Batangas Coffee Organic Soap
Batangas coffee is my coffee of choice. It has a very bold flavor which makes many other blends pale in comparison. Unsurprisingly, I have only used this coffee for drinking purposes. To my delight, however, I discovered another use for Batangas coffee. Last month, a colleague of mine went around the office selling organic soaps, and guess what? She had something made of Batangas coffee!
The manufacturer is called Cycleina and they specialize in all sorts of organic soap. I have actually used a lot of their other varieties (flavors, if you will) but nothing has made me more satisfied than their Batangas coffee one. The soap bar is square shaped and not too thick. The best thing about it is that it has coffee grounds incorporated into the bar. The result is silky smooth skin because the grounds serve as a gentle exfoliant!
Seriously, I do not even have to use my loofah anymore when I use this soap when taking a shower. I am not so sure about its effectiveness as a facial soap – I am a bit iffy about using it as I am particular when it comes to facial products – but I do not see any serious problems with it. My bar is now gone, and I need to stock up. Oh, the best thing about it is it’s so cheap! Less than 2 dollars for one bar of sheer happiness! I wish they made lotions in the same variety. That would complete the bath set, wouldn’t it?
The Perfect Coffee Table
Looking for a new coffee table? Can’t live without a computer? I have a web site for you – something that will definitely make your mouth water and will keep you up all night trying to think of ways to get your hands on what they have to offer. Retro-Tech is a British company that specializes in computer tables. They have been in the business for the past 10 years, and have made quite a name for themselves.
What caught my interest is their Platinum Coffee Table. Yeah, just because it is called a coffee table, it doesn’t mean you HAVE TO use it while enjoying your favorite drink (and we all know what that is!). Then again, if you are anything like me, you’d always have a cup of coffee while fiddling with your computer.
In the morning, I spend several hours writing. I go through a mug or two of coffee. When I come home at night, I surf the net or play a game. A cup of coffee is the perfect companion. Same thing during the weekend when I catch up on some writing work during the day – coffee is never far from me.
Now imagine having this Platinum Coffee Table which has a built in computer! It has a 22-inch LCD monitor and an Intel Dual Core Processor. It also serves as a hub – it can connect to other gadgets in your living room! I can just see myself never leaving the couch if I had this table right in front me. Now where can I get $5,000?
Self Stirring Mug For (Lazy) People
No one take offense, alright? I would be the first to say that I can be as lazy as the next person every now and then – maybe lazier than some. For those who are likeminded, check out this self stirring mug from Think Geek.
Forget the spoon. Forget the popsicle stick. Forget the plastic stirrer. You have to wash the spoon and throw away the popsicle stick and plastic stirrer – that will require more energy than necessary. More so, using fewer popsicle sticks and plastic stirrers can be your contribution to the environment!
With the self stirring mug, you don’t need any of these tools. All you need is to pour the sugar (artificial sweetener if that’s what you use) and cream into the mug and you’re good to go! This mug is made of stainless steel – it will go with anything you wear – and has a spinning disk inside. It is powered by two AAA batteries, and the spinning motion is triggered by pressing a button on the handle. The mug has a snap on lid that will keep the liquid from spilling when “stirring” or when you’re on the go. So basically, it doubles as a travel mug. Isn’t that just perfect for when you are in the car? You don’t need two hands to handle that coffee!
The mug’s dimensions are 4 3/8″ H x 3 3/8″ W.
Oh, and what about cleaning? It’s a snap as well – just use liquid soap and water, press the button to stir, and rinse. Energy efficient, that’s what I call it! $18.99 at Think Geek.
Gevalia Pod Coffee Maker One Day Sale At Woot
Depending on where you are, you have got anywhere from a couple to several hours to get your hands on a Gevalia Pod Coffee Maker for a very low price. Woot is offering a one day only sale for this pod coffee maker, which they are selling for a mere $9.99. I should tell you that they will charge you $5 for shipping, so that amounts to $14.99 in total. Since this coffee maker normally goes for around $40, I’d say that this is still a great deal!
So why would anyone want a Gevalia Pod Coffee Maker anyway? This brand, Gevalia, is actually a European brand which traces its roots back to 1853. The founder, Victor Theodor Engwall started his business by importing the finest coffee (according to his own taste) to his Swedish town. For more than a hundred of years, this company has flourished and has continued to branch out.
