Automatic Tofu Press

The Automatic Tofu Press is a motorized kitchen appliance that automatically removes excess water from tofu with the push of a button.

The goal of this project was to adapt an existing product to make it more accessible for people with disabilities. Through user research and personal cooking experience, my team identified a key gap in the market: all commercially available tofu presses relied entirely on manual operation.

After analyzing the popular TofuBud Tofu Press, we found that its spring-loaded locking mechanism required significant wrist strength and mobility, creating a barrier for many users. The Automatic Tofu Press addresses this challenge by automating the pressing process and reducing the physical effort required to prepare tofu.

Market Background

Based on the market analysis, we assert that there is a potential market for an automated tofu press device towards young, affluent home cooks, especially those with dietary restrictions or physical disabilities. Such a solution would therefore have the following qualities:

Intuitive to use
Easy to store
Require little to no manual force from the user
Effectively press the water out of the tofu without crushing the block
Adjust for different types of tofu or amounts of water content

Product Specifications

The Automatic Tofu Press uses a linear motor and piston to provide a downward force onto a flat plate which then applies a load onto the block of tofu for water extraction. A pressure sensor connected to the plate detects when optimal pressure is reached which then controls the motor’s movement. This closed-loop control system opens the possibility for further optimization and fine-tuning of tofu pressing beyond the traditional spring method.

To learn more about our development process, read our final report.