mamaof3 Senior Member Joined: 5 Jan 2009 Posts: 1 Location: pa Expertise: Just starting
Posted Mon Jan 5, 2009, 8:46pm Subject: please help me buy a standard drip maker
I have been reading reviews on amazon and other sites and all I want to know is what $75-$130 drip coffeemaker to buy. I am between the Cuisinart Brew Central, Krups 12 cup (my 10 yr old Krups just died) and a Delonghi. All from Bed Bath and Beyond but I am willing to do amazon. Any suggestions for a daily coffee drinker who hasn't made a good cup of coffee at home yet. I love Starbucks and also a good ole' diner cup of darn good coffee just the same. Black or with a bit of cream. Help. Thanks.
uphill Senior Member Joined: 2 Jan 2009 Posts: 5 Location: Southern Indiana Expertise: I live coffee
Posted Mon Jan 5, 2009, 9:15pm Subject: Re: please help me buy a standard drip maker
My Krups FME4 started leaking at 1 year old. Went to Bed Bath & Beyond and bought a Krups FMF5. The reservoir started leaking after just 3 weeks. Took it back and traded up to the Brew Central. Love it and I think it makes better coffee. Three year warranty. Good luck.
bodum_fanatic Senior Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 317 Location: Missouri Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Won't become one of those... Grinder: Braun KMM30, Krups Fast... Vac Pot: Never had much luck there. Drip: Melitta Deluxe 132 made in... Roaster: West Bend Poppery II
Posted Mon Jan 5, 2009, 9:20pm Subject: Re: please help me buy a standard drip maker
First of all, you are going to get lots of advice on other methods of brewing; french press, chemex, etc., all good advice. But, what you're looking for is a basic drip machine that will get your engine revved for you in the mornings, right? Save some money, and go without all the fancy electronic stuff. Suffer to wait that extra five to ten minutes in the morning for your coffee to brew, rather than spending twice as much for the same coffee maker just for it to brew coffee ten minutes before you wake up. Buy Cuisinart's DCC100 coffee bar machine. It's a simple, reliable coffee maker with on/off switch, and a switch for 1-4 cups and 4-10 cups. All for thirty bucks. It will do as good a job as most of the sub one hundred dollar machines out there, and it is solidly built. If you fill the water tank with hot water from the tap, it will brew very close to the ideal temperature. For the times you want to relax and enjoy a really outstanding cup of coffee, get a press.
Posted Mon Jan 5, 2009, 9:25pm Subject: Re: please help me buy a standard drip maker
I had been through 3 Cuisinart and Krups machines in 5 years and was disappointed with the lifespan and the coffee from all of them. When the last one died last June I decided to learn more about coffee in general and coffee makers in particular so I could get a machine that wouldn't disappoint me yet again. That's how I found this site.
You'll see several makes and models suggested over and over again and you can do quite well with any of them. The most common in your price range are the Capresso and Bunn machines, Technivorm and Newco/OCS are also very popular but are a bit more expensive. There are probably a number of other good units on the market so you have plenty to choose from. The 2 most important things for good coffee are the ability to get the water to the right temperature (most machines come up short, including Cuisinart and Krups) and a good thermal carafe (hot plates destroy coffee). Other variables include a good showerhead to disperse the water through the ground coffee and keeping the water in contact with the ground coffee for the right time period for proper extraction.
When I did my own research I wanted a few things, better coffee and a longer lifespan were the top of the list. Another thing that was important to me was solid construction, too many machines were all plastic and just snapped together. I had spent ~$100 each on the previous few machines so I expected to have to spend more (hopefully not much more), I ended up with this Saeco. There aren't many reviews on it and it doesn't get any mention on this site (other than from me once in a while) but it's built like a tank , except for the plasticy lid, and makes great coffee.
