D+caf caffeine test strips makes sure your decaf is decaf

Ever wondered if that 93 octane you're paying two arms and a leg for is really 93 octane? Pondered the legitimacy of that "homogenized and pasteurized" claim on your most recent milk purchase? If so, congratulations. You're the target market for the D+caf caffeine test strip. Reportedly, these strips keep the paranoid abreast of the truth whenever they venture out for a decaf drink; java sippers simply insert a tester into their beverage, wait for it to grow intolerably cold (or 30 seconds, whichever comes first) and then view the findings. The creator proclaims that they're 98% accurate for detecting greater than 20-milligrams of caffeine per 6-ounce serving, but we're not willing to pay $9.95 for a 20-pack in order to find out.

[Via medGadget]

[Richard @ Dec 31st 2008 8:56AM]

Cool creation. I have a friend thats hyper sensitive to caffeine, this could be useful for her.

[GETYOID @ Dec 31st 2008 9:56AM]

Ever wonder if the test, itself, is correct?

[noyp @ Dec 31st 2008 10:08AM]

I have a couple of friends who are hyper sensitive to caffeine. If anything, it's kind of entertaining to see them go beresque.

[KarlW @ Dec 31st 2008 10:26AM]

beresque?

[noyp @ Dec 31st 2008 10:27AM]

Bezerk, for everyone else. That was what I asked when one of my friends said it.

[Gad Get @ Dec 31st 2008 10:35AM]

I don't believe "beresque" is a word.

[KarlW @ Dec 31st 2008 10:41AM]

"Bezerk"

Bzzt. Wrong again. Try Berserk, and get yourself a browser/OS with a built-in spellcheck.

[Fred @ Dec 31st 2008 10:47AM]

Beresque. I think that's like a stripper on a rampage.

[noyp @ Dec 31st 2008 10:47AM]

Because of you grammar nazis, I looked it up on Wiktionary. All three spellings are technically correct. http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/berserk

[noyp @ Dec 31st 2008 10:48AM]

@Fred
Well, if you put it that way, all of my caffeine-hyper-sensitive friends are girls so....

[Jason @ Dec 31st 2008 11:28AM]

Gosh noyp, I checked the wikitionary, too. It looks like someone changed it back after you left.

[noyp @ Dec 31st 2008 12:12PM]

Copy/Pasted from Wikitionary. I hate you people.

Alternative spellings
beserk
berzerk
beresque - humorous misspelling now accepted (Australia)

Etymology
From a recurring joke in the 1970s Australian television series Number 96; a misspelling of berserk
[edit]Adjective
beresque (comparative more beresque, superlative most beresque)
(Australia) Injuriously, maniacally, or furiously violent or out of control.
[edit]References
http://www.abc.net.au/wordmap

Alternative spellings
berserk
[edit]Usage notes
This spelling is considered a misspelling of the word berserk in some English speaking countries such as the UK.
[edit]Etymology
Old Norse berserkr (Icelandic berserkur), probably from bjǫrn ‘bear’ + serkr ‘coat’.
[edit]Pronunciation
IPA: /bə'zɜ:k/
[edit]Noun
beserk (plural beserks)
A crazed Norse warrior who fought in a frenzy.
[edit]Translations
[show ▼]beserk
[edit]Adjective
beserk (comparative more beserk, superlative most beserk)
Injuriously, maniacally, or furiously violent or out of control.

Noun
berzerk (plural berzerks)
Alternative spelling of berserk.

[julia @ Dec 31st 2008 1:07PM]

IIRC, there is no way to fully decaffeinate coffee.

[Lars @ Dec 31st 2008 2:41PM]

Huh, all this time I thought people were idiots for thinking berserk is spelled berzerk or beserk.

Anyways, I bet OCD people will get a boner for this product.

[BananaBoat @ Dec 31st 2008 6:14PM]

I'm beresque of the situation, and I'll report my findings shortly.

[Jason @ Jan 1st 2009 12:19AM]

noyp, a joke man! a joke. Happy New Year!

[noyp @ Jan 1st 2009 2:22AM]

I've come by enough 'tards on the internet to never tell the difference between sarcasm and pure ignorance here. :-)

[AMiSH PiRATE @ Dec 31st 2008 10:06AM]

This makes me want to go into a store and swap the labels of all the caffeine test strips and the decaffeinated test strips.

[kbdrand @ Dec 31st 2008 10:07AM]

I've ordered some of these because I'm pretty sensitive to caffeine and there have been a few times at night where I would like an after dinner decaf coffee but if they mix it up I wind up staying up all night.

[KarlW @ Dec 31st 2008 10:27AM]

There's an easy solution: Alcohol

[Precurse @ Dec 31st 2008 10:43AM]

@Karl

Alcohol may pose as a good sleep aid, however it actually really bAlcohol itself has already been tested and causes irregular brain activity while the user is resting, resulting in a very poor sleep. Mixing alcohol and caffeine is only asking for a very light sleep, even if you sleep a full 8 hours....

[Precurse @ Dec 31st 2008 10:44AM]

Let's fix that.. I drag and dropped part of my post somewhere..

@Karl

Alcohol may pose as a good sleep aid, however it actually really bad. Alcohol itself has already been tested and causes irregular brain activity while the user is resting, resulting in a very poor sleep. Mixing alcohol and caffeine is only asking for a very light sleep, even if you sleep a full 8 hours....

