This is the most unnecessary kitchen gadget ever – yet I can’t stop thinking about it

As Home Living writer for one of the swankiest tech magazines out there (no bias, obviously), I’ve had my fair share of testing some weirdly wonderful gadgets. Here at T3, if it adds even the tiniest sprinkle of joy to your life – even if it’s totally unnecessary – you can bet it’s right up our alley.

That means when the Bartesian Cocktail Maker popped up on my socials, I just knew I needed it. It essentially brings the cocktail bar right into your own home, and if you’ve noticed how popular beer machines have been lately, you can imagine how next-level this is for cocktail lovers.

If you're wondering how the Bartesian works, it's pretty similar to one of the best pod coffee machines. However, instead of filling it with water, you fill it with your chosen spirit...and instead of popping in a coffee pod, you use one of Bartesian’s clever cocktail capsules. These capsules pack the perfect blend of juices, bitters and extracts for your chosen drink, and the machine even scans the barcode on the capsule and suggests the ideal glassware.

Within the box, you get the cocktail maker itself, plus five glass spirit bottles with labeled lids. There’s also a removable power cord and a Bartesian bar mat, so you basically have everything you need to kick off your own home cocktail bar. You'll need to buy the capsules separately, but there are loads of options to choose from, ranging from espresso martinis to cosmopolitans.

It should be noted that the machine doesn’t come with spirits, and the capsules don’t contain alcohol. However, it fully takes all the fuss out of cocktail-making and means you don’t have to remember a million different mixers. You'll just have to stock up on your favourite spirits, pop in a capsule and voilà – your cocktail’s ready.

The machine itself costs £299.99/$379.99, but I’d definitely recommend checking out the Starter Kit Bundle. It includes the machine, 16 different cocktail capsules, as well as a capsule drawer – all for just a bit more. Sure, it’s a luxury product, but honestly, for what you’re getting, the price doesn’t feel too steep at all.