Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)INITIAL REVIEW:
First: I give this four stars as the fifth will be earned if it holds up for awhile (will follow up this post when it's time)- so many items these days seem to crap out after only a few months (my water heater's still kicking and it's 43 years old!).
Second: We were beholden to Krups and replaced our old manual (no timer) unit w/ a Krups FMF5-14. Had it four months and the first time it was subjected to a spill, it fried the electronics (placed at the base of the unit). Replaced with Mr. Coffee BVMC-PSTX91 a month ago and we've been impressed.
Third: Pros-Coffee comes out at approx. 185 degrees, brews very fast, carafe is well insulated and simple to use, electronics placed on top, simple programming features, self-cleaning program, cord storage & good looks for stainless folks. Cons (not many)-the carafe needs to be cleaned with a bottle brush due to small opening (no biggie), the water reservoir lid is a little sticky sometimes, the coffee receptacle needs a little extra rogering due to the extra filter lid (which can be removed if you want) and if you don't use filtered water to start with, you'll need to replace filters into said lid periodically. Pretty minor stuff.
Fourth: I am confident that this will be a five star general and look forward to following up this post.
PS: who knew that buying a decent coffee maker could be such a chore! This is my first item review, ever - felt it was time to pay back all those who've I've benefitted from all these years. Enjoy!
UPDATE: It's been two months and to our disappointment, this product has not performed at a five-star level due to two problems: the carafe leaks internally and then when pouring, 'fermented' coffee comes out via the seam between the black plastic collar and lower stainless portion. We initially thought we were pouring too fast, but close inspection revealed the problem. The carafe was never put in the dishwasher and had normal, daily use for two months. Second, the water reservoir has a small plastic tab on top of it that holds it in the machine. When carefully closing the sometimes-sticky lid (previously mentioned), it came down too fast for this tab and snapped it off. The water reservoir still works, but we propped it against the wall to ensure it didn't fall off the machine.
When informed of these issues, Mr. Coffee offered to send a brand new unit out at no cost, but they were out of stock. They sent instead a holdover machine that's ours to keep and instructed us to call them again in 3 weeks to see if the unit's back in stock. Why they are unable to simply automatically send one when it becomes available is unknown, but they are attempting to make it right, which is welcome. I can only hope the new machine is free of these problems, if and when it arrives. For now, no five-star review from this consumer. What a shame.
UPDATE:
Well, Mr. Coffee eventually sent me a replacement unit (after I waited 5 weeks and had to call them to get it sent). This replacement lasted about four days and then would use 1/2 the water in the reservoir for coffee, dumping the remaining 1/2 all over the counter. I gave up. What a disappointment. I took Mr. Coffee out of the loop and was able to return the unit to a local retailer for store credit. Lastly, I have to agree with others who have said the coffee is watery. It's like that because of the maker's advertised brewing speed. Coffee can't steep properly, even when using 3 filters. We've resurrected an old, trusty Krups and the search continues.
UPDATE: After some time, I went ahead with the Cuisinart DCC-1150BK and have been pretty happy with it. Some say that it dribbles when pouring but I've found that this occurs only when you attempt to pour faster than what the spout can handle, which is admittedly not super fast - coffee then comes out the center spot where it enters from the machine. Doesn't brew as fast as the Mr. Coffee, but it does taste better - more than a fair trade-off. Coffee is easily hot enough for us. Came w/ a gold metal filter so we're saving on paper filters. No separate water reservoir (another plus). Simple electronics mounted above the action so any spillage is no factor. Only down side to date is the machine's bottom plate seems to be losing some paint after only two months - one would think that manufacturers would have access to moisture/heat resistant paint. All-in-all the DCC-1150BK has been much kinder to us than the Mr. Coffee was.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Mr. Coffee BVMC-PSTX91 Optimal Brew 10-Cup Thermal Coffeemaker
With its sleek modern design and stainless accents, this 10-cup thermal coffeemaker not only looks great on the kitchen counter, but it also brews hotter and faster (10 cups in less than eight minutes) than the average coffeemaker, ensuring thorough extraction and full-bodied flavor. Its 10-cup stainless-steel vacuum-insulated carafe keeps the last cup as hot and fresh-tasting as the first for hours, plus it provides a comfortable-grip stay-cool handle and a drip-free spout for graceful serving. Even more, the small appliance offers 24-hour programmability, which makes it possible to wake up to the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee or to have a pot ready and waiting to serve with dessert--no need to get up from the table half way through dinner. For those less-than-leisurely mornings or for those just a little less patient when it comes to enjoying that first sip, the coffeemaker's brew-pause function suspends the brewing cycle to allow for pouring a quick cup midbrew. Other highlights include audible ready signals, a removable water reservoir, water filtration that removes 97-percent of chlorine from the water for better-tasting coffee, a special cleaning cycle, and cord storage to keep counters looking tidy. The coffeemaker measures approximately 22-2/7 by 13-1/5 by 17 inches and carries a one-year limited warranty.
Click here for more information about Mr. Coffee BVMC-PSTX91 Optimal Brew 10-Cup Thermal Coffeemaker
