11 amazing Starbucks coffee drinks you can make at home. Here's how


11 amazing Starbucks coffee drinks you can make at home. Here's how

Missing the ease of your daily Starbucks coffee fix? So are we, especially the secret menu. Even while coronavirus lockdowns have made it difficult to actually go out to grab the real thing, copycat recipes are close enough to hit the spot and save you a few bucks if you don't want to pay for Starbucks delivery (though we do hope you tip generously when you do). 

Pretty soon you'll be able to make some of the most classic Starbucks drinks -- hot or iced -- from the comfort of your own home. And if you buy all the ingredients up front, you'll probably save money on coffee in the long run, which is a huge plus.

Caveat: If you don't already have some of the special syrups mentioned below at home, expect shipping delays when you order online -- or you can take the extra step and make those, too. Try this vanilla syrup recipe (don't stress if you only have extract, but add a little extra), and this homemade caramel syrup recipe, and you'll be all set. And if you want to try a totally new kind of coffee, the dalgona coffee craze is worth the hype.

Read more: Best coffee makers for cold brew at home

Caramel Frappuccino

This is the perfect drink for a hot day (or a cheat day), and it's the drink that got me hooked on Starbucks years before I discovered my need for pure shots of bitter espresso straight into my bloodstream. And this Caramel Frappuccino recipe was actually featured on Good Morning America, so you know it's a good copycat! You can use espresso shots or strongly brewed coffee, and any milk you like. You'll also need both caramel sauce and caramel syrup, but the xanthan gum is optional (it's there to thicken things up for the ideal frappe kind of texture, but adding more ice works just as well).

Because you're the barista, feel free to get even more generous with the caramel. For authenticity, top it off with some whipped cream and a little caramel sauce drizzle.

Read more: Best home espresso machines for 2020

Cold brew with salted cream cold foam

If you want a more restrained but equally refreshing option that still satisfies the craving for a little something sweet (and salty), this simple cold brew with creamy, salted sweet foam is perfect. This copycat salted cream cold foam cold brew recipe promises everything you love about the drink, except the instant gratification part, since you'll need to steep your cold brew for about 18 hours.

Read more: The one thing you're getting wrong when making cold brew

Pumpkin spice latte

The fall-time favorite, which I admittedly have still never tried, has become synonymous with Starbucks, so I'd be certifiably insane to not teach you how to make it at home. That way, you could start every day with a PSL. And, you're saving even more money because this copycat Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe even teaches you how to make your own syrup. You're so welcome.

For the latte itself, you'll want to start by heating your milk for one minute and then frothing it a bit with a blender or whisk. Put your syrup at the bottom of your cup, then add your coffee and frothed milk. For that PSL effect, top with whipped cream and some pumpkin pie spice.

Read more: The best coffee accessories you never knew you needed

White chocolate mocha

This is actually one of Starbucks' most popular drinks. It's my go-to when I'm craving something very sweet, and it's the everyday order of none other than Kim Kardashian West. Celebrities, they're just like us. This white chocolate mocha recipe calls for about 3 tablespoons of white chocolate chips rather than syrup, but if you like it much sweeter, just add more chocolate! Make sure to whisk often when heating your coffee, milk and chocolate, and don't skip the whipped cream and chocolate shavings on top.

Read more: What Is white chocolate, exactly?

Vanilla latte

Hot or iced, the Starbucks vanilla latte is my thing. It's so simple, yet so delicious. It's even perfect with any kind of milk -- regular, soy, coconut, you name it! And this one is so easy, you don't even need a recipe. Froth your favorite milk with a whisk or blender, add your preferred espresso or strong coffee and pick up some vanilla syrup from your local grocery store. When summer comes around again, I strongly suggest making this over some ice.

Iced caramel macchiato

Perhaps the most Instagram-worthy drink on this list, the iced caramel macchiato looks difficult because the espresso is so beautifully layered on the milk, but I promise it's super simple, thanks to this Iced Caramel Macchiato recipe.

