A writer for coffee website Sprudge can’t quite get behind the Stircle, though, calling it “overdesigned” and pointing to the machine’s hefty price tag: $345 to $490, depending on the model. (Author Zac Cadwalader notes a box of 1,000 stirrers costs about $3. Could we not just use reusable spoons?, he wonders.) But later he points out the Stircle isn’t about cost, it’s about eco-friendliness and reducing the amount of junk that goes into landfills.

Advertisement

The specialty coffee industry has long kept a close eye on the environmental and social impact of its products, which is why we see organic, fair-trade, and Rainforest Alliance-certified coffee on shelves. So for coffeeshops concerned with reducing the amount of trash bound for landfills, a few hundred dollars might be worth the sustainability win. I’ve seen dried pasta used a stir stick at coffeeshops, which though biodegradable seems like a waste of edible food. I guess reusable spoons use water for rinsing and cleaning, and aren’t as flashy as the “look at me” spinning Stircle. I’m on board with the device; we just really need to do something about the name Stircle.