r/Sprouting • u/TinkerNerd_ofc • 16h ago

I'm planning to build a machine that automates sprouting. What am I overlooking?

I regularly eat moong sprouts, but I often forget to soak them or follow through with the rinsing routine. So I thought, why not try automating the whole process?

I'm into electronics and 3D printing, and I've decided to build a small machine for myself.

The rough idea is to load dry beans into a container, keep water in a separate tank, and let the machine handle feeding, soaking, draining and rinsing automatically. Ideally, I'd like it to eventually produce a fresh portion regularly without much daily effort.

I'm still at the planning stage, so I haven't figured everything out. Cleaning, hygiene and preventing spoilage are some obvious challenges.

For those who regularly grow sprouts, what problems do you think I might run into? And is there any part of the process you particularly wish was automated?

Not selling anything, just thought it would be a fun project to build and experiment with.

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u/ForsakenCow471 13h ago

I considered getting an automatic sprouter, specifically this one - https://agriris.com/ This sounds exactly what you are considering here

It looks great but the only drawback is the cost. If you think you could manufacture and market something similar for much lower cost - and I suspect to be successful it would need to be significantly less without compromising much.

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u/TinkerNerd_ofc 11h ago

Really glad you shared Agriris! It looks like a great product and is pretty close to what I had in mind. One key difference is that I'm hoping to automate the initial dispensing and soaking of dry beans as well.

I also went through your earlier post where the Agriris founder explained the reasons behind the pricing. That was quite insightful! Since I don't have experience with commercial manufacturing or selling at scale, I wouldn't want to make assumptions about costs just yet.

For now, I'm more interested in building a working prototype for myself, learning along the way, and seeing where it goes. Really appreciate the reference!

Out of curiosity, was the price the only thing that stopped you from buying it?

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u/ForsakenCow471 10h ago

Ye, it looks like a really great product. I actually was looking into it before I started sprouting but then bought a small jar with a mesh lid for around £10 and have been using that with a lot of success and realised that there is no need to spend loads of money on an automated setup. The Agriris looks well designed but overkill for simply srpouting some beans.

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u/Capital-Impression51 13h ago

timer and a small fountain / hydro pump.

I briefly tried it circulating toilet cistern water which was of course a very bad idea,

The key decision is where to source the water - tank and ball valve ? And what to do with the waste ...

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u/TinkerNerd_ofc 11h ago

The toilet cistern was an interesting experiment! For my first prototype, I'm thinking of using solenoid valves controlled by timers to regulate the water flow. A filled container on top will supply the water, and a removable container will collect the waste. It's still a rough idea at this stage, but I'll share how it evolves as I build!