But First, Coffee {and a Giveaway}
Sure, I'll get right on that... But first, coffee.
I was provided a Touch Brewer T526S Brewing System and L.A. Coffee XBOLD Cups at no cost to me. Touch Coffee & Beverages, LLC will be providing the prize for this giveaway and will be shipping the prize directly to the winner. I did not accept monetary compensation for this post; however, this post does contain affiliate product links. Clicking on these links may result in my being paid a small commission based on product sales. Regardless of commission, all opinions expressed in this post are my own. For more information, please review our site policies.
You guys, Etsy is a dangerous place.
I was on the site a few months ago, looking for anniversary gift ideas, and one click led to another... which lead to another... which led to... well, you get the idea. Before I knew it, I had abandoned my quest to find the perfect anniversary gift and found myself obsessing over items boasting one of my favorite phrases -- "But first, coffee."
I was this close to ordering this print (and this one and this one) before I stopped myself. While Stephen and I do share a mutual love of coffee, those prints weren't appropriate for the occasion.
However, since being new parents has upped our dependence on coffee over the past few months, it wouldn't surprise me if I wound up ordering one of the prints anyway. It would be nice to have something to smile at first thing in the morning -- besides the baby, of course -- as we wait for the coffee to brew and try and push through while in our perpetual sleep-deprived state.
Because that's the worst part about making coffee, right? It's never ready fast enough.
Until now.
Enter the Touch Brewer T526S, a single-cup brewing system that features new rapid brewing technology that allows you to take that first sip of blessed coffee in less time than it takes to change the diaper of a very squirmy baby. Or... if you prefer not to think in terms of diapers, the T526S lets you start enjoying your morning coffee in less time than it takes for the water to nearly boil for your French press.
After being off all night, the T526S reaches the ideal temperature for optimal flavor extraction (195-205 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Coffee Association USA) and starts brewing in less than 30 seconds.
When Touch Coffee & Beverages, LLC offered me the opportunity to test one, of course, I said YES! The faster I can get coffee into my system after dealing with night feedings, the better.
To really see what the T526S was all about, they also sent me a sample pack of L.A. Coffee XBOLD Cups, their brand of coffee that's made with 100% Arabica beans. The coffee comes in three roasts inspired by notable landmarks in Los Angeles -- Pacific Sunrise (a light roast with a sweet and soothing flavor), Beverly Hills (a rich and decadent medium roast), and Sunset Strip (a French roast that yields an intense, extra-bold brew) -- and Stephen and I were ready to jump in and try them all.
To get started, fill the extra large water tank (it holds 90 ounces) with water, preferably filtered in order to prolong the life of the brewer. A larger tank means having to refill it less often.
Winning!
Pull the handle to open the machine and drop your chosen cup inside. Because the Touch Brewers are open platform, they are fully compatible with all portion packs, including K-Cups.
Close the lid and then choose from eight cup sizes -- 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, or 18 ounces and carafe. The brewer's flash heating system heats just enough water for the selected cup size (as opposed to the entire tank of water), so all you have to do is push a button and wait for the magic to happen.
Just don't blink!
If you blink, then you might miss it.
After about one minute, you'll have a full cup of coffee.
Amazing!
One of the things Stephen and I love about the T526S is that you don't have to wait for the brewer to reset before brewing another cup of coffee. Just remove the used cup, replace it with a fresh one, close the lid, select the cup size you want, and you're good to go!
That means Dad (um, the unicorn mug is his, not mine) and Mom can both be sipping on coffee in less time than it takes to change the diaper of a very squirmy baby.
And caffeinated parents are happy parents.
If you made it this far, then I know what you must be thinking... You're thinking, "Didn't I read something about a carafe??"
Yes. Yes, you did.
The T526S comes with a 26-ounce carafe that's perfect for when you want to make more than one cup of coffee at a time.
To use the carafe, remove the red cup holder from inside the machine, as well as the drip tray. Fill the included Refill Jumbo Cup to the rim with your choice of ground coffee, and then insert the Refill Jumbo Cup into the brewer.
Slide the carafe underneath (you can keep the lid on it), press the Carafe Button, and that's it!
The T526S will brew a pot of drip coffee in about three minutes.
That's just long enough to get out some coffee mugs, your creamer and sweetener of choice, and some spoons for stirring.
Honestly, there's so much to love about the Touch Brewer T526S -- including the fact that it shuts off automatically in case you forget to turn it off before walking away -- that we can't imagine life without it. And we've only had it for a month!
Our one criticism?
The lack of a drip tray that will accommodate the carafe. Since there are two of us, we use the carafe function a lot, but never seem to remember to put the drip tray back afterward. This means coffee drips onto the counter causing a little bit of a mess to wipe up when we go back to make another carafe.
Obviously, this criticism is a small one, and, hopefully, we'll start remembering to put the tray back so it won't be an issue anymore. ;-)
Have I managed to convince you that you need one of these for your kitchen? Touch Brewers are available for purchase on Amazon and The Home Depot.
OR YOU CAN ENTER TO WIN A TOUCH BREWER FOR FREE RIGHT NOW!
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Touch Brewer T526S Giveaway Details
I've partnered with Touch Coffee & Beverages, LLC to offer you -- my fabulous readers -- a chance to win the most unbelievably awesome prize.
Touch Coffee & Beverages, LLC will be providing one (1) winner with the following:
- One (1) Touch Brewer T526S Brewing System
- Sample Pack L.A. Coffee XBOLD Cups
This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end at 5:00 PM EDT on Thursday, August 27, 2015.
In order for your entries to be valid, you MUST leave a comment on this blog post, preferably telling me how you take your coffee, and you MUST tell me you've left a comment on the Rafflecopter widget.
The winner will be announced here once the giveaway closes and will be notified via email. If the winner does not respond to the notification within 48 hours, then another winner will be chosen from the eligible entrants.
GOOD LUCK!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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