Today’s post is dedicated to that wonderful bean-flavored beverage that gets people out of bed and makes the world go round. Whether you’re a casual latte drinker or an espresso connoisseur, you’ll find these apps to be helpful in getting the most of your daily fix.
The ten apps below will help you order, discover and share your favorite drinks from the best places in town or make your own professionally brewed creations right from home!
Barista
Many of the coffee-dedicated apps for iPhone will encourage you to empty your wallet into the registers of local cafes, so I decided to start with one that will actually help you save money by enjoying delicious coffee at home.
Barista gives you everything you need to learn to use your espresso machine like a pro. The app contains easy to follow, step-by-step instructions for making many popular drinks in addition to detailed video tutorials covering the basics of how to get the most out of your machine.
Additional features include tips on all facets of the coffee process, an extraction timer and even a glossary of terms so you don’t get lost in coffee jargon! You’ll be the best barista in town in no time.
Price: $2.99
Barista – cafe quality espresso coffee at home
myStarbucks
Saving money by making coffee at home is great, but we all know that you’re still going to end up at Starbucks eventually and no coffee app collection would be complete without the official offering from everyone’s favorite worldwide coffee chain.
Unfortunately, you still can’t place orders directly from the app but you can use the attractive visual drink builder to create and share your favorite Starbucks treats.
You can also browse the complete drink and food menu, locate stores in your area, and even look for Starbucks job opportunities. As a bonus, you get access to the Starbucks Digital Network, which offers a daily collection of free premium content.
Price: Free
myStarbucks
Coffee Buzz
Coffee Buzz is a bit like a Foursquare clone solely dedicated to coffee. You and your friends check into your favorite coffee places and share what you’re drinking. You can even tweet your current drink.
Watching friends on Coffee Buzz makes it easy to find new shops and drinks to try and the integrated coffee finder will show you all of the shops in your immediate area.
Price: $0.99
Coffee Buzz – More than just a Coffee Finder
Dunkin’ Run
If you’re the guy who always gets stuck doing the office coffee runs, you’ll definitely want to check this app out. It allows you, the Runner, to send out invites to your friends so they can choose the items they want from the Dunkin’ Donuts menu.
The app then compiles the orders and separates them by name so you can confidently make your coffee run without worrying that you wrote anything down wrong.
Price: Free
Dunkin’ Run
Coffee Order
If you want help remembering your friends’ coffee orders but aren’t a fan of Dunkin’ Donuts, fret not, Coffee Order is aimed at being a more universal way to jot down drinks. First, you choose your drink category (latte, espresso, etc.), then you can quickly customize your drink by tapping on the icons for size, milk selection, number of shots and more.
The interface is actually pretty attractive and it’s definitely super efficient, you won’t have to spend twenty minutes tapping through complex menus to jot down a few simple orders. The app is also free so there’s no reason not to give it a try!
Price: Free
Coffee Order
Beanhunter
If you’re just looking for a good cappuccino without all the fluff, check out Beanhunter. This app is focused purely on helping you discover coffee shops that are close by, no matter where you are in the world.
The functionality is about what you’d expect: you can read and write reviews, view and add photos and save your favorite places for later.
Price: Free
Beanhunter
Intelligentsia Coffee
Intelligentsia Coffee is very similar in concept to the Barista app above. You can learn how brew coffee using several methods, take advantage of the brew timer, and share pictures/video of your drinks.
You can also find store locations and view menu updates right in the app. If you’re not familiar with Intelligentsia, can read more the company here.
Price: Free
Intelligentsia Coffee
Coffee Scales
Let’s face it, coffee can easily become as much of a dessert as it is a drink. Do you know how many calories are in a tall Caramel Macchiato or how much fat is in a grande Cafe Mocha? If you’re a health-conscious consumer, you’ll want to keep an eye on what you’re taking in through your morning indulgence.
Coffee Scales allows you to easily check out the complete nutritional information for any Starbucks drink, even with your specific add-ons. You’ll be able to tell exactly where those pesky extra pounds are coming from!
Price: $0.99
Coffee Scales
Coffee Art
Have you ever wondered how people make those amazing designs on the top of your latte? Well wonder no more, this app will show you how to perfect three different methods of coffee art: free pouring, etching and fudge art.
Once you’ve become a master, you can snap photos and share your creations on Facebook and Twitter.
Price: $2.99
Coffee Art
splick•it
Waiting in line for coffee on your way to work sucks. As we pointed out, the official Starbucks app doesn’t actually allow you to place an order from your phone, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a cup of joe on the go from somewhere else!
Splick•it allows you to order and pay for drinks from many coffee shops right on your phone. Then you just walk in, skip the line and pick up your drink! Your boss will appreciate your newfound devotion to being at your desk on time.
Price: Free
splick•it
What’s Your Favorite?
Now that you’ve seen our ten favorite coffee-inspired apps, leave a comment and let us know what your favorites are. Do you use any of the apps listed above or do you have some other gems to share?
Are you a devout tea drinker who scoffs at coffee lovers? Don’t worry, there are plenty of great apps for you too! For starters, check out Teavana Perfect Tea Touch, an app that will have you blending and steeping your way to tea heaven.