For the health nut who really has it all, this holiday season, you can give them the Keurig for vitamins. The Tespo System [1] is an alternative to your daily vitamin pills; it turns your nutrition supplement into a small drink that is ready in seconds. The system starts at $129, and each pack of vitamins will run from $22 to $30. Naturally, because it's cool and different and we've never seen anything like it, we were eager to give this new piece of technology a test drive.
The Tespo site describes the product as "vitamin packed discs with nothing artificial" to "simplify your daily routine." No fillers, chemicals, or additives — all of which Tespo claims can be found in many over-the-counter vitamins [2].
Because the vitamin is made into a liquid form with no additives, it's more bioavailable than if you were to take a pill-form vitamin, meaning your body can absorb 90 percent of the nutrients as opposed to 20 percent. The brand offers a standard women's multi, plus specific supplements like a "Sleep" pack, as well as "Energy," "Focus," and "Hair, Skin, and Nails."
Their informational video [4] also told us we'd be "drinking down the best vitamins you've ever had," so we let our colleagues be the judge of that. Since we were in an office setting, we opted for the "Focus [5]" vitamin, a blend of decaffeinated ingredients like B vitamins, ginseng, and guarana. Here's what the testers of Tespo's Focus had to say.
- "Chalky and has a bizarre after taste."
- "I didn't notice a difference after drinking it, but taste-wise, I'd prefer it over EmergenC."
- "It smells like Robitussin, tastes like maybe Vitamin Water with a weird aftertaste from the stevia. It didn't seem to have any actual effect on my focus according to my co-worker . . ."
- "Reminds me of watered down Flintstones vitamins. I didn't feel much of a boost if any."
- "It tastes like nothing, but also stevia, but also something, and I don't know what it is. Much less taste than EmergenC."
We clearly have a lot more testing to do with the other vitamins, but so far the "Focus" pack did not provide much focus and was perhaps not the most delicious vitamin we've ever tasted. That said, no one was grossed out, and everyone finished their drink. We suspect some of the dislike may have come from stevia sensitivities.
But back to the machine. Do you need it? Is it for you? What would compel someone to buy a Tespo? Here are a few reasons it might be a great gift for someone you know, or a new addition to your kitchen:
- You already take vitamins, and are looking for a more natural product.
- You already take vitamins, and are looking to eliminate chemicals.
- You don't take vitamins, and you need a machine on your counter next to the coffee maker to remind you.
- You don't take vitamins because you have trouble swallowing a pill or you get an upset stomach.
- You're ready to take vitamins, and you have ample counter space in your kitchen.
- You're obsessed with Keurigs and this is a natural extension of your affinity.
- You have children and are looking for a fun alternative to gummy vitamins.
- You're an adult and you're looking for a fun alternative to gummy vitamins.