Robust, full bodied brew from this little science project of an appliance.
Positive Product Points
Really good coffee without the sediment from a French Press.
Negative Product Points
Finding the right filter is tough--I'll probably end up cutting my own. Can take a few tries to get the right grind/amount of coffee.
Detailed Commentary
I doubt I would have looked at this machine if not for the Quick-Shot review; but after reading that review I tracked it down. Following the guidance in that review and some of the earlier user reviews here my first pot turned out pretty well. I was able to reduce the amount of coffee a little with each pot and now I've got a good idea of what I like; initially I was using too much. It definitely makes a robust cup of coffee which I prefer---I brew coffee a lot more than I used to (though I'm making a little less espresso). It cleans up pretty easily and I already have a thermal carafe to keep the coffee hot so the lack of a thermal pot doesn't bother me. I also don't miss a clock/timer as I never used them--I kinda like the simplicity of the single switch. Best feature they could add would be auto-power off.
All in all it's a little bit more demanding than a drip maker, but the coffee is worth it. It has the richness of French press coffee without all of the grounds, yet has body. One of my favorite coffees is Sulawesi and it brews beautifully in this machine. I'm not sure how well lighter-bodied coffees would respond to pressure brewing, but for my taste it makes an ideal cup. Full bodied with a velvety finish. I find that the grind needs to be quite fine: much closer to an espresso grind than a drip, so it'll help if you already have a decent grinder.
I've got a habit of breaking carafes (and, more recently, a French press) and given the limited availability of the Moka Brew I ordered one while they're available. I saw them for as much as $40, but got it for under $20 at smallappliance.com (they're $24 now). The flat filters are much tougher to find as the krups version is ridiculously expensive wherever I've seen them, so I'm hoping to track down a place that carries Melita filters in the right size.
Buying Experience
Excellent--received it in 3 days with free shipping from cooking.com. Emailed order confirmation at time order was placed and notified when shipped. Tracking was accessible though their site.
