Gadgets Blog » Appliances

While I oftentimes feel cliche talking about how my life as a college student affects the content of the Smarter Gadget blog, today felt especially appropriate, given the nifty gadget we’re taking a look at. Students are notorious for sleeping far less than they should, and I, for one, can certainly vouch for the truthfulness of this supposition. While many drink coffee for the sake of the caffeine buzz, a well-brewed cup can be a great delicacy as well. Instant coffee is by far the most convenient, but in today’s gadget, the Krups Grind and Brew Coffee Maker, convenience meets function in an extraordinary way.

Much as the name of the gadget suggests, the Krups Grind and Brew fulfills all aspects of a satisfying cup of coffee. Whole coffee beans are placed into a compartment at the top of the unit, and with the simple press of the button, the coffee maker begins to grind the beans down. Following this, the brewing process begins, with hot water filtered through the freshly ground coffee. The whole process takes place over just a few minutes, and can be programmed to go off on a routine schedule. While this function is fairly straightforward in the realm of coffee makers, the aroma and taste of a Krups cup of coffee are head and shoulders above the quality of instant coffee.

Other custom features are built into the programming of the unit, giving you a good deal of flexibility over your brew. There are five grind levels and three coffee-strength settings to choose from, and the unit can be programmed to prepare enough coffee for anywhere between 2 and 10 cups, making it great for a family or even the office. An anti-drip valve enables you to pour coffee while it’s still brewing, activating the pause-and-serve feature on this gadget. In spite of all these features, the Krups Grind and Brew takes up relatively little space, measuring only 11-1/2 by 11-1/8 by 15-1/2 inches.