We’re starting to get close to July 4th, which makes it an oddly fruitful weekend for tech deals. There are still a few E3 Game and Console Deals going on, and Best Buy’s Massive Apple Sale is still happening. Microsoft has already tried to get a head start on competitors with an early Microsoft Store Independence Day Sale, with discounts on Surfaces, Xboxes, and other Microsoft products.
Below are our our favorite deals for the weekend, gathered with help from our friends at TechBargains.
The Motorola Moto Z3 Play hits shelves on June 29, but if you preorder it on Amazon, you can get $50 off. We haven’t fully reviewed it yet, but given the track record of this line and what we do know about it, it’s likely a very good bargain for $450. It comes universally unlocked, so it works with every wireless carrier, and an extra Moto Mod battery pack that magnetically snaps onto the back of the phone is included in the box .
Watch the movie that’s captivated the nation! WIRED loved The Last Jedi but a segment of the fanbase did not. They hate it so much that they started a pledge drive to remake it that’s raised close to “$90 million.” And we put that in quotes because the drive requires no financial information and says pledging is just about having your “voice heard.”
Robot Vacuum Deals
These two vacs didn’t quite make our Best Robot Vacuums list, but our top vacuum reviewer, Adrienne So, says both are excellent deals on good vacs.
V-Moda’s Crossfade headphones have a unique appearance but they do sound very good, and the BackBeat Pro 2 made our list of Best Wireless Headphones. The Oontz made our Best Bluetooth Speakers list and the Invoke is an honorable mention in our Best Smart Speakers roundup.
We really like this Vizio E-Series TV, and it’s got a huge screen for the price. The Xbox One X also comes highly recommended, and we’re excited to see a Switch with any kind of deal on it, even a small one.
Last week, a federal grand jury returned a criminal indictment against six current and former Fitbit employees who allegedly stole trade secrets from Jawbone, where they had all previously worked. Jawbone and Fitbit, both makers of consumer-grade activity trackers, have a long and bitter legal history. But after the International Trade Commission cleared Fitbit of Jawbone’s trade secret claims in 2016, and after Jawbone went out of business in 2017, many thought the legal battles were over.
Not so much. These charges—which are against the individuals, and not Fitbit as a company—bring fresh scrutiny to the trade secret claims. The indictment suggests that “there’s some serious nature of this case that rises above your garden variety case,” says Peter Toren, a Washington, D.C.-based intellectual property attorney who is not involved in the case. “It’s likely somebody referred this case to the US Attorney’s office for investigation, and they considered it serious enough to make a criminal matter out of it.”
Toren also says it’s “atypical” for the Department of Justice to investigate a situation in which both the victim company and the company the defendants worked for are based in San Francisco. Other legal experts concur, noting that the Department of Justice is often interested in trade secret cases that involve the exfiltration of proprietary information to a foreign country.
In the indictment filed last week by the US Attorney’s office in the Northern District of California, defendants Katherine Mogal, Ana Rosario, Patrick Narron, Patricio Romano, Rong (Audrey) Zhang, and Jing Qi (Gee) Weiden were charged with misappropriating Jawbone trade secrets, “with the intent to convert the trade secrets, which were related to and intended to be included in products to be produced for and placed in interstate and foreign commerce, to the economic benefit of someone other than Jawbone, and intending and knowing that the offense would injure Jawbone.”
According to the indictment, these secrets include confidential surveys that Jawbone conducted to take the temperature of the speaker market; a 53-page, “multi-faceted study” of Chinese consumers; vendor and pricing information for international suppliers; details around a pair of unreleased fitness-tracking headphones; details around a waterproof Jawbone, codenamed “Spitz,” that seemingly never shipped; and a handful of additional qualitative studies.
“There’s some serious nature of this case that rises above your garden variety case.”
Peter Toren, attorney
Alex Tse, Acting US Attorney, said last week in a prepared statement that “intellectual property is the heart of innovation and economic development in Silicon Valley. The theft of trade secrets violates federal law, stifles innovation, and injures the rightful owners of that intellectual property.”
Lawyers from Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, who have represented the defendants in the past, had not yet responded to a voicemail and emails at the time of publication. Five of the defendants also had not responded to email messages. WIRED attempted to call two phone numbers that were listed for the sixth defendant, but were unable to reach him.
