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5 Best Gadgets to up your coffee game
These connected products will help you get caffeinated if not faster, than certainly with a dose of fun
For those of us who run on caffeine, a cup of coffee is an essential part of nearly every morning. The process of making coffee, usually done without much thought, can be elevated easily with a few smart devices. Whether you're a coffee pot sort of drinker, or one who loves the art of the pourover, there are connected coffee products that can up your game, spruce up your kitchen, and get you that first morning cup of java a little faster.
Ember
A coffee maker that connects to the internet is one thing. But how about your mug? The $79.95 Ember is a smart cup that works with the Ember app so you can select a temperature for your drink. You can pick between 120ºF and 145ºF — and the cup or travel mug (they make both) stays at that temperature, with the app sending an alert when its hit your setting. And yes, Ember supports both Celsius and Fahrenheit.
Behmor
Coffee in bed
Of course you can get someone to bring you coffee in bed. Behmor lets you start brewing your coffee before you get out of bed just by asking Alexa to begin brewing. You can use the Behmor app (for iOS and Android devices) to set the temperature of the water before it makes coffee in the $169.99 Behmor Brewer. Because the machine works with Alexa, it also links to Amazon's Dash replenishment system to re-order your coffee beans when it senses you're low on beans. Behmor is also working on a smart coffee roaster if you really want to have control over your coffee.
Philips
Espresso only
If espresso is your thing, Philips has a machine that connects via app to a smartphone or tablet over Bluetooth. You get 18 different drink recipes — and custom create your own, based on the temperature, strength and even how much milk you like. The app also helps you maintain the Saeco GranBaristo Avanti — and at $2800 you'll appreciate some help taking care of that investment.
Pearl
Timed to perfection
Pearl is a coffee scale that is sure to up the precision of your coffee game. The scale works alone, designed really for a pourover experience, weighing how much coffee you're adding to your cup, and timing how long the coffee is being poured. But Acaia, which manufactures the $140 Pearl, also supports four different apps including Acaia Coffee which lets you record your coffee recipes — yes, we said recipes — to note how many grams of coffee you used, with how many grams of water, the type of coffee bean and the date you brewed. The app works with both iOS and Android.
iKettle
It's all about the water
A great cup of coffee really (truly) needs to start with the water, and that's where the iKettle comes in, linking to the iOS and Android Smarter app that lets you start boiling water where ever you are. The electric kettle lets you create multiple settings, so you can quickly pick a wakeup mode or for when you're home on a relaxing Sunday. You can also run the iKettle through your Google Assistant, an Amazon Alexa device or link it through an IFTTT recipe. You buy the iKettle for about $140 in the U.S. through Amazon and Best Buy.
Check out The GearBrain, our smart home compatibility checker to see the other compatible products that work with Google Home and Home Mini as well as Amazon Alexa enabled devices.
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