Help Finding New Drip Coffee Maker

[herringtonb]

We have had a Krups coffee maker for 15 years and when it finally died we got a new one. What a disappointment! The coffee has a strong plastic taste and the whole kitchen even smelled like plastic. After reading reviews on Amazon about different brands I'm totally confused. It sounds like a lot of the new coffee makers have this or other major problems but it's hard to know what to believe. I'm kind of interested in the Bunn but don't want to make a mistake and have to send it back too. We just want a simple reliable machine that makes good tasting coffee in the morning. (not interested in the single serve models)
Any suggestions?

 

[PinkRose]

Hello "herringtonb"

Believe it or not, the plastic smell and taste eventually goes away. You need to brew a few pots of coffee and dump them out. Most of the new drip models have some plastic parts, and you need to "season" them. I have had several new coffee makers (including Krups and Cuisinart models) and I've had to brew a few pots of coffee in order to get the plastic smell to go away. Once it's gone, it stays gone.

Rose

 

[shadow745]

I have one recommendation... The BUNN Phase Brew, HG (glass carafe) or HT (thermal carafe). Up until one month ago I used a Mr. Coffee drip machine to brew black tea for sweetened iced tea. The thing brewed thousands of cycles over the course of 13 years, then just died. No complaints on the longevity or performance... Bought a Mr. Coffee Optimal Brew based on the proper temp and fast brew cycle. Works great, but has a few problems with leaking. Took it back after it developed a leak within 5 days of very normal use. Bought a BUNN HG Phase Brew and couldn't be more stoked over it. The function (first and foremost) as well as the design/form is spot on. It circulates all the water until it reaches the proper temp, then disperses it in one nice steady flow of perfect temp water over the bed of grounds/tea leaves. Nothing plasticky as all brew water touches the stainless basket and glass carafe. Think of it as the perfect automated pourover machine. It's the first BUNN that doesn't sit idle on standby, making it a slightly safer choice as well.

 

[CoffeeJunky]

Maybe its time for changing the brewing method.
Try French Press. It might work better.

 

[peterjschmidt]

I'd echo CoffeeJunky... but if you need the convenience of an auto-drip, you might consider the Brazen. Not cheap, ~$200, and not the largest capacity, but it has lots of great reviews from everyone I know that uses it. It's designed by Joe Behm, the fella who brought the Behmor roaster to market, and lets you adjust for altitude, flow rate, water temps, etc.

 

[shadow745]

I personally would wait for the Brazen to be perfected, if that ever happens. Just like the roaster, you do get good features for the price range, but longevity and durability leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[Julius_Sabania]

This coffee marker is loaded with various outstanding features to make tastier coffee instantly. This coffee maker is best known for its performance, rich taste and easy handling. The Melitta coffee maker has three strength settings like robust, bold and regular. The brewing carafe gives excellent tasting coffee. ​

 

[tweezak]

First post

HerringtonB I feel your pain. Our beloved Krups just died yesterday after a 20+ year run. I don't mean to hijack your thread but I think we are looking for the same thing. Something simple to make excellent coffee and outlast the warranty (1 yr warranties need not apply).

I'm searching for a replacement and am getting increasingly dismayed and frustrated. Nobody seems to make anything reliable anymore. I would consider the Technivorm but the carafe size is too small. I need to fill a 32oz thermos and a 16oz cup before heading out to work. Our Krups just barely did that with a little left over for my wife. A 12 cup model would be perfect. If I can't find anything else I will probably get the Technivorm and let my wife cook a partial pot after I leave for work.

Brazen and Bunn Phase Brew are definitely too small at 8 cups. Deal breaker for me. The Melitta looks good but I keep seeing reports of the carafe breaking. I'm not rough on things but my wife...well...you know.

Good coffee matters to me. I go out of my way to buy locally roasted high-quality beans. I do grind at the store but keep them in the freezer until brew time. I can't tell the difference between that and grinding right before brewing which I've done. I don't want weak coffee or burned taste.