In a statement emailed to WIRED, a representative from a strategic communications firm for Fitbit noted that “in a trade secret misappropriation case brought by Jawbone in the International Trade Commission in 2016 that involved these same individuals, a federal administrative law judge during a nine-day trial on the merits found that no Jawbone trade secrets were misappropriated or used in any Fitbit product, feature or technology.”
This is true; less than two years ago, the ITC determined that Fitbit did not misappropriate Jawbone trade secrets. At the time, Fitbit co-founder and CEO James Park called Jawbone’s allegations “nothing more than a desperate attempt by Jawbone to disrupt Fitbit’s momentum to compensate for their own lack of success in the market.” Park had a point: Jawbone, once a leader in Bluetooth audio products, had suffered myriad issues since it had entered the fitness-tracking market back in 2011. It shipped defective products, suffered financial pressures, and reportedly stopped paying key contractors. By late 2016, Jawbone was indeed the underdog, punching up.
But that ITC determination in favor of Fitbit has no bearing on the federal prosecutor’s decision in this case, experts say. Neither do the outcomes of the other suits or motions Fitbit and Jawbone filed against each other, including a suit filed in California State Court in 2015 that ended in a settlement. “Generally, criminal proceedings run on a different track from civil proceedings,” says Toren. “The standard of proof is different, the interests are different, and in this case, for want of a better description, the US Attorney’s office represents the interest of the people of the US.”
Rochelle Dreyfuss, a New York University law professor and co-director of the Engelberg Center on Innovation Law and Policy, suggested that the indictment is part of a larger measure by the Department of Justice to take an aggressive approach to trade secret cases in recent years. Back in 1996, Congress passed The Economic Espionage Act to make theft of trade secrets a federal crime. But when the statute was first enacted, “they prosecuted hardly anybody,” Dreyfuss says. “And in the last five years, prosecutions shot up. The Justice Department is clearly interested in this issue; they think trade secrets are very important.”
Mark Flanagan, a partner at the Palo Alto office of the law firm WilmerHale, agrees with the assessment that there’s been more trade secret prosecutions in recent years. “There’s just a lot more attention to the fact that the value of tech companies and life sciences companies in the US resides in intellectual property,” Flanagan says, “and there are real concerns about the misappropriation of that intellectual property, it being stolen and taken to other countries.”
Dreyfuss, Toren, and Flanagan all pointed out, independently of one another, that the Department of Justice seems to be most interested in trade secret cases that involve the exfiltration of proprietary information to a foreign country. “This case is unusual because it appears to be that the party is mostly Americans and domestic companies, and they’re still here in the US,” Dreyfuss says.
Flanagan echoed that assessment. “There are usually a lot of concerns about the exfiltration of trade secrets to other countries, China in particular,” he says. He cited as an example the 2016 case in which a US resident who was a native of China was sentenced to prison for stealing trade secrets, in the form of corn seeds, from Monsanto.
It’s difficult to know if the department’s investigation into the current and former Fitbit employees was spurred by any concerns specifically around trade secrets being shared outside of the US. The indictment includes references to confidential, international supply chain relationships and Chinese market analyses; but no mention of the dissemination of that information overseas, or whether any of the defendants are foreign nationals. Abraham Simmons, a spokesperson for the US Attorney’s office in San Francisco, said via email, “There is no public information about the immigration/citizenship status of the defendants.”
However, Simmons added, “It is somewhat typical for that sort of information to be discussed at arraignment if relevant to questions about detention.”
More details could be shared on July 9, when the defendants will appear for an arraignment in San Jose, California. “It’s a little interesting that, notwithstanding the fact that Jawbone sort of exists in some fashion, there’s no remaining victim in this case,” Flanagan says, referring to the fact that Jawbone went out of business in 2017, but has been trying to extend its brand as Jawbone Health. “But if someone was stealing from someone regardless of whether the victim was alive or not, [prosecutors] will indict.”
Once at the vet, Napoleon’s rescuers offered him some food and he ate it eagerly, and it was clear that he had gone hungry for some time. The tiny kitten was so sick and weak, there was absolutely no way he could have made it onto the freeway on his own — which meant that someone had probably tossed him out of a car like a piece of trash.
“The little guy was sick, had an eye infection, he was so skinny, and I just have no idea how he could have made it to that side of the freeway,” Hagar said. “He was too weak to move, and there is just no way he could have crossed six lanes of traffic alone … someone must have done it to him.”
