Drinking

Cheers looking at you

There are any number of ways things can get messy when cracking open a bottle of wine. For the purposes of this discussion, however, we shall limit the conversation but to one: the ice bucket. When chilling wine in a soupy bath of cold water, inevitably drips and drops progress from bottle to bucket to everywhere else. Though there may be no getting around the occasional spill of the wine, the wine bottle, however, can be safely ensconced in place as it rests in its chiller.

Like a guardian watching over the proceedings, the Trudeau Blink Wine Chiller keeps an … Read more

Humble drip coffeemaker heats up

Drip coffeemakers have to be one of the best inventions ever. Simple to use, they offer intuitive operation that anyone can enjoy. And besides, they make coffee; can't get much better than that. Despite their basic operation, or perhaps because of it, drip coffeemakers have become ubiquitous appliances that have a place in any home. For the most part, all these coffeemakers operate on the same principle: water slowly drips through coffee grounds on its way to becoming a magical elixir.

The Bunn Phase Brew Coffee Maker operates a little differently than a standard drip coffeemaker model. Featuring a … Read more

Inspiration in juice

It's easy to become overwhelmed when presented with flavor combinations for any particular food item. Yet, variety, as they say, is the spice of life. As we navigate our senses and find our culinary preferences--whether it be how we like our steak done, or what type of veggies we prefer--often we may find that what we are looking for doesn't exist in nature. Hence, we are inundated with even more choices as flavor combinations are explored in everything from jams and jellies to pizza toppings; it seems there are no varieties that we will not attempt. When it … Read more

Coffee maker does all the coffee making

The effects of coffee are well documented as a morning eye-opener and as a pick-me-up throughout the day. However, the caffeinated elixir has another associated trait that makes it enjoyable for coffee drinkers: it has ritual attached to it. Considering the amount of varieties that exist and the steps it takes to brew a pot, it is not surprising that the process is steeped in precision.

Precision is usually best handled by a machine, and for coffee-drinkers, there is the Saeco Bean To Brew 10-Cup Automatic Drip Coffee Maker And Burr Grinder. Available with either a thermal or glass carafe, … Read more

Wine chiller designed for compromise

It's not easy to keep a wine collection on hand ready to be served at the correct temperature. First, of course, are money matters. Not many of us have the disposable income just waiting to be put toward a wine cellar. Even living in a land of make-believe where money is no object, the next roadblock may be a much more down to earth consideration: space. It's not always easy to find room for cases of wine. But knock down the price of storage as well as the space needed and all of a sudden, having a few … Read more

Know how old your coffee is?

Coffee drinkers are a particular bunch; this is well known. However it's not all about whether they prefer a dark roast to a light roast or what temperature at which they like to have their coffee served. Other factors come in to play when it comes time to drink down the caffeinated elixir. (Assuming of course, that the choice of coffee is indeed caffeinated.) Brewing methods dominate a particularly large segment of the coffee drinker's preferences, but no matter which way the drink ends up in their hands, how old the coffee is always a factor.

For those … Read more

Floating tea infuser is just ducky

If you're looking to bring a little levity to your morning cup of tea--and who isn't?--you'll appreciate this fun infuser from RSVP International. The infuser is made of 18/8 stainless steel. Fill it with loose tea leaves and drop it in your hot water. Then, when your tea has brewed the proper amount, there's no need to fish around for the infuser or to dirty a spoon. Simply lift Ducky out and place him into his handy drip cup. It's about $10 online, and makes a cute gift for any tea lover.

Ducky … Read more

Juicer gives new meaning to rise and shine

Mornings, despite the brightness of the new day, are dark and hectic things. For millions, a first sip of freshly squeezed juice is the catalyst needed to start the day. And sometimes all you need to do is look at the juicer.

Shining like a beacon, the Bodum 'Bistro' Citrus Juicers blaze away morning fog. Fashioned in bright, vibrant colors the juicers awaken the senses before one even reaches the machine. While one may be fully awake before actually getting a chance to even use the juicer, for those that aren't, the easy-to-use appliance offers foolproof operation.

Measuring 11 … Read more

Are beer robots taking over the world?

We've already written about a couple of robots that fetch your beer. Now we have one that gets you information about your beer. Kegbot is a free, open-source project that turns an ordinary beer kegerator, such as a KegMate, into a computerized drink tracker.

On its own, this is a pretty cool project. Using an Arduino microcontroller together with KegBot software and the Kegbot Arduino firmware, you can track the temperature of your beer and know how much is left, view statistics on who drank what, authenticate users via RFID tags, prevent unauthorized drinking, and more.

But why stop … Read more

Wine chiller chills open bottles of wine

Entertaining always requires a certain amount of planning. Hosts have to ask themselves what to serve, how to serve it, and who to serve it to. When it comes to wine, choosing the right varietals is only the start of the discussion. Whether it be white, red, or something in between, serving temperature is always an important facet to consider. A bucket of ice doesn't always cut it.

The Cavanova Open-Top Four-Bottle Wine Chiller is a convenient solution for wine-serving needs. Featuring an adjustable temperature range from 44 degrees to 64 degrees, the thermoelectric wine chiller keeps four standard-size … Read more