There have been some growing conspiracies and misunderstandings regarding our certifications for the European and Japanese markets.
Below, you will find a brief overview of where we currently stand with acquiring certification. I’ve also prepared a much longer, more detailed description if you want to deep-dive into the process and understand exactly what we’ve been going through.
I understand that some of you who have an R2 on order are frustrated with the wait—I am too. Our European office in Denmark would also be much happier if they had new R2s to sell, so everyone here is looking forward to closing this chapter.
The engineering team in Taiwan (Maurizio, Jay, Rasul), along with Jacob in Bangkok, have been working tirelessly and with extreme focus to get our R2s through the certification process.
We have every part for the EU version in stock, and as soon as we get the green light, we will be ready to start. We have plenty of machines ready, but currently, we are not allowed to sell them until the final certification is granted.
Instead of a polished curated announcement, you can read the transcript below which is from an interview with Jacob - the guy who designs all the Bullet electronics.
You can also skip to the “Why the delay?” conclusion at the very end.
Interviewer: Okay, so I just want you to talk about the whole certification process from the start until now. What we wanted, what we went through before we even launched, and where we are today. As many details as you can remember.
Jacob: I think first, we need to talk about the fact that the R2 is completely different from the R1. The goal of the R2 was to improve on all the pain points of the R1 and, at the same time, make it easier to certify. That was part of why we chose the configurations that we use now.
Instead of designing our own very complicated five-output power supply, we decided to use a standard off-the-shelf power supply, which has already been certified to most of the standards we require. This choice saved us a lot of time because we didn’t have to go through that entire certification process ourselves. However, when we integrate this power supply into the final product, it still has to be tested and pass all the tests at TÜV.
TÜV essentially defines which standards we need to adhere to. There isn’t a specific guidebook for electric induction roasters, because it doesn’t exist. We’re the only company making this type of roaster. Because of that, TÜV pulls together different standards and tells us we need to comply with specific parts of various standards. So, we are certified to a mix of standards, including induction ovens and others that they bundled for us as a package.
The whole configuration of the R2 was designed around using an off-the-shelf power supply. This introduced some challenges because we needed to ensure the electronics were safe, especially for the USB connector, which users can touch, and the connector for the cooling tray, which is 24V out.
Because these are electrical outputs that users can access, we had to separate the high-voltage and low-voltage parts within an electrical barrier. This barrier is twice as stringent as, for example, a standard USB charger. A typical USB charger has a distance of only four millimeters between high and low voltage components. In the Bullet R2, it’s eight millimeters. That’s because we are roasting in a potentially dusty environment, which increases the pollution degree, adding more demands on the isolation between dangerous high voltage and safe low voltage.
To pass this high-voltage to low-voltage side, we needed a transformer that could convert the 24 volts from the power supply into 15 volts for the high-voltage electronics and the IGBTs in the induction power circuitry. Initially, we found one from a company called Murata. It had all the specifications and certifications we needed, though it was still pending certification at the time. Since it had been pending for years, we assumed it would be fine.
We bought a few thousand of these and installed them in the product, but later discovered that Murata chose not to certify this part. So, we were stuck with these few thousand components and had to redesign the induction board to meet certification requirements. We then found another component that met all the standards and installed it in the R2, sending it off for TÜV certification.
However, TÜV did not agree with the construction of this transformer. The supplier refused to reveal the design details, even with non disclosure agreements in place between TÜV, us, and the supplier. In the end, we had to abandon it. The company would not cooperate, and TÜV would not accept it, even though it was supposedly certified to the required standards.
At this point, there were no options left for an off-the-shelf transformer or DC-DC converter that could fit within our design’s size constraints. So, we had to design our own DC-DC converter, especially the transformer, which had to be approved. This wasn’t easy because of the tight space limitations, but we eventually found a construction that worked. We had it tested by a company for transformer compliance, and it was then approved by TÜV. This custom transformer complies with all the isolation requirements, and we integrated it successfully into the R2.
This was just one of many issues we faced. We assumed we could use standard components, but either they wouldn’t get certified or TÜV would block them.
Then we moved on to testing for conducted emissions. We had pre-tested this in our own lab and found that we were below the limits required. We had experience certifying the R1, so we felt confident. What we didn’t know was that new standards had been introduced between the R1 and R2 certifications. These new standards were introduced for products that use induction technology - mainly for induction charging vehicles. After we started testing, TÜV informed us that we were also required to pass this test and measure the electromagnetic field around the roaster. This is done with a very special antenna setup in a controlled environment that we can not pre test in our office.
When we performed this test, the R2 Pro did not pass at high power levels. This sent us back to the drawing board. We tried numerous configurations—tens of different versions—to contain and filter the radiation. We experimented with different layouts for the induction power board, targeting specific frequency spikes for attenuation.
The challenge with this testing is that it’s impossible to do in our own lab. Every modification required us to schedule time at the TÜV lab, bring our equipment, set up, and test. If it failed, we could try a bit of debugging there, but mostly we had to go back, make changes, and try again. The same applied to radiated emissions, which are tested in a specialized chamber that blocks all electromagnetic interference. We don’t have this setup ourselves, so every change meant another trip back to TÜV.
The main challenge now is finding the right balance. When the Bullet R2 is cold, it’s well below the emission limits—around 5 dB under. But once it heats up and continues running, it exceeds the limit by about 2 dB. It’s not much, but it’s enough for TÜV to reject it.
We’re trying to optimize component selection within the limited size constraints of the R2. The power PCB can’t be made any larger without a complete redesign, which is off the table. So, we’re essentially designing ourselves out of a corner, attempting to pass all TÜV’s required tests.
In addition to EMC and EMI tests, we also need to pass safety tests. These tests disable any kind of software protection in the Bullet and simulate conditions like a cooling fan failure. The Bullet must shut down safely without overheating or causing fire. There are also touch current tests to ensure safe interaction with electronics and connectors. Short-circuit tests ensure fuses blow correctly without further damage.
We also undergo surge tests where high-current pulses are injected into the inlet to see how the Bullet behaves. It should sense the surge, shut down, and then safely restart. ESD tests are performed with an 8000-volt gun that sparks onto any part of the roaster—control panel, USB connectors, buttons, and screws—to verify its resilience.
Finally, they perform temperature measurements across 20–30 points inside the electronics to ensure nothing overheats. We are confident in this part because the R2 has significantly better cooling than the R1.
We have done most of all the above safety tests and have passed.
The last part of certification involves documentation, UL approval for parts, non-flammable plastics, and mechanical drop tests to ensure durability. This last part should not give us any surprises.
Right now, the primary hurdle is solving the radiated and conducted emissions issues.
We understand the wait has been long, and we truly appreciate your patience. Our team is fully committed to delivering the R2 to you as soon as it’s legally cleared for sale.
Stay tuned for more updates, and thank you for being part of the journey with us
By Jonas Lillie - CEO
Why the Delay?
The certification process is highly thorough, involving multiple rounds of testing:
- Electrical Safety: Ensuring the Bullet R2 is safe for home and commercial use.
- Emissions Compliance: Meeting both conducted and radiated emissions standards.
- Durability Testing: Verifying that all materials are safe, non-flammable, and robust enough to handle real-world use.
- Mechanical Testing: Structural integrity checks to confirm long-term reliability.
We are currently resolving the final requirements for radiated emissions, which has proven to be a complex challenge. Once this is complete, we expect to receive certification approval promptly.