7 Easy Coffee Hacks to Enjoy this Autumn

Fall is here, and that means the warm sunny weather will soon be replaced with cold wind and precipitation, and for many Americans the pressure of heavier workloads, looming holidays, and encroaching midterms translate to an increase in coffee consumption. Here are 7 easy coffee hacks you can use to give you the warmth and energy you need to tackle the fall.

1. Add Cinnamon to your Coffee

It’s not just for pumpkin spice and apple pie, cinnamon can give your coffee an extra cognitive boost. One study showed that the mere whiff of cinnamon can boost memory for small tasks. Another study showed that half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day has been shown to reduce your blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Cinnamon can curb food cravings and contains the powerful antioxidant manganese. In addition to all of this it tastes great, so try substituting cinnamon for sugar and cream the next time you have a cup of coffee.

2. Beat the Early Morning Haze with a Programmable Coffee Maker

You know the feeling—you were out late last night because of the super blood moon lunar eclipse, but unfortunately saying you couldn’t make it to work on time because you were staring at the moon all night doesn’t make a very effective excuse. Regardless your reason, wouldn’t it be great if the coffee was already piping hot and ready to go, thereby preventing your inevitable lunar gaffe the following morning. The solution is the tried and true programmable coffee maker. Buy it and prevent future coffee deprivation related mishaps.

3. Coffee too Bitter? Add a Pinch of Salt

The communal coffee pot at work may be convenient but often times it isn’t the greatest cup of Joe in the world. Maybe it’s because the company is trying to save money, but one way you can make good coffee out of inferior grounds is to add a pinch of salt. While it doesn’t work for those particularly sensitive to the taste of salt, sodium ions have been shown to diminish bitterness by interfering with the transduction mechanism that gives your tastebuds their ability to taste that flavor.

4. Save Autumn Trees by Investing in a Gold Coffee Filter

Day in day out, in the morning, noon and afternoon, if you’ve ever made coffee in the office, you’ll be familiar with how quickly those white paper coffee filters disappear off from the break room cabinet. If only the stack of white papers waiting on your desk would disappear just as fast! The solution of course is to buy a reusable gold coffee filter for the make or model of your coffee maker. Gold plated stainless steel coffee filters aren’t as expensive as they sound, in fact they are quite cheap, and can help you save those trees so you can enjoy the colors this fall.

5. Conquer Weekdays and Indulge on the Weekends with a Two Way Brewer

Sometimes all you need is a single cup of coffee to take with you to work every day as you battle the morning commute. Other times you have friends over and want to play the gracious host by preparing a full pot. For those who don’t want to invest in both a single serve pod coffee machine and a traditional coffee maker, the Hamilton Beach Two Way Brewer can give you the best of both worlds. As an added bonus, you can even pre program it the night before to help you get out the door in a hurry the next day.

6. Make a Quality Espresso with the Press of a Button

Venice is lovely this time of year, and there’s few better ways to spend an autumn afternoon than with an espresso al fresco in the Piazza de San Marco. Unfortunately your alarm clock rings you back into reality, you’ve got to rush off to work and don’t have the luxury to grind out an Italian espresso. Fortunately you invested in a Nespresso and can whip up a caramel macchiato with the press of a button. Single serve coffee makers have been on the rise in recent years, and the Nespresso takes your Keurig to the gourmet level.

7. Transform your Kitchen into an Italian Cafe

Now let’s it’s the weekend and you actually have time to indulge in an espresso. Starbucks and trendy cafes can get expensive after a while. Nespresso has a great line of single serve espressos, but wouldn’t it be great if you could use those espresso beans you brought back from your summer trip to Italy? If you want to dive head first into the world of espresso there is no replacement for the ability to prep your own beans. Invest in a full scale espresso machine and transform your kitchen into an Italian cafe.