Almost everyone needs a morning or mid-afternoon dose of caffeine to keep them going. Although the fancy drinks at Starbucks on your way to work are enticing, the cost of regularly buying coffee adds up quickly. Luckily, it’s very easy to make your own kitchen feel like your favorite coffee shop.
Invest In A Nice Machine For Your Kitchen
You can have hot coffee with the press of a button every morning without even having to wait in line. Try one of these machines for almost instant coffee:Allie’s Suggestion: A Keurig
It seems like everybody is on the Keurig bandwagon lately, and I’m not ashamed to be one of them. I tried having a normal coffee pot and always ended up pouring half the pot down the drain because it was too weak or I made too much. The ease of a Keurig makes it well worth the investment (though I got mine on sale at Kohls for $50 with a 30% off coupon, so my investment was small).
There are now loads of different flavors, so you can make fancy lattes to your heart’s content. If you like to stay environmentally conscientious, they sell a refillable cup that you can put your own ground coffee in (this strategy is easier on your wallet, too). My favorite part of the Keurig is that it’s equally easy to make tea or hot cocoa as it is to make coffee. I tend to be more of a tea person than a coffee person so it’s nice to be able to make a hot cup instantly. They have cocoa and tea k-cups too, so there are a ton of options for coffee fanatics and the tentative taste-testers, too.
Amy’s Suggestion: A Verisimo
This little beauty was, quite simply, the best thing I have ever bought. I’m really not exaggerating. It’s the same principle as a Keurig, but it makes beautiful espresso drinks in under a minute; I genuinely look forward to waking up each morning knowing that I’m going to have a fantastic cup of coffee straight away! While the pods are a little more taxing to get your hands on—they can be acquired at Starbucks stores, at Staples, or online—it’s entirely worth the extra trip on your weekly grocery run.
You can also purchase a milk frother to accompany this baby: A shot of espresso, some steamed milk of choice, a bit of flavor, and you’ve got yourself a beautiful hot beverage to rival anything you’d pay $5 for at Starbucks. It’s also worth noting that chilling the coffee (either an Americano, made from a shot of espresso and water, or just the plain filter coffee) in the fridge for about an hour makes a gorgeous iced drink.
Keep Your Kitchen Fully Stocked
You, too, can make fancy coffee drinks. Most coffee shops have a not-so-hidden secret: flavored syrup. Many grocery stores now stock a variety of syrup flavors, so you can make your favorite vanilla iced coffee or hazelnut brew from the comfort of your kitchen. Keep a can of whipped cream handy and you’re all set.
Flavored creamers also make creating a flavored drink a one-step process. There are now many kinds to choose from, including fun flavors like Thin Mint and Chocolate Chip Cookie.
Like the variety of a coffee shop’s menu? Stock up on a nice selection of coffee and tea flavors to keep at home. This is very easy if you are buying k-cups or pods since they’re individually wrapped and come in different sizes so you don’t have to commit to a huge amount unless you want to. I like having lots of options, so keeping my kitchen stocked with plenty of different tea and coffee flavors makes it feel as close to a coffee shop’s menu as I can get.
Use A Pretty Mug
Lastly, the best way to make your morning cup of coffee feel more cozy is by having a nice collection of eclectic coffee cups to put it in. The mug makes my morning almost as much as the caffeine in what I’m consuming does, depending on the day.
How do you take your coffee? Tweet us @LitDarling!
