Yes. This is exactly why I don't like these gadgets. Even though they're fun and apparently work quite well, the availability of the capsules always turns me of these things.

The expiration date and the fact they have no third party sellers is what keeps me away

Not to mention the cost. 2.50 per drink plus alcohol. That is way too much for these stupid things.

Exactly!

People said the same thing about Keurig and Nespresso. This machine has been out for years

Yeah, especially with the barcodes being required, making an off-brand version doesn't seem practical without messing with the machine itself. Not to mention the machine is just a glorified measuring tool to put alcohol into a glass with it's pre-packed mixers. I don't doubt the drinks are at least serviceable but I'd just cut the middleman machine and pour the booze myself.

@@tryhardmyth209 Yeah it does the mixing but it already knows the right amounts. For someone who doesn't make a lot of drinks they'd have to look up the recipe and measure it. The machine does it is definitely easier.

@@tryhardmyth209 I don't think there's anything stopping a third party from using the bar code.

@@3DJapan Licensing and likely legal agreements would be stopping the use of the barcode, other than that I do agree with you the measurements may be annoying but I'd say it's worth saving 500 bucks if you want to use em at all.

@@3DJapan The Issue i have is that yes you dont have to go find a recipe, but your buying a boozy keurig that uses single use pods to save 10 seconds of googling, hell with assistants like siri or google assistant you can just ask her how to make a whiskey sour and she would probably tell you right there, no expensive machine or single use pods that will end up in landfill (yes i saw that the pods are recyclable but lets face it most of these pods are going in the trash and ending up in landfill)

It has an automatic cleaning cycle that runs after each cocktail is created, & a manual cleaning cycle.

Keep in mind the capsules include any mixers and juices, so that's the real benefit, not just measuring alcohol.

I think a Keurig is an over priced hot pot and pour over. But to each there own.

@@falxonPSN The capsules are purchased completely separately from the machine. It feels like another Juicero except there is actually something that needs to be added to the mix (alcohol). If you wanna save yourself 500 bucks but feel the need for instant cocktail mixers, buy the capsules and get yourself a jigger to measure your own alcohol instead of getting a waste of counterspace to do it for you.

They cost 2.50 each. As someone with a full liquor cabinet I can appreciate that's it's actually more of a pain to keep mixers on hand than liquors. That is still way too much per drink (not even counting the alcohol)

@@alexdavis9324 I have a decent liquor cabinet with the ones I like and I just usually stick to one or two drinks at a time, or get a couple mixers that can be used for many drinks at a time

Fillsble pods kinda defeats the purpose on not keeping the mixers and measuring by hand but I bet you could probably find a way to do it with fillable. Unless they’re concentrated kinda looks like they are

If you could fill a pod you could just fill a glass.

The Keurig version (drinkworks) doesn’t have refillable pods. Once each alcohol pod is used it’s recycled.

I didn't get any of that. Just the machine. I joined the monthly membership, but I don't see a big discount. I might cancel the membership, & just order as needed. We'll see.

They are liquidating them now at walmart for $64

I imagine other companies would probably pick them up kinda like how other companies make keurig pods

I think a third part could come out with a refillable version of the pod that allows you to use flavor syrups. Of course this is assuming this catches on which I don’t see?? If I’m gonna make a mixed drink, I’m not really looking for convenience. More like it’s an excuse to get top quality ingredients and make a next level beverage.

That is exactly what happened to me with the Drinkworks machine (the Keurig and InBev venture). One year after I bought it, the company went out of business. I was stuck with a $400 machine that no longer had available pods and it shot craps before I could use the 3 pods I had left. It looked cool, but was an expensive mistake.

This dude sounds like he was paid for the video because of the HTD reviews

I believe that the system has a water retainer in the back of the unit which is supposed to be used to rinse the lines. Not sure if that's automated after every drink or something you gotta select via button.

