Review of Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Thermal Coffeemaker - Black (45237H)

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was given this as a gift. I found reviews for it (either the model in all black or brushed aluminum) favorable.Some people rated it negatively because they failed to read any directions and didn't press the "PRESS TO POUR" button on the carafe. Instead they unscrewed the top off and said it spilled when pouring. RTFM You always have to look to see if bad reveiws are due to the user's mistakes and lack of knowledge of the reviewer. They often are.

The two most negative things is...

1. When making a full pot I almost always get a lot of grinds. The problem is that the filter cup fills too quickly and the water level goes over the height of the paper filter. I've tried to find a taller filter, but they seem to all be the same size.Usually I either do a single mug (three 6 oz. cup servings) or the full carafe(10 servings). I can't recall if I've tried 6 or 8 servings to see if grinds are an issue there.

2. the plastic travel mugs retain water between the stainless steel outer shell and the inner plastic shell. UNtil I realized what the issue was, they would dribble (dish/cleaning water not coffee) when I drank from them. I find water gets in between especially after a run in the dishwasher.To get the water out, hold them by the bottom.With them facing upside down wave the mug back and forth (like a pendulum).Do it very quickly and the water will shake out. Once I found the problem, the constant dribble from a clean cup stopped.They keep the coffee reasonably warm for a while. Especially if you run hot water in the mugs before you use them-so they don't leech heat from the coffee to equalize.

3. the Hour/Minute buttons might be too easy hit and change the clock time. They should have a set button. I haven't done it, but that's the only negative.

For singles or a lone couple this is great.

I like the double spout so I can brew one mug, two mugs or a whole pot.
No need to dirty the carafe when I'm making small amounts which is 95% of the time.
The Timed brew is easy to set and works well.
I use unbleached paper cup filters. (this uses a bucket, not the cone shaped filters.)
The coffee bucket lifts out on a loop handle and is easy to dispose of grinds.
The instructions it gave on measures of coffee were good. When I used the instruction on the brand of ground coffee, the coffee tasted terrible. The coffee company said to use almost twice as much ground coffee than Hamilton Beach says.
I've already experimented with Torino's sugar free vanilla syrup, and some ground cinnamon in the coffee bucket add a great cinnamon spice without the sharp taste of the grains of cinnamon floating on top of the coffee.

I've had the coffee maker about two years now. Despite being mostly plastic, I've had no breakdowns.Nothing has fallen off or cracked.

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Product Description:

3 ways to brew
10 cup insulated themal stainless steel carafe
2 stainless steel thermal travel mugs
Programmable clock/timer
Automatic shutoff
Small batch mode optimizes coffee flavor when brewing 1-4 cups or into mugs
Drip tray
Brews iced coffee

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Review of Black & Decker DCM7 Cup-at-a-Time Personal 12-Ounce Coffeemaker, White

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought one of these for my mother for Christmas. Years ago I had gotten her a Black&Decker cup-at-a-time coffeemaker and it finally gave up last year. The only cup-at-a-time coffeemaker at a reasonable price I could find locally was by Toastess. The Toastess paled in comparison to the Black&Decker, not only in build quality but in ease of use. My mother suffers from a neurological disorder which makes it difficult to coordinate the use of her hands; she is okay with general tasks, but nothing which requires fine manipulation. This Black&Decker coffeemaker, like the model before, is easy to use. The power switch is on the front and a little larger than several coffeemakers switches; you just have to push down on it. There is nothing to move out of the way when filling the reservoir; just lift the lid. The reservoir is also a little wider than the Toastess making it easier to fill. Of course, one of the safety features, which the Toastess model also lacks, is the automatic shut-off. When it is finished making a cup of coffee, and it is fast, it just shuts off, which is great for someone who keeps forgetting to turn off their coffeemaker. The only issue I can see that someone may have, and niggling at that, is that this unit cannot hold tall coffee mugs. All of my mother's coffee mugs fit, which is a lesser concern for me, however, than its ease of use and safety, at which this Black&Decker excels.--Bob

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Product Description:
Great for at home, in a dorm, or at the office, this compact cup-at-a-time coffeemaker brews fresh, hot coffee directly into any 5- to 12-ounce mug. To use, simply pour a mug full of cold tap water into the water reservoir, insert the permanent filter into the filter basket, add a measured amount of coffee grounds, place the mug or cup on the mug/cup rest, and push "start". An "on" indicator light will illuminate until brewing has completed. Enjoy a hot cup of coffee quickly and easily any time of day. The handy appliance can also be used to make hot water for tea, hot chocolate, or instant foods like oatmeal or soup. In addition to its simple, straightforward design, the appliance provides automatic shut-off for safety and peace of mind. The filter basket and permanent filter clean up easily by hand or in the dishwasher, and the base of the unit wipes clean with a damp cloth. The 800-watt coffeemaker measures approximately 6-1/5 by 7 by 9-1/5 inches and carries a one-year limited warranty.

