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Unwind on the couch, host a dinner party, or throw a blowout backyard BBQ with the BLACK+DECKER cocktail maker. Use the cocktail maker to mix up any occasion with personalized cocktails in seconds. Free shipping with $49 purchase.
- Bartesian Premium Cocktail Machine
This automated cocktail maker brings the craft cocktail...
- Bartesian
Enjoy free shipping and easy returns every day at Kohl's....
- Bartesian Premium Cocktail Machine
- A Brief History of Cocktail Machines
- A Bit About The Capsules
- How Cocktail Machines Work
- How to Make A Drink
- About Adding Spirits
- Testing Results: Bev vs. Bartesian
- The Best Cocktail Machines
- The Bottom Line
- What to Buy Instead
- FAQs
After a successful round of crowdfunding, Bartesian launched in 2019 with capsules and the cocktail machine before turning manufacturing over to Hamilton Beach, which makes the machines today. A few years later, Black + Decker released Bev, which uses the same Bartesian pods. Like a Keurig, using one of these machines requires buying Bartesian caps...
The capsules are sold in packs of six, eight, or 32 and can either contain the same cocktail or, in some cases, come in a variety pack like the Vodka Lovers box with amaretto sour, cosmopolitan, and lemon drop. The recyclable plastic capsules each contain about one-and-a-half fluid ounces of cocktail mix-ins, but no alcohol. You can buy the capsule...
The Bartesian and Bev are very similar machines that rely on barcodes and pumps to identify and properly mix a cocktail. Each capsule has a barcode printed on the foil top. Once you load a pod in and lower the head, the scanner reads the barcode and identifies the cocktail. A hollow, stainless steel needle pierces the capsule’s foil top, and then p...
While the technology required to make the drink is pretty similar between the two machines, there are several ways in which they differ. The Bartesian has a color LCD screen that acts as a button that, along with a rotating wheel, lets you cycle through options. The screenless Bev has a simple rotating dial button to make drink strength selections....
A key difference between the two models is how many spirits they hold simultaneously. For the system to work smoothly, in both machines, each liquor type must be loaded into its designated areas. As clever as these machines are, they rely on you putting the rum in the right spot because they can’t distinguish Bacardi from Bulleit. The Bev has space...
Speed
Both machines make even the largest, strongest drink in far less than a minute. Expect to wait about 17 seconds for a light drink, 18 seconds for a regular strength drink, and about 23 seconds for a strong version. Head-to-head, the Bartesian made a 4-ounce old fashioned in about 18 seconds while it took me twice as long to do so by hand.
Volume
Volumes vary from cocktail-to-cocktail since each one calls for a different amount of liquor. On the light and regular strength settings, the two machines made similar size drinks with the Bartesian pouring less than a half ounce more. Expect about three ounces on the light setting, and four ounces on medium. But on the strongest setting the difference can be about 1-ounce between the two. In my tests, a Long Island iced tea set to strong on the Bartesian was eight ounces, while it was only s...
Taste Test
Generally, the Bartesian created a more balanced cocktail while the Bev produced a stronger one because it added less water. On simpler drinks, like an old fashioned, the results from both machines fell short compared to the one I made by hand, which tasted fresher, sweeter, and more fragrant. Machine-made margaritas were slightly better, though not as good as a hand-shaken one. For other drinks, like a whiskey sour, both machines made overly sweet cocktails that couldn’t match the texture of...
The Bev
With a lower initial cost, the Bev, even after the glass liquor dispenser bottles, is still about $100 less than the Bartesian and it stores all five base spirits simultaneously. At about 15 3/4 inches tall the Bev is slightly larger than the Bartesian, but still short enough to slip under upper cabinets in most newer kitchens where the cabinets are usually around 16 to 18 inches above the countertop. And because the spirit bottles, and water, load in from the sides, you keep the the Bev tuck...
Key Specs
1. Materials: Plastic, metal, and glass 2. Weight: 16 pounds 3. Size: 14 inches deep x 13 1/4 inches wide x 15 3/4 inches tall 4. Care instructions: Clean straws with warm, soapy water and the included straw cleaner brush or clean in top rack of the dishwasher with stoppers, capsule cup, and drip tray cover. Glass bottles are dishwasher-safe. Wipe the machine, including the bar code scanner, down with a cloth damped with warm, soapy water.
The Bartesian
If you can look past the fact the Bartesian requires a bit more hands-on work to switch gin and rum bottles, the machine produces a well-balanced cocktail. The Bartesian does best in wide-open spaces. Loading in a capsule requires lifting a latch that brings the overall height of the machine to about 18 1/2 inches, which is too tall to tuck under standard kitchen upper cabinets. You also need more room above the machine to load and switch the spirit bottles and water reservoir in the back. St...
Both of these cocktail-making machines produce acceptable drinks much faster than you can by hand and with less work—though you should still plan to add garnishes and adjust the dilution to taste with water or extra mixing with ice. The Bev makes a more concentrated, albeit smaller, cocktail that can be easier to adjust to taste since it has less w...
Okay, so you don't want to buy another unitasker—we get it. The good news is, making a cocktail is fun (at least, we think it is) and you don't need an extravagant number of tools to do it. Here are a few items that'll have you shaking up Whiskey Sours in no time: 1. Cocktail shakers: We love a set of Boston shakers, though we have recommendations ...
What’s the best cocktail machine?
If you’re looking to outsource your bartending needs, we recommend both of the models we tested for this review. The Bev is less expensive and might have an easier time fitting in under kitchen cabinets. The Bartesian looks sleeker and has a screen to help walk you through the cocktail-making process.
Is a cocktail machine worth it?
If you entertain frequently or enjoy cocktails during the week, it can be, but the machines are expensive and with capsules starting at about $2.25 each, you pay for the convenience. But if you prefer simple cocktails—like an old fashioned— these machines can be overkill.
Can I use other spirits with a cocktail machine?
Not really. While technically you can load any liquid into the machine, Bartesian designs the capsules to work with the five base spirits. If you want to use brandy or wine, the resulting drink likely won’t be that tasty.
- Sal Vaglica
The Bartesian cocktail maker creates bar-quality cocktails on demand, providing an effortless way to enjoy and serve premium cocktails at home. Enjoy all your favorite rum, whiskey, tequila, gin, or vodka cocktails with a push of a button.
The Margaritaville Bahamas Frozen Concoction Maker is designed to perfectly blend and shave ice, giving you the ideal consistency for your favorite frozen drinks. Whether you're craving margaritas, daiquiris, or smoothies, this machine delivers restaurant-quality results every time.
Make delicious mixologist-crafted cocktails and mocktails in seconds from the comfort of your home with the bev by BLACK+DECKER™ cocktail maker, available in corded and cordless models. 21+ | Please drink responsibly | Glass liquor bottles sold separately | Alcohol not included
