The Inebriator was a homemade cocktail-mixing machine described in project coverage from 2012—not a documented, currently supported retail appliance. Its central idea was to move a glass between ingredient stations: measured spirits came from inverted bottles, while separately controlled lines supplied mixers. Historical accounts name an Arduino Mega 2560 as its main controller, but they do not establish a complete, verified build list or a reproducible kit.
What the Inebriator was
The Inebriator was a maker project built to automate drink mixing. Rather than moving bottles over a stationary glass, it carried the glass on a motorized trolley, pedestal, or drinks shelf and positioned it beneath the dispensers needed for a selected cocktail. The project appeared in historical coverage in 2012; that coverage is not evidence that the machine is manufactured or sold today. New Atlas, RoboticsTomorrow, and Hackaday describe the project.
How the drink-mixing mechanism worked
1. Choose a drink
In the RoboticsTomorrow account, a display and navigation buttons let the user select a drink. The controller was identified as an Arduino Mega 2560, paired with an HD44780-compatible display. These are details of the historical design, not a complete parts list for building a new machine. RoboticsTomorrow’s project description
2. Position the glass
A stepper motor moved the glass-carrying shelf or trolley among dispensing points. Accounts use different names for the moving carrier: New Atlas calls it a pedestal, RoboticsTomorrow describes a drinks shelf, and Hackaday calls it a trolley. Hackaday also reports a weight sensor intended to check for a glass before dispensing. New Atlas · RoboticsTomorrow · Hackaday
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11#1 Best Overall
- BUILD A METAL TRACKED ROBOT: Assemble the stainless-steel chassis, suspension, tracks, sensors and UNO R3 control system into a working robot; ideal for home STEM projects, homeschool lessons, coding clubs and classroom builds
- EXPLORE FIVE INTERACTIVE MODES: Switch between FPV driving, IR remote control, obstacle avoidance, line tracking and auto follow; create patrol routes, black-line courses, maze challenges and navigation experiments
- DRIVE FROM THE ROBOT’S VIEW: The OV2640 camera and ESP32-WROVER Wi-Fi module stream live FPV video to a compatible phone, while the adjustable servo-mounted camera lets you change the viewing angle during driving and inspection
- START WITH BLOCK CODING, ADVANCE TO ARDUINO IDE: Use the ElegooKit app for visual programming, then modify motor speed, sensor thresholds, servo movement and navigation logic in Arduino IDE as coding skills grow
- COMPLETE NO-SOLDER PROJECT KIT: Includes the UNO R3 controller, metal chassis, tracks, camera, ultrasonic and line-tracking modules, motors, servos, IR remote, 7.4 V battery, tools and illustrated instructions; recommended for ages 10+
3. Dispense spirits and mixers
The accounts describe two different ingredient-delivery approaches. Upside-down spirit bottles used optics to deliver set measures; Hackaday reports nine liquor bottles and valves operated by an actuator arm on the trolley. Mixers came from bottles in a cooler beneath the table, through tubing and independently controlled valves. RoboticsTomorrow says the historical mixer system used gas pressure, described as a 70% nitrogen and 30% carbon dioxide mixture. That is a description of this particular historical setup, not current guidance for designing or safely operating a pressurized beverage system. New Atlas · RoboticsTomorrow · Hackaday
What the historical accounts establish—and what they do not
| Detail | What is reported | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Main controller | Arduino Mega 2560 | Named by RoboticsTomorrow; not a current compatibility guarantee for a new build. Source |
| User interface | HD44780-compatible display and navigation buttons | Described in RoboticsTomorrow’s historical account. Source |
| Glass carrier | Motorized pedestal, trolley, or drinks shelf | Terminology varies across the project descriptions; a stepper motor is identified by RoboticsTomorrow. New Atlas · RoboticsTomorrow · Hackaday |
| Spirit dispensing | Inverted bottles with measured optics | Hackaday additionally reports nine liquor bottles and trolley-mounted valve actuation. New Atlas · Hackaday |
| Mixer dispensing | Controlled valves and bottles in a cooler, with pressurized tubing | The gas mixture reported by RoboticsTomorrow describes the old system only; it is not a safety recommendation. Source |
| LEDs | Arduino’s retrospective reports 132 LEDs and a tray ring powered by an Arduino Nano; an Atmel retrospective describes an iteration 2.0 tray with 18 individually controlled RGB LEDs | These refer to different accounts or iterations and should not be combined as one machine specification. Arduino · Atmel retrospective |
The historical project descriptions do not establish a tested dispensing accuracy, drink-making speed, reliability figure, cost, or complete bill of materials. They document design elements, not comparative test results.
