UPDATE: Searching for a new Home Bar after the shut down of Drinkworks? Check out the Bartesian Home Bar!
Say cheers and enjoy your favorite beverage without leaving your home. The Drinkworks Home Bar by Keurig is making delicious and refreshing dreams come true.
What an amazing night when the Drinkworks Home Bar arrived to my door. The company sent over everything I need to take this Drinkmaker on a lengthy test-run and I got right to it! Over the next several days, I invited a couple of friends over, shared some drinks, jotted down notes, and even ran a clean cycle to get the full experience as best as possible (what can I say? It is all in a day’s work) to bring you a thorough review and breakdown.
Whether you have been considering purchasing this machine for yourself or a friend, I review all the drinks I sampled, give you my honest thoughts, the pros and cons, and more, to help you make the best informed decision.
Is the Drinkworks Home Bar by Keurig for you? Let’s find out!
Style and design
We’ll begin with the look of it, which you don’t need to study it much to see that it is absolutely gorgeous. The black and silver tones make it very easy to fit into your kitchen no matter what style or decor you have. At the same time, it easily blends in if you don’t want the appliance to stand out too much. Initially, I wasn’t sure where to place it. But it’s a bit smaller than it appears. It fits neatly on the kitchen counter next to my full-size fridge, which is the same color so it even looks like a matching set.
Setting up your Drinkworks Home Bar
I’ll admit, it’s a little intimidating receiving this and opening up a kit with instructions, but don’t freak out! I quickly learned that it is a lot less complicated than it seems. There aren’t that many steps and they are all easy to get through. The instructions truly do break down all the steps carefully.
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If you are a visual learner, Drinkworks has created videos detailing the installation. They are truly here for you! I gotta say, I didn’t know about the video until after I set mine up, so if I can do it, you can, too! Here’s one very helpful video to watch.
Once it’s set, it takes about 30 minutes to get itself ready to be your personal bartender. The colder the water is, the faster it’ll be ready to make a cool beverage, so add plenty of ice! Grab a glass with ice (if your beverage requires it) and select your first drink!
What to love: Very simple set up and timeless design. Drinkworks provides first-time buyers with everything they need.
What needs work: Nothing in these categories. Drinkworks checked all the boxes here!
Speed and preparation
Your drink is ready in under a minute! And all you have to do, besides adding garnish and/or ice, is push a button. Once you select the drink you want, place the pod in the Drinkmaker and wait 2-3 seconds for the machine to read it. What it’s doing, is learning the drink you have to know how to make/mix it (such as, will it need CO2?).
Then, the Drinkworks will let you know to press the button to start. Your drink will then begin to pour. Here’s one thing I didn’t enjoy: The splashing. If you were thinking of getting an Instagram-ready drink out of this, think again. The glass won’t be cute until you wipe it clean.
Things will be a bit messy, especially with a short glass. The drink will splash outside of it as it poured, you may either want to add something to raise the glass closer or simply hold it up yourself while it pours (though this defeats the convenience of pushing start and enjoying the beauty of it). It doesn’t seem to have a very steady and clean flow. However, this isn’t a problem for tall glasses.
Taste and quality
The drinks are delicious and are the perfect temperature! The amount of “booziness” and sweetness is printed on each pod (as well as in the package they arrive in). Each drink also offers tips on how to serve it. Because, as I have already mentioned, Drinkworks is truly here for you! They weren’t just going to ship out pods and have you figure it all out. They want you to get the full bar experience here.
The Peach Sangria (one of my favorites) for example, suggests you serve over ice in a wine glass with fruit, it shares that it is crisp and sweet. All drinks are accompanied by these details, so you can find just what you’re craving!
But like all bars, there are some that just weren’t my favorite. From the many drinks sent over, I can’t say I was a fan of the Margarita (way too sour) or the Cuban Daiquiri (way too strong). I’m an honest gal, though, so I have to say that I could have helped both cases had I added more ice to my Margarita ice (I didn’t) or stayed away from the Cuban Daiquiri as it does warn that it is the strongest in the bunch. It’s also possible, though, that the Margarita needed a little something extra, because the Strawberry Margarita is a delight!
Quick notes on my absolute seven favorite drinks in no particular order:
- Whiskey Sour and Whiskey Cola
- Peach Sangria
- Rose Spritzer
- Strawberry Margarita
- Long Island Iced Tea
- Mojito
What to love: Delicious drinks, quick preparation, amazing quality.
What needs work: The splashing mess.
Price of drinks and convenience
For the most part (or what I’ve seen) drinks come in packs of 4 pods, and the average price is $16 for each pack of 4. This comes out to about $4 each drink, not bad! This is a lot better than the prices at bars, which are about $9 each (tipping your bartender is not included). Yes, I’m aware Happy Hour prices bring the $9 way down to more affordable prices. But you can either only go out during Happy Hour, or enjoy a drink at home! This brings me to my next point, convenience!
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- Get Christmas ready with a Merry High Light from Miller High Life
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- Coffee mate introduces new Eggo Waffle Coffee Creamer
- Zonin Wines: Perfect for Sipping During the Holidays and Ideal as Gifts
- Coca-Cola shows us a look at the Year 3000 in Vegas
If Happy Hour at your local bar or restaurant is nowhere near, simply head on over to your kitchen for a drink! The Drinkworks Home Bar is an essential appliance for those who come home for work ready to unwind with a cold beverage. Dare I say, it’s also perfect for Netflix and Chill nights at home?
Hosting a brunch or small gathering at your home? The Drinkworks Home Bar is a must-have! Wow and impress your guests with this Drinkmaker. With drinks ready in an average of 30 seconds, it’s the perfect tool to complete your party.
I suggest ordering the sampler pack HERE so that you can sample each drink to determine your favorites. This way, you’ll know which you love and how many to order.
Cleaning and maintenance
When will you know when your Drinkworks Home Bar needs to be cleaned (or requires anything else)? Relax, your Drinkworks will let you know! As for the steps you need to do, it comes in your kit, but you can also simply watch the video on their YouTube Channel (we attach it above).
A few questions I was asked about this: Is the cleaning difficult? Does it need to be plugged in all the time? How much noise does it make?
- No, running a clean cycle is not difficult. It does take about 30 minutes, but the steps are simple and easy to follow.
- Yes! Have your Drinkworks Home Bar plugged in to ensure the water is fresh and cool at all times, or else you’ll have a longer wait time for a drink when you plug it back in. Think of it as a mini fridge that keeps your drinks cool.
- It has a low hum, similar to one of a mini fridge. To compare, a regular size fridge is louder. Honestly, my fish tank’s filter is louder. The Drinkworks’ hum shouldn’t make a huge difference or will be anything you notice or find annoying.
Does the Drinkworks Home Bar sound like it’s for you? Find out more about it HERE.