The best part of waking up… How to add smarts to your dumb coffee maker!
- jan
- 18
My coffee maker is great and everything… but how can I make it smarter?
Nowadays, there's smart everything: smart umbrellas, smart doorbells, and even smart soap pumps & hair brushes.
While some may argue that this need to tech-ify everything is a bit unnecessary, there are some things that should be made smart – like making your morning coffee!
You may think you need to buy a fancy new coffee maker in order to have a smart cup'a joe, but in reality there are just a couple of accessories that you can sprinkle into your morning routine to truly get the most out of your coffee maker.
Here's how to add some smarts to your dumb coffee maker!
- iDevices Switch
- Etekcity Digital Multifunction Food Kitchen Scale
- SMART PITCHER Espresso Coffee Milk Frothing Pitcher
- Folgers Dash Button
- Eagle Instant Read Digital Cooking Food Thermometer
iDevices Switch
One thing that's a great first step towards turning your coffee maker into a smart coffee maker is investing in a smart plug! And while there are plenty to choose from, the iDevices Switch is a well-reviewed and highly rated option to keep in mind.
-Sleek design, no hub or bridge required, only takes up one wall outlet and doesn't cover the second, pairing on initial device is simple, control devices while away from home, no monthly service fee, has a secondary nightlight feature that's fully customizable, program schedules, you can relocate the switch with ease if needed, iDevices support has been quick and helpful, assign permission to others to control your devices as well through their apple device. (Amazon user Derrek A.)
With a smart plug, you can schedule when you're coffee maker will turn on, ensuring that you'll always have a hot cup waiting for you after you're done your morning routine. You can even control the iDevices Switch seamlessly with Amazon Alexa or Siri, so you can get your coffee going by just talking to it!
Another great feature of this particular smart plug is that the iDevices Switch has LED lights on the front of it. If you wake up, blurry-eyed, every morning to get your first cup of coffee, you won't be blinded by your kitchen light as you're pouring it. The iDevice Switch will light your way in a much more subtle way.
Etekcity Digital Multifunction Food Kitchen Scale
While some may think that having super-accurate measurements for your morning coffee is silly and time consuming, others may argue that adding measuring equipment like the Etekcity Digital Multifunction Food Kitchen Scale turns your cup of coffee into a smart home brew!
Built with 4 high-precision sensors, an anti-fingerprint stainless steel look, and a compact, portable design, this little scale makes measuring out your morning coffee (or tea!) as accurate as accurate could be.
Why would someone want to be super precise with their coffee measurements? Maybe they're looking for a specific texture, weight, and consistency, or maybe they want an espresso rather than a pour-over. Speaking of espresso...
SMART PITCHER Espresso Coffee Milk Frothing Pitcher
If you're someone who loves their espresso, then feast your eyes on the SMART PITCHER Espresso Coffee Milk Frothing Pitcher which is designed to give you the perfect milk temperature every time!
Designed with a built-in thermometer and thermo-indicator, this smart pitcher will precisely froth your milk to optimum frothiness. How does it work, exactly?
Pour the milk into Smart Pitcher.
Place Smart Pitcher on steam nozzle.
Stop steaming when the thermo-indicator reaches the colour of the temperature you want.
The colour of Thermo-Indicator will go back to the original colour after washing the jug.
This espresso Coffee Milk Frothing Pitcher comes in three different sizes, including 12, 20, or 32 ounces. Oh, and you can see it in action right here!
Folgers Dash Button
If you're someone who thinks the best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup (I'm sorry, I just had to…) then we're going to point you in the direction of the Folgers Dash button.
With just the press of a button, this Wi-Fi connected device that's paired with a coffee product of your choice will be sent to you automatically. That means you'll never have an excuse for running out of coffee ever again.
Unfortunately, the only big coffee company that has a Dash Button at the moment is Folgers, but never fear – there are over 20 different types of Folgers products you can order!
You can pick up Breakfast Blend Ground Coffee, Simply Smooth Coffee, Classic Roast K-Cup packs, Cappuccino French Vanilla mix (and even sugar cookies! Om nom nom).
Eagle Instant Read Digital Cooking Food Thermometer
If you're looking for something to keep track of your coffee's temperature (and inform you when the perfect time is to take a sip without scalding the inside of your mouth), then the Eagle Instant Read Digital Cooking Food Thermometer might be a great option for making your morning routine smarter!
It registers an approximate temperature almost immediately (including the approximate room temperature, until you stick the probe into something hotter or colder), and a final temperature within about five to ten seconds. (Amazon user A. Hawley)
Not only is the Eagle Instant Read Digital Cooking Food Thermometer highly-rated and well-priced, but it also is designed to talk and tell you the temperature so you don't have to constantly keep checking on your coffee.
Plus, you'll never have to worry about this cooking thermometer running out of batteries: it turns off automatically!
How would you make your coffee smarter?
Is there a tech-y technique to get the perfect cup'a joe? Let us know in the comments below, or feel free to Tweet us @iMore (or me @hellorousseau!)
@hellorousseau @iMore cup should also adj. the temp so you can drink it immediately after it's done brewing or create cold brew
— Edden Amber (@helloimedden) January 16, 2017