Skanks followed the fox, but when he tried to get closer, the animal scurried off into the bushes behind the station. It wasn’t unusual to see foxes loitering around the tree line behind the station — but Skanks had never seen one in such a dire predicament.
“About five to 10 years ago, the station was really in the middle of nowhere,” Corey Dierdorff, public information officer for the Fire Rescue Department, told The Dodo. “Over the years, there has been a lot of development, and growth is really booming in the area, so it’s not uncommon to see animals out there all the time. They see eagles every once and a while, and raccoons, foxes and deer right behind the station and around the neighborhood.”
As soon as Rascal arrived in their care, his rescuers realized just how wrong his family had been. While Rascal was timid and hesitant to trust, he was still incredibly friendly, and it seemed all he needed was the right environment in order to eventually thrive.
“The first day he came home he was quiet but friendly,” Dorothy Newbill, director of Birds of a Feather Parrot Rescue, told The Dodo. “He went to his first vet visit and was treated for bacterial and yeast infections, malnutrition and ingrown feathers. Even being poked and prodded, he was being sweet and patient with us.”
With no mother in sight, and the weather about to turn sour, Yost decided to rescue the seemingly stray kitten. He brought her home, fed her and introduced her to his family.
What Yost didn’t realize, of course, was this was no house cat.
They may look monstrous, but Chinese giant salamanders are actually very gentle, Murphy explained, and they even tolerate people picking them up. But these animals, who live exclusively in water, can be difficult to handle for another reason.
“They’re absolutely slimy,” Murphy said. “And if you try to hold them, they just wiggle out of your hands.”
“They had gone to the trouble of getting all her shots, her spay surgery and microchip … [then] they just dumped her at the closest shelter after having her for months,” Jennifer Jessup, an independent dog rescuer based in New York City, told The Dodo. “She basically lost everything she’s ever known, and at 1 year old, [she] found herself in a loud, scary place where they euthanize for space.”
The shelter was a terrifying experience for Ellie, and she spent most of her time snuggled up against a teddy bear, which her former family had left with her.
Sharon Stead, CEO of the Amalinda Safari Collection, believes that trophy hunting around Hwange National Park also has negative effects on tourism.
“Whilst I understand the role that hunting has in Zimbabwe, I personally feel that hunting iconic pride lions around Hwange National Park, especially those who are collared, is counterproductive to the species and the landscapes in which they play a roll,” Stead told The Dodo. “These lions have become relaxed around photographic vehicles, are born and bred in the park, and the consequence of them being removed from their social structure has far-reaching repercussions which is not deemed good conservation practice. They are known to photographic operators and their value to them, National Parks and our guests, who come to Africa to photograph these iconic species, has far more financial benefit then that of its trophy fee in the long term.”
Carleto lives in Brazil where, last year, he suggested to his parents that they rescue a shelter pup. Neither was thrilled with the idea initially; in fact, his dad was outright opposed. “I don’t want a dog in the house,” Carleto recalls him saying. But that wasn’t a huge surprise.
“My dad is old and grumpy, always frowning,” Carleto joked to The Dodo.
However, Carleto did not give up. He arranged for his mother to meet the dog he had in mind, a sweet pup named Pitoco, and she quickly joined his side. With her now on board, Dad conceded defeat and reluctantly accepted his family’s new pet.
Even though she’s already 18 years old, which would be 126 years old in human years, and is completely blind, Isabella still has so much love left to give. Due to her age, the staffers at the RSPCA Thanet branch let Isabella spend her days in reception, greeting every new visitor who stops by, instead of sitting in a kennel.
“She is adored by everyone who meets her,” Emily Mayer, an animal care assistant at the RSPCA Thanet branch, said in a press release. “She loves to be around people, being cuddled on their lap or being groomed. She is currently living in reception as she has become our unofficial greeter and she gets lots of attention there, but we would really like to see her live her retirement days in a home where she can feel special every day.”
But the puppy, who was named Albert Eyestein (Albert for short), managed to pull through. After his surgery, Olivarez took Albert home and kept him for a few days, feeding him through a syringe. Then on Monday, Wood’s friend Berni Gutierrez took over Albert’s foster care, and he’ll keep him until Albert goes to a forever home.
“He’s still very quiet just because he’s so weak, but he’s developing his personality,” Wood said. “He loves to play with toys. He loves to eat now. He’s very sweet.”
