Update (12/17): Keurig has discontinued the Drinkworks brand and machine

Making your own cocktails is one of those things that sounds fun in theory but isn't in practice After allocating the time to gather bartender supplies, buy the necessary spirits, and become your own inner mixologist, you regret not going to an actual bar instead

But as everyone learns at least once, buying drinks can get expensive Besides, who would want to leave the house? Especially now that it's a fully automated DIY smart home, even more so That's why when I tried the new Drinkworks Home Bar Classic (a $299 smart cocktail maker), I knew I had found the ultimate high-tech hosting gadget

Smart cocktail makers are nothing new The first few drinks will elicit an "ooh" and a cheer, but then inevitably something will not work as well as it should Or it costs too much to maintain Or the quality of the drink becomes less of a concern

I have been wary of smart cocktail machines for other reasons: intimidation and counter space The versions I've seen, including the Pro, the predecessor to the Home Bar Classic, look clunky and convoluted And then there are the vertessians that require you to prepare your own spirits But Drinkworks' latest creation reminds me more of my beloved Nespresso Virtuoso coffee maker than a fussy on-demand cocktail dispenser Just add water and you've got yourself the best hostess, serving the custom drinks your guests order with minimal effort

Installing the carbonated canister is the most labor-intensive setup step; just screw it on From there, fill the clear cylindrical tower with plenty of water and ice and insert the pods Like Nespresso's Virtuoso pods, each Drinkworks pod has a unique bar code that tells the machine how much water to measure and the carbonation level The machine scans the bar code and begins pouring

Since the online-order pods themselves are alcoholic beverages, there is no need to go to a liquor store to buy them; Drinkworks has designed its own line of basic drinks, including perhaps the best sparkling Paloma I've ever had The company has also partnered with well-known spirits to create cocktails featuring familiar spirits like Jack Daniels, Absolut, and Deep Eddy

And while most drinks are ready to drink as soon as they are poured into a cup, some finesse is encouraged The espresso martini (designed in partnership with Kahlua) is the trendiest adult beverage in New York City, so I whisked it up a bit in a cocktail shaker after extraction

I skipped smart appliances for my smart home, but I continue to find clever ways to make my space more intelligent For example, my Alexa-enabled smart faucet Or how about the all-in-one Brilliant smart home control panel The Drinkworks Home Bar Classic similarly gives me the illusion that my home can host the Jetsons

The most obvious concern in owning a smart cocktail machine like the Drinkworks Home Bar Classic is the inevitable pod system Sure, buying a four-pack of pods for $17-$20 is cheaper than buying a round drink at a bar But keeping the pods stocked is problematic If the point is that every guest can have the drink of his or her choice, you may feel obligated to have a variety of drinks available

Still, if you're often in the company of cocktail enthusiasts like me (what can I say, my family is fun), this machine can be a topic of conversation, a trusted bartender, and a thoughtful gift idea I think it's a great gift for the "already have everything" tech-oriented person For me, it would be my host's right hand man for the holiday season It would save me money on drinks and I might be able to enjoy my own party

For more Christmas gadgets, here are 17 great Christmas gifts the Tom's Guide team wants this year