Prevent Watery Iced Coffee Once And For All With A Metal Spoon Hack

Why the spoon trick works

To clarify, this method won't completely stop the ice from melting. However, you'll notice a significant difference in both the strength and temperature of your coffee simply by placing a spoon in your glass. The spoon serves as a thermal conductor, channeling heat from the energized coffee to the spoon and away from the less-conductive ice. You can think of it as a straw drawing heat out of the beverage and into the surrounding air.

As the coffee cools slightly, the remaining ice melts at a slower rate (and continues to do so as the drink gets cooler). Eventually, you'll still face the same problem: diluted coffee. But ideally, this trick buys you a bit more time to savor your drink.

For this little science hack to be most effective, you need to use a metal spoon—plastic and bamboo lack sufficient conductivity. If you can find a copper spoon, like the Yinox pure copper bar spoon available on Amazon, it will perform even better. There's a reason why electric wires are made from copper. However, any metal spoon will do. The results are typically better if the spoon is already resting in the ice rather than being added after pouring. Lastly, opting for a stronger coffee, such as espresso, will yield even better outcomes, allowing for some dilution. Even better, consider using leftover coffee to create coffee ice cubes, which can help prevent dilution in your drinks.