In a rare but not unprecedented acknowledgement of fault in one of its products, Apple announced Friday that it would cover the cost of repair of recent MacBook and MacBook Pro keyboards, for free, for four years from the date you purchased it. It won’t keep your keys from succumbing to a speck of dust, but at least you won’t have to pay for the fix.
Apple’s keyboard woes have been well-documented, if anecdotal; The Outline was a vocal critic as early as last October. Complaints have plagued the so-called butterfly style keyboard since its launch; recent models have suffered key failure with no apparent catalyst. Apple faces no fewer than three class action lawsuits over the apparently flawed design.
The program should provide at least some peace of mind to MacBook owners, although it remains to be seen if future versions of Apple laptops will address the underlying issue.
Because the problem seems inherent to how the butterfly keyboard is constructed—once debris gets under the keyboard, it can’t get out again, neutering presses—there’s no simple solution, and certainly no at-home fix. So instead, Apple will let you bring your laptop in for repair, either at an Apple Store or an authorized service provider—or mail it to an Apple repair center—and the company will fix your faulty keyboard for free.
“Today we launched a keyboard service program for our customers that covers a small percentage of keyboards in certain MacBook and MacBook Pro models which may exhibit one or more of the following behaviors: letters or characters that repeat unexpectedly or don’t appear when pressed or keys that feel “sticky” or aren’t responding in a consistent manner,” Apple said in a statement. “Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider will examine the customer’s device to verify eligibility and then perform the service free of charge. Service may involve the replacement of one or more keys or the whole keyboard.”
Nine models are eligible for the repair, including Retina MacBooks dating back to 2015, and MacBook Pros from 2016 onward. Apple also appears open to offering refunds to anyone who paid for a keyboard repair out of pocket until this point; you can see full details about the program at this website.
The program should provide at least some peace of mind to MacBook owners, although it remains to be seen if future versions of Apple laptops will address the underlying issue, or if Apple will soldier on with a butterfly design that, while sleek and slim, seems to cause semi-regular headaches.
It’s also the latest in a very occasional series of Apple copping—sort of—to its mistakes. When iPhone 4 owners decried apparent signal loss, Cupertino first told customers, essentially, that they were holding it wrong. The eventually gave out free “bumper” cases that negated the issue. More recently, Apple acknowledged that it slowed down older iPhones in an effort to preserve battery life; it went on to offer a discounted battery replacement plan instead.
As in those previous incidents, the problem appears to stem from prioritizing design over functionality. And as before, the fix comes only after a sustained outcry. Still, better to be late to an accommodation than not to offer one at all.
This week Instagram rolled out a new, long-form video feature called IGTV, which lives both within the regular Instagram app and exists as its own app. On this week’s Gadget Lab podcast, Mike and Arielle chat about how the new format works, what long videos (up to 60 minutes!) will mean for Instagram and its creators, how IGTV will stack up to YouTube, and most importantly, whether this means our vertical video futures have officially arrived.
Some notes: You can read Lauren Goode and Louise Matsakis’s story here about IGTV and whether it can compete with YouTube.
Recommendations this week: Arielle recommends The Habitat, a new non-fiction podcast series from Gimlet Media, about a group of people who volunteered for a year-long mission that simulated living life on Mars. Mike recommends this story in WIRED by Lisa Wood Shapiro, about a technology called Grammarly that helped her cheat dyslexia.
Send the Gadget Lab hosts feedback on their personal Twitter feeds. Lauren Goode, who returns to the podcast next week, is @laurengoode, and Michael Calore is @snackfight, and Arielle Pardes is @pardesoteric. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. Our theme song is by Solar Keys.
How to Listen
You can always listen to this week’s podcast through the audio player on this page, but if you want to subscribe for free to get every episode, here’s how:
If you’re on an iPhone or iPad, open the app called Podcasts, or just tap this link. You can also download an app like Overcast or Pocket Casts, and search for Gadget Lab. And in case you really need it, here’s the RSS feed.
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Cold brew coffee, if made right, is simply divine. It’s the smoothest, loveliest summer refreshment I’ve ever had. Sadly, it always tastes better at the coffee shop or from a bottle. I’ve found that homebrew can be incredibly tricky to get just right.
So many guides and products seem to have a wide variety of advice on how best to go about it. They’ll recommend different makers, different methods, different coffee grounds, different water ratios, different brew times, and different temperatures for your water. After filling my fridge to test 16 different cold brew makers, I still haven’t made what I’d consider my perfect cup of cold brew coffee, but I’m a lot closer to cold brew nirvana than I was a few months ago.