Rank #2
- SELF-BALANCING ROBOT IN ACTION — Build a 2-wheel robot that uses motion sensing and real-time motor control to stay upright, then test bounce mode and recovery to explore balance, motion and feedback through a hands-on STEM experiment
- SIX WAYS TO PLAY AND LEARN — Switch between IR remote control, mobile app control, auto-follow, obstacle avoidance, bounce mode and six LED effects, then turn each function into follow challenges, obstacle courses or classroom demonstrations
- GUIDED BUILD, LESS GUESSWORK — Follow the illustrated tutorial from chassis assembly and wiring to first startup, then see how the motors, ultrasonic sensor and balance system work together in a complete robotics project
- PROGRAM, MODIFY AND EXPAND — Compatible with Arduino IDE, with example code you can study and modify plus reserved I/O pins for compatible sensors; adjust movement, distance rules, lighting and control logic as your coding skills grow
- COMPLETE RECHARGEABLE STEM PROJECT — Brings together the controller, motors, wheels, ultrasonic sensing, IR remote, mobile app control, LED effects and rechargeable battery so you can build, test, program and customize one robot in multiple ways
Can you buy the Inebriator or follow a verified kit?
The cited accounts describe a homemade project and do not establish current retail availability, a supported commercial version, or a verified build kit. They also do not provide a complete, validated bill of materials from which to reproduce the machine directly. A reference to an Arduino Mega 2560 identifies the controller in the historical description; it does not verify that any board listing is authentic, in stock, or suitable for a different design.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to consider if you want to build a similar machine
The Inebriator’s published design can help frame a project, but it is not a validated modern build plan. Before selecting parts or copying its dispensing arrangement, resolve these design questions:
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 35+ Guided Electronics Projects: Progress from LEDs and buttons to RFID access, real-time clocks, motion and distance sensing, environmental monitoring, motor control and interactive displays for STEM learning, coding clubs and maker projects
- More I/O and Memory for Larger Builds: The MEGA 2560 R3 provides 54 digital I/O pins, including 15 PWM outputs, 16 analog inputs, 4 hardware serial ports and 256 KB flash for projects that combine more sensors, controls and displays
- 200+ Components for Prototyping: Includes LCD1602, RC522 RFID, RTC, DHT11, HC-SR501 PIR, ultrasonic and water-level sensors, GY-521, MAX7219, keypad, joystick, rotary encoder, relay, SG90 servo, stepper motor, DC motor, breadboard and more
- Learn, Modify and Create: Follow 35+ guided lessons with example code, then adjust sensor thresholds, timing, display text, motor behavior and control logic to turn structured exercises into access systems, monitors, alarms and interactive projects
- Organized for Repeatable Learning: Pre-soldered modules, a solderless breadboard, storage case and small-parts box reduce setup time and keep sensors, LEDs, ICs, wires and other components easy to find between projects
Rank #4
- ♥Robot Arm Building Kit: this mini robot kit will provide the required hardware and tools to show you how to build a robot kit step by step. NOTE: You need to prepare two batteries.
- ♥Flexible 4DF Arm Robot: The 4-axis design robotic arm is flexible and can grab objects in any direction. The clip can be opened 260°, the wrist can be rotated 180°, the elbow can be rotated 180°, and the base can be rotated 180°.
- ♥Easy To Build And Learn: we provide easy-to-follow assembly and programming tutorials, as well as quick-response after-sales and technical support.
- ♥Remember and Repeat Actions: not only the desk robot hand can be controlled by the joystick we provide, it can also record up to 170 actions and repeat these actions once.
- ♥Great Gift: this mini robot arm is a DIY electronic kit for Adults/Beginners/Teens to improve building, coding and programming skills.
Rank #3
- This smart car is a learning kit based on the Arduino R3 robot programming project, compatible with the Arduino IDE, and is a good choice for learning robot programming.
- It can realize functions such as bluetooth connection, line tracking, ultrasonic obstacle avoidance, infrared remote control, etc. You can also expand other functions through your own programming.
- Contains R3 board, bluetooth module, line tracking module, HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor, etc. Through the bluetooth module to establish a connection with the mobile phone, the car can be controlled by the mobile phone (only supports Android).
- Provides a detailed online tutorial with detailed assembly steps, code, libraries and lessons. You can complete this project by yourself through the tutorial, it will improve your hands-on ability and thinking ability.
- This smart robot car kit not only can be used as your learning project, but also a good choice as a gift.
- Ingredient delivery: Decide whether measured optics, pumps, or another method suits each liquid. The historical descriptions use optics for spirits and pressurized lines for mixers; they do not compare these methods in testing.
- Motion and spill control: Plan how the glass carrier will stop accurately at each station and how the design will respond if a glass is absent or misplaced. Hackaday reports a weight sensor, but the accounts do not provide verified spill-control performance.
- Controller and interface: Treat the Mega 2560 and display details as historical reference points, not a complete wiring or software specification.
- Food-contact parts and cleaning: Verify that tubing, valves, containers, and fittings are suitable for beverage contact, and design for access and cleaning. The project descriptions do not establish a full materials specification.
- Pressure and electrical safety: Do not treat the historical gas mixture as operating advice. Any pressurized liquid or gas system needs appropriate components and safety review; the cited accounts do not supply a modern validated pressure design.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