As I write this I am drinking coffee from an old Cuisinart Grind and Brew that we picked up at a garage sale for $10 as an experiment. The grind system is lousy so we are using it with the usual ground coffee we normally get. It's ok but the result is noticeably weak. The Krups had a strength option which made a better brew with the same amount of grounds. Not bitter but strong. Great coffee.

I've also considered the Bunn commercial units. The problem I see there is that they are built for speed and require a LOT of grounds to get a decent brew. I spend enough on beans I don't want to waste them. It would probably end up costing the same as buying a cheap/disposable coffee maker every couple of years.

So please keep the suggestions coming! Thanks!

 

[HRC]

I have an auto-drip at home that I use in the mornings for my "corporate" commute. It's the lowest rung Krups with the glass carafe. Why? Because my thermal carafe Krups that I had previously died prematurely and cost twice as much. My perspective is to buy something cheap because it will most likely get replaced in a year or two. If it cost me $50, then I'm paying 7 cents per day to have it. I use my "battlestation" gear on the weekends.

 

[MychaelP]

I know it may be hard to find, but you might be able to find a new-old stock Michael Graves maker that Target used to sell. I've had it many years and it's flavorboost setting has given me amazing coffee every morning that my visitors rave about. Can't recommend enough. I will be heartbroken if/when it dies.

 

[smksignals]

I'm searching for a replacement and am getting increasingly dismayed and frustrated. Nobody seems to make anything reliable anymore. I would consider the Technivorm but the carafe size is too small. I need to fill a 32oz thermos and a 16oz cup before heading out to work. Our Krups just barely did that with a little left over for my wife. A 12 cup model would be perfect. If I can't find anything else I will probably get the Technivorm and let my wife cook a partial pot after I leave for work.

Technivorm has a 64oz model with thermal carafe called the Grand. Not cheap, but maybe what your looking for

Link - Technivorm Grand Coffee Maker with Thermal Carafe | Williams-Sonoma

 

[PinkRose]

Hello "tweezak"

Welcome to the coffee Forums website.

Maybe you should get a new Cuisinart Grind and Brew 12 cup model. The old one that you bought at the yard sale probably was on it's last leg when you bought it. it. I bet the grinder was pretty worn down and tired, and it probably needs a new charcoal filter too. The new ones are much better.

Rose

 

[peterjschmidt]

A coffee customer of mine uses two Clever Coffee Drippers simultaneously, dripping into two thermoses he takes to work. Not quite the same convenience of an auto-drip, but close to it, and it would give you the volume you want. More importantly to some, it should give you an improvement in flavor as you get to control the brew parameters more closely.

 

[tweezak]

Hello "tweezak"

Welcome to the coffee Forums website.

Maybe you should get a new Cuisinart Grind and Brew 12 cup model. The old one that you bought at the yard sale probably was on it's last leg when you bought it. it. I bet the grinder was pretty worn down and tired, and it probably needs a new charcoal filter too. The new ones are much better.

Rose

Thanks, Rose. The Cuisinart grinds fine but the cleanup is a huge pain. The steam from the brewing process fills the grinder mechanism coating it with coffee mud. The biggest problem with the coffee maker seems to be the way the water is put on the grounds. When you take the gold filter out there is a bare spot at the bottom where the water has flushed all the grounds out of the way. If we use more grounds (5 scoops!) this doesn't happen but again I feel like I'm wasting coffee.

 

[tweezak]

A coffee customer of mine uses two Clever Coffee Drippers simultaneously, dripping into two thermoses he takes to work. Not quite the same convenience of an auto-drip, but close to it, and it would give you the volume you want. More importantly to some, it should give you an improvement in flavor as you get to control the brew parameters more closely.

Those are cool but I think it would be more hassle than my wife would want to deal with. I may still get one though. I think I'm leaning toward the Bodum Columbia SS 51oz press. It costs nearly as much as a quality electric though which is kind of hard to justify given what it is.