Four smart cocktail-making devices that may be making you a drink this holiday season

As the holiday party season continues to draw nearer, here is a collection of AI-powered bartenders and cocktail makers that could be whipping up concoctions for your party guests or fixing your order to perfection in a bar.

As a holiday host, you’re given the responsibility of not only providing the drinks, but also providing drinks that everybody enjoys. While this is both a serious and time-consuming task, technology companies around the world have developed smart devices powered by AI that will make this duty easier or completely take it off your hands — even if you’re a bar owner.

Barsys Coaster

Barsys recently announced the Coaster, a smart saucer that guides the user on how to create a particular cocktail. By connecting the coaster to a smartphone with the complimentary app downloaded, users can choose from Barsys’ existing library of cocktails or input their own recipe. Once a cocktail is selected, the user can simply start pouring ingredients one by one, and with each new alcohol or mixer, the coaster will light up when the correct amount has been added to the glass.

The Barsys Coaster is regularly priced at $149 (Just over R2,000), but interested customers can pre-order it for (R1,400). The device will start shipping in December.

Barsys 2.0

If the Barsys Coaster requires a little too much manpower for you, you could instead opt for their Smart Automated Bartender. The device holds up to five bottles, three mixer canisters, and a mixer that can shake or stir drinks accordingly. All you have to do for a drink is connect your phone or tablet via Bluetooth to the Automated Bartender and select a cocktail — the device will take it from there.

The Barsys 2.0 Automated Cocktail Maker retails for (R14, 595).

https://youtu.be/08wSMKKdSB8

Makr Shakr

The Makr Shakr is for serious party hosts — the setup is extensive. Basically, a whole bar will need to be built for the AI-powered robotic arms to be able to automatically make drinks; however, once up to 158 bottles of spirits are mounted on the ceiling of the structure and the ice machine is installed among other things, party goers can select their cocktail at the tap of a button on their smartphone.

The Makr Shakr will put owners back over $100,000 (R1 500 000).

Yanu

The fully autonomous Yanu robot bartender falls between the Barsys 2.0 and the Makr Shakr. While the structure is also extensive, it is collapsible for transportation. This unit can hold up to 50 bottles of alcohol and mixers and, like the Makr Shaker, it mixes drinks with a robotic arm.

Though the retail price of the model is determined based on client needs, it’s expected to cost well over $150,000 (R2 300 000).

Whether you’re the host of a family party or are preparing your bar for the winter holidays, turns out, you can turn towards intelligent machines for an extra hand.

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