Wait a minute.. are you really shopping around to find the best smart coffee maker? Well, did we actually get that ‘smart’ with technology? Or is it the end of the world already? :O
Yes, when it comes to technological advancement in all business sectors, industries and consumer products, the world has certainly evolved to a great extent – without a doubt.
However, being an avid coffee lover, who likes to know what goes inside a machine – the way coffee is brewed and the control that you want to have during the whole process – a smart coffee maker just doesn’t sound right, does it?
Before we go any further, let us tell you that these products are just to make you even more lazy than you probably already are 😛 In this read, we will show you a few ‘not-so-fucked-up’ smart coffee makers that are just cool electronic devices to have, but you really can’t expect a quality cup of Joe using these.
Somewhat Acceptable Products Among a Ridiculous Product Niche
We do not want our readers to be misled in any way and this is why we are being brutally honest with you. Yes, these products are out there to be purchased, however, a true coffee aficionado won’t be a big fan of these smart coffee makers or smart espresso machines.
Having said that, we have still reviewed some of the best brands that are available in this line of products.
- Breville-Nespresso Espresso & Coffee Maker
- Hamilton Beach Smart Coffee Maker
- GOAT STORY GINA Smart Coffee Brewing Instrument
- Atomi Smart Coffee Maker
Breville-Nespresso Espresso & Coffee Maker
Among all the products that we reviewed in the smart coffee maker category, the Breville Nespresso was the only one that did perform well as far as features, usability and coffee quality is concerned.
However, this is on the higher price side. In this range, you do have a lot of other options that you can consider.
Flat-to-Wall Design – Weird or Smart?
This coffee maker has a unique flat-to-wall design, with the objective to save counter space and keep your kitchen or office table free for appliances or other things.
However, being a coffee freak, you might find this design rather unusual and weird! Even though the brand claims the design to be inspired by professional baristas, trust me, it’s ridiculous!
3-Way Temperature Setting
One of the better features of this coffee machine is the option to select ideal temperature of your beverage from its 3 temperature settings – medium, hot and extra hot.
For those who like their coffee to have slight notes of bitterness, they can set a hotter temperature. If you like it a little sour and less astringent, brewing at a cold temperature will work well for you.
Bluetooth Coffee Maker
Using the Nespresso app, you can connect your smartphone via wireless Bluetooth Smart Technology. From pre-scheduling the next brew to choosing your customized settings and ordering capsules – you can pretty much do everything!
Pros
- 4 Coffee Cup Sizes
- 3-way Temperature Settings
- 16 OriginaLine Capsules
- Up to 19 bar pressure
- Bluetooth Smart Technology with LED Alerts
Cons
- Price is on the higher side
Hamilton Beach Smart Coffee Maker
It is no secret that many of us depend on voice assistant technology these days – Alexa being one of the most common voice service. For those who have or look forward to connect their appliances via Alexa, this machine is a good option.
Coffee making is also quite simple with this device – however, we would like to emphasize on the fact again that these are fancy coffee makers, beverage quality can never be compared with the regular coffee brewers.
“Alexa, turn on the coffee maker”
It is no surprise that technology has made us lazy – when you have the facility to just verbally instruct your coffee maker through Alexa voice app to switch on your machine, laziness has just begun!
With the option to brew 12 cups in its glass carafe, this coffee maker comes with an easy-to-pour front-fill water reservoir that can be done without any hassle. Once done, you have your coffee brewing process on your phone, right from the word go.
“Alexa, set brew strength to regular”
Now that the machine has been switched on, you can set your brew strength using your Alexa app. Whether you like it bold or regular, you can set it while you’re still in your bed or helping your partner in another room.
“Alexa, turn off the coffee maker”
Once you are done with your cup of Joe, you can switch off the coffee maker using your Alexa voice assistant app. Again, this gives immense easy of use and usability, specially on those mornings when you are getting late for work and need to get done with things rather quickly.
Pros
- 12-Cup Glass Carafe
- Works with Alexa and other Amazon Echo Devices (Amazon Echo Plus, Echo Dot, Echo Spot, Echo Show, etc.)