This particular model on sale at Woot is dubbed the Gevalia G90 Pod Coffee Maker and can actually be used for brewing both coffee and tea pods. Just like other pod coffee makers, you do not need to deal with messy coffee grinds – you just need the pods (coffee or tea in sealed bags). The whole thing is made up of removable parts, making cleaning an easy task. You also have the option of brewing one or two pods at a time, depending on how strong you want your brew to be.
It may not be the best coffee maker out there, but you can’t beat the price!
Link Mugs For The Coffeeholic Family
I will be the first to say that we are certified coffeholics – my family, that is. I still remember wanting to try my first cup of coffee as a little child, simply because that was all I saw my dad drink. He would have coffee in the morning, coffee after lunch, and coffee after dinner! I was not allowed to have coffee because of my age by I would sneak a cup or two every now and then when I was alone at the house.
Having said that, let me introduce you to this newfound discovery of mine – Link Mugs. They are perfect for the family that drinks coffee together. They’re just like any other mugs. In fact, they do not look very unique or pretty at all (you know me, I have an affinity for coffee mugs). However, they do have a distinctive feature, which you can guess from the name itself: the mugs can be linked together, allowing you to carry three mugs at the same time without endangering yourself (hot coffee!).
I found these mugs at Mocha, and they are designed by Jonathan Aspinall. How do they link together? There is a protrusion on each mug, as well as a sort of socket – put them together and they “stick” to one another. The idea is quite simple, and you can be free from burnt fingers and spilled coffee forever!
Link Mugs are for sale at Mocha for ₤32.50 per set. I think it’s the perfect gift idea for coffee lovers this Christmas, don’t you think?
Cool Innovations From Coffee Fest Seattle 2009
The Coffee Fest at Seattle is being held this weekend – from the 25th of September to the 27th – and inventors have been showing off their creations. Here are some of the more interesting ones, which I think have the potential to become mainstream.
Jeff Baccetti’s SmartCup
We all know that adding the word “smart” to your product ensures that it will get the attention it deserves, right? Seriously, the SmartCup might just be a staple in the traveler’s arsenal. In a nutshell, the SmartCup is a portable, disposable French press. More than having access to fresh coffee while you’re on the road, the general consensus is that coffee brewed in a French press tastes so much better anyway. The good news is that Jeff Baccetti is hoping to sell his innovation for home use in the near future.
SMUG Coffee by Chris and Mike Halberg
Their idea was to have your mug pay for your coffee. How? By using SMUG. The brothers dub it the world’s first intelligent mug. That is, it has an RFID chip which contains information. Users can visit a web site to choose their favorite coffee and load up their wallet. More than the convenience, using the reusable SMUG will also help lessen one’s carbon footprint!
Karen Porte’s TuGo
Frequent fliers can now have a place to put their coffee cups while waiting in line at the airport. Just get TuGo, a cup holder that can be placed in between the collapsible handles of any carry on bag. It holds the cup upright to avoid spills. It also folds to fit the pocket of the same bag it can be attached to. Neat, huh?
Bugatti Coffee Machine
I am in the market for a new drip coffee maker. Ours conked out a couple of months back and we have been using the espresso machine for our daily dose of java. I love the coffee that my trusty Duomo makes BUT sometimes I yearn for the taste of simple brewed coffee.
Anyhow, I was looking for a nice new machine when I ran across – of all things – a coffee machine made by Bugatti. Now if you are not into cars, you may not have a clue as to what the big fuss is about. Truth be told, I probably wouldn’t have an idea as well if not for my husband, who is car crazy. Bugatti is the maker of the Bugatti Veyron, one of the most prized cars in the world. Watch Discovery Turbo (the cable channel) and you will see what I mean).
So how did they find themselves making coffee machines? Heck if I know, but I do know that their machines are beautiful! Even a quick look at that picture above will tell you that these are no ordinary coffee machines. A closer look will not disappoint.
Now here’s the clincher: these machines are also espresso machines! In short, they are not what I need. But hey, sometimes you do not have to get what you need if you find something this beautiful, right? Then again, the price tag is enough to make me get what I need and not what I want. How much is it? $1,300, fancy that!