Below are the best cold brew coffee makers I’ve tested so far. I’ve tried pot immersion (tea style) pots, big immersion buckets, slow drip makers, French presses, mason jars, and even a couple automated brewers. In them I’ve tested more than half a dozen different cold brew friendly coffee blends to try and find a combination I could recommend to our readers.
There’s nothing insanely unique about Coffee Gator’s 47 fl oz glass immersion cold brew coffee pot. It’s similar to many others you’ll find from other brands, but Gator made almost all the right design decisions. After steeping for 24 hours, coffee came out smooth and flavorful without too much bitterness (though you won’t need to add a lot of water) and the filter is fine enough that there was very little sediment left at all, which can ruin a good cold brew by adding a gritty mouthfeel and aftertaste.
Filling the Gator, like other pots, is slower because you have to pour your water through the grounds and let it settle through, but the included metal scoop and collapsible funnel made adding grounds and water an easier, tidier process. I liked them so much, I began using these handy accessories with all the other cold brew makers. Cleanup is also faster than other brewers because you can quickly detach the grounds filter, which has a twist-off bottom for easy rinsing.
It’s hard to find a simpler way to make cold brew than with the Coffee Gator, and its customer service is responsive, too. Since the Gator seems to keep selling out (then coming back in stock), I also tested a nearly identical (seriously, identical) Cold Brew Coffee Pot by Vremi ($16) that is almost as good. It doesn’t have the scoop and funnel, but it does have a spout that seals, which is nice, and a fruit infuser if you like to make tea or flavored water.
The WIRED Gear team has liked OXO’s cold brew coffee maker for years (we ranked it highly, giving it an 8/10, and our WIRED Recommends seal of approval). It’s a cold brew connoisseur’s dream rig that’s meant to sit proudly on your kitchen counter, and it’s the best purchase if you want bucket-style immersion brewing that allows for greater experimentation.
Not only does it look classy, OXO’s maker produces up to 32 fl oz of very fine coffee with minimal sediment that can come out far more concentrated (which means you’ll get more out of it) than the Coffee Gator and other pot-style brewers. It also has the potential to produce richer, more robust flavors, thanks to the design, which includes a “rainmaker” lid. You’ll have to tinker with your recipe, though, and make sure to dampen your grounds before you begin or things will get bitter, quick.
After sitting on the counter, or in the fridge, for 12-24 hours, you flip a switch and your brew cleanly drains into the graduated decanter, which may give you flashbacks to high school chemistry class. It also comes with a measuring lid. Perhaps most importantly, the coffee it makes is fantastic.
Cuisinart’s 7-cup machine does not produce cold brew coffee that I found to be as tasty as other machines on this list, but it’s foolproof by comparison, and the coffee is totally acceptable. You fill the filter cylinder with coffee grounds, then use the glass pot to fill the water reservoir with cold water.
Hit the brew button and listen to it twist and violently shake the flavor out of your grounds for 25 – 45 minutes. Out of its three modes, and I preferred the bold setting. You can always water it down if your bean juice turns out too strong. Flip the switch when it’s done, and out pours your cold brew.
Cleaning the grounds cylinder can be annoying if you let it sit for too long, and the coffee that comes out will have a lot of sediment (protip: add a small paper filter in the carafe’s mesh filter to catch it), but it still tastes decent and takes approximately 23.5 hours less time to make.
I’m going to be honest with you—I didn’t love this Filtron-made brewer. It’s similar to the OXO brewing system, just not as good in most ways that count.
It’s basically a big bucket with grounds in it, and a smaller bucket above that drips water into it. It’s made of cheap plastic, requires paper liners and filter pads that you’ll have to keep buying (filter pads last about 10 brews), and I had tons of trouble getting the water to completely drain into the grounds. You also have to use a rubber stopper to drain the coffee after 24 hours, which will always get your hands messy, and cleanup is time consuming. The instruction manual also looks like it was made by a 5th grader learning how to print with Microsoft Word. It’s filled with low-res images and poor formatting.
Unfortunately, it makes rich, full-bodied cold brew coffee that has the least sediment of any product I’ve tried so far. Those pads and paper filters are annoying, but they do work. If you’re okay with a little inconvenience, the Filtron will make a damn good cold brew concentrate. It’s similar to the Toddy Cold Brew System, though that one at least has a glass carafe with a spout.
