A company called Cana is working on something it calls the world's first "molecular beverage printer."

In theory, with just a single cartridge of flavourings, the printer can dispense thousands of different beverages.

This includes soft drinks, sports drinks, cocktails, wine, juice and even iced coffee.

The device is a countertop appliance and features a touchscreen for drink selection.

Users will be able to control the levels of alcohol, caffeine and sugar in their drinks. As a safety feature, alcohol and caffeine controls can be locked behind a PIN.

Cana says that a team of scientists spent three years studying popular drinks at a molecular level. It says the research uncovered the trace compounds behind flavour and aroma and that these can be used to create a small set of ingredients capable of delivering a wide variety of beverages.

The company says at least 90 per cent of what we drink regularly is water combined with flavourings, sugar and alcohol.

When your cartridges run low, Cana will automatically replace them at no cost. Unfortunately, you'll be paying on a per drink basis instead.

Each drink will cost between 29 cents and $3, Cana says the average price will be lower than bottled beverages at the store. Still, at $3 you'd hope it tastes exceptional.

Cana is banking on the main draw being that the machine will dramatically reduce household waste, not the savings

We're excited to see how well Cana can deliver on its lofty claims. If you're keen to get your hands on one, the Cana One is expected to ship in early 2023. The pre-orders are open now with a $99 refundable deposit against a purchase price of $499. After the first 10,000 orders, the price will rise to $799.