Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)We drink a lot of coffee in our home, actually at least three, sometimes more pots per day.We give a coffee maker, any coffee maker quite a work out.We also have water which has a very, very high mineral content.This causes problems with not only coffee makers, but water heaters and any other appliance that uses hot water.Now all that being said....
The coffee maker being reviewed here, the Mr. Coffee VB13 12-Cup Coffeemaker is what we refer to as our disposable maker.We go through one of these makers in about three or four months.There are two problems...the first being the hard water we use and the second being that this particular maker seems to have a very weak and fragile heating element.Between the convergence of these two factors they just do not last very long in our house.Of course neither do the more expensive makers; the more sophisticated ones...alas, their life is short.We clean this one with vinegar on a more than regular basis, keep it clean and do all the things we are suppose to do but to no avail.They eventually and inevitably either clog up or the heating element simply goes croakers.
This maker does have advantages though, the first being that it is extremely cheap.We pay no more than seventeen dollars at a local store for them.When you think about it, that is what about four cups of fancy coffee will cost you at a AstroBucks Coffee Shoppe.They, at first (the first couple of months) make a very nice cup of coffee and they make it extremely fast.They are simple; no whistle, bells, flashing lights, mini-screens telling you the date, time, year, phases of the moon, legal and illegal holidays, weather reports, your mother-in-laws birthday, and other useless information, and blessedly no timers that you are clueless as to how to use and set.No, just your basic on and off switch is all you have to contend with.It also has a feature that allows you to remove the container while a batch is brewing, pour your coffee, and replace it before it continues spewing out coffee. You can also make a fresh batch with little or no hassle and clean-up is almost nil.It should also be noted they these machines have nifty little water windows to prevent spillage, but as I slosh the stuff all over the place anyway, both water and coffee; making horrible messes, this is a moot point in my case. They will serve the average person of care quite well.
This is just what I need but alas, the quality is just not there.I suppose at this price you really should not expect all that much longevity but this aspect of this coffee maker forces me to give it only three stars.I suppose others might rate this higher due to its advantages, and others might rate it much lower due to its obvious lack of longevity and just as obvious poor workmanship, but I am going to split the difference here.I am not too fond of the star rating thing here anyway as it is way too subjective to meet my taste.
If you buy it, buy it for what it is...a cheap, simple coffee maker that you will probably not be able to pass down as a family heirloom.
Note:One of my many hobbies is collecting odd bits of metal, copper wire and such and selling it at the local salvage yard.As near as I can figure, between the copper wire in these things and the bits of metal, you can scrap one and receive about .75 cents, depending upon market fluctuations, and the glass container with its plastic handle is good for .25 cents at any garage sale...I have sold many of them.
Don Blankenship
The Ozarks
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Mr. Coffee VB13 12-Cup Switch Coffeemaker, BlackProduct Description: This coffee maker makes it easy to brew 12 cups of fresh, delicious coffee. The Brewing Pause 'n Serve feature lets you pour and enjoy that first cup of coffee while the coffee maker is still brewing. Its contemporary black styling looks great in any decor.
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