Makes fine joe but more of a process than most people might want from a "drip machine."
Positive Product Points
makes some darn fine coffee
compact design
Negative Product Points
not terribly easy to use
expensive parts
small pot
Detailed Commentary
I've heard a lot about this machine and i like stovetop moka coffee. I wasn't too pleased with the results I was getting from the free thermal pot i got from Gevalia (to say nothing of their beans) and a coffeegeek had one for sale so I bought it. I was suprised at how small it was! It is an 8 or 12 cup pot, depending on which measurement you read but really I get about 4 mugs out of it. That is one complaint but it also makes the maker overall rather compact which is good as I only use it on the weekends. It will be a pain next time we have more than 2 other people over.
I do really enjoy the coffee this pot produces and I don't find it difficult to use. If I had 2 broken legs and had to tell a non-coffeegeek how to use it I imagine they'd go out to Dunkin Donuts instead. I still haven't quite nailed down how much coffee to use but it seems to be somewhere around 43 grams or so. The only complaint I have about the process you have to go through to make a pot is that it isn't convenient to pour from the carafe into the reservoir. I just learned where the water comes up to and it is easy enough to pour from my Brita pticher.
I had heard these weren't made anymore (I don't know if that's true or not) so I thought I should get a standby pot in case I drop the carafe. I bought my pot used for about $40 including shipping. Froogle found replacement carafes for about $55 as you can't just buy the glass carafe but have to get the lid and basket for the grounds as well. So I didn't get one.
I would probably get another one but this machine is not a machine for everyone.
Buying Experience
I bought mine used from a coffeegeek. I like buy used stuff from coffeegeeks.