You'll need to get vanilla syrup and caramel syrup too (if you want things sweeter), plus some some caramel sauce for the bottom of your cup (OK, and the top). When pouring in your espresso, go slowly and the coffee will layer naturally on top of the milk. I know a lot of people choose to mix that until they blend, but I actually enjoy it separated.

Read more: These are the best coffee makers of 2020

Passion tea lemonade

In what is perhaps the most basic thing in the world, I stop in a Starbucks drive through once a week every summer on the way to beach volleyball for one of these things. The passion tea lemonade is as addicting as it is delicious, and I think it's just as good unsweetened.

For this Copycat Starbucks Passion Tea Lemonade recipe, you'll need the straight up passion tea that Starbucks makes. But good news, they sell it in stores and in bulk online! You'll need to boil water and steep the tea first and foremost, because tea just doesn't dissolve to its fullest in cold water. You'll also need to add the sugar in now (if you so choose) for the same reason; it'll dissolve much better in hot tea. When you've boiled water and you're satisfied with your tea, refrigerate it for a little while. When it's ready, fill your cup with ice. The recommended ratio for the passion tea lemonade is one part tea, two parts lemonade. That way it'll be naturally sweet.

The Pink Drink

Closely related to the above thirst quencher, the equally Instagram-friendly Pink Drink is made from passion fruit, acai, strawberries, and coconut milk. This copycat Starbucks Pink Drink recipe has a base of acai berry tea and uses white grape juice to help sweeten it and intensify the fruity flavor. Adjust the sweetness to taste with agave nectar (you'll need a LOT if you want it as sweet as Starbucks) and add coconut milk to give it that pale blushing color and creamy texture. Sliced strawberries top it off.

Chai tea latte

This drink is one of Starbucks' bestsellers, and I STILL haven't tried it. There used to be a time when I would leave for Starbucks and my dad would always yell, "Get me a chai tea latte," so this is the first one on this list I'm dying to make for myself. While Starbucks sells Tazo tea cups for your Keurig, it's a little more fun to run down the spice aisle at the store and get everything you need to follow this DIY Starbucks chai tea latte recipe. You'll need cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves and ginger, plus honey, black tea and milk (and water, of course).

Peppermint mocha

Shout out to this copycat Starbucks peppermint mocha recipe for making it possible for me to enjoy a piping hot peppermint mocha even in the middle of July. Isn't that what everyone wants? Use milk or dark chocolate, or mix them both for multilayered flavor. And do not confuse the peppermint extract with mint extract; peppermint is a strong flavor, so use to your taste, but the recommended amount is anywhere between an eighth and a quarter of a teaspoon. Personally, I think the chocolate makes this drink plenty sweet, but feel free to experiment with additional sugar, honey, agave or any other kind of sweetener you may want.

To get really festive, top it with whipped cream and crushed candy canes (which, I'll admit, may be hard to find now that Christmas is long gone. I won't tell anyone if you use the peppermint candies from your grandma's house in the off season).

Flat white

The wildly popular flat white got me through midterms and finals week in college. I'm not kidding. Now you'll know how to make something to get through all your stress and exhaustion! The key to a successful flat white is a fine, frothy milk. If you actually have a frother, now is the time to use it! If not, you can blend or whisk the milk until it froths. All you need to do is pour the milk over the coffee when you're satisfied with the froth. Stir in sugar to taste, but this is a drink that I think is actually better without the sweetener.

This story was written by Toniann Pasqueralle for Chowhound.


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Installing an EV Charger at My House Was Easy


Installing an EV Charger at My House Was Easy

With more and more electric vehicles coming through our test fleet -- including our long-term 2022 Mini Cooper SE -- I decided it was time to install a home charger. It's crucial for me because I live in a small desert town and the only public chargers are Level 2 units that deliver electricity at a super-slow speed of 8.3 kilowatts. The last thing I want to do is sit in the parking lot of the California Welcome Center for hours on end.

My first step was to look at my home's electrical panel and see if it could accommodate a Level 2 charger. I have a 100-amp panel and I want to charge at 50 amps, which should let me put 37 miles worth of juice back into the long-term Mini in about an hour. But I didn't want to have to upgrade my house to a 200-amp panel, which I thought I might need to do since I'd want to run things like the air conditioner at the same time.

