espresso

Espresso without a pump

Making espresso can be a dangerous undertaking, made only more so by a groggy home-barista who must figure out the bells and whistles of his espresso machine before he has caffeine in his system by definition. While the Capresso Mini-S Espresso Machine can't keep you from pouring hot coffee on yourself, it does eliminate some of the other dangers of home-brewed espresso. Rather than forcing you to figure out a pump mechanism while still half-asleep, the Mini-S uses steam pressure to make espresso. The Mini-S uses the steam boiler principle: it heats up water and forces the water through … Read more

Mobile coffee, the wave of the future?

With summer in full swing, now is the perfect time to go camping. When I was younger, it was a tradition in my family to go find a spot in the middle of nowhere, try desperately to set up a tent before it rains, and eat charred food that even squirrels wouldn't touch. Then in the morning we would rise from our piles of nylon and sit around the campfire sipping coffee that had the consistency of tar. Now that I've reached the age where I'm ready to take my family into the woods against their wishes, … Read more

Make a latte anywhere, even without electricity

Impossible as it may seem, some claim that there are actually places on earth where a Starbucks is nowhere to be found. We think this urban legend, but there's a new product that lends credence to this theory.

Handpresso's "Wild" is a portable gadget that can make espresso while camping or anywhere else, even where there's no electricity, because it's operated with a hand pump. Gizmag says it does need hot water, though, so be sure to carry matches unless you're traveling with a Boy Scout in need of a caffeine fix. As … Read more

How to become a high-tech barista

If you have a caffeine habit that even remotely approaches ours, you've probably given at least a fleeting thought to trading in those Starbucks gift cards for your own espresso machine. And this latest model from De Dietrich is sure to make the idea all the more tempting.

Built-in espresso makers are nothing new, but the DED700X's technology seems to elevate the process to an art form. For starters, it has an LED screen, touch controls, and all kinds of digital indicators to help keep you from messing up. Just imagine: As many venti soy chai lattes as … Read more

The BMW of coffee makers (and matching price)

Lest our gentle readers get the impression that we consume only alcoholic beverages at Crave, we feel obligated to feature an appliance for this holiday season's designated drivers as well. And just because it's non-alcoholic, that doesn't mean it can't look good.

The "Sirena" is an espresso machine from the drafting boards of BMW Design Works created for Starbucks, according to Uber-Review. As addicted as we are to the bean, however, we can't see spending $600 for one of these even if it does have a "commercial-quality portafilter and patented back-pressure adapter … Read more

A fridge that thinks it's a barista

Contrary to popular belief, we really are responsible types here at Crave (sometimes), so we don't want to leave the impression that we advocate refrigerators that feature only alcoholic beverage dispensers, whether they serve wine, beer or hard liquor. (We'd rather combine that function with the TV or pool table, for the sake of practicality.)

For the teetotaling Craver we suggest Whirlpool's new "Espresso" fridge, which has a built-in coffee maker and water filter so you can be your own barista without ever leaving the kitchen. Appliancist says the java fridge was "designed by … Read more