The world of coffee can be overwhelming, intimidating and complex with dozens of varieties to choose from. But did you know that technology can help you drink better coffee? Coffee apps can tell you how to brew your coffee based on the weight of the bean, help you find the best café near you, and educate you about coffee culture.
James Carter, founder of Coffee Direct, notes ‘Coffee apps are great for those who are just starting out with hand-brewing and some are for experienced coffee lovers. There are many apps to help make your coffee routine a success.’
Working with YCB, he shares the best 5 coffee apps to help you drink better coffee.
1) KoHi- Pour Over Coffee Brewing
For those who like to brew coffee professionally, KoHi by KoHi Labs is the app of your dreams. Best known for its brew calculator, timer and recipe manager, KoHi advises you how to make the best coffee based on the pour-over method. As well as this, you can also find out the exact beans-to-water ratio just by entering how much coffee you want to brew and how you’re going to brew it. This is an app with a simple concept, but it is incredibly well executed.
What we like:
– You can adjust ratios based on either finished coffee quantity, which is handy for different cup sizes, or coffee amount.
– Clean and clever interface for easy navigation.
– Timers help you brew with laboratory precision.
– Recipe manager lets you create and store your own recipes.
What we don’t like:
– More brew styles could be added to this app.
2) Coffee Cup Guru
This is the best app for those on a budget. Coffee Cup Guru is an incredible app that guides you through coffee preparation using beautiful animations. With a variety of brewing methods, the app allows you to create custom recipes and explore the history of existing recipes. These coffee recipes are a cut above the rest and the app makes it easy to store information for future use.
What we like:
– Budget friendly.
– Recipe sharing feature to connect with fellow coffee enthusiasts!
– 39 animated recipes for AeroPress, Hario V60, Chemex, French Press and Cupping methods.
What we don’t like:
– More brewing methods could be added to this app, such as moka pot.
– Step duration is not automatically scaled up or down accordingly to the serving size.
3) Best Coffee London + NYC
Heading to London or New York? Best Coffee offers information about the best coffee to drink for both novice and seasoned coffee drinkers. As the most popular guide to the best independent coffee shops, a panel of experts handpick a selection of local venues. Each venue has a comprehensive profile, singling out key features. The app is completely offline, so it does not require internet connection to view maps, coffee shop profiles, lists and ratings.
What we like:
– An app that supports local businesses.
– Map view shows nearby cafes that are open at that time.
– Top 25 coffee houses expertly selected and regularly updated.
What we don’t like:
– Only available in London and NYC.
– Missing a few local and important coffee shops on their map e.g. Beany Green, Paddington.
4) Coffee Run
Stuck doing the coffee run? Don’t make your life any more difficult by frantically scribbling down orders. Coffee Run is a simple app that lets you quickly add in coffee orders of your colleagues, friends or family. With the ability to add and update existing orders, you will never get the important coffee orders wrong. A simple life is a happy life – so the easier the morning coffee run is, the more you will be able to enjoy your daily cup!
What we like:
– Ability to save the list of common orders.
– Minimal, simple and intuitive design.
– You can save your own custom beverages.
What we don’t like:
– It would be great to integrate this tool into existing channels e.g. Slack, Microsoft Teams.
5) Coffee 101
An app dedicated to teaching its users about coffee. This educational app comes with a brew guide including introductory courses about Grind Sizes, Roasts, and Coffee Ratios. There are also suggestions on various coffee tools, so you can find out what works best for you. This is not a cramming tool or a confusing quiz, but rather an app designed to help information sink in through a series of short step by steps and applications.
What we like:
– Great for beginners wishing to expand their coffee knowledge.
– Timer Tool helps you keep track of brew times.
– Essential coffee tools list will turn you into a barista.
What we don’t like:
– Not compatible with Android devices.
– More brewing methods could be added to this app.