The $699 ChargePoint Home Flex charger I bought can be set to a variety of amps, from 16 all the way up to 50. A good middle-ground charging speed is 40 amps, which puts about 30 miles of range back into the Mini each hour. Plus, by keeping the charging speed below 48 amps, I didn't need to have the charger hardwired to the house, which saved a few dollars during installation, and I didn't have to upgrade to the 200-amp panel. It's good to know that, if I'm hit with a heat wave, I can set the charger's amps lower and still crank the air conditioning.

With our long-term Mini Cooper SE's small battery, home charging is a must.

Emme Hall/CNET

What I like best about my ChargePoint charger is the app. I can use it to find public charging stations when I'm out and about, but I can also use it to schedule my home charging schedule, set reminders, check on charging activity and adjust the amperage remotely.

My local electrician installed the ChargePoint L2 charger for right around $2,000. That included running conduit from the panel in the back of the house under the eave of my home and into the garage, pulling wire through said conduit and then installing a junction box and wiring up the charger. My electrician also added a 240-volt box for a future welder I want to purchase, so I probably could've saved some money if I hadn't asked for that extra work.

Just as there are incentives for buying an electric vehicle, there are also incentives for installing a home charger. The ChargePoint website has a handy search function so you can find rebates in your state. Unfortunately, my utility company and my county in California don't participate. Maybe you'll have better luck.

Not everyone can install a charger at home; renters definitely don't all have this luxury. But having the home charger has improved my time with the Mini, especially since it has a tiny 32.6-kilowatt-hour battery pack that gets an EPA-estimated 114 miles of range. In our testing, we've been seeing anywhere between 110 and 115 miles, but for me, that's one trip into Los Angeles. Having a charger at home -- especially one with an app like ChargePoint's -- means I can plug in and charge when it's most convenient. No more waiting around in the parking lot.


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Halloween trailer: Michael Myers and Jamie Lee Curtis face off


Halloween trailer: Michael Myers and Jamie Lee Curtis face off

Michael Myers is back -- and his original victim is ready and waiting.

This is the first trailer for the latest reboot of John Carpenter's classic 1978 slasher movie, in which masked murderer Michael Myers once again terrorises the suburbs. The new movie, co-written by Danny McBride and directed by David Gordon Green, disregards the many, many previous sequels and picks up 40 years later as journalists visit the killer in prison -- which doesn't end well for anyone, obviously.

But the original movie's young star Jamie Lee Curtis also returns, and her scarred survivor Laurie Strode is determined to bring a gun to a slasher fight. What happens when unstoppable psycho meets immovable survivor?  

Produced by horror behemoth Blumhouse, Halloween is set for release -- when else? -- in October.


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WhatsApp Messenger review: Text for free, with some useful extras


WhatsApp Messenger review: Text for free, with some useful extras

Editors' note, February 19, 2014: This review has been updated with information from Facebook's announcement that it acquired WhatsApp.

WhatsApp Messenger (iPhone|Android) lets you chat for free with anyone else who owns the app and offers a few extra useful features to make text messaging more fun. With this chat app installed on your smartphone, you'll save a little money on text charges through your carrier and across platforms. The only catch is that you'll have to persuade your most frequent texting buddies to download the app, too, but once they see WhatsApp's advantages, they'll probably give it a try.

WhatsApp Messenger was recently acquired by Facebook, and while that doesn't mean a big change to the app in the near future, it makes me wonder how Facebook plans to use it. Whatsapp is already incredibly popular around the world, so any news about changes to the app will be watched closely. Should we expect WhatsApp to continue in its current form alongside Facebook's own separate messaging app or will Facebook's offering suddenly have the same features, as Whatsapp rides off into the sunset? It's hard to know at this time, but check back here for more information and an updated review when any new Facebook chat app becomes available.

