Lauren Bennett

You can froth milk at home without a frother using four common kitchen tools — a jar with a tight lid, a French press, a blender, or a whisk. The trick is heating milk to 140 to 150°F (60 to 65°C), then agitating it hard enough to trap air into the liquid. We tested every … Read more

The short version: cold brew is coffee made by steeping coarse grounds in cold or room-temperature water for 12 to 24 hours, while iced coffee is hot-brewed coffee that is then chilled and poured over ice. They look similar in a glass, but the brewing method, flavor profile, caffeine strength, and even cost at a … Read more

I’ve tested both blade and burr grinders side by side for years, and the question I get asked most often is simple: is a burr grinder worth it for better coffee at home? The short answer is yes, for most people who drink coffee daily, but there are real exceptions worth knowing about. In this … Read more

If your morning cup tastes sour, sharp, thin, or watery, the problem almost always comes down to two things: under-extraction (the brew stopped too early, leaving only acidic compounds) and low strength (too much water for the amount of coffee). Both are fixable in minutes using the same equipment you already own. I learned this … Read more

You pour a cup, take a sip, and wince. It tastes sharp, dry, almost burnt, nothing like the smooth, fragrant cup you wanted. If you are wondering why does my coffee taste bitter and how to fix it, the short answer is this: bitterness in coffee is almost always a sign of over-extraction. The hot … Read more