Customer Reviews With Photos
Holy moly !! I no longer can drink regular coffee anymore -this cold brew contraption is a life saver! Perfect brew amount for the 3 days I work!
I just had this machine explode the coffee pod for the third time since I owned it. This time on my face.
It's poorly designed. There's no indicator to show low water or when pod isn't jammed (& I mean jammed) into its holder properly.
I just received this, opened it, and noticed that it looked wet, I took it out of the box all the way, and there is condensation on the inside and a coffee line at the top of the jar, hugely disappointed, and disgusted!
Cheap, fairly small and works like a charm. My coffee maker broke one morning and I had this one delivered to my front door the next day. Perfect. Happy with this purchase, especially since it was on sale for $16.99 when I bought it earlier this month. My last cheap, small Mr. Coffee maker lasted 5+ years with every day use. Not a bad deal.
[UPDATED AT BOTTOM - 09/01/2022 & 10/19/2024] Seriously. Most purchases are either okay, indifferent, or just plain bad. Rarely do you make one that you find yourself REALLY happy over. This has been one of those rare purchases for me. My prior Keurig Duo broke down after only a couple of years of service, but long enough to discover that I didn't have much use for the pot brewing function. Still, I prefer to follow the Alton Brown rule of only one unitasker in the kitchen, so I chose this little beauty after doing some research into the unnecessary complexity of espresso brewing and deciding upon the Nespresso system for such a function. I was also swayed by the brand name, as I have an Instant Pot and have found it to be of reasonably good quality over time. I have not yet had this item long enough to determine longevity, so this review does not include that, at this time. I am pleased to note that the items functions are spot on with the information given and it works well with all tests I performed on both sets of functions. The K-cup side is pretty much par for the course with the exception of the addition of the 'bold' button. This seems to slow the brewing function slightly to allow for better flavor transfer from the coffee in the pod, but not enough to noticeably affect performance time. It does, however, have a positive impact on one of my favorite flavored coffee pods that always tasted way too strong at the lowest setting, but too weak at the next setting. The bold setting seems to take the flavor intensity back an ounce to make it just right at the larger setting. As for the Nespresso side, I must admit to having no prior experience with any other Nespresso based device, so it is definitely novel for me... and, oddly, kinda fun in its operation. The capsule storage tray is accurately described as handling up to 10 empty capsules... NOT 11. The tolerances are too tight. Disposal is very quick and easy, though. To the point that I kind of wish the K-cup side worked the same way. It is this function that I have become rather enamored of and have discovered that I can easily make a mean latte at home that rivals any coffee house with this. About the only real concern that I have found is with the opening of the top for loading in K-cups & capsules is rather rough and using a second hand to stabilize the machine when opening the top is advisable. I don't know if this is a problem, or not, as I have no reference for comparison, but it does not seem to have any other impact upon function. It's just... worrisome. I will update after a business quarter or two. ***UPDATE - 09/01/2022*** *sigh* Another great product marred by cheap materials. The bad news: the top of the unit, where the hinge is, has developed breaks in the plastic from normal use. I can not see, without tearing the unit apart (no), if it is a real hinge problem, or simply a fascia issue. The former is a bigger concern than the latter, of course. But, even if only a fascia issue, it's utterly unacceptable within the first year of use. The good news: So far, this does not seem to affect actual operations of the unit, so still pretty happy - (engages ominous voice) so far.... I will update again (you can't stop me! - ha ha!). ***UPDATE 10/19/2024*** The lost star remains lost for the aforementioned reasons BUT no further loss of stars to report. The unit lost some more fascia plastic at the hinged area, but still continues to perform per specifications. I admit to being a bit lax on the cleaning and maintenance, though I have done some standard maintenance and cleaning. The use of the unit has been in a family group of about 5 with multiple cups of both sides of the unit being brewed daily. This remains a 'Would Buy Again'.
Looks great with my other copper canisters, love it!
The Coffee maker works great. I purchased it in July. Unfortunately as much as I tried to keep the heat plate dry and clean, it has completely rusted. It was inexpensive so if I get a few more months out of it, I guess I'll have gotten my money's worth, but I wouldn't purchase it again.
Let this be the real review you're looking for after 2 years use. When it works, its great...but... I take care of my stuff - i clean it when it asks, i use filtered water and descale when frequently since I'm located in AZ and our water is extremely hard. Since march 2023 I've used this machine nearly daily (and my spouse)... I've had to replace the milk sensor (ER05) bricked cannot use machine with this error active. Once. And as of 5minutes ago and retearing back into this thing - I have what seems to be a blockage in the printed heating coil as theres no amount of pressure able to pass through it - yet the pump is pumping great. This means no hot water passes this common denominator to brew, steam or fill water. I admit i purchased mine before they were 1k$ so i will continue to t/s issues as they arrise but having to put an additional 100$ + 85$ for both parts plus free labor (I'm a technical Advisor) so not everyone will replace parts on their own...its getting annoying. Once this thing takes a permanent poop or i get tired of fixing it...i will look elsewhere for my espresso... Hope this was a realistic review for someone really interested in this unit...