County Line Kitchen is a family-owned business in Wisconsin. Its Cold Brew Maker uses a trusty ol’ 2-quart mason jar and stainless steel filter basket to brew. It works much like the Coffee Gator, but you can make a ton of joe with it. You fill the basket with a lot of coffee grounds, pour up to 64 fl oz of cold water through it slowly, and let it sit for 24 hours. When it’s done, take out the filter basket and use the lid to pour.
In my tests, the County Line produced relatively smooth cold brew coffee, though it was somewhat gritty, likely because the steel filter is a bit too porous. The instructions also tell you to shake the jar after adding water, but I found that a bit of coffee can leak out even if it’s sealed tight, which seems to be a common mason jar problem. Lingering grounds aside, if you want enough cold brew to last a week, this is a good way to get it.
I used French Presses as a quasi-control in my testing, and the Secura is the nicest I’ve tried. To my dismay, I haven’t yet been able to get any French press to produce cold brew coffee with flavor that’s as smooth or rich as with other methods. It’s usually a little bitter and gritty for my tastes. But it’s still quite drinkable, and if you play around enough or find the right coffee grounds, you can probably make a batch that suits your tastes.
You might very well already own a French press for hot coffee, but if you don’t, I recommend the Secura. It’s made of stainless steel and well-insulated to keep cold brew cold or hot coffee hot, and the handle doesn’t get too hot.
In my quest to make the perfect cold brew coffee, I tried at least half a dozen different types of coffee. Stone Street’s Arabica Columbian Supremo dark roast was my favorite. It’s made specifically with cold brewing in mind. They come coarsely ground (a coarse grind is best for cold brew) or whole bean if you own a grinder, and the 1 lb bag isn’t too expensive.
Stone Street was less bitter than some brands I tried and got closest to delivering that perfect, smooth cold brew flavor I was craving. Cold brewing requires a lot more grounds than normal hot brewing, so I appreciated its lower price, as well.
I had high hopes for a few other cold brew coffee makers that didn’t quite make the cut. Some of them are below, along with why I didn’t endorse them.
Takeya Airtight Cold Brew Maker ($19): This maker has earned high marks from reviewers, but in my tests it just didn’t stack up to competitors like the Coffee Gator. The airtight seal is fantastic and lets you shake your coffee, but no matter how tight everything was, I found that a good deal of gritty sediment ended up outside the filter. It’s also tougher to clean the filter than competitors because its bottom doesn’t screw off, and the plastic container works, but isn’t as nice as glass.
Gosh! Dripo ($20): The Dripo made delicious coffee with no grittiness or sediment, which I credit to the slow drip brewing method, but the instructions were confusing and the setup was a lot of work for how little coffee it produces. On top of that, if you don’t pre-wet your grounds, it may not work at all. The intent is that you can take the cup with you to work, but it’s not a great to-go cup because of the lid design, which doesn’t drain the coffee back into the cup well. Overall, it’s too much setup and work for too little coffee.
Simple Life Cycle Mason Jar ($18): This compact brewer is fun, but the filter is too porous and lets through a lot of sediment. I also had issues with coffee seeping out, and the wooden lid developed a crack on the side. Maybe I tried to seal it too tight? Either way, the coffee it brewed was not as tasty as other makers.
Hario Mizudashi ($27): There is absolutely nothing bad about the Mizudashi, though its grounds tray sits a little high. It’s a good cold brew pot, but just isn’t as good as the Gator and others I tested.
Gourmia Automatic Cold Brew Maker ($60): I tested two automatic cold brew machines, and the Cuisinart bested this Gourmia by a long shot. I wanted to like the Gourmia, and though it can produce clear, relatively smooth coffee with minimal sediment, but setup is a chore and the controls are confusing. Despite it saying it brews in 10 minutes, you have to run it multiple times, and the results were scattered and still seemed watery after several brewing rounds. The ice chilling cycle also doesn’t seem to add much, but does water the coffee down further. It’s also prone to clogging.
Cold Brew Q&A
How did you test each cold brew coffee maker?
Jeffrey Van Camp
Each cold brew coffee maker was tested multiple times. First, I followed each brewer’s included instruction manuals precisely. Then, I did a simultaneous test where I put the same exact type of grounds and kept the ratio of grounds to water (tap, refrigerated and filtered) as equal as possible. Generally, I used 32 fl oz of water and 3/4 cup of coffee grounds. They all sat for 24 hours in the refrigerator before removing the grounds.
