Drinking Coffee at Its Very Best

Kenneth Davids, a professional coffee reviewer and author, says that coffee's flavor is best when it's "pleasingly warm but not too hot." For the best temperature/flavor combo, Mr. Davids recommends rinsing an insulated thermos or mug with hot water, then filling it with freshly brewed coffee. If you drink it black, you have an edge: adding milk will cool coffee. "If you do all that, it will hold its heat without diminishing its flavor."

Now available are beverage-warming devices powered though a computer's USB port. One such device works like a hot plate for the mug to sit on, with models costing $10-$25. Mr. Davids says hot plates in general tend "to drive off aromatics and bake the coffee." There also are insulated mugs with USB cords that keep drinks hot after being plugged into a computer for a while. Prices range from $15 to $25, and some come with a cigarette-lighter adapters for the car. Timing also matters. "In general, coffee is best to drink it right after you brew it. It starts to go pretty fast," he says.