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Review of Frieling USA Cilio Porcelain Filter Holder

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(More customer reviews)***Final Update***I sent it back because the cracks spread around the bottom inside of the cone.Hoping I had received a rare lemon, I replaced it with the same model.The second one I received had a ridge of un-glazed ceramic running halfway around the upper rim; this ridge was rough and sharp enough to cut fingers.I've concluded that quality control is poor for this item and I've changed brands to the less expensive model available on this site.

Also note that nowhere on the packaging or the item is the place of manufacturing stated.***UPDATE***I've taken off a star because tiny cracks in the glazing are already starting to form inside the cone in one bottom corner.I have treated this like a baby the ONE WEEK that I've had it.If it gets any worse, I'll ship it back!Being able to control the temperature and the flow of the water makes a MUCH better pot of coffee than any of the electric drippers.

This cone has one hole.Mine sits securely on top of a 4 cup Mr.Coffee carafe or a large coffee mug.Very stable.The Melitta #4 filters fit perfectly. Flow is just right with store bought and home-ground coffee.

My only misgiving is the linguine-thin handle.The ceramic is otherwise as solid as a coffee mug, and the handle should be thick too.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Frieling USA Cilio Porcelain Filter Holder

Product Description:
Cilio is a fine German brand headquartered in the famous steel town of Solingen and is well know for its high quality products.Cilio's motto is "lifestyle at home".For great coffee the traditional way, place a #4 paper or mesh coffee filter inside this porcelain holder and brew directly into a coffee pot or insulated server.

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Review of Melitta U S A Inc 640007 Perfect Brew Filter Cone

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(More customer reviews)I like this product. It is inexpensive, has filters that can be found anywhere, and provides real coffee taste in instant coffee quantities and time. This is great for me, because I do not drink more than 1 cup at a time, and making any more would just waste coffee time and money.

This cone allows you to come up with your own perfect brewing recipe without wasting pounds and pounds of coffee. The way the beans are roasted, the quality of those beans, the amount of coffee grounds you use and how they're ground, the temperature of the water: all of these have a bearing on the taste of your coffee.

First, the water:
The industry standard for the ideal cup of coffee begins with a water temperature of 195-205 degrees. This is not quite boiling, which is why the "Monsieur Brew" brands make such bad coffee. Brewing with water at the boiling point over-extracts the beans, making for an overly bitter-tasting result.
Use a food thermometer to find this temperature range and use it with 2 tablespoons of coffee per 8 ounce cup of output as a starting point. Then vary the amount of grounds and water temperature as you see fit.

Now for the grind and blend of your coffee beans:
Melitta recommends that you get a coffee ground a little finer than the standard drip grind. You can easily get this done in one of the better supermarkets that has a coffee grinder for specialty coffees.

As for the blend, I'm not going to recommend brands, but the hallmark of inferior blends of coffee is that they start tasting sharp and nasty as they cool down. If this still happens with your Melitta filter after you've used the right amount of coffee and the right temperature of water, then you can blame it on your daily grind. With this filter you will quickly find which brands are good and which are bad in a matter of cups, not pots.

After this, keeping a couple of brief notes on what you do and how much stuff you use per cup will lead you to the best recipe for your kind of coffee in a relatively short period of time.

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Product Description:
Fresh brewed coffee 1 cup at a time. 1 cup filter cone. Place the filter cone on a coffee cup. Insert a No. 2 Melitta cone filter. Scoop in your favorite coffee to taste. Add hot water, then indulge in a cup of fresh brewed coffee. Includes a starter pack

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Review of Melitta Ready Set Joe Mug & Cone Coffee Maker - Red - 64074

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(More customer reviews)This is an ingenious concept---a miniature manual drip "coffeemaker" for one cup.I saw this in my local grocery store for $6, and I thought, "Why not give it a try?"I'm really glad I did. It makes a great single cup of coffee, so it's convenient to take to work or to keep on hand if you just want one cup of coffee. Also, it's so small that it's easy to store it. Some tips to keep in mind as you make a cup of coffee:

1) A course grind doesn't work as well with this. If you use a course grind, your coffee will be weak.I have a burr grinder and use a medium/fine grind. It's perfect.

2) The perfect tempature for coffee is somewhere around 206 degrees. I don't bother with a thermometer, but I just bring about 1 1/2 cups of water to boil in the microwave (using a Pyrex cup). I let it boil, and then just let it rest for about 30 seconds or so.

3) Pour enough water in to cover the grinds. You'll see it foam up at the top (if your coffee is fresh).Let that water flow through. This initial "soaking" of the grinds is important to extracting the flavor.

4) Finally, just pour the remaining water through (or however much you need to fill your coffee cup). The slower you pour, the stronger the coffee.

It sounds complicated, but believe me, it was really quick--quicker than making a cup of coffee in an automatic drip coffeemaker.

It's rare to find something that is cheap and works great, but this is just such a product.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Melitta Ready Set Joe Mug and Cone Coffee Maker - Red - 64074

Product Description:
Ready Set Joe One-Cup Coffeemaker from Melitta provides a singular solution for single sippers of morning brew. Simply put coffee in thefilter, place in filtercone, pour hot water through the grinds into the cup to fulfill your morning wake-me-up.

