Compact and Mobile Appliances Revue with the 2013 Edition of West Coast Midnight Run

Wooww no it’s not a shuttle craft from the starship Enterprise flying through a nebula on a desperate mission to save a planet in trouble, it’s not the seating cubicle for a senate member in the Old Republic, just a humble Mr Coffee mug heater that has become synonymous with office wares and desk work items, certainly if you live in the digital age and spend copious amounts of time serenading the LCD screen, stroking the keyboard, or cajoling the mouse.

There was a time when such an item was considered an indulgence - a statement of extravagance for senior members of the workforce that could not be bothered to finish their cup of coffee cold or would not hop to the kitchenette and reheat their coffee in the microwave oven.

In some offices having a coffee mug warmer on your desk was cause for a frown from the supervising manager or higher up. This showed a dis-proportionate level of infatuation with delighting your palate with a snack versus dedication to your employer and focus on the work at your desk.

In fact some offices’ culture frowned on employees that displayed mementos from their college alma matter and your desk and cubicle was better off austere and sterile. A busy desk was OK just nothing fancy.

We’re not sure how office culture has progressed at some of these companies but at ours, with the laptop and desktop constantly begging for your attention and with long hours stretching well into the evenings, such creature comforts are almost basic work accessories - especially when based in colder climates.

The Mr. Coffee cup warmer is a simple gadget, with an on/off switch, an indicator light, a black matte warming plate that sits atop a heating element in a sleek black casing made from durable plastic. There is an electric cord with a decent length - and not much more. Output rating is 17 watts.

The cup warmer is able to handle bigger size mugs and possible soup bowls although we never tried it.

The unit is a constant temperature heater plate. The temperature does not adjust as your cup has less beverage in it, resulting in extra warm and in some cases extra hot bottom of cup beverage for you - if you allow it to sit for any length of time.

Our solution is a caster or thick napkin and relief from the mug warmer as you near the final third of your cup.

Beware of dropping your Mr. Coffee cup warmer, although it looks and feels very solid we think it may need replacement if subjected to such abuse.

In instances when it is really cold, the Mr Coffee warmer can double as hand mittens and keep your hands warm, just don’t hold on too tight with the plate button in the “ON” position.

We’ve heard legends around the office of people keeping the same Mr Coffee warmer for more than a decade running. Some have them tattooed with special names as a gesture of feelings for their trusty office gadget.

(may be NSFW, check with your supervisor beforehand)

Something an editor may use on his columnist.

“The difference between coffee and your opinion is I asked for coffee”

Signs Sponge Bob may be soaking up too much coffee?

You can jump start your old car in the garage without cables.

You ski uphill.

You can surf channels faster than the auto-scan button.

You're so wired, your ears pick up shortband radio including Europe-based Voice of America

You guzzle vodka just so you can sober up and it tastes like Welch’s.

You can type sixty words per minute with your middle finger.

You are faster at cleaning and assembling the trusty shotgun than Lucky Luke and Clint Eastwood put together - and without chipping a nail.