Easy to use
Quick to brew
Array of tastes
Great concept

Equipment is shoddy
Customer service workers bottom rung
Cleaning it is time-consuming and involves a LOT of vinegar
Customer on the hook for postage after the thing stops working

We bought this coffeemaker in April 2009 when one of those sample ladies in Sam's Club approached us. Got a great deal on it, and they threw in 100 K-cups. It's just two of us -- my husband and I -- and we used to waste a lot of coffee, between it just getting old sitting in the pot or just being on the run. I also felt duty-bound to finish off each pot, which made me drink more coffee in a time period than I would like, and leading to my reheating cold coffee.

We took it home and fired it up. It was loud. VERY loud. Like a jet engine. But the coffee was superb! After a month or so, the sound got louder. I called customer support, and the lady told me to put a mousepad beneath it. Um...ok. It muffled it some. The coffee was still excellent.

A few months later, despite my monthly descaling -- which involves jug after jug of vinegar, which has to sit in the receptacle for a minimum of 4 hours -- it simply stopped pulling water up. I called CS again. The lady had me squinting my senior citizen eyes to find the eye of a needle inside the machine and then wanted me to find a paperclip and stick it in there. I eventually convinced her that I did not have a paperclip or the patience for this procedure. They sent me a second one, free of charge, with two boxes of K-cups.

I had to buy a shipping box and postage to send back the sleeve, which is their proof of purchase. Ok. I did that. Got the replacement 11 days later; coffee 2 weeks later.

Second machine was not noisy; CS told me it had been redesigned. But 2 months later, it stopped again. I called, this time not so patient sounding. After a series of questions which led me to believe that the average caller is an idiot, the lady told me I was not leaving the vinegar in long enough. Six hours would have been better. She said that the fact that I live in northern Maine is likely the reason that I am having problems, as well water doesn't work well with the machine. I  told her three times I don't HAVE well water, that we're on city water. I probably called her a name, as I had not had my coffee. She sent me a new one.

That was April. Last week, it stopped again. I asked CS if I could send them more money and get a higher-end model, since I love the concept and love the coffee. Perhaps the shoddiness is price-based. I was informed that they don't allow upgrades. WHAT?

I escalated the call and got a supervisor. She told me that they could make an exception, but that they are out of stock, so I would have to wait a few months -- without a machine -- for their Select ($159.95) or their Platinum ($169.95) models. She made no mention of the Breville ($249.95), so I dropped the subject. This time, they want me to send the entire machine back as proof of purchase.

I asked how to empty the water out of the reservoir. Was told it is not possible to empty. Send with water inside the machine. In a special package they will be sending. WHAT?

Buying was easy. Will find another buying experience as I am now looking for another one-cup maker which is sturdier. We make MAYBE 6 cups a day and should be able to find something that can stand up to that.