Almost Instant Summer Refreshment

When I think of summer, I think of iced drinks. And while iced tea is nice, iced coffee packs a much bigger punch. I've been looking for an efficient iced coffee method for a while now, and I think I've just found it.

Hario is a Japanese glass making company that makes a lot of coffee and tea gadgets. While you might think the Japanese are all about tea (as in ceremonies), they are actually total coffee freaks and perfectionists. Take this Hario Iced Coffee Maker, for instance. It's simplicity itself. Put ice in the large glass carafe and use the filter on top to make coffee using hot water. Yes, you heard right: hot water. By pouring the water in a spiral pattern over the grounds, the water is more slowly distributed, runs down into the odd plastic cone underneath, and enters the icy carafe at a cooler temperature, resulting in less meltage. This thing makes a carafe of iced coffee in about four minutes, which is probably faster than the Starbuck's line for considerably better iced coffee.

This lovely summer tool is under $40, and makes a fabulous hostess gift. Find it at Amazon and stay cool and caffeinated all summer long.