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Like iMessage for iOS, WhatsApp Messenger shows your chats in little text bubbles, gives you a time stamp for messages, notifies you when a text has been viewed by your recipient, and lets you include photos, audio notes, and videos within your conversations. But with WhatsApp Messenger you can also change your background and send your GPS location to an interactive map. You can use premade away notes such as "I'm busy" or "Available" or even "My battery is about to die," and you can block specific contacts from within the app. You also can easily send a friend's contact information to another user without leaving the app. So, while the app is not leaps and bounds ahead of other messaging apps, there are some nice extra features here.

Great for conversations among multiple users


One thing WhatsApp does exceptionally well is group messages. You can use the Broadcast Message feature to bring up your entire list of contacts, then click radio buttons to quickly add contacts for a message blast. There's also a New Group feature, which lets you add contacts for a group message much as you would in iMessage or another chat app. But you can also look back over the group messages and list just the locations or just the media added to the group chat by all members. These are not amazing or groundbreaking features, but they are a bit more than what you can get with the standard messaging features on most phones.

So the real advantage of WhatsApp Messenger is the money you save when communicating with Android (if you use iMessage) or while communicating internationally. In other words, with WhatsApp Messenger, and a little cooperation from your most-texted friends and family, you could easily get the lowest-cost texting plan with your carrier and save some money every month on your smartphone bill. It shouldn't be that hard of a sell either, since your friends will save money on their phone bills as well.

A note about pricing


WhatsApp Messenger is free to download for iOS and Android users. In the past, the app cost 99 cents, but the developers moved to a newer pricing model in the middle of 2013. Now, the app is free initially, but after a year of use, you'll need to pay a 99-cent subscription fee for another year. This is the first time I've seen such a pricing scheme, but it's hard to argue with only $1 per year for a solid messaging app that works cross-platform.

Overall, WhatsApp Messenger is not much different from the text-messaging services you get on your smartphone, offering a few neat extras that make it a little more fun and useful. At this point in time, it's hard to say what will happen now that Facebook is taking control. Until we find out, if you do a lot of texting, this app is still a must-have, giving you unlimited free texts with all your friends, whether iOS- or Android-using, without having to worry about extra charges, even internationally.


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Apple MacBook Pro: Hands-on with the new and improved Magic Keyboard version


Apple MacBook Pro: Hands-on with the new and improved Magic Keyboard version

Even if you're stuck working from home, you can still get caught by the upgrade bug. That's why I eagerly tore into the new 13-inch MacBook Pro when it landed at the socially distant, wooded retreat I've been hiding out in for the past two months. In a lot of ways, the 13-inch Pro was always the most practical MacBook to buy -- fewer compromises than the MacBook Air, less expensive and more portable than the massive 16-inch (and previously 15-inch) MacBook Pro

But, that case had been harder to make of late. Both the 16-inch Pro and 13-inch Air recently upgraded from the much-maligned butterfly-style keyboard to the newer Magic Keyboard design -- a name now used in laptops, stand-alone Mac accessories and the new iPad Pro keyboard case. Newer Intel CPUs were available in those other systems. Neither of them would dare try and charge you more than $1,000 for a measly 128GB SSD. And when Apple dropped the price on the 13-inch Air back down to $999 (yes, really -- $1,099 with the Core i5 option), the $1,299-and-up 13-inch MacBook Pro was feeling like the odd man out. 

Perhaps knowing I'd been sitting out in the woods contemplating such things, Apple has now updated the 13-inch MacBook Pro, bringing it much more in line with its other laptop offerings. Major differences from the previous model include a Magic Keyboard upgrade, new 10th-generation Intel processor options for some models and double the base storage for all. 

img-8993

In the woods, with a MacBook Pro. 

Libe Ackerman

Next to the keyboard, storage is probably the most practical change and takes the two lowest-priced models from 128GB of storage to 256GB; the midtier model from 256GB to 512GB and the high-end base configuration from 512GB to 1TB. The new top-end cap for storage is now 4TB, up from the previous 2TB. Prices for the four default configurations remain at $1,299; $1,499; $1,799 and $1,999. They start at £1,299 in the UK and AU$1,999 in Australia.