- Front-fill Water Reservoir Makes Water & Coffee Addition Easy
- Mess-free Pouring with Drip-free Spout
Cons
- Only works with the aforementioned voice assistants. Does not work with Google Assistant
- ‘Ready to Brew’ button at the front of the machine needs to be pressed before it can be used
GOAT STORY GINA Smart Coffee Brewing Instrument
Gina is another innovative, smart coffee brewing device by Goat Story. Even though the aesthetics might seem all cool and fancy, however, the brew quality of these modern-day smart coffee makers is nothing close to what you get from regular brewers.
It does comes with features such as multiple brewing settings, precision coffee scale, other pour over elements, etc.
Connect Via a Dedicated App
You can set up a wireless connection to this coffee maker using the Gina app – a dedicated smartphone app, that lets you access most of the options with just a few clicks on your phone.
Moreover, the integrated coffee precision scale connects through the GINA smartphone app.
Use Precision Valve for Pour Over or Immersion
One of the standout features of this coffee machine is its precision valve. This can be accessed using the knob located at the front that lets you adjust the drip speed and flow.
If you are in the mood for a pour over, you can leave it open. For immersion, simply close it and enjoy your beverage
Cold Brew with a Wi-Fi Coffee Maker
If you are a cold brew lover and feel dizzy to leave your bed or your favorite couch, you can get a cup of cold brew using the immersion method for a stronger flavor.
With only a few clicks, you can have your cold brew ready. Fancy modern lifestyles, eh?
Pros
- 3-Way Brewing Methods – Classic Pour Over, Cold Drip and French Press Immersion Technique
- Precision Valve Allows Coffee Drip Flow Control
- Dedicated GINA App Allows Smart Brewing
Cons
- Glass is very thin which increases fragility – needs to be handled with extreme care
Atomi Google Home Coffee Maker – Compatible with Alexa
Covid-19 pandemic hasn’t been easy on any of us. Staying at home has affected our mental and physical health to alarming levels. Many of us have got into shitty routines, almost zero physical activities or workouts.
If you want to add more to your misery, then sure go ahead with a product that will make you even more lethargic and lazy.
Atomi Smart App Does it All
Once you have downloaded the Atomi Smart app from the App Store or Google PlayStore, you can get your coffee brewing process started regardless how far you are from the coffee machine itself.
From switching it on or off to changing brew settings – the Atomi app will let you do pretty much everything with your coffee machine.
Don’t Feel Lazy? Go with the Manual Option
On the contrary, if you are not in the mood to operate it with your phone and you want to do it in a more ‘traditional’ way, you can always use the manual option.
With an easy-to-use control panel and LED display, you can interact with the coffee maker in a ‘non-smart’ way, should you choose it.
Alexa & Google Assistant Supported
The best part about this smart coffee maker is the fact that it supports Alexa app, Alex smart speaker and Google Assistant. This could certainly be your next i-coffee maker or the Google home coffee maker!
All you have to do is start by saying ‘Alexa, brew coffee’, or ‘Okay Google, brew cofee’ and the machine will begin with the brewing process.
Pros
- Comes with 12-Cup Glass Carafe
- Alexa and Google Assistant Supported
- iOS and Android Platforms Compatibility via Wi-Fi
- Reusable and Washable Filter
- Black and Stainless Steel Available
Cons
- Only 2.4 ghz Wi-Fi band supported. The modern-day 5 ghz band won’t connect
- No sensor to stop brew if there is no pot
Do You Really Need a Smart Coffee Maker?
Honestly speaking? No… you don’t and should not need one!
Technology is always good, without a doubt, but too much technology can take the real essence away out of something in a blink of an eye.
The same goes for the modern-day smart coffee making technology. Whether you are looking to buy a smart espresso machine with grinder, or a remote control coffee maker compatible with voice assistants – make sure you are not compromising brew quality over wireless features.
These are usually fancy machines, like the ICoffee Remote Brew by Smarter, with all the technological bells and whistles that you could probably think of, however, the final taste might not be as you would expect being a coffee addict.
Our Final Word on Smart Coffee Makers
In this digital era, smart home integration is becoming more and more popular where a number of appliances and electronics are being connected using a central framework – either via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
Finding the best smart coffee maker could be a real challenging task for you, specially if you are concerned about brew quality and you do prioritize your coffee taste more than any other element.
We never misguide our readers, and that is exactly why we gave you the absolute truth about these fancy smart brewers that give you all the ‘smart’ features, but when it comes to coffee taste and quality, they are not too ‘smart’ anymore!