article, we wanted to take a moment to evaluate the entire process and share where we currently stand.

From the very beginning, the biggest challenge in developing the SPU was creating a product that would remain fully retrocompatible with our only Strad model. Under no circumstances did we want to create two separate versions of the machine — an electric Strad and a non-electric one. We have always believed that the SPU should be an optional accessory that any existing Strad owner could install.

Although this approach felt like the right one to us, it was certainly not the easiest path.

Eventually, we found a solution: manufacturing a semi-circular aluminum heating element that could be installed around the “waist” of the Strad group, transferring heat directly into the group itself.

After building the first prototype and confirming that the concept worked correctly, another major challenge appeared: legal compliance. Since the original prototype connected directly to mains power (220V or 110V), it would have required passing strict, expensive, and complex certification processes.

Because of this, we decided to move in a different direction. The SPU would instead operate at 24V using an already certified external power supply with all the necessary approvals. This made the process significantly simpler. But the question remained: would it still work effectively?

Our first calculations and tests showed promising results. Now, after redesigning the component at least three times, we are finally ready for what we expect to be the final prototype, which is currently in production.

These latest prototypes have focused on refining the design and optimizing efficiency as much as possible. At the same time, we have carefully considered the machining process to ensure manufacturing remains economically viable.

If everything continues according to plan, we expect the SPU to enter pre-order approximately two months after the publication of this article, possibly coinciding with the production of our 8th batch of Strad machines🤞.

We sincerely appreciate your patience and continued support throughout this development journey. More updates will follow soon.

At Strad Espresso Maker, we have always believed that exceptional products are not born from mass production, but from care, obsession, and attention to detail.

We are a small company, and we intentionally produce our machines in small batches. That approach allows us to give every single machine the attention it deserves. Since our very first production batch in January 2025, we have implemented important improvements driven directly by the feedback, ideas, and support of our growing community. Many of the refinements inside today’s Strad exist because passionate coffee enthusiasts took the time to share their thoughts with us. We are deeply grateful for that collaboration.

We believe it is still possible to build a product with uncompromising quality using the very best components available. That is why every Strad machine is manufactured in Barcelona using high-precision CNC machining, in partnership with a small workshop backed by generations of machining experience and craftsmanship.

Several of our components are also manufactured in Italy by trusted partners who are extraordinarily meticulous about quality. Working with small, highly specialized suppliers is not always the fastest or easiest path, but for us it is the right one.

What matters most to us is not scale. It is integrity.

Every machine we ship has a name and a story behind it. That is why we maintain a direct and personal relationship with our customers. Every email is answered personally. Every question matters. Every machine leaving our workshop represents our standards, our reputation, and our commitment to doing things properly.

Of course, we understand the importance of branding, presentation, and marketing. But we also believe that honesty, the effort to do things the right way, and a genuine passion for product quality matter infinitely more.

We know there is still a lot we can improve.

For example, our packaging is probably not worthy of a beautiful unboxing video just yet. And yes, we will improve it. But right now, our energy and obsession are focused elsewhere: making sure that when you open that not-so-beautiful box, what you find inside is one of the best-built manual lever espresso machines on the market.

That has always been the goal.

And it still is.