Black & Decker Spacemaker Coffee Machines RECALLED
If you have got one of these babies, you might want to send it back. Last week, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced that this brand and model of coffee makers are being recalled due to safety considerations.
The Commission announced that users could get burned due to a flaw in the machine. The specific reason for this is that the brew basket can potentially get out of alignment. When this happens the hot water (scalding hot!) will overflow. Obviously, if any part of your body gets in contact with that, you will get burned.
Yes, there have been reports of this happening and users getting injured. Applica Consumer Products Inc., the distributor of the coffee maker stated that they have received about 235 reports of the malfunction. Of these reports, 10 involved users getting second-degree burns.
Statistics show that roundabouts 584,000 units of this machine have been sold in the period from March 2006 to March 2009. Stores that sell the Spacemaker Coffee Machine include K-Mart, Kohl’s, Target, Wal-Mart, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Amazon.com. A unit can cost anywhere from $60 to $70.
It is important to note that NOT ALL models are defective in this regard. The announcement takes note of those models that are being recalled:
Description: The recalled product is the Black & Decker-branded Spacemaker™ coffeemaker. The product has an under-cabinet mount, programmable digital clock/timer, removable water reservoir, and either a 12-cup glass carafe or an 8-cup thermal carafe. Only model numbers ODC440, ODC440B, ODC450 and ODC460 are included in the recall. The model number can be located on the back of the coffeemaker.
For information, call Applica toll-free at (866) 668-4442 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday OR visit their web site at www.acprecall.com.
Drip Brewing with a Paper Filter
Drip brew is a method for brewing coffee which involves pouring water over coffee contained in a filter. Water seeps through the coffee, absorbing its oils and essences, solely under gravity then passes through the bottom of the filter. The used coffee grounds are retained in the filter with the liquid falling (dripping) into a collecting vessel such as a carafe or pot.
Paper filters are commonly used for drip brew all over the world. One benefit of paper filters is that the used grounds and the filter may be disposed of together, without a need to clean the filter. However, metal filters are also common, especially in India. These are made of thin perforated metal sheets that restrain the grounds but allow the coffee to pass, thus eliminating the need to have to purchase separate filters which sometimes cannot be found in some parts of the world.
Drip brewing is the most popular method of coffee brewing, owing to the overwhelming popularity of the automatic drip brewing coffee machine. There are, however, several manual drip-brewing devices on the market, offering a little more control over brewing parameters than automatic machines. There also exist small, portable, single serving drip brew makers that only hold the paper filter and rest on top of a cup. Hot water is poured in and drips directly into the cup.
Brewing with a paper filter produces clear, light-bodied coffee, which is free of sediments, but lacking in some of coffee’s oils and essences, which are trapped in the paper filter.
Buying A Grinder? Blade vs. Burr
Recently, I talked about my recent acquisition of a coffee grinder. When I was at the stores, my main consideration was cost. I just bought myself a $40 drip brewer, and I wasn’t about to spend more than that on a grinder.
And so I got myself a small Krups blade grinder. But at that time I didn’t realize I had other options, and that these would likely give me a better coffee experience, if not for the price.
This means if I had the cash to burn, I should’ve gone for a burr grinder.
Blade vs. Burr
There are two basic types of grinders: blade and burr. A blade grinder works by spinninng a set of blades, which chop up the coffee beans. The fineness or roughness of the resulting grind is determined by how long you spin the blades. If you’re using a brewer with a cone-shaped filter, then most likely you will need a finer grind (about 30-40 seconds). But sometimes spinning blades can produce friction and exposure to heat might cause a burning taste in the coffee grind, and the resulting grind will not always be of similar consistency all throughout. Blade grinders can come as cheap as $20 for the smaller ones.
Burr grinders, meanwhile, use a circular or conical wheel, which grinds the coffee against an unmoving surface. The fineness of the grind is controlled by how close the grinding wheel is to the surface. The fineness of the coffee grind is better controlled with a burr type grinder. However, this comes at an expense of higher cost, at about $300 or so for the cheapest.
For personal use, I would say a blade grinder is probably good enough. But if you’re venturing into commercial or heavy duty use, then by all means go for the burr kind, particularly the conical-shaped ones, which are more expensive, are easier to control and maintain.
