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You've spent a good deal of money on tech for your home office and personal gadgets such as tablets and smartphones, but what about your home? More specifically, your kitchen.
The K-Cup system from Keurig is widely popular in households and offices, offering a line of 14 systems. What if you're more of a Starbucks fan? Maybe you just want an espresso.
Starbucks' answers that hankering with its Verismo system, a single-cup coffee and espresso machine. Steamed milk? Yes, please.
Similar to Keurig's design, cups are placed under a spout on the front of the machine before water is filtered through and the brew flows into your mug. The Verismo system lets you make them just like you would order them; Vanilla Latte, Caramel Macchiato, Caffé Mocha and Hot Cocoa. Though the sizes are based on what drink you decide to make, the total cost per drink ends up slightly less than what you'd pay at your local Starbucks, after the initial cost of your unit, of course.
Once we received our review unit, the setup was quick and we were soon brewing lattes, even though there are three Starbucks locations within a two-block radius of Mashable's HQ. It was a welcome addition to the Keurig we have here, though it should be noted that the Verismo's cups are not interchangeable with K-Cups.
Some staffers had a little more difficulty than others when using the machine. Three buttons -- one for espresso/rinse, one for brewed coffee and one for milk -- posed a tough choice for some techies who forego manuals, though maybe all they needed was their morning cup of joe.
One thing we liked was how we didn't have to dispose of the mini cups after each use. They are conveniently deposited into an internal tray that can be emptied after several brews.
As coffee is becoming more a part of our daily, tech-driven lives (see: Starbucks mobile apps) we only have to stop in the kitchen on our way to work, eschewing any waiting lines.