Some people are so sleepy that they can’t make fancy coffee. For them, there’s the Keurig K-Café

Coffee is The original biohack and the country’s most popular productivity tool. As we adjust to the shift to daylight saving time, the caffeine junkie Wired Our reviews team writes about our favorite coffee brewing procedures and devices. Today, reviewer Lauren Strampe explains why she keeps life simple with a Keurig. Look for others Java.Base Stories About others Wired The writers’ favorite brewing methods.

My colleagues have I’ve been extolling the virtues of different coffee making methods over the past few days, and I can’t blame them for having elaborate rituals around their caffeine intake. I also appreciate the slow, steady movements of a French press or the delightful bubbles of a spin. But it’s not for me, not on weekdays, given the amount of threat I would be exposed to in the morning. Since I was a little girl, I would wake up on the wrong side of the bed more often than not, with a bedhead that matched my behavior problem. There’s no time to boil water in an aesthetically pleasing gooseneck kettle. No patience for a sweet little moment with my fancy grinder and portafilter. From the moment I open my eyes, it’s a race to get caffeine into my brain as quickly as possible.

I’m a Keurig girl, through and through.

While I’ve tested several pod makers that I love for different reasons, the Keurig K-Cafe Smart Brewer is the one I reach for every morning. It beckons from the moment I open my eyes. it’s not completely As convenient as an energy drink or strong coffee, but very close. It takes away all the guesswork and brain cells required and keeps me moving no matter how sleepy or grumpy I feel.

The K-Cafe’s minimalist look is up there compared to other Kuerigs I’ve tested. It has a large water tank and a distinctive, user-friendly interface that makes coffee makers very easy to use. It has BrewID, which means it will intelligently recognize which K-Cup you’re using, and suggest settings. You can also use the app to make different recipes based on the K-Cup you’re brewing. (I’m not a fan of this app, which seems to be a great way to encourage you to buy more K-Cups and is full of push notifications that serve no purpose other than to annoy me. But you don’t need to install the app to use the device.)

With six brew sizes, five strength settings, and six temperatures to choose from, it’s easy to order the perfect cup of coffee. Whether I need a small espresso-like shot in the afternoon or a big cup of iced caffeine for a long morning commute, this machine has me covered. The resulting drinks are as strong as you want them to be, and with the countless flavor options available in the K-Cup format, I can make a small cup of tea just as easily as I can make a caramel macchiato.

It also has a built-in milk frother that can steam and whip your chosen creamer, making specialty drinks like a latte or cappuccino seem more approachable for people who aren’t aspiring baristas, or even particularly happy to be up at all. No, it won’t be as good as an espresso machine, but you also only need to press a few buttons to get relatively close to the real deal. The frother can’t work at the same time as the coffee maker, but it froths milk quickly, and I like that it’s stored directly on the machine.

I understand the penchant for analogue, bland, and private coffee routines. I really do. But some of us simply don’t have the time, patience, or brain capacity first thing in the morning. And if you’re one of those people, this Keurig is the best coffee maker I’ve tested.