Top critical review
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3.0 out of 5 starsA novel way for an energy boost, but too expensive - and carb heavy - to purchase regularly
ByLeah Berkon April 8, 2016
I was an early adopter of GoCubes chewable coffee: I backed their IndieGoGo campaign, and have had a box of 20 sitting on my desk for the last month. Not a day goes by that I don't consume 1-2 of these little cubes, and I've found them very useful for mornings (and afternoons, and evenings, and late nights...) when I don't have the resources or time to make a flagon of black coffee. I keep packets in my car, my gym bag, my workspace, and at home. Anything to assist with productivity, energy, focus, and concentration is a potential tool for my arsenal: I work long hours, have a big commute, and train intensely at the gym 5-6 days each week.
They taste great: all three flavors nail the profile of their respective drinks. The black coffee is slightly bitter and sour, exactly like a properly made cup. The latte and mocha are nice treats, with a slightly vanilla undertone and chocolate undertone respectively. Each packet is randomly packed with the three flavors, though I've found the plain 'black' coffee to be the most common. The texture is like a gummy candy, with an exterior sugar coating. They are chewy, easy to eat, and don't leave any mess.
There is nothing magical about GoCubes: they contain caffeine (about 50mg/cube) and theanine (a supplement used to smooth-out the jitters from caffeine and provide a more even, relaxed stimulation). Nootrobox, the company behind GoCubes, has marketed them as nootropic (brain, or "smart" drugs), but there's nothing proprietary, really, about GoCubes' ingredients. Each cube contains ~9 grams of carbohydrates, which at 70 calories (~18 g carbs) per "serving" (2 blocks) is a hefty dose. I only have 1 cube at a time, pre-gym, and on my commute, and have had to adjust my nutrition accordingly.
The biggest drawback -- and it's quite a drawback -- of GoCubes is the price: they average more than two dollars ($2) per packet, which is 1-4 servings, depending on energy requirements. Spending nearly sixty dollars on a pack of 20 is excessive, making these a luxury item - rather than an every day tool. Buying in bulk does not mitigate this issue, and as much as a convenient tool they've been, I likely won't repurchase them: a half caffeine tablet and a theanine capsule does the same job, without the added carbohydrates/sugars, and at a tiny fraction of the price.