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I received a Visa gift card over the holidays and decided that I would use it for some type of new coffee maker. Both my Senseo, purchased in June 2004, and my Mr. Coffee, purchased in October 2005, are still functioning, but both Julie and I have some further features we would like. I must confess that over the past year we have rarely used the Senseo. I used to purchase individually wrapped pods through the mail so that I could enjoy fresh coffee with the Senseo. I can be a bit of a coffee snob and the Senseo sold packets always taste somewhat stale to me. We have also been toying with the idea of trying a carafe coffee maker because it is just the best way to keep coffee fresh tasting for several hours. I decided to read the reviews for both Keurig single serve coffee makers and all the carafe coffee makers available. What I learned is, Keurig makes a shoddy product and the reviews for carafe coffee makers are not at all helpful.
I had been considering the Keurig as a replacement for my Senseo because I had heard it was easy to brew single cups with your own coffee. This is not easy to do with the Senseo and I gave up trying, instead opting for my French Press or Aerobie AeroPress. What I found out from reading the reviews was that this can be a mess with the Keurig and grounds ended up in your coffee or the Keurig clogged. From experience I know the Keurig coffee is mostly very weak. I was still considering it, until almost universally every model has been flagged to only last a year or two, in some cases much less. My Senseo is nearly six years old and still works! I think I will skip the Keurig and perhaps instead take some time to order some individually wrapped pods again.
If you want to be utterly confused on a purchase, try and find a carafe style coffee maker that does not have a large percentage of poor reviews. Every single model has reviews claiming the coffee is luke warm, that the coffee makers overflow on a regular basis even if the instructions are followed exactly and the product is cheaply made. I was terrified to order a carafe coffee maker from Amazon; instead I decided to buy one of the poorly reviewed models that are sold at Best Buy. I was assured I could bring the coffee maker back if I do not like it and after all I was only spending about $18 on it after using my Visa gift card. I decided on another Mr. Coffee, only because our last model still works after nearly five years of daily use. I will post a link only after testing it out and assuring it works and makes hot coffee.
I suspect the luke warm issue is that people are using filtered water from their refrigerator or somehow refrigerated water rather than tap water. Also, I recall from my previous use of a carafe it is beneficial to first fill the carafe with hot water before making your coffee. I am also pretty sure a lot of the reviewers are used to boiled overly hot water, which is not the best temperature for coffee. I would love to hear from anyone that has a carafe style coffee maker they are happy with; I had wanted to buy the Zojirushi carafe style coffee maker but could not find it in stores. There was absolutely no way I was ordering one from Amazon or one of their retailers and risk not being able to return it easily. I also will store my existing coffee maker as a precaution rather than giving it away. If I am unhappy with my new Mr. Coffee, I instead will just buy a carafe to pour our coffee into. We really want the carafe but not luke warm coffee or an overflowing mess.
In recent years I have found the reviews on Amazon to be less than helpful. Many times the reviewer mentions being happy with another product but does not mention a model number. When looking for the other product I end up finding the exact same complaints. If you are going to give a poor review, it would be helpful for all of us if you would tell us what product you are happy with. If you are not happy with any, then let us know that in the review. I just find with most one star reviews you have to consider the idiot factor. Many times the idiot is whimsical in their review so they come across as intelligent, but it is all a ruse.
Comments:
I've been using a Bunn coffee maker for years now and mostly been happy with it. In the morning I'll make a pot of coffee with it to take to work in thermal cups but in the afternoon I've started using just instant coffee. I don't like the instant coffee as much but its so easy and cheap. What brand of coffee to do use? I like the Starbucks and 5'oclock coffees.
Commented by
Scott Wood @ Tuesday January 12 2010
I know you've asked sometimes before but my Zojirushi EC-BD15 is still working a year later.
I can understand the negative reviews it gets for "lukewarm" coffee. All I can say about that is that it's hot enough for me. I agree that using refrigerated water would probably lower the temp even more.
My cons about this model would be that it's only 10 cup, not 12. The reviews that say the lid can stick if you close it too tight are correct. It's not an issue for me but would be for someone with arthritis. The unit is taller than a normal coffee maker. I can't add water when it's under the cabinets, I have to pull it out to open the water resevoir lid all the way. It's also pricey.
Bottom line is I think there's probably a better coffee maker with carafe out there (and better value) and I'd like to see if you come up with it. I probably wouldn't buy this exact coffee maker again, but only because I like trying out new and different styles and manufacturers but I can't see going with anything but a carafe.
Commented by
chuck @ Tuesday January 12 2010
I wanted to buy the Zojirushi EC-BD15 chuck. My concern was if I did have problems was returning it. I was not super concerned with the luke warm reviews, because every carafe coffee maker on Amazon has the same complaint. I would bet my life every one of those reviews is using refrigerated water of some type.
My real concern was that all the carafe coffee makers had complaints of clogging and overflowing. That was when I decided I had to buy it from a brick and mortar. The model I bought had the same complaint and I ran just water through it this evening as instructed to clean the coffee maker. I have no idea how this thing could clog, people literally have to not have the carafe under the coffee maker. The mechanisms on this new coffee maker are identical to my current coffee maker and in five years we have had overflows twice, both times were when the basket was not placed properly in the coffee maker. It was our dumb mistake and it never happened again.
I kind of wonder if the poor reviews are not a combination of idiot users or a lemon coffee maker. I started thinking of the reviews and literally thousands of each of these carafe coffee makers are sold. The folks most likely to review are those who are pissed off, so you miss all the good reviews. Had I seen the Zojirushi EC-BD15 at a brick and mortar I would have bought it, based off your reviews. I agree that the carafe is the way to go, I just hope it works well for us.
Swood,
I either get my coffee beans from a local coffee house or we buy premium coffee from the grocery store. We drink a lot of Dunkin Donuts Premium blend to be honest with you. Their coffee is high quality and our local grocers all sells it.
Commented by
Scott @ Tuesday January 12 2010
I have been a Krups fan for years, having used an Il Caffe Duomo for most of the past decade. Right now I only see an expensive carafe model from them, the KT4065. I haven't had much of need to shop for a coffee maker, so I really don't know what differentiates the brewing system on the ones with the thermal carafes. Looks like starting water temp and warming up the carafe are essential.
I see at least one Zojirushi on Target.com that you could return to a brick-and-mortar Target without penalty.
I'm still a *$$ fan even though I recently switched to decaf.
Commented by
aharden @ Tuesday January 12 2010
I had a Krups prior to the Mr. Coffee I purchased 5 years ago. It was a carafe and brewed coffee fine, but it was an all in one coffee machine that ground beans and brewed. The switch broke on the top of the machine shortly after purchasing and I had to sit a heavy object on top to override the grinder safety feature. Later the grinder broke and I was left with just a coffee machine. I said this before, my mistake was buying an all in one, I would never recommend this. The grinders always break. I did not look seriously at Krups this go around, I would buy Krups again, just not an all in one brewer.
That is good to know the Zojirushi is on Target.com, if this one does not work out I will likely give it a shot.
By the way Chuck, I did have to settle for a 10 cup brewer. There are very few 12 cup carafe brewers.
For the record, my first pot of coffee came out perfectly this morning. Perfect temperature, it was HOT.
Commented by
Scott @ Wednesday January 13 2010
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