I noted how easy they were to operate and clean up, and how good the coffee tasted and looked in head-to-head tests both plain and with some half and half, which is how I like to drink my cold brew. My wife and some friends provided additional tasting assistance. Some units were tested extra times if the results seemed off.
How do you make cold brew coffee?
Many of the brewers I tested work in different ways, but generally, you use a ratio of 1 part coffee grounds (coarse grind preferred) to either 4 or 5 parts water depending. Pour a little cool or cold water over the grounds to wet them, wait a minute, then pour the rest through, preferably using some sort of filter to separate the water from the grounds. The better the filter, the less sediment there will be at the end, which adds a gritty mouthfeel to your coffee, which is undesirable to many.
Some recipes have you stir or shake it, and you usually let it sit and steep for 12-24 hours, either on a table or in the fridge. I used refrigeration, though many experts recommend brewing at room temperature. You should remove the grounds when brewing is complete and refrigerate. You’ll probably want to dilute it some with milk or water when drinking. If you don’t like the taste, adjust the methods a bit or use different coffee grounds/beans. If it’s gritty, buy some paper coffee filters and filter the finished coffee one last time after brewing is complete.
Does cold brew coffee have more caffeine?
Yes, sort of! It will give you the shakes if you’re not careful. The caffeine content of coffee varies wildly, but a cup of cold brew coffee can have more caffeine than regular coffee if you don’t dilute it too much.
How long does cold brew coffee last?
If it’s refrigerated, it should last up to two weeks, though the flavor may get worse after a week or so, from my experience. Whether you’ll actually taste the difference depends on your palette. If you’ve already added water, it may cut the shelf life down, so try to leave room for some water after you’ve poured it into a glass.
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“Xena was treated like royalty,” Hickey told The Dodo about past flights. “Our flight wasn’t full so they moved people around so she could have her own seat. They gave her ice chips and truly cared about her.”
They also gave Xena a pair of Delta wings to wear on her vest like the flight attendants wear. But now, she and Jonny will no longer be allowed to fly with the company.
“She was very proud to wear her Delta wings,” Hickey added. “The real issue here is not the animals, but the people. We are paying the price because others have taken advantage of the ability to get an animal certified. Now, those who are really in need of their support animals, such as my son, are being restricted.”
“As soon as she realized she wasn’t in danger, she was doing great,” Garcia said. “She’d already started building a web, and as soon as we offered her some fruit flies, she ate them immediately.”
Although black widows are usually very shy, Broccoli seems naturally adventurous, spending a lot of time outside of her cave.
While black widow bites can be painful, black widows aren’t as fatal as people think they are. Human deaths from being bitten by a black widow are actually extremely rare — and in many cases, the spiders don’t even emit venom. They have the power to control whether a bite administers it, so unless they feel threatened, they usually won’t bother you.
“It takes a lot for them to actually make venom, so they use it very wisely,” Garcia said. “You literally almost have to squish them for them to release it. They don’t just go around biting people for fun. They’d much rather use their energy to eat.”
“Animals are just routinely dumped out there to die,” Laurie Kardon, a board member for the rescue, told The Dodo. “It’s a very dangerous place because there are a lot of trucks going through there at high speeds. It’s just heartbreaking. So many don’t make it.”
Because Susanna couldn’t walk, Zapata and others lifted her onto a tarp to get her into their truck. She was in such bad shape — but she was finally safe.
The rescuers rushed Susanna to the nearest animal hospital, where they started her on fluids and ran some blood work. It appeared that she was paralyzed, and no one knew the cause. It wasn’t clear if she’d ever be able to walk.
“They are wider than they are tall, unlike every other turtle species,” Fabio German Cupul, a researcher studying the turtles, told AFP.
It’s taken quite a long time, but the miniscule animals are now getting the official recognition they deserve — and it’s come just when they need it most.
Despite being newly discovered, the species is already considered endangered since all their known habitats have been damaged or destroyed by human development.
“Fulmars will often glide alongside the boat, but this one had just lifted off the sea and was shaking itself to dry off whilst flying,” she said. “It’s always great to capture something different. Over the last few days I have had many people commenting on the ‘Happy Bird Photo’ and how it made them smile.”
It’s not hard to imagine, however, that seeing their carefree counterpart had other, less cheery fulmars feeling …