bodum_fanatic Senior Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 317 Location: Missouri Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Won't become one of those... Grinder: Braun KMM30, Krups Fast... Vac Pot: Never had much luck there. Drip: Melitta Deluxe 132 made in... Roaster: West Bend Poppery II
Posted Tue Jan 6, 2009, 12:40pm Subject: Re: please help me buy a standard drip maker
Dave just brought up a valid point about the longevity of coffee makers today. This is why I recommend the cheapest one that will still do a decent job. I honestly think the Krups are much more prone to early demise than the Cuisinart DCC100, but I know the higher end Cuisinarts have left many a disappointed customer as well. I have one of those Saecos out in my garage. I won't offer up any opinion on it; suffice to say that it will probably remain in the garage.
uphill Senior Member Joined: 2 Jan 2009 Posts: 5 Location: Southern Indiana Expertise: I live coffee
Posted Tue Jan 6, 2009, 8:16pm Subject: Re: please help me buy a standard drip maker
Nothing is built like it used to be. Evidently quality control is non-existent in China and Mexico. When my one year old Krups started leaking I was just going to buy a cheapo at Wal-Mart till I decided what to get. Mr. Crappie first (China), warmer plate didn't work. Next was Black & Decker (China). Good thing they don't make tools like that. Made the trip to Bed Bath & Beyond and bought another Krups(Mexico). Started leaking after three weeks. Took it back and bought a Cuisinart Brew Central. (Another one from China). So far works great and makes great coffee, but I'm not holding my breath. At least it has a three year warranty. If it doesn't last three months I'm going to give up and get a Technivorm. There also doesn't seem to be a lot of consistency between same makes and models. I think you can get two identical makers and have totally different results. Maybe they're all just a roll of the dice.
bodum_fanatic Senior Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 317 Location: Missouri Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Won't become one of those... Grinder: Braun KMM30, Krups Fast... Vac Pot: Never had much luck there. Drip: Melitta Deluxe 132 made in... Roaster: West Bend Poppery II
Posted Tue Jan 6, 2009, 9:14pm Subject: Re: please help me buy a standard drip maker
Cuisinarts are the only Chinese made coffee makers that I would recommend. The new Brauns are made in the Czech Republic, and are well made. Krups has had a lot of problems with quality in the last several years. They suddenly decided that all their machines needed bells and whistles, and they focused more on that than on quality. You can buy a fifteen year old Krups cheapo 850 watt coffee maker at a thrift store, one of their simple no frills machines, and it will probably still last longer than a new Krups. Look on ebay, and you'll find plenty of gently used older coffee makers like the Braun Aromaster and Flavor Select, the Melitta BCM-4, and numerous old Krups'. I should know, because I sell them (but, I'm not giving my ebay id, because I'm not using this forum to plug). I specialize in older Braun, Krups, and Melitta coffee makers, as well as numerous brands of vintage percolators and the ocassional USA made Proctor Silex and Norelco. I've been inside a lot of these machines, and I can tell you the simpler the better. You don't even need a pause and serve mechanism, since you should let the full pot brew before pouring anyway. Next time you're in a thrift store, and you see an old Proctor Silex, the old ones with the pull out drawer style filter basket and giant carafes, look at the bottom. They are all over 1000 watts. If you find one of these that looks lightly used, and it's only a few bucks, take it home with you and clean it up. I think you'll be somewhat surprised.
uphill Senior Member Joined: 2 Jan 2009 Posts: 5 Location: Southern Indiana Expertise: I live coffee
Posted Wed Jan 7, 2009, 9:58pm Subject: Re: please help me buy a standard drip maker
If you're like me and really spoiled to the coffee being ready as soon as your feet hit the floor in the am, find a timer. I got a digital one about 6 years ago (just be sure and read the package to make sure it will handle the wattage) and I've used it for 50 year old percolators, new percolators and $10.00 drip pots.
bodum fanatic, I'm glad to see the semi-favorable opinion on Cuisinart since I just bought one. I love the Brew Central and am hoping it will hold up. It seems to be getting more difficult all the time finding ANY appliance not made in China and they all seem to be junk.
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