The Ultimate Coffee Making Machines From Jura
August 5, 2010
When it comes to creating the perfect cup of coffee, your average instant doesn’t come anywhere close. For cappuccinos, lattes, and proper coffee you need to look at decent coffee machines and Jura coffee machines have long been considered the yardstick to measure other coffee machines by. Two new additions to the J line of Jura coffee machines, as well as the new Z7, have been announced offering even greater tasting coffee and a host of nifty little gadgets to get the high-tech gadget loving coffee drinker really steamed up.
The J7 is the least expensive of the bunch although you will need to pay around £1,300 for the privilege. It comes in a sleek black design and is an upgraded version of the J5. It has a touch screen display and an intuitive but option rich coffee selection process. Three new coffee strengths and two new coffee aroma settings have also been added so that you can make your coffee exactly how you want it.
The J9 is even more intelligent. Costing only a little extra at £1,400 it offers one touch coffee making. This brand new concept for Jura enables you to create your perfect brew first time and then the one touch coffee making option allows you to make it just right every time. The platinum shell and chrome front make it a stunning piece of kitchen equipment too.
The Z7 is the coffee making daddy. It costs from £2,000 to £2,200 depending on whether you want an aluminium or chrome finish. Both finishes offer the same functions including an intelligent heating system that offers espresso at exactly the right temperature every cup. The adjustable coffee spout is a new addition to the Jura line and it means that you can use any latte or cappuccino cup because you can simply adjust the spout to ensure that it fits.
All of the new models include an innovative Zero-Energy Switch which means that you can do your bit for energy conservation while still enjoying the perfect cup of coffee.
Jura coffee machines are available from Harrods, Selfridges, Curry’s Mega Stores, Brown Thomas, Dublin, and independent cook shops. If you love nothing more than a proper cup of decent coffee made exactly how you like to enjoy it then one of these is the ultimate in home coffee makers and will bring your kitchen to life too.
Premier Popcorn Maker Review
July 31, 2010
Giant HD telly? Check.
Top movie ready to slot into the entertainment device of your choosing? Check.
Popcorn? Eh, no.
What is an evening watching a Hollywood blockbuster without popcorn? Why, it is akin to a game of footer without the ruddy ball old chap. Better get yourself a Premier Popcorn Maker then.
Design
This is actually rather stylish. It is made of stainless steel and the dimensions measure in at 201 x 142 x 272mm. It weighs 1.2kg and might look quite good in your kitchen, as well as feeding your insane popcorn habit.
What does it do?
You put up to 100g of corn into the chamber and it churns out piping hot popcorn. A good feature on the Premier Popcorn Maker is the fact that it has butter melting dish, for when you are feeling partuicularly rakish. It also uses hot air instead of oil, so it is healthy popcorn you are making after all.
The one thing we found is that some of the kernals do sometimes escape with the popped corn. All you need to do is pour them back in for a second go, this is great if you have kids as if supervised is a great warm up to a movie.
Value
How many bags of cinema popcorn would you get for £29.95? Not a lot at these days prices. Once you have the machine the only thing you will need is corn kernals which can be cheaply purchased at any supermarket.
Summary
A fun gadget which makes good, additive free popcorn on demand.
Get it from: Gadgets.co.uk | Play.com or Amazon
Peanut Butter Maker Review
July 30, 2010
Some gadgets are for the masses and some are for a group of people. Peanut butter could be described in this way too which is why this peanut butter maker is probably best suited to those of you who actually like peanut butter (sounds obvious I know).
Design
The peanut butter maker comprises of a red base unit with a transparent peanut holder. It is not a design classic but it is a fairly compact size at 86 x 157 x 254m. It weighs just over a kilo when not laden with nuts, so it is light enough to tuck out of site when needed. The Peanut Butter Maker churns out the finished product in the handy dispenser. It comes with suction pads that we found to be essential in stopping the machine moving over the kitchen surface – this is not stated in the instructions so make sure you use them.
What does it do?
It turns peanuts into peanut butter. But’s that not all. It can be used with other types of nuts, to provide novel and wholesome spreads to delight your cashew biased friends with. You also have the choice of smooth butter or chunky (I personally think you can tell a lot about someone by the simple fact that they choose chunky over smooth). The Peanut Butter Maker comes with the warning that the grinding process can be quite noisy and it really is. Make sure you forwarn friends or family before starting the process because it can be heard throughout the house, on a positive note it is quite cool to watch the peanut to butter process.
Value
To me 30 quid sounds about right for a gadget that can be used over and over again.
Summary
Who will buy this¨? Peanut butter lovers (no, really?) who want to produce their own spreads. The two real benefits I can see are that you are getting an entirely natural product and that you can experiment with different flavours. As I suggested make sure you try is with cashews.
