Can a coaster really change the taste of your drink? That’s the claim made by the Boce Coaster—a product that says it can reduce the bitterness and enhance the smoothness of everything from coffee to wine. With a price tag of $30 for a pair and a mixed rating of 3.8 stars on Amazon, I had to find out for myself if there was any truth behind these ambitious claims.
Where to Purchase
The easiest place to pick up a Boce coaster is on Amazon, where you can expect to pay around $30 for a pack of 2. It is currently listed as a “Frequently Returned Item” on Amazon.
Note, the product name is stylized with an accented “C” but I found this to be problematic, so I’ve left the accent off for this article.
First Impressions and Unboxing
When I first opened the package, I had to admit: the Boce Coasters looked pretty sleek. A nice shade of blue, with a polished finish that felt like quality. However, they didn’t seem much different than any regular coaster in terms of design or weight. At $15 a pop, though, these little discs were pricey! According to the instructions, I simply had to place a drink on the coaster for a few minutes to notice a smoother, more “velvety” taste. Skeptical but intrigued, I prepared to put it through a series of taste tests.
The Science Behind the Claims
Before diving in, I reached out to a quantum physicist who is a regular to on my Discord, and he explained that visible light (like the blue color on this coaster) typically lacks the energy to make molecular changes in substances. This means that just the color alone likely wouldn’t be capable of affecting the chemistry of a drink. While I appreciated his input, I was still determined to see if there would be any noticeable difference in taste.
Putting the Boce Coaster to the Test
Coffee Test
I started with a freshly brewed cup of black coffee, poured into two separate cups—one placed on the Boce Coaster and the other directly on the table. I left both for five minutes, following the suggested “minimum” time to allow the coaster’s effects to take place. When the time was up, I tasted both cups back-to-back. To my surprise (or maybe not so much), the coffee tasted exactly the same. There was no hint of extra smoothness or reduction in bitterness. But I wasn’t ready to give up just yet.
Rum Test
Next up was a test with rum, specifically Captain Morgan. Again, I poured the rum into two identical glasses and set one on the Boce Coaster for a full seven minutes. After tasting both, I struggled to find any distinction between the control sample and the “treated” rum. They tasted exactly alike. Moving on…
Juice Test
For my third attempt, I tried pineapple juice, leaving one cup on the coaster for a solid ten minutes this time. While I was hoping for even a hint of difference, it was again a total match. Both juices tasted exactly the same: sweet, slightly tangy, and exactly as pineapple juice should.
Wine Test
Perhaps a longer wait time would bring out the coaster’s magic? I decided to leave a bit of Merlot on the coaster for a full hour to see if that would enhance the flavor. When I came back and tasted both wines, there was once again no difference. I even went back and forth a few times just to be sure, but both samples tasted identical.
Tap Water Test
Finally, I tried the simplest test of all: plain old tap water. If anything could benefit from a flavor boost, it would be the slightly off-tasting Las Vegas tap water. I left one glass on the Boce Coaster for fifteen minutes, hoping for at least a minor improvement. But once again, there was no difference.
The Verdict
After all these tests, I’m confident in saying that the Boce Coaster doesn’t live up to its claims. While the coaster may look stylish, I didn’t experience any change in the taste or texture of any of the drinks I tested. It simply functioned as a coaster—and an overpriced one at that.
As for the scientific validity of this product, even quantum physics suggests it’s unlikely that a blue-colored disc would have any chemical effect on the contents of your glass. So, unless you’re looking for a decorative coaster, I’d suggest saving your money.
Final Thoughts
For $30, the Boce Coaster didn’t deliver on its promise to enhance the flavor of my drinks. If you’re a curious consumer like me, you may still want to try it out for yourself—but don’t expect any miracles. And if you have tried this product, I’d love to hear if your experience was any different!
Video Review
Below you can watch my full review of the Boce Coaster.