But before you buy, there are a few caveats to keep in mind. The two lowest-priced models are sticking with eighth-gen Intel CPUs. Upgrading to the 10th-gen chip is not currently an option until you hit the $1,799 level. That's the model I'm testing right now, with a 2.0GHz quad-core 10th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, 16GB of fast DDR4 RAM, a 512GB SSD and Intel Iris Pro graphics. For an extra $200, you can double the storage to 1TB. For $400, you can bump the RAM from 16GB to 32GB, currently the 13-inch MacBook upper limit (the 16-inch Pro supports up to 64GB of RAM). 

New MacBook Pro 13 configurations

Price $1,299 $1,499 $1,799 $1,999
CPU 1.4GHz quad-core 8th-generation Intel Core i5 processor 1.4GHz quad-core 8th-generation Intel Core i5 processor 2.0GHz quad-core 10th-generation Intel Core i5 processor 2.0GHz quad-core 10th-generation Intel Core i5 processor
RAM 8GB 2,133MHz LPDDR3 8GB 2,133MHz LPDDR3 16GB 3,733MHz LPDDR4X 16GB 3,733MHz LPDDR4X
Storage 256GB SSD storage 512GB SSD storage 512GB SSD storage 1TB SSD storage

In the hand, well, it looks and feels like a MacBook Pro. No noticeable physical differences, aside from the keyboard. And you'd have to have a butterfly keyboard MacBook nearby to compare and see any real difference, at least visually. Typing on it is another story. 

I have, at times over the years, not exactly defended the butterfly keyboard, but I may have occasionally pointed out that it wasn't as all-out terrible as leagues of professional internet complainers would have you believe.  Yes, I may have once written an article called "In defense of the Apple MacBook keyboard," but it was pretty tongue-in-cheek, or at least that's how I'm retconning it now. 

When I reviewed the new 13-inch MacBook Air a couple of month ago, which likewise added the new Magic Keyboard, I said:

More than anything else, the new Magic Keyboard is what makes the latest Air such a winner. Yes, it solves a problem largely of Apple's own making, but the end result is highly satisfying ... The new keyboard is positively delightful, which is not praise I offer lightly. 

My hope is now that everything Mac has access to the same great keyboard design, we can stop talking about it quite as much, except to say it is indeed quite good. The best Windows laptops have largely caught up as well (although the same can't be said for Windows touchpads) so finding a great typing experience is a lot easier than it has ever been. For something similar, I'm liking the keyboard on the 2020 Dell XPS 13 a lot as well. 

And one thing you won't find on any of those Windows laptops, or on the MacBook Air, is Apple's touch bar. This slim OLED secondary touch display still sits above the keyboard, offering contextual controls for many system tasks and specific apps. It's not a huge selling point, although I frequently use it for volume and brightness control. Many MacBook shoppers would rather have their traditional function keys back, and I can't really argue with that. The touch bar has at least evolved over time, giving up a little real estate to return the physical escape key on one side, and breaking off its very useful fingerprint reader on the other. 

img-9007

Touch bar. Still a thing. 

Dan Ackerman/CNET

This means every MacBook has been updated since last fall, although that may not be the end of the line, even near-term. Previous leaks and rumors had pointed to the 10th-gen Intel switch, but also a 14-inch display, much like the old 15-inch MacBook Pro replaced its screen with a 16-inch one, while keeping the same general footprint. That was not to be, at least not this time. Apple is also endlessly rumored to be on the verge of replacing Intel CPUs entirely with a processor of its own design. 

I'm currently testing this new 13-inch MacBook Pro and will report benchmark scores and battery life in an upcoming review. 

  • The 13-inch MacBook Pro adds 10th-gen Intel CPU options for the two highest-end configs.
  • All models double their base storage.
  • Every current MacBook now has the new Magic Keyboard design. Yes, that means the butterfly keyboard is officially dead.
  • Cost: $1,299 (£1,299, AU$1,999) and up, available to order now. 

