Knowledge Base
Coffee & Tea Guides
Brew better and explore more — buying guides, how-tos, and explainers for every coffee and tea ritual.
Buying Guide
Italian Coffee Makers and Moka Pots: A Buying Guide
When people say "Italian coffee maker" they usually mean the stovetop moka pot. Here are the main types, from moka pots to the Napoletana and espresso machines, and what to look for before you buy.
Explainer
Instant Tea Explained: What It Is and How It's Made
Instant tea is brewed tea dried into a soluble powder or granules that dissolve in hot or cold water. Here is how it is made, the main forms, and how it compares to brewed and tea-bag tea.
Explainer
Instant Coffee Brands Explained: Taster's Choice, Nescafe and More
A factual tour of the best-known instant coffee brands — Taster's Choice, Nescafe, Folgers, Mount Hagen, Cafe Bustelo, Tora Bika and more — and what sets each one apart, from spray-dried value tins to premium freeze-dried jars.
Explainer
IKEA Mugs Explained: Ranges, Sizes and What to Know
IKEA mugs are the cheap, durable stoneware and glass mugs from the Swedish retailer. Here are the main ranges, sizes, materials and quirks to know.
Buying Guide
Iced Coffee Cups and Cold-Drink Tumblers: A Buying Guide
A plain-English buying guide to iced coffee cups and cold-drink tumblers: the types, what to look for, and why a double wall keeps your drink cold and your desk dry.
Explainer
Howard Schultz and the Rise of Starbucks
Howard Schultz did not found Starbucks, but he turned it into a global coffeehouse chain. Here is the factual story of the man, the Milan inspiration, the 1987 buyout, and his repeated stints as CEO.
How-To
How to Use a Bosch Tassimo Pod Coffee Machine
A Bosch Tassimo brews single drinks from barcoded T DISC pods that the machine scans and brews automatically. Here is how to use one, from first fill to milk drinks, cleaning and descaling.
How-To
How to Use a Nespresso Machine: A Beginner's Guide
A plain-language, step-by-step guide to using a Nespresso machine: fill the tank, insert a capsule, press brew, froth milk and keep it clean, with OriginalLine and Vertuo both covered.
Explainer
How to Spot Bad Coffee: Signs, Causes and Fixes
Bad coffee is rarely about cheap beans. Learn to read a bad cup by its taste, trace bitter, sour, and stale flavors back to their real causes, and fix them.
How-To
How to Make an Iced Matcha Latte
A simple, five-minute method for an iced matcha latte at home: sift and whisk matcha with warm water, then pour it over iced milk. Includes amounts, temperatures, a plain no-milk version, and troubleshooting tips.
Explainer
High Brew Coffee, Explained
High Brew Coffee is an American ready-to-drink canned cold brew brand founded in 2014 in Austin, Texas. Here is what it is, the flavors, and the caffeine per can.
Explainer
Herbal Tea for a Sore Throat: Soothing Cups That Help
A warm herbal tea will not cure a sore throat, but it can bring real comfort. Here are the caffeine-free herbs that soothe, how demulcents like slippery elm coat and calm, the honey-and-lemon add, key cautions and when to see a doctor.
Explainer
The Healthiest Coffee Shop Drinks to Order
The healthiest cafe drinks keep it simple: black coffee, americano, cortado, flat white or unsweetened cold brew. Here is what makes an order heavy and the easy low-sugar swaps to lighten anything.
Explainer
Hazelnut Coffee: The Complete Guide
Hazelnut coffee is coffee with the warm, sweet, toasty taste of hazelnuts. Here is the complete guide to its four forms — flavored beans, syrup, creamer and the hazelnut latte — how they differ, how to make one at home, and an honest note on nut allergies.
Explainer
Hazelnut Coffee Creamer, Explained
A sweet, nutty pour that lightens and flavors coffee at once. Here is what hazelnut coffee creamer is, the dairy and non-dairy types, how to use it, and a quick DIY.
Explainer
Hard Iced Tea, Explained
Hard iced tea is iced tea with alcohol: a ready-to-drink, roughly 5% ABV canned drink for adults. Here is what it is, how it is made, its flavors, and how to make a spiked iced tea at home.
Buying Guide
Hamilton Beach FlexBrew, Explained
The Hamilton Beach FlexBrew is a line of versatile coffee makers that brew from pods or grounds, single cup or full carafe. Here is how the Single Serve, 2-Way, and Trio differ, and how to choose.
Explainer
Green Coffee Beans, Explained
Green coffee beans are raw, unroasted coffee beans — the same seeds that become your brew, minus the heat. Here is how they differ from roasted, why home roasters buy them, how to store them, and the honest truth about green coffee extract.
Buying Guide
Glass Tea Cups: A Buying Guide
Glass tea cups show off the color of every brew and let you watch a blooming tea open. Here are the types, the trade-offs, and how to choose the right set.
Buying Guide
Glass Mugs: A Buying Guide for Coffee and Tea
Glass mugs show off every layer of your coffee and tea. Here is how single-wall, double-wall, and borosilicate glass mugs differ -- and how to choose the right one.
Explainer
Ginseng Coffee, Explained
Ginseng coffee blends coffee with ginseng root extract, most famously Italy's sweet, creamy caffe al ginseng. Here is what it is, how it tastes, whether it is good for you, and how to make a ginseng latte at home.
Explainer
George Clooney and the Nespresso Campaign, Explained
George Clooney has fronted Nespresso's "What Else?" ads since 2006. Here's how the campaign worked, who the co-stars were, and why it became a coffee-marketing benchmark.
Buying Guide
The Gaggia Classic Espresso Machine, Explained
What the Gaggia Classic (and Classic Pro) really is: a much-loved semi-automatic espresso machine prized for real espresso, a 58mm portafilter, durability and endless mods. Here is how it works, its trade-offs, and how to choose it.
Explainer
Fuze Iced Tea, Explained
What Fuze iced tea actually is: the ready-to-drink Coca-Cola tea brand, its history, black and green tea bases, flavors, caffeine, the "fuse tea" spelling, and whether it's healthy.