No barista, I. Just want great coffee and great value in the machine. Got it.
Positive Product Points
Makes a great cup of coffee for a drip system. Water temps always in the 190's to 200.
Negative Product Points
Carafe lid is a bit of a pain if you have arthritic joints. Paper filters are basically useless. Really needs the gold filter basket.
Detailed Commentary
As an inexpert coffee maker, I wanted a home brewing machine that was easy to use yet still made a very good cup. Additionally, I didn't want to have a second mortgage just to buy the equipment. I think the Zojirushi fills the bill very nicely.
The water temps are very good and the carafe insulation is outstanding. My kitchen is quite spacious and I'm full grown so the height of the machine is no problem. My wife is rather short and the Zojirushi's height discourages her from using my coffee maker - another plus since she often confuses her decaf Mr. Coffee effluent with product suitable for human consumption.
The carafe top is a small bit of trouble when the joints ache but the warmth of the mug takes care of that. For those fellow reviewers who had troubles with the carafe, my suggestion is to stop using a pipe wrench when you screw the top on. Finger tight is sufficient for a good seal and affords easy enough access even when the carafe pressure is up.
Cleanup is not bad but the carafe neck is too small for adult hands. Rather than exploiting child labor, I found that an ordinary bottle brush worked quite well. By the way, don't bother with paper filters. The gold basket works beautifully.
