Does Your Baby Deserve Her Own Nespresso Machine?

The evil geniuses at Nestle have launched BabyNes a baby-milk dispenser that uses the same technology as their highly popular Nespresso coffee machines.

The system, which is currently on sale in the Swiss market, offers single-serve capsules of formula or milk powder for infants. So in the same way you’d insert a coffee capsule into a Nespresso machine and let it works its magic, you could instead place a formula capsule into the BabyNes and watch as it prepares your baby’s bottle.

It’s actually damn brilliant even though the whole things makes me uncomfortable. First of all, it’s expensive (the machine itself sells for around $285, with capsules costing up to $62 for a pack of 26 that’s roughly double the cost of regular powdered milk in Switzerland, where the company is based). Second, I’d be concerned about the health claims and safety of the product (in the 1970s, Nestle was boycotted around the world for its marketing of powdered milk; many infants died, particularly in Africa, because mothers mixed the powdered milk with contaminated water).

But, then again, the same could be said for formula of any kind.

And, let’s not underestimate the price of convenience. (Is there anything more convenient than having your formula measured out and heated up for you especially when your hands are full with a screaming infant?)

Mothers who choose to breastfeed exclusively will likely scoff at the BabyNes. But for those who formula-feed, this is one posh machine that, if you can afford it, is looking slicker by the minute.

(Photo: nestle.com)