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Moderna COVID Vaccine Safe for Kids Under 5, FDA Reviewers Say


Moderna COVID Vaccine Safe for Kids Under 5, FDA Reviewers Say

For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the

WHO

and

CDC

websites.

Moderna's coronavirus vaccine for kids under 5 is safe and effective, reviewers with the US Food and Drug Administration said in a briefing document released late Friday ahead of an upcoming meeting about granting an emergency use authorization.

"Available data support the effectiveness of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in pediatric age groups from 6 months through 17 years of age," the document says. 

The FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet next week to decide whether the agency should OK Moderna's request for an emergency use authorization of its vaccine for kids from 6 months through 5 years old, as well as a request for kids from 6 through 17 years old. An application from Pfizer and partner BioNTech to authorize their own pediatric vaccine for children under 5 will also be up for consideration.

Currently, kids under 5 in the US still can't receive a coronavirus vaccine. Older children can get Pfizer-BioNTech shots.

Read more: When Can Kids Get the COVID Vaccine or Booster?

Moderna's low-dose pediatric vaccine was found to be 51% effective in preventing symptomatic infection in kids from 6 months to 2 years old and 37% effective in kids 2 to 5, The New York Times said in a report about the briefing document. The FDA cautioned that estimates on the vaccine's effectiveness were based on only a few cases of COVID-19. The agency also said kids would probably need to get a booster shot, as adults already do.

The FDA reviewers said the Moderna vaccine for kids didn't produce cases of inflammation of the heart muscle and surrounding tissue -- myocarditis or pericarditis -- a rare side effect that's a risk for young men who get the Moderna or Pfizer shots, the Times reported.

This week, the White House said that if they're approved, vaccines for kids under 5 could start being administered as soon as June 21 and that 10 million doses would initially be available, The Washington Post reported.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.


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Where to preorder the new iPad and iPad Mini, including early discounts


Where to preorder the new iPad and iPad Mini, including early discounts

Four new iPhone 13 models? Check. New Apple Watch Series 7? Check. And rounding out the new products unveiled on Sept. 14 were two new iPads as well. The baseline iPad got some new features under the hood, and the long-neglected iPad Mini got a full makeover, with a 5G option to boot. Both new iPads are available for preorder now for delivery (and in-store availability) on Friday, Sept. 24. We're also seeing some nice preorder discounts on both the iPad and iPad Mini at Walmart.

Here's everything you need to know about preordering the new iPads.

Screenshot by Sarah Tew/CNET

The 2021 baseline iPad appears to have the same body as its 2020 predecessor, with small tweaks under the hood. The big upgrades are an A13 Bionic chip (the same basic one found in the 2019 iPhone 11) and the addition of Center Stage for its 12-megapixel front camera. That feature automatically tracks your movement while on video calls, so you stay in the frame. Even better, the iPad retains its $329 starting price ($299 with education discount), but with 64GB to start -- double the storage that the 2020 iPad owners got at the same price. Right now, the best preorder deal is at Walmart, which is offering the new iPad for $299, a $30 savings.

Other key specs:

  • 20% faster than previous model
  • LTE wireless available 
  • Retains standard Touch ID button and Lightning port
  • Compatible with 1st-gen Apple Pencil
  • Available in Space Gray and Silver
  • Includes 20W USB-C power adapter
Screenshot/CNET

The new iPad Mini is a complete overhaul of Apple's smallest iPad, which was last updated in March 2019. The new model takes its design cues from the iPad Air and Pro models, with flat sides and an all-screen design housing its 8.3-inch display, the largest ever for a Mini. Touch ID is now integrated into the top power button for easy authentication. As with the baseline iPad, this model includes the Center Stage feature on its front camera. Walmart also has a deal on the new iPad Mini, slashing $40 off the 64GB tablet and $50 off the 256GB version.

Key specs:

  • Powered by latest A15 Bionic chip (same as iPhone 13)
  • Compatible with 2nd-generation Apple Pencil
  • Available in Pink, Starlight, Purple and Space Gray colors
  • 5G option (adds $150 to price)
  • Starts at 64GB
  • USB-C instead of Lightning
  • Includes 20W USB-C power adapter

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