Although I write about technology for a living, I’m not a huge fan of pointless gadgets. For example, you wouldn’t find me buying a robotic vacuum cleaner or an electric pepper mill. I once bought a bread maker and a pasta rolling machine. Both those artefacts lie unused at the back of a kitchen cupboard waiting to be discovered by an archeologist one day in the distant future.
However, this week I came across a gadget that, at first, I thought would be a useless gimmick. The iKago Heat Coaster Pro solves a problem that’s been plaguing me for most of my working life. Once I start drafting an article, I tend to get engrossed and time passes without me noticing.
Before I settle down to write, I usually make myself a coffee or tea but at least 90% of the time, my drink turns cold because I’m so focused on my task. I’ve lost count of the number of stone-cold drinks I’ve had to throw away.
The iKago Heat Coaster Pro was recommended to me by an old friend. At first, I was a bit dismissive as I imagined stewed coffee and tea that would be hot but probably taste awful. However, I’m now a convert and enjoy hot beverages even if I do still get engrossed in my writing.
This handy little gadget has a mini hotplate that can accommodate even large mugs. It has an infrared thermometer and thermostat that minutely adjusts the temperature of the hotplate to keep your drink at the perfect temperature you choose.
The front of the coaster has a sharp and colorful OLED display that shows the temperature of the mug with your drink in it. Below that figure, the temperature you choose to keep your drink at is displayed.
The Heat Coaster Pro offers the choice of Fahrenheit and Celsius measurements and the temperature sensor works on most mugs and cups except glass and paper, which don’t cope so well with infrared. So, if you like your coffee served in a Portuguese Galão glass, this isn’t the gadget for you. The temperature setting can be varied by pressing the + or – symbol on the display and there’s also a power switch for turning the coaster on or off.
The iKago Heat Coaster Pro works well and kept my coffee and tea to the desired temperature with pinpoint accuracy. And it kept the drinks hot without making them taste stewed. I set the temperature to 58ºC, which is hot enough to keep the drink tasting fresh and yet cool enough to sip. The coaster can heat to even higher temperatures but for very hot drinks, it’s best to use the supplied mug which has a ceramic lid that can trap more heat.
Verdict: This handy little gadget is an office lifesaver. It keeps hot drinks at the desired temperature and uses no more than 75W. It’s a better and more affordable solution than heated mugs. The Heat Coaster Pro has a power-saving function and a failsafe cutout when it detects there the mug hasn’t moved for two hours or the mug has been absent for 15 minutes. There’s even a beeping sound when the required temperature is reached. When the coaster is turned off, a red light displays as a warning until the hotplate has cooled down. This is a well-thought-out little gadget that does exactly what it says on the box. If cold coffee is the curse of your working life, the iKago Heat Coaster Pro will make everything warmer and more refreshing.
Pricing & Availability: The iKago Heat Coaster Pro is available from Amazon and includes a hotplate, ceramic mug with lid and spoon. The price is $59.99 / £69.99.