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Dec 31st 2008 11:08AM]

weed.

[B3astofthe3ast @ Dec 31st 2008 7:24PM]

Yes, weed is the ULTIMATE sleep aid. No chance in hell of overdosing, and you will get the deepest, most confortable sleep of your life.

[Numus @ Dec 31st 2008 10:12AM]

Do they have the caffeine test strips? I am caffeine insensitive.. if i don't get large amounts of caffeine everyday i might die...

[Dan @ Dec 31st 2008 3:21PM]

I heartily endorse this event or product.

[a @ Dec 31st 2008 10:14AM]

Hahaha... I'd like a regulated DOSAGE more than a test strip!

[Maeztro @ Dec 31st 2008 10:26AM]

Wow...had no idea there was a site called MedGadget...add that to the huge list of things I didn't know...

[bill cant fart @ Dec 31st 2008 10:27AM]

Can I get one of these to tell me if my urine is yellow?

[Jason @ Dec 31st 2008 11:32AM]

Maybe. But it doesn't raise the question of how many engadget readers could trigger the caffeine strip with their pee. Doesn't.

[Shannin @ Dec 31st 2008 10:49PM]

My grandma almost had a heart attack because the lady from Dunkin Donuts gave her regular not decaf. I think these strips are useful.

[Fred @ Dec 31st 2008 10:29AM]

The economy is in the crapper, the world is freaking out. I am so glad that someone has devoted all this time and effort to this. Devote that brain power to something useful f-tards. I mean is there really that much decaf skullduggery going on that you need to check it with a strip? And if you do then maybe it's time to pick a new coffee shop?

[daniel @ Dec 31st 2008 4:30PM]

I know, right? Why doesn't someone make a machine the prints money or something, then we could give that to the poor people, and BAM! the economy would be fixed.

[Fred @ Dec 31st 2008 5:55PM]

Wow, your poignant and timely retort has completely negated what I said! You are awesome!

My point is that if you are clever enough to make a caffeine detector why not put that brain power to some better use. I think the product is ridiculous and I failed to see the need. That said another commenter mentioned heart patients, etc. That is valid, but for normal folks to pay 10 bucks to find out if there's caffeine in something you ordered as decaf so the your poor widdow sewf isn't jumpy later is stupid. It's $10 you could save for a rainy day (or give to poor people), hell, brew your own decaf, be certain you got what you wanted and save even more!

[daniel @ Dec 31st 2008 6:21PM]

Just kidding. I know what you mean, though. People spend a lot of time coming up with things like this that have really limited uses, when they could be doing something a lot more useful. Looking at what I've done today(basically nothing), I shouldn't say much, though.

[TrentD @ Dec 31st 2008 10:33AM]

This would be nice if you're afraid the Barista "decaf'd" you for not tipping!

[snowglyder @ Dec 31st 2008 11:30AM]

Yeah, they do that if you're rude or they don't like you.

[Fred @ Dec 31st 2008 11:46AM]

Fake a seizure one time and that'll put a top to that.

[Fred @ Dec 31st 2008 11:47AM]

or stop, whatever.

[amneziac @ Dec 31st 2008 1:22PM]

Hah, I used to decaf everyone. I used to work weddings, and when it came time to pour the coffee, I always brewed 2 giant pots of decaf. It's evil I know, but I did it anyway. No one ever asked 'are you sure this has caffeine?' it's always the annoying decaf drinkers that ruined everything for everyone else.
'Are you sure this is decaf?' Yes, I am absolutely sure...
Coffee is meant to be caffeinated, it shouldn't be consumed any other way.

[Imran @ Dec 31st 2008 10:35AM]

But it will it blend? Nescafe blend...

[Hamidxa @ Dec 31st 2008 10:37AM]

What if these test strips aren't what they are claimed to be.

Perhaps we need a test strip to test these test strips...

[James @ Dec 31st 2008 10:40AM]

I'm waiting for one that tests if your booze is really alcoholic. If there isn't one already, that is.

[Stephen @ Dec 31st 2008 11:35AM]

As the proud father of a 7mo old son, I can tell you (I kid you not) that there are test strips to check expressed milk for alcohol. So, if you are ok walking through the nursing section of your local Babies R Us, you can pick up a couple of packs.

[James @ Dec 31st 2008 12:00PM]

You can never talk to your kids about drugs and alcohol soon enough...

[MarbleMind @ Dec 31st 2008 10:53AM]

On that elegant new year's dinner table, this goes well with my aerosol inhaler, my lactose intolerance tablets and my decongestant nasal spray.

Jokes aside, I think this is quite a valid product with a target market that is not to be underestimated. Sure, ten bucks for a 20-pack is a rip-off, but then again, you're not likely to use them everyday but rather on rare, possibly singular occasions at unfamiliar placs like dinner at friends, busines lunch, etc. where you can't be sure (at your everday lunch caffee, they should really know by now).

[strider_mt2k @ Dec 31st 2008 10:58AM]

I need a test to determine if chemical testing strips have been dipped into my coffee.

Eww.

[scott @ Dec 31st 2008 11:01AM]

Places should do what we do at our restaurant. Just MAKE decaf.
We only make regular for ourselves. All the customers are offered either but only served decaf.

[Jason @ Dec 31st 2008 11:53AM]

DIE!

[Fred @ Dec 31st 2008 1:13PM]

So you're saying all restaurants should be lying ass-holes?