Get the peanut butter maker from: Play | Firebox
NScessity Single Wine Bottle Cooler/Warmer Review
July 28, 2010
Sometimes a few guests come round unexpectedly and you have to give them either a cold red wine or a warm white one because there is no time to either warm or cool the bottle. Now that can oftern ruin the evening before it has even began, thankfully we have found a gadget that may help solve this problem. The NSessity wine bottle warmer and cooler.
Design
As wine bottle cooler/warmers go the NScessity Single Wine Bottle Cooler/Warmer is quite robust; a sturdy black base type of thing which looks as though it could take a few knocks and still come back for some more. This is great news for people who enjoy more than the odd tipple of an evening. It looks like a posh slimline bucket which takes up less table space than the traditional bucket of ice some would ususally use.
What does it do?
Well it cools or warms wine, as deemed appropriate by the user. There are 10 temperature controls, which sounds an awful lot but some people are very particular about the temperature of their vino. Basically, it does what it should so you can drink your wine at the correct temperature without waiting about a long time. NScessity have designed their single bottle wine cooler to work using thermal transfer meaning it can work without a compressor, this means there is very little operating noise.
Value
If you are an occassional wine drinker then a shade under 50 pounds may sound a little high for the NScessity Single Wine Bottle Cooler/Warmer. Regular drinkers, wine lovers/conisours, people who love to host parties and those others who just can’t see a good gadget without buying it will be content to spend this much on it.
Summary
For some this is not an essential household item but something which a certain group of people will be very pleased to have seen invented (if you are reading this review then you are probably in this category). Now we just have to work out if it is red or white that goes with our meal 
.
The Brugo Travel Mug Review – A Travel Mug With Plenty Of Cool
July 27, 2010
Anybody that truly loves their morning cup of coffee has probably endured the varied ways in which travel mugs just don’t work. Whether it’s a second rate non-spill lid that spews coffee forth at every given opportunity or the insulated layer that ensures your coffee remains too hot to drink until several days later, the average travel mug is usually consigned to being denizens of the back of the cupboard or the storage box in the shed.
The Brugo travel coffee mug aims to redress the balance and provide coffee lovers (or tea lovers for that matter; in fact, hot Vimto lovers would certainly benefit too) with a means of carrying and comfortably drinking their coffee. Not only does it have the most unique of features, a spill proof lid that works, but it even keeps your drink hot but cools it when you take a sip! No more blistered lips or burnt fingers.
A sip’s worth of coffee can be passed into the upper chamber where it is quickly cooled before drinking and this means that you can enjoy your coffee at the right temperature from the very first sip to the very last. It’s a simple premise but one that works incredibly well (no spills, no burns and the coffee tasted good) - it’s one of those ideas that you can’t believe has never been thought of before.
There’s also a plethora of design choices. Three design styles are available – Executive, Jazz, and Sports and there’s numerous colours in each so you can get a cup for everybody in the house, one for each day of the week, or different mugs to match your moods.
All in all, if you’re a coffee lover, or more importantly you’re a lover of good coffee at the right temperature and in the right place (your mug or you mouth, nowhere in between) then give the Brugo travel mug a try.
We would love to know what colour you would choose? Take a look at www.brugomug.co.uk or pop along to the brugo twitter or facebook page to get involved with the latest in mobile coffee drinking.
Coffee Gadgets For The Lazy Coffee Drinker
July 14, 2010
That first cup of morning coffee is critical to the performance of many of us. Drink it late and it can ruin your day, miss it out completely and you might as well have stayed in bed until tomorrow.
The problem is, until you’ve had the first mugfull you’ve probably not got the energy levels that you might need – fortunately, the Plain Lazy Mug will take a lot of the effort out of your morning coffee by stirring it for you; no need to lift a teaspoon.
Unfortunately you do still have to add the coffee, milk, and sugar yourself but once that’s done all you need to do is press the conveniently located button on the top of the handle where your thumb naturally rests and the battery operated mechanism will do the stirring for you.
Not only are the batteries included but they’re even already fitted so that’s another few joules of energy saved but you will need that because the mug isn’t dishwasher safe so you’ll have to wash it with a damp cloth yourself!
In the grand scheme of things, of course, stirring your coffee probably isn’t one of the most energetic things you need to do in a day but that’s where gadgets excel – making you believe that something reasonably effortless actually took a lot of effort.
If you’re feeling really lazy and you can’t be botheredl lifting the milk carton to your nose in order to determine its level of freshness then Craven have even produced a prototype Fresh Milk Jug which measures the pH value of the milk inside to determine whether it’s still fresh or not and displays its findings on the side. It’s only a prototype at the moment but we’re sure if enough people email Craven then it will be more than just a dream soon enough.
