Product Reviewed:
HyperChiller Iced Coffee Maker
I like coffee. I don’t “need” coffee to survive, but I sure do like it. At first, I drank it only prepared by coffee shops. Then, I started brewing it at home. Then, when it got added to the American Institute for Cancer Research’s list of Foods That Fight Cancer ™ (LINK: http://www.aicr.org/foods-that-fight-cancer/coffee.html), I was sold!
Naturally, during the summer or after a morning run, I want my coffee over ice. The first time I tried to make iced coffee, I poured hot coffee over ice and ended up with diluted coffee. Not really what I was hoping for. Enter the HyperChiller Iced Coffee Maker. According to the manufacturer’s description, “it makes iced coffee in one minute.” Well … it doesn’t really make iced coffee; it makes hot coffee (or any other hot beverage) cold in one minute. But that’s a technicality!
If you want to add any flavorings, you can do that before or after chilling. I would suggest adding anything that needs to dissolve (like sugar) in to the coffee before chilling. But milk, cream or liquid sweeteners could be added after chilling.
My experience with the HyperChiller is that it’s not complicated. First, fill it with water and place in the freezer for 12 hours prior to using. Also, make sure you fill the correct chambers with water, or else you will have a problem when you try to pour the coffee in. And if you’re planning to add sugar to your iced coffee, I recommend doing it while it’s still hot. If you’re adding liquid, it’s fine to add it after cooling. Then, one minute later … it’s true! Hot coffee turned cold.
As a dietitian, I remind clients that it’s best to buy things as “plain” as possible, without a lot added ingredients that they don’t want. I also encourage clients to prepare food at home, since it encourages a healthy relationship with food and is typically better on the budget. The HyperChiller can be a great way to consume healthy plant nutrients from coffee. And because you make it at home, you can limit added sugars and other ingredients.