@@St0ne2O61 I wouldn't go that far, this channel is no stranger to trashing a product. I think it comes more from the novelty to a hobbyist or someone who doesn't do cocktails that much versus someone like HTD who is a lot more versed in cocktail preparation. I mean when you're making a margarita with this and you know the only spirit is going to be tequila and the pod can't contain Cointreau it's already going to be a compromise, you're trading convenience for quality and to someone who just likes gadgets this may be enough.

@@NorthAveBeachBum I think the IDEA is that it gives a final shot of water to clear the line but as HTD discovered the main line that leads to the spout will still have fluids in it and it'll taste like a mixture of water and all the spirits you used, which is pretty gnarly to shoot into your drink. Given the way the plumbing is designed it's difficult to completely flush the system due to how some of the line junctions are made. Depending on how long it sits before you use it again those fluids could be very old and while spirits can combat mold growth, water can't. It's the same issue a lot of these pod systems. I won't go as far to say the Bartesian is cheap or poorly made, but it's clear that they made some strange decisions that would affect overall drink quality like going with a single pump system over multiple (also having rum/vodka share a spot over gin/vodka which are very similar) At the end of the day I still think a more straightforward machine would be a single neutral spirit dispenser and let the pod be the flavoring as you're already making some ingredient compromises.

@@St0ne2O61 He's not he just isn't a drink expert like HTD. Yes this tastes like sweetened alcohol, perfect

Then you likely don't want to see this video where it's torn down. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/p92CqrSqs6iycnU.html

Two or three cocktails at a time? That is some serious liver cross-training! I salute you, sir.

Or you could hang out at the thrift stores when they start filling the shelves (next to the coffee makers).

Especially since how many times would you use this? Parties tend to be pitchers. My faves are just easy to make so this is too high a price and space dominant to consider.

@@judywright4241 somebody with a home bar coming home after a long who wants a drink. Drop the pod and press a button.

@@StonerKitchen it takes less time to mix a cocktail, and you have better control over your ingredients. I make cocktails at home a few times a week, it's so easy to whip something up. A machine like this takes all the fun out of it, and can never mix a drink up to your own preference.

@@ferdinand_WS not reallly you have to get the mixer out, and measure, and get the alcohol out then put stuff away. When you had a long day and just want to sit down, its pretty convenient. Plus having mixers around that are half full and with that air in the bottle sometimes they get funky. Coming home and pressing a button is pretty sweet.

I’m thinking this is aimed at ‘Bar’ people, most of us with just cabinet space wouldn’t want to use up precious area for that thing. I have a dedicated stand alone cabinet to hold wine & liquor bottles.

@@judywright4241 Most of these kinds of things are definitely niche

@@judywright4241 I don't think I'd say bar people. If you don't like a drink this offers, well your stuck with the way they make it. Most bar people I know have what they need to make what they like. There are many variables in many cocktails and this limits that.

@@judywright4241 It's definitely not aimed at bar people. Bar people know it's way easier to mix a drink the normal way.

uhh if this is "luxury" i think ill stick to the apperantly stupid decision of buying my own mixes and making my own drinks, cause 400 bucks for something that just takes a pre measured mix made somewhere else and pours alcohol through it while simultaneously putting a picture of a middle finger on the screen to remind you that you just spent 400 on a piece of plastic with a pump and a micro controller just kinda seems like the kinda thing "luxury" people would do, kinda like buying a 200 coffee maker that can only make one cup of coffee at a time loudly and leaving a puck of plastic that you have to throw away after

Yeah… but then what is the machine even doing? Just mixing the ingredients that you add yourself, which you could do with a shaker? Hmm, it’s almost as if this machine is useless!

do you know how you can really subsidize the cost of this machine? Kick yourself in the head for thinking about buying it and go buy the mixers from the store, i guarantee its a lot cheaper for a lot more and you dont end up with a large plastic paperweight and a lot of little plastic pucks sitting in landfill.

My guess would be exactly that - HCFS and "natural flavors".

you're right. I went back to see the pods reveal and it does show a pic of the drink in the glass. Good catch.

Exactly!