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Review of Grindmaster OPOD PrecisionBrewTM Single Cup Coffee / Tea Brewing System - with 10 FREE Pods

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(More customer reviews)I bought this to replace my Bunn pod brewer.I liked the Bunn, but after going through three in two years, I figured it was time to try another brand. The Grindmaster is somewhat of a commercial-grade product and hopefully it will last longer.

Grindmaster pros include:

- Quickly brews good-tasting and very hot coffee (adjustable)
- Works with every brand of pods we've tried
- Has a large water tank, and can be plumbed for automatic fillup
- Reasonably good looking, although a bit larger than others
- Lets you program the unit to exactly fill your favorite cup

On the negative side, about the only thing I've noticed is that the unit is a bit loud when running, and there's no way to turn off the (relatively bright) blue water level indicator lamp on the front of the unit.

I'd rate the overall quality as somewhat above the Bunn and other brands, but it's not necessarily in a completely different league.

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Product Description:
PrecisionBrewTM - Innovative precision pod brewing and infusion technology provides the ideal cup every time. Open-Pod System accepts a variety of pod brands and sizes. BrewControlTM - Adjustable brew strength control allows users to fine tune their flavor preferences. Smartstop Automatic Water Shutoff-Water shuts off when pod drawer is open. Programmable cup size - Control the volume of beverage dispensed into the cup. Stylish, high performance design. Dual water system brewer can be plumbed into a water line or manually filled. Great for coffee and tea.

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Review of Black & Decker GT300 Home Café Coffeemaker, Black

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have this machine, I've used it fairly heavily for a couple of weeks now, and so far, I love it!

Granted, I woudn't replace my high-quality bean grinder and drip coffee maker at home for any pod brewer.However, I have discovered that the single-serve pod brewer, like this Black & Decker,occupies a niche for me--on my desk at work (further discussion on this at the end) For that purpose, this machine has peformed admirably so far, as long as you use the proper pods.

The coffee is reasonably hot; the sizes produced have been consistent; the machine hasn't leaked at all; and it works quickly.It's a teensy bit on the loud side,but since it works for only a minute or so, this hasn't been any problem.

Perhaps one of its greatest bragging points over similar machines is that it's designed to accomodate tall vessels, like travel mugs.This is truly a great feature.Other machines accomodate nothing taller than a standard mug or coffee cup.

There are some general considerations, however about this, and in fact, any, pod brewer.To those who have tried pod machines and soon or immediately dismissed them because of poor coffee quality, I say this:It is possible to get passable, if not even decent, coffee out of these machines, but I have discovered that it takes some experimentation, and it is of the utmost inmportance to find the best pods for your particular brand of machine. Coffee quality varies wildly by the brand of pods/machine model combination, and I think it'e more due to pod and pod holder size/shape/construct than to the actual coffee inside.

Case in point with the Black & Decker GT300 system:I have found that using the Millstone pods, especially the Columbian Supremo Medium roast, Makes a pretty darn good cup of coffee. The Folger's pods work pretty well too, though the Millstone is better.

But I recently tried the Maxwell House Cafe Collection French Roast pods in the machine, and though I used two pods, I got back what looked like slightly tan water, rather than coffee.

I tried again with two pods, same result.Hoping the problem was with the pods and not the machine, I switched back to the Millstone pods, and everyting was great again.

I examined the situation, and came to the conjclusion that the Maxwell house pods are of a mildly different shape, the pouch having a slightly smaller diameter, and at least for this machine, this allows the water to mostly run around the outside of the pod and out, unsteeped, into the cup.

(Therefore I can't comment on the quality of the Maxwell House coffee, since I didn't get a proper brew sample in the first place.)

The Maxwell House pod problem notwithstanding, given the proper pods, and the proper niche, I'm enjoying the heck out of this machine.

More about the niche thing:I am a long-time lover of good coffee, but I don't have many reasonable options at work.We have a coffee club here, with a drip maker, but they always buy the cheapest canned store brand, and they leave it on the burner all day. Plus, there's the usual silent tussle about making the next pot if you finish it.How many coffee clubs have the problem of a half-cup sitting in the pot all day because no one wants to have to make the next pot?

That was one of three options I had available to me. The two were the local restaurant/cafe, which had inconvenient hours and unpredictable coffee quality/availability even when open, or climbing into my car and driving to the local Starbucks (no comments either way on Starbucks here.) Having my own drip machine or French press at my desk is way too much of a hassle and mess.

Given those options, I have found a pod machine, and specifically this Black & Decker, to be a more than satisfactory product for my needs.As long as I have the right pods:-]

Will

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Product Description:
Enjoy the convenience of having the corner coffee shop in your own kitchen.Home Cafe brews 7, 9 and 14 ounce beverages as well as creamy specialty coffees and a variety of teas in one minute.The removable cup booster / drip tray minimizes spatters and is easy to clean.

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