Ni Wares

Inspired by the Japanese word for “two” and “movement” Ni is the first of its kind. Manifested in 2021, designed over many years in the speciality coffee industry and coffee competition arenas. Ni was born to bring the user closer to their cup of coffee, by allowing them to not only personalize their experience but connect deeper to taste. The first dual-lipped vessels, were inspired by gastronomy.

We wanted to create the perfect cup to enjoy filter coffee with. We came to learn pretty quickly, that each coffee was enhanced by different shapes and flow. This is where the idea of Ni came about. We create the first of its kind with different lip shapes to change to point of impact on the mouth, highlighting different elements of coffees, encapsulating your preferences and in some cases changing the coffee profile completely.

The Design Challenge for Ni was to revolutionize coffee enjoyment by addressing the nuanced flavour profiles of various brews. Traditional cups lacked adaptability to enhance diverse coffee experiences. Ni aimed to create a vessel that accentuates flavours through innovative dual lip designs, catering to individual preferences and competition standards. By marrying form and function, Ni sought to redefine coffee presentation and taste exploration. This challenge prompted Ni’s creation, driving its success in elevating coffee appreciation and performance on both national and global scales.

Crafting a variable-thickness lip in ceramic presented challenges, demanding precise engineering for durability and aesthetics. Symbolic lines on both sides denote the lip thickness – one line for thin and two lines for thick. Offering this innovative feature, empowers users to personalize their coffee taste and experience, forging a deeper connection to their brew. This journey through design intricacies ensures each cup delivers not just a drink, but a profound sensory journey.

These cups were used by competitors at the highest level, producing multiple national champions in Brewers Cup, ranking 2nd in the first round of 2023 World Brewers Cup and much more. See some of the highlights below:
2024 World Barista Championships Runner Up / Jack Simpson 
2024 World Brewers Cup 16th Place / Suki, Hiu Yeung Ma
2024 Switzerland Brewers Cup Champion / Suki, Hiu Yeung Ma 
+ many more

more. www.ni-wares.com