Drinking

Ah, the Fourth of July holiday weekend, when we celebrate our freedom by drinking beer. But really, how free are you if you have to get up and get your own beer?

Developer Steve Norris, who has an absolutely fabulous sense of humor, is hard at work on a Beverage Delivery System (BDS), a fully automated inter-home delivery system he hopes will solve the "problem that has plagued mankind since the invention of the canned beverage."

The system comprises two discrete elements working in tandem: Baxter, the transport component, and RoboFridge, a fixed location dispenser robot. You sit … Read more

A while back, I received a sample cup from Contigo, and this truly spill-proof travel mug quickly became a favorite in my house. Recently, the company asked me if I'd be interested in trying out its new line of kids' cups. You mean there might be a way to keep apple juice off my couch? Sign. Me. Up.

Like their grownup counterparts, the kids' cups are 100 percent BPA free, and the patented Autoseal lid is 100 percent leak- and spill-proof. The best part, in my opinion? The lid is a single piece. There's no valve that gets … Read more

Bringing a full-size keg isn't always possible: when you're camping, for instance, it can take up valuable space in your vehicle. Even at home, a full-size keg may be a tight fit. But the Avanti Mini Pub offers an elegant solution for tapping 5-liter mini beer kegs. The mini kegs fit inside the smaller-size beer tapper, letting you cool them down and pour beer anywhere. The beer tapper is a lightweight thermoelectric model that autodefrosts. It runs silently and can use any standard 5-liter mini keg. The exterior is stainless steel.

The Avanti Mini Pub stands 16 inches … Read more

Tea drinkers are a specific bunch. Just the choices available for types of tea can be overwhelming. From oolong to puer, there is a variety for every palate, and that doesn't even account for how one might take it. With all these choices available it may seem like there is no chance for tea drinkers to ever come together in anything resembling a consensus about anything, but they all do have at least one thing in common: water.

Without water, there is no tea, and without hot water, there is no hot tea. That's pretty simple stuff one … Read more

Sometimes we need all the help we can get when trying to maintain a healthy diet. We learn little tips and tricks that help us get through our day. Perhaps we don't walk by that co-workers desk that always has always has treats and candy available for all (all meaning you), or maybe on the drive home, we take the long way so as to avoid as many fast-food eateries as possible. The worst though is when we are at home, safely ensconced in our own dominion, and we're done in by something so trivial that we didn'… Read more

When you've got friends over for a cookout or another party, the drinks are especially important. If you're outside, you absolutely have to have some sort of covered drink dispenser. It helps to have something on the heavier side that can't be knocked over if a 4-year-old wants to pour her own lemonade or if some friendly roughhousing gets too close to the table. The Beehive Beverage Jar has all the necessary qualities to make it an ideal option for drinks at a party. It's a glass jar, standing 13.5 inches tall and capable of … Read more

Enjoying a bottle of wine with friends automatically makes any bottle a good one, but it's even better if it's properly chilled.

The Trudeau Digital Wine Thermometer makes it easy to determine the temperature without opening the bottle. An LCD readout coordinates with a sensor that determines when the gadget is in contact with a bottle, and then automatically reads the temperature. Featuring a stainless steel cuff that slips on to the neck of the bottle, the portable thermometer goes wherever a bottle of wine can go.

With recommended serving temperatures printed directly on the cuff, the easy-to-use … Read more

I don't do so well in the mornings: When I hear the alarm clock go off, I need caffeine immediately. To make matters worse, I'm not the biggest fan of coffee. The Teasmade Alarm Clock by Swan offers a simple alternative. In addition to waking you up, it brews a cup of tea so you'll immediately be able to drink down a cup and start your day.

While there have been plenty of automatic coffee pots, it seems it's much harder to find an option for morning tea.

The Teasmade Alarm Clock, which sells online for … Read more

Aeration--the act of letting a wine breath--allows air to mix with the wine, releasing the full flavor and bouquet of the wine as you drink. However, it's not uncommon to skip this step if you've opened a bottle of wine just before you intend to drink it. The Vinturi Wine Aerator lets you avoid the wait, without giving up the full flavor of the wine. By pouring your wine through the aerator on its way to the glass, you can mix in the necessary air quickly.

The Vinturi Wine Aerator is constructed from acrylic and, as such, can … Read more