The Basics – What is Kava? 

I assume that most people reading my “AluBall Review" already know all about kava, so I’ll be brief.

Basically, kava, as a drink, is a mildly intoxicating beverage that is produced by grinding and straining the roots of the kava kava plant. In my experience, the effects of kava tend to feel a bit like a mix between a mild alcohol buzz and a mild marijuana buzz. It’s a sort of… euphoric, pleasant, buzzy feeling.

Because of kava’s commonly reported “reverse tolerance,” first-time kava users may not feel the full effects of kava. In fact, it may take several occasions drinking kava to feel its signature buzz.

I personally find that kava helps my own symptoms of anxiety and stress. It also makes me feel more sociable, making it a solid alternative to alcohol with regard to recreational consumption. Best of all, kava doesn’t seem to come along with the same classic tolerance and addictive potential that alcohol does. Traditionally consumed by Polynesian cultures, kava is now becoming far more popular, as Kava Bars pop up in cities across the United States.

If this is all news to you, I highly recommend you start by checking out a previous article of mine, which explains what kava is in much greater detail.

Now, onto my full AluBall Review.

AluBall Review: My Thoughts on the Kava Maker by Kavafied

Design

Something I immediately appreciated about the AluBall Kava Maker was the design.

Bright green and black with a bold font and Polynesian-inspired theme on the box just triggers feelings of authenticity. I also thought it was cool to see that, according to the box, Kavafied is a Polynesian-owned business.

Sure, it’s no half-shell coconut, but I definitely felt that the design was cool and fun enough to use as my designated shaker bottle for kava.  

Function

The AluBall Kava Maker is a lot like a protein shaker, the main difference being the shaker ball inside.

Kava powder is poured directly into the shaker ball (1-2tbsp), the bottle is filled with 1-3 cups of water, and you shake the bottle for 30 seconds to get the kavalactones mixed into the drink.

Basically, the main feature of the AluBall shaker is the shaker ball inside. I would assume that Kavafied has a patent on this shaker ball, as it does a fantastic job of straining the kava.

The shaker ball did its job for me, and after 30 seconds I was left with a kava drink comparable to something I would order at a legitimate kava bar (I used 2tbsp/kava and 3cup/water).

Kavafied also provides instructions for use to prepare cold brew coffee or tea using the AluBall Kava Maker. I didn’t try these drinks out, but I have no reason to believe they wouldn’t work the same.

Price

I bought the AluBall Kava Maker in this kava starter kit you can buy here. It includes the ball, the shaker cup, and some of Kavafied’s own kava root powder:

Ultimately, I consider this to be a great price. Buying a drink at a kava bar can often cost around $10 (give or take a bit). Buying kava powder online is typically far less, costing around $1/drink from most sources. Basically, it’s a bit like buying alcohol at a bar vs. drinking it at home; it’s more fun at the bar, but it’s much cheaper doing it from home.

Given a typical cost of $10/drink at a kava bar, this means that the AluBall Kava Maker can pretty much pay for itself after a few drinks. If you plan on drinking kava even semi-regularly, this easily makes the AluBall a smart investment.

Alternatives

The AluBall Kava Maker by Kavafied seems to be the first and only designated Kava shaker bottle on the market right now. I’m basing this on a quick Internet search, but I really didn’t find any direct competitors for this product. I assume their AluBall shaker ball is a patented design.

Despite a lack of competitor products, Kavafied does offer some other shakers, such as the AluBall Pro Kava Maker. Given the term “Pro,” this product appears to be intended as an upgrade from the regular AluBall Kava Maker. While I haven’t tried the Pro version, the main difference appears to be the included “half-shell bowl” that you can pour and drink the kava out of.

I do like the idea of including a half-shell to drink out of for that traditional, authentic feel. However, I love the cool green design of the regular AluBall Kava maker that I bought, and plan to stick to the regular version for now.

The Verdict

The AluBall Kava Maker is a very simple, yet cool and creative spin on drinking kava. It makes the experience of drinking kava from home, or on-the-go, significantly more convenient.

If you’re hoping to try kava for the first time, I think a kava bar is the way to go. However, if you already know that you enjoy kava and are looking for a convenient method to drink kava from home on a regular basis (while saving a ton of money), the AluBall Kava Maker is an easy recommendation from me.

Should you decide to buy an AluBall Kava Maker of your own, I highly recommend this AluBall Kava Maker Starter Kit, which includes some kava root powder so you can waste no time getting to the kava-drinking.