The idea of chocolate printing has been around for a while. There are a few conversion kits out there to outfit your existing jury-proof 3D printer, but they’re always lacking. The Cocoa Press is a new take: It’s a complete 3D printer of chocolate that comes either as a kit for $1,500 or fully assembled for $4,000 and lets you make almost any 3D model out of chocolate.
I first saw the Cocoa Press at the end of 2022 at the East Coast RepRap Festival, a 3D printing conference in Maryland. I was impressed with the engineering involved. Unlike regular 3D printing, which uses a thin thread of plastic, Cocoa Press has a tank filled with specialty chocolate. This chocolate cools quickly and then extrudes onto the builder’s surface in layers. All parts that touch the chocolate are food safe – made of silicone or stainless steel – and because the print temperature is only 80°F (27°C), they’re safe to use around children.
Cocoa Press
What’s interesting is how good the final models are. Because the chocolate cools so quickly, it can support more advanced geometries than other chocolate printers, allowing for a much better variety of possible chocolate shapes. You can even print out hollow forms with a small hole to fill with your favorite jam, fondant, or ganache. In this picture you can see even these simple designs showing how this can be used at home or in a small business. It will be a lot of fun making delicious treats for your friends and family, and you can also sell them at the farmer’s market or online.
While the kit requires 3D printing of some parts, it comes with all the electronics and mechanical parts you’ll need to get started with chocolate printing. Fortunately, only four parts of the printer touch food, and they can all be easily removed for cleaning in the sink and making sure everything is clean. Cocoa Press also sells chocolate in special cylinders that fit easily into the chamber, but they do state that you can experiment with making your own chocolate. These cylinders will cost $49 per pack of 10, each weighing 70 grams (2.5 ounces). With costs going, it’s not bad, especially if you’re thinking of selling your creations on Etsy or on a marketplace.
Cocoa Press
I love 3D printing. It gives you a chance to be creative in new and exciting ways, so any progress that furthers this creative path deserves some consideration. Ellie Weinstein, the engineer behind Cocoa Press, has been working on this project for a while now, and following her journey as she found new ways to print chocolate has been amazing. I also love chocolate, and the combination of the two makes my mouth water for the amazing things I’ll be able to make. I can already see Etsy stores filled with chocolate knuckle dragons, chocolate goblets, and cream-filled dragon eggs.
As of April 17, 2023, the Cocoa Press is available to order for $100 and should ship to the US and Canada sometime in September 2023. The full set price will be $1,500, which will require you to 3D print parts for yourself. Or it’s $4,000 for a fully assembled kit, which will ship later in the year.
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