If you’re a coffee enthusiast and a classic car aficionado, you might find this unique gadget intriguing. It’s a coffee machine specially designed to enhance your road trips by fitting seamlessly onto the dashboard of a 1959 Volkswagen Beetle. This innovative contraption allows you to brew a steaming cup of coffee while you navigate the roads!
The Hertella-Auto Kaffeemaschine, a gadget manufactured and sold by the German company Hertella, debuted in the late 1950s.
The Kaffeemaschine was a basic device comprising a metal container with a heating element, filter basket, and spout. It lacked an on/off switch, automatically initiating brewing when connected to the car’s cigarette lighter.
h/t: vintag.es
The Kaffeemaschine could hold water for two cups of coffee, which would be dispensed into a porcelain cup with a magnetic base. The process would take about 15 minutes, depending on the car’s voltage.
The Hertella-Auto Kaffeemaschine was unpopular due to its lack of practicality and safety. Mixing hot water with a moving vehicle is imprudent and could lead to draining the car’s battery or electrical issues. Additionally, the Kaffeemaschine was expensive, priced at DM65, while a new Beetle in 1959 cost DM3790.
Today, the Hertella-Auto Kaffeemaschine is highly coveted by VW enthusiasts as a rare collector’s item. With only a limited number remaining, these vintage coffee makers can be auctioned online for prices as high as $500. If you happen upon one of these treasures, it may be worth experiencing, but only when the vehicle is stationary!
