Keurig and its equivalents are so convenient it is hard to conceive of going back to something less handy, but important to find something that produces less waste, hence this minimalist solution using sugar-based containers that dissolve when used.

The Droops Coffee Maker system is centered around pods that melt away when exposed to hot water, visually inspired by variously-shaped colorful candies from their creator’s childhood.

The device itself is a modular stackable system involving a heating unit and water container which, when joined, form a circuit and allow you to brew your coffee.

“Droops coffee maker identifies the issue of unnecessary packaging waste cause by the massive consumption of coffee. Therefore, by reinventing the packaging as the content of the coffee, the packaging will be part of the coffee upon consumption.”

The post Dissolving Pods: Design Solves Disposable Plastic Problem first appeared on Gajitz.

This low-tech, beer-stashing solution uses the Earth’s naturally colder temperature to keep up to 24 cans of beer at ready-to-drink temperatures year round, all without needing an external energy source.

Far from being a futuristic idea, this eCool design owes a debt to a long history of storing beers in below-grade cellars that are naturally cooler yet don’t freeze, keeping your drinks in a reasonable temperature range during any season.

Once you lift the lid, a simple manual hand crank brings your next beer can up to the surface and deposits it handily on a little side flap. Being fully-mechanical with no electricity for any part of the equation makes it cheaper, easier, more versatile and robust.

Digging the three-foot hole could be most easily done with a garden drill, though the creators of eCool suggest you can also just use a shovel and get your hands a bit dirty – after all, the beer will taste even better after a bit of hard work.

The post Brew Stash: Secret Underground Power-Free Beer Cooler first appeared on Gajitz.