I went with 3 stars because of price and design. It is better than 3, but I can't bring myself to call it 4. 3.5 is very fair. The coffee that this machine brews is far superior to any machine I have owned. It easily rivals coffee house machines. However, the carafe was poorly designed and the price tag is way too steep. I won't return it, but I retain the right gripe a bit.PROS:
- Coffee taste is INCREDIBLE! Unmatched by any home machine I know of.
- Coffee is brewed hot. That is a fact. Do not let bad reviews about temp scare you. This machine brews hot.
- Coffee remains hot. Again, don't be scared. I don't pre-heat the carafe. The hot water heats it fast and since steel is a conductor, the carafe warms quickly. FWIW, I dumped a couple cups this morning after they sat all night. I kid you not when I say if you take it black, the temperature was still passable.
- It extracts max flavor from the grinds, therefore less coffee is required.
- The keypad is easy to use and understand. The cord compartment is very handy.
CONS:
- One hundred and sixty bucks is too much money. First off, the whole machine is not stainless steel. There is a lot plastic and fake steel. The brew technology is good, but there is no way on earth this machine is worth more than 2x a Braun 180. The coffee is a bit better, but you really have to be a fanatic to taste it.
- The carafe is TERRIBLY designed in the way it receives the brew. YES, YOU WILL HAVE COFFEE POUR ALL OVER YOUR KITCHEN IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL! The entry hole is too small. You can set the carafe in place and it will still overflow. It needs to be set PERFECTLY. The lips should be bigger by about 1/4" to prevent spillage. In fact, I feel this lid should be recalled. It is that bad. Exercise caution and you will be fine, but always be aware. Sometimes the ball sticks so even if it is lined up perfectly, it will still overflow. Make sure the green ball is moving before putting the lid on the pot. Use the tip of a knife to jar it loose if it is stuck.
- The lack of a removable water resovoir is inexcusable at this level. The machine is a little on the heavy side and doesn't slide easily, plus you hide the cord. A removable water resovoir would have been great.
- The carafe does pour slow. Make sure the dot is over the spout for best performance. Turning it past the spout only slows it further, it doesn't make the opening bigger! If it gets annoying, remove the lid, pour normal, then replace the lid.
This review may sound negative, but it isn't. Again, the coffee quality is unmatched. However, you do need to put up with mind-bogglingly dumb engineering and tiny quirks. But, like that lawnmower that only you know how to start, this is a machine you'll grow to love as you figure out how to control it.
- Coffee taste is INCREDIBLE! Unmatched by any home machine I know of.
- Coffee is brewed hot. That is a fact. Do not let bad reviews about temp scare you. This machine brews hot.
- Coffee remains hot. Again, don't be scared. I don't pre-heat the carafe. The hot water heats it fast and since steel is a conductor, the carafe warms quickly. FWIW, I dumped a couple cups this morning after they sat all night. I kid you not when I say if you take it black, the temperature was still passable.
- It extracts max flavor from the grinds, therefore less coffee is required.
- The keypad is easy to use and understand. The cord compartment is very handy.
CONS:
- One hundred and sixty bucks is too much money. First off, the whole machine is not stainless steel. There is a lot plastic and fake steel. The brew technology is good, but there is no way on earth this machine is worth more than 2x a Braun 180. The coffee is a bit better, but you really have to be a fanatic to taste it.
- The carafe is TERRIBLY designed in the way it receives the brew. YES, YOU WILL HAVE COFFEE POUR ALL OVER YOUR KITCHEN IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL! The entry hole is too small. You can set the carafe in place and it will still overflow. It needs to be set PERFECTLY. The lips should be bigger by about 1/4" to prevent spillage. In fact, I feel this lid should be recalled. It is that bad. Exercise caution and you will be fine, but always be aware. Sometimes the ball sticks so even if it is lined up perfectly, it will still overflow. Make sure the green ball is moving before putting the lid on the pot. Use the tip of a knife to jar it loose if it is stuck.
- The lack of a removable water resovoir is inexcusable at this level. The machine is a little on the heavy side and doesn't slide easily, plus you hide the cord. A removable water resovoir would have been great.
- The carafe does pour slow. Make sure the dot is over the spout for best performance. Turning it past the spout only slows it further, it doesn't make the opening bigger! If it gets annoying, remove the lid, pour normal, then replace the lid.
This review may sound negative, but it isn't. Again, the coffee quality is unmatched. However, you do need to put up with mind-bogglingly dumb engineering and tiny quirks. But, like that lawnmower that only you know how to start, this is a machine you'll grow to love as you figure out how to control it.
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