With the breakfast range designed for Siemens, Studio F. A. Porsche applied principles from architecture and product engineering to the domestic sphere for the first time in a consistent manner. Rather than focusing on decorative design or a homely feel, the range emphasised industrial precision, structural clarity and a radical reduction to material and function. The appliances were created out of the conviction that even everyday objects should possess technical consistency and design integrity.

When we presented the designs for the new breakfast range at Siemens, it quickly became clear that this move would lead to a paradigm shift in the product category. The retail price alone was around four times that of a conventional kettle, but the use of solid aluminium naturally came with a corresponding cost. On this basis, Siemens’ marketing specialists estimated sales of 100,000 units over the entire product lifecycle.

The development of the range initially met with considerable resistance. Market research predicted little chance of success, and the complex manufacturing process was also seen as a financial risk. Nevertheless, the range went into production – and brought about lasting change to the market. The kettle, in particular, exceeded all expectations and became an international success, with more than a million units sold. The Breakfast range proved that radically minimalist design and industrial precision can be not only aesthetically significant but also commercially successful.

Just a few years later, the concept was systematically developed further with the Premium Line 2 and expanded to include additional products. The second generation adopted the clean lines and design language of the original series and carried forward the idea of a consistent range of premium products for the kitchen.