Almost everyone loves going out for a nice beverage or two at their favorite restaurant, coffee shop or cocktail bar. Now, with the latest technology and some innovative product development, many of the beverages we’ve come to know and love outside the home can be made, relatively inexpensively, inside the home.
Beer Brewing and Dispensing
The fascination with brewing and dispensing fresh, cold beer is not simply the domain of restaurant and bar entrepreneurs. Electronic, in-home kits are now available and designed to help even the novice home brewer store, as well as dispense, fresh beer.
One fascinating product is the eBrowing 1V System electric brewing station. While it’s the most expensive item on our list, coming in at about $950, it does almost everything a microbrewery might do but allows the more serious home brewer to take a stab at making some serious beer. It features a 10-gallon kettle, so it’s not really for those who simply want to brew one or two glasses at a time.
For those that don’t want to make their own beer but enjoy the benefits of having a keg at their disposal, the K309SS-3NK Triple Faucet Digital Kegerator by Kegco is ideal for parties, watching sports or simply having cold beer on tap. It features a digital temperature display and easy to use controls, making it easy to set and verify the internal temperature. Not only does the Kegerator perfectly chill and dispense beer, it doubles as a multi-shelf refrigerator as the need arises.
Soft Drink Makers
If beer is not your speed, then a variety of soft drink makers are available for those who love their non-alcoholic, carbonated beverages. Instead of running to the store to stock up on your favorite cola or lemon-lime drink, several providers offer solutions that allow you to know exactly what goes into your beverage.
The SodaStream Source Sparkling Water Maker Starter Kit, the popular homemade soda maker, allows anyone to make refreshing sparkling water with whatever amount of fizz they like starting at about $100. And, if sparkling water doesn’t add enough excitement, you can add a number of flavorings made from simple syrups, ranging from sweet drinks to tart, citrusy juices. In addition to the SodaStream, there is the Drinkmate Machine Kit, allowing users to carbonate virtually any kind of beverage, from water, to orange juice to margaritas. The neat thing about the Drinkmate is that it doesn’t need to be plugged in and can be purchased for as little as $99.
Making the perfect cocktail
Although making cocktails at home is not rocket science, some people do struggle with mixing the right ingredients and deciding whether something should be shaken or stirred. For those seeking to make the perfect cocktail, the $350 Bartesian Premium Cocktail Machine is the ideal companion. It allows even the newbie to follow the simple touch screen instructions to make almost any kind of drink with varying degrees of strength. If following instructions on a touch screen is still a bit too complicated, Keurig, the makers of coffee makers, brings their pod technology to cocktails with the new Drinkworks cocktail maker. Simply place a preconfigured cocktail pod into the Drinkworks machine, add water and a perfectly blended cocktail is made. Long Island Iced Tea, Cosmopolitan, Moscow Mule and Margarita are just some of the cocktail flavors available to use with the Drinkworks machine. While the Drinkworks machine may not yet be available in every area, it runs about $300 on the Drinkworks website.
Make coffee and tea with the same machine
If you’re like most, you might own a coffee maker that makes delicious coffee while also keeping a kettle on the stove for making tea. For those looking to maximize space and turn their current slate of appliances into dual purpose machines, there’s the Ninja Hot and Cold Brewed Tea and Coffee Maker. Yes, this nifty little machine makes both hot brewed coffee and hot brewed tea. In addition, it provides the option of making cold brewed coffee and tea.
Most of the items listed above offer advanced technology and the simple convenience more consumers are looking for. When it comes to enjoying your favorite drink, you can now find the right tool that gives you the perfect beverage at home every time.
