A great coffee maker with a possible short life due to it being made of plastic. Hard to clean, but worth the trouble if you can stand it.
Positive Product Points
Great tasting coffee Easy to use Timer
Negative Product Points
Hard to clean Cheaply made
Detailed Commentary
I'm on my second Santos. The first one was really dirty, as well as leaking somewhere. I bought a new one, which developed an odd black stain all the way around the seam, where you would think you could clean at the bottom of the pot, but it seems to have gotten actually into the seam itself. I had cleaned the previous machine and kept it in storage, so after the second one developed the stain (a bit unsightly), I started using the first one again. Both leak from the bottom of the pot for some reason...it may actually be leaking from the rubber seal where the suction occurs, as I noticed that depending on which way you turn the top, the seal seems to make deeper contact.
The coffee maker makes great tasting coffee, closer to press coffee than drip, with a great flavor. If only it was easier to clean. I've developed a method where I use a non-scratching sponge with a butter knife to apply pressure. There are spots on the top of the pot that are very hard to get to clean, but it is possible. The timer on the base of the pot works perfectly so that we always have fresh brewed coffee in the morning. The warmer stays on only long enough so that the coffee doesn't burn. You can't turn it back on again without it going through the boiing phase.
Buying Experience
I bought my first model online for $99. and the second with a 15% off coupon at Chef's Central. Chef's Central is definitely a better price. I haven't dealt with Bodum customer service yet, but I will be inquiring about the stain in the seam of the pot, as it definitely shouldn't be there.