I like the fact you can buy the insert where you can put your own coffee in a mesh pod and there is no waste expect you dumping out the used coffee grounds. :)

Except these pods are recyclable.

@J S Recycled means the plastics will be transformed into another kind of plastic, which usually can't be recycled further. It's not a solution as much as a form of lessening the damage. The only way to truly get rid of plastics is to not make them in the first place.

@@jugb93 As are coffee pods, but where do they typically end up? Not being recycled... But even if they are, they can only be recycled so many times before they become trash like everything else.

And one of them was the same Bartesian machine and quick summary: Both machines were quite bad and Bartesian had very artificial candy flavor in all tested drinks. It does the job but those drinks in general are not good. Or at least there is quite big chance that you might not like them. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/h99xaNmGyrXPlHU.html

Greg released a "tear down" video of him ripping it apart today (4/20/22) this machine is a horribly built piece of junk and potential mold factory

@@TheAciddragon069 So are Keurigs and their knockoffs.

@@TheEmbersFromAshes Keurig at least took theirs off the market and were buying back all the sold units

@@TheAciddragon069 The drink maker or the coffee maker? I was referring to the mold build up in their coffee makers.

so theres no cons in the fact it has a drink that doesnt even have the ingredient the drink is named after? or the fact that to make the same amount of drink as say a bottle of mixer you actually would use more plastic and pay more for the joy...

That was a GREAT episode and Greg is hilarious.

Greg is not a bartender, just a guy who's really into cocktails. And very, very funny ... definitely worth watching. For me, Greg's reason is the reason NOT to buy this. The capsules are fine if you are drinking mostly to get hammered, if you are focused on a good tasting drink, the machine won't do the job. There's no way this could taste as good as if you used fresh ingredients. But if your idea of making a Margarita is buying a bottle tequila and one of mix, this will work and be a lot more fun. Me? I drink very little, focus on the taste, and make cocktails that the Bartesian can't. [Manhattan, Negroni, G&T] The machine is useless to me. [I also don't drink tequila or vodka drinks.]

@@bostonrailfan2427 I think a better product would allow you to place the ingredients in of your choice and it would mix and prepare the beverage for you in the proper ratio shaken or stirred, etc. That would be sick. With the pods I can't even use my favorite brands or anything.

@@K0sm1cKid this isn't the jetsons. Lol

That's what normal people do lol this machine is ridiculous

That's true for anything pod/capsule related though. The whole point is convenience of not having to think or really do anything but press a button. But that's also why I hate pods. They are so wasteful.

@@bostonrailfan2427 Yes. It measures the alcohol based on the recipe it has stored from whatever the barcode tells it the drink is. Then it pressurizes the alcohol and forces it to mix in the pod and it pours it into your glass. That's it. It's like that stupid Juicero juicer that all it did was squeeze a juice bag into a glass. You didn't even need the machine, you could just squeeze the bags by hand. They went under very quickly. LOL.

if you know the correct ratio, you don't even need the capsules. Use fresh ingredients, way tastier

Nah. Run it through this and then through a sparkel.

@@Clubrhythm sodastream does the same thing and there are other brands. I've used one for many years now and they're still in production. That is what I would use if I wanted to carbonate any of these drinks.

@@Clubrhythm so an overpriced sodastream, wow wonder why its going out of production... :-|

Dumbest and most unfunny joke I have ever heard. You just ruined my day

Right! You get the clear Ice cubes or the ice balls, a fancy glass and a glass stir stick and make your friends a drink. Makes ya feel “fancy” lol!

And it only get's more fun the longer the evening lasts. Though the last few drinks you mix aren't really much like what people asked for, not that they tend to be able to tell the difference...

@@blahorgaslisk7763 🤣

Yeah I've started to mix my own recently and I don't think I could switch to a machine like this. So boring.

Nope. Howtodrink did a review just a day or so ago where he tore his apart and it was full of moldy water and gross mixed booze. Super nasty

Someone should come up with the reusable pods. capsules has lime or lemon juice in it.

It uses a single line for all your booze so it's not even good at that.