You can’t get enough lazy coffee gadgets as far as we’re concerned.
Any more prototype coffee gadgets that you know of?
Retro Slush Drinks Review
July 6, 2010
I remember passing many happy lunchtimes kicking a can around the streets of my home town, playing hopscotch and being careful not to let the ice cold Slush Puppie dribble from its cardboard cup onto my short-trousered legs. The boss always gave me into trouble when I arrived back at the office with scuffed shoes but it was worth it. Now you too can relieve those lazy, hazy days when the highlight of the day was a slushy drunk.
Design
The word is retro. If you love 1950s style gadgets then you will adore this little beauty. To my eye it looks like an everyday liquidiser which has fallen into the hands of a bunch of crazed beatniks led by winkle picker wearing Italian car designers.
Features
I fear that most people will skip this section, safe in the knowledge that it does what you think it does. You are correct of course.
Summary
Some people may look at this retro slush drinks machine and picture refreshing summer drinks while others may see a group of intoxicated friends downing frozen margaritas while their body temperature plummets dangerously. In either case it would be a fun addition to any kitchen.
Buy from Amazon
UK readers buy from : Gadgets.co.uk
KRUPs KP210640 Dolce Gusto Review
June 28, 2010
Coffee making machines have been with for a long time but few have been as attractive or as quick and simple to use as the KRUPs KP210640 Red Dolce Gusto Coffee Machine. You can make a variety of coffee related drinks such as latte macchiato, cappuccino and espresso, as well our old winter time friend hot chocolate.
Design
The little red machine looks so achingly trendy that even if you don’t like coffee you might find yourself tempted to buy one. It is 330mm high, 315mm long and 214mm wide, weighs just over 3 kilos and is very use to use.
Notable Specifications
The KRUPs KP210640 offers 14 bar pressure, 1.3 litres water supply and an adjustable stainless steel collection tray
Summary
If you love coffee then you will find that you get a much better cup, and a better variety, using the KRUPs KP210640 than with instant coffee. It may not be quite up to the standard of what they serve in your favourite coffee shop, although this is debatable as I think the atmosphere and surroundings can make the coffee in these places seem better than it actually is. If you are not a huge coffee fan but you have a modern, red kitchen or you often have friends round for dinner or chats then you could do a lot worse than invest in one of these coffee machines.
Buy today from the comet website with free delivery. Available in black or red.
Gadget makes strawberries easier to eat
April 19, 2010
With the summer fast approaching and strawberry season tied into the Wimbledon competition, the arrival of the Stem Gem strawberry-beheading gadget will be music to the ears of many fruit fans and caterers alike.
Developed by Fire Box, the Stem Gem is a minor marvel that quickly snips off the annoying green bit from the top of your favourite strawberries without coming away with much of the succulent fruit itself.
The Stem Gem has a stainless steel three-pronged pincer at one end and a rubbery button at the other. Pressing the button causes the claw to close over the strawberry’s stem and you can then pull it out at the root with a little push and a twist.
The Stem Gem is not just limited to working with strawberries, as its manufacturer indicates that it works pretty well on tomatoes as well. It will probably be useful for any number of soft, sweet fruits which you typically have to decapitate before they can be eaten.
The Stem Gem will set you back about £6.99 and if you are particularly frugal with its use it should rapidly pay for itself with the amount of strawberry flesh that you will be saving. So whether you are a keen strawberry fan who likes to enjoy them on a warm summer’s day, or a professional chef looking to make the most of the summer and spend less time clipping your fruit, then the Stem Gem is probably a good purchase.
Concept cooker makes pans obsolete
February 24, 2010
A brand new cooker designed by manufacturer Electrolux has been showcased in a concept video, with the device having the ability to make frying pans and woks a thing of the past.
Electrolux says that it will not be turning its Heart of the Home gadget into a reality quite yet. In fact it believes that most consumers will have to wait about 40 years to see one in their own homes.
The device itself is an all-in-one cooking solution, consisting of a single malleable surface that responds to the user’s touch commands. You should be able to mould the surface with your hands to create the shape of the receptacle that you desire and panels will appear next to active surface areas in order to adjust the heat levels and set a cooking time.
In the promo video, which is animated and completely conceptual, it looks as though the user will be able to access recipe information on the surface as well via a touch sensitive screen, presumably with internet connectivity built-in.
A sink unit is also integrated into the Heart of the Home device and it should be able to boil water and even allow you to transfer it over to a pan for rice or pasta cooking. Since the surface acts as the cooking, preparation and possibly even the eating surface, the washing up will be minimised.
The one thing that Electrolux does not seem to have factored into its concept cooker is Shrove Tuesday, as it will presumably make the flipping of pancakes impossible due to the lack of utensils.
