It’s not often that the world of hot drinks gets excited about a new piece of tech.
But the team from Dreo has come up with something truly spectacular with its latest device. Alongside two others from the make readers in the UK probably haven’t heard of, I was given the chance to test out Dreo’s new BaristaMaker – the one you’ve recently seen dominating food and drink Instagram accounts in recent weeks.
As well as this, I also road tested their new Space Heater and Humidifier, all of which will be available to the UK market soon.
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DREO BaristaMaker – 10/10 (would give more if the maths allowed)
Although only available to pre-order through Kickstarter, this product has the potential to change home-brewing forever. Billed as the “ultimate smart milk frother for perfect latte art and creative drinks,” I have to admit that I was unsure at first.
Was this just another knock-off Hotel Chocolat Velvetister, of which Aldi had already produced several versions of? Well, in a word – no. Priced at $80 or £62 until September 14, this truly is a must-have addition to any coffee lovers home.
It can create barista standard micro foam, with the option to customise it to whatever specific kind of milk – or alternative milk – you drink. I had different attachments for different milks, and the smart screen tells you which one to use for which.
It really is as simple as set it to the right milk, fill the jug, watch it heat up and spin, bang to jug on the table once done – apparently that’s how baristas do it – and pour to your heart’s content. And as for washing? Shove everything bar the base until into the dishwasher.
I am genuinely impressed by this device and how easy it is to you. It really has become a go-to in the Cailler household, and has changed how we drink coffee – and how my daughter now loves fancy hot chocolates – for good.
Buy it, thank me later.
DREO Solaris 718 space heat – 8/10
What is a space heater? I hear you ask. Well, in short, it’s a relatively small device that heats up a big room in, well . . . seconds.
The sleek, stunningly-designed device surprised me with how fast it actually managed to take my decent-sized lounge/dining room/TV room/play room and turn it from chilly to toasty in such a short space of time.
It is also shockingly quiet, at just 25bd, and works like a fan unit that we’ve all come to rely on in the recent heatwaves, with 120 degree oscillation. It has nine customisable settings, with what Dreo calls “instant warmth with Hyperamics” – it really does go from stone cold to roasting in just two seconds.
And for the energy-savers among us, it is around 50% more energy efficient than most of the other warming devices on the market – and far more energy efficient than turning your boiler on. It takes up no space at all, but just be wary of the chord – it’s a bit short for my liking so might need to be used with an extension chord.
DREO HM524S Humidifier – 8/10
I wasn’t entirely sure what purpose a humidifier would serve in a country where we’re all complaining about damp and trying to run de-humidifiers all the time. However, the HM524S actually has a special function that saved it from going on the “great for other countries, just not this one” pile.
It has the ability to add scented oils. Yeah, that’s a niche thing, but this sleekly designed unit can make a room smell great in just a few minutes, and can all be done in absolute silence.
It can be controlled via the DREO app, where the output can be configured to very fine margins, while its output of mist is truly something to behold for such a small device. It has a built-in ambient light, which makes relaxing alongside it while it scents your room to the hilt a truly marvellous experience.
The only negative for this device is that it feels very plasticy – although it is extremely well-built and sturdy. Again, like the space heater, it also has a relatively short chord – which seems to be a common theme with Dreo products.
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