Updating my review!!! We moved, started a reno, and have been using this coffee maker this whole time (it is now mid July 2024), at least twice a day. Once our daughter started drinking coffee and for some reason locking the flow and forgetting to unkock, and I'd make coffee not realizing until the carafe wouldnt fill, we did learn that while that is perhaps a helpful feature, this causes the sludge/sediment to get poured into the mug and color and taste are off. It also seems a bit pointless because even if I am making a full pot, this thing brews it in just a couple of minutes seriously its fast. I can't imagine a time anyone would need to pause, pour, and restart, and if so, that sounds like a crazy household, but of that is you, my suggestion would just be to ALWAYS unlock the lever so the next brew is normal. Other than that, I try to remember to descal the machine with urnex descaler about twice a year. The machine is still quiet, and when I let (yes, let- this is one way I show my love, through acts of service) my husband brew his coffee (I don't drink it) he still gets a kick out of watching it brew. Very happy with the machine. It is simple, brews well, just wish it had auto off, but once you make coffee regularly in it shutting it off becomes muscle memory like anything else. Now I'm looking to upgrade his machine this Christmas to another brand that auto grinds and brews so our daughter can take this and our grinder of to *sniffle* college next fall! (Pro tip-a yr or 2 before sending your kid into the world, start upgrading your own kitchen cookware and gadgets, especially if nice to begin with, and hold on to the originals to set your kiddo up with. They will likely have a higher quality product (even cheaper things were made better years ago) than if you get them entry level stuff, they (should) already know how to use it, and setting up a dorm or apartment doesn't feel so expensive and chaotic come time. Plus, maybe it helps them feel at and think of home). Got this in December to replace a Hamilton Beach that was a few months and a happy no of garbage. My husband is the coffee drinker, and while not at all a coffee snob he has lamented burnt tastes from Starbucks, and lackluster flavor from home devices. All while continuing to drink without making any changes. I got this for him for Christmas, and he questioned it at first due to price and still just being a coffee maker. But after trying it out, he likes it a lot. He has remarked on several occasions since December that it makes a very good cup of coffee. I am the primary coffee maker and I love how fast and quiet it is. It is even fun to watch, our kids get a kick out of watching the bubbles go up the inner tube when it is brewing. He likes having two settings for the warming plate. He has no complaints of a burnt taste. Brews at a proper tempurature. While it does not stop dripping if you pull the carafe away, it has a control to stop the drip, and it fully does this, whereas all our previous makers still dripped some. Simple and straight forward to use. No auto shut off, but for a home unit, how often do you brew more than. Is immediately needed? So shut off when you get your cup. A power light indicates it is on. Clean up is very easy too. No complaints here, still very pleased with it, and it is performing just as well as the first day.
Do not buy. It’s a fire hazard. I turned the coffee pot off woke up the next morning and it was hot coffee in the pot I thought it was a mistake or something and I noticed that the coffee pot I will turn off and on on his own do not buy this coffee pot
This product is amazing. I love that is has a brush to clean the mesh for the coffee. It makes amazing cold brew. I would definitely purchase again.
Total convert to the electric moka pot when paired with illy moka grind coffee. All metal coffee maker brews fantastic tasting coffee!
I'll start out by saying I'm comparing this unit to a Mr. Coffee Cafe Barista that we own that is a little more than half the price of this unit, has been in use for over two years, and has reliably produced two lattes almost every day, along with additional espressos. I know and love the Mr. Coffee machine despite its flaws, so this unit had a lot to live up to. I'll first start with what I like: * The controls are pretty easy, and the colored lights help indicate what the machine is doing * I can easily produce an espresso drink of my choice with minimal input * The portafilter is 51mm and all my existing espresso tools work well with it * The unit is almost silent when heating the water - I didn't even realize it was heating the water! * The machine has no problems with pushing out a double-shot of espresso through fine, tightly-packed grounds * The dosing of milk is consistent, regardless of the level of milk in the frothing unit, something that is a huge improvement over the Mr. Coffee machine I have * Cleaning the frothing unit is easy with the built-in cleaning operation, but I really need to make sure to hold down the buttons long enough * The machine gives the expert owner the ability to tweak water measurements, but I will likely not take advantage of this * The construction is sturdy with the outside being all stainless sheet metal - much more sturdy-feeling than the Mr. Coffee's plastic body. * The area under the portafilter is actually wide enough for two shot glasses in case you want to brew two shots, one into each shot glass. My Mr. Coffee machine doesn't have as much room for that. What I'm not as fond of: * The machine had a strong "plastic" smell when I initially used it. This was during the suggested process of pushing water through. I decided to use some vinegar to help deodorize the unit and the smell persisted somewhat even after that. This was after pushing through the equivalent of 4 or 5 full reservoirs of water of which one was a diluted vinegar solution. The smell has diminished somewhat now, but I wasn't fond of this * I suspect the "198F" reading is just a "feel good" display. I hardly think that this unit gets the water to 198 degrees F and holds it there in a precise fashion. I would prefer to have not only an accurate temperature reading but also the ability to tweak the temperature * Drinks are measurably colder from this machine than my Cafe Barista. The Mr. Coffee Cafe Barista reliably pumps out very hot shots and frothed milk - arguably maybe a little too hot. The drinks from this unit, however, are almost lukewarm. The manual suggests pre-heating the mug with hot water, but I would rather be able to deliver a drink that is a bit hotter than what this delivers * I wish the brewing area under the portafilter was just a little taller. Yes, I can remove the drip tray for some room, but I'd rather keep that there for security. In summary, I feel like there are just a few things holding this unit back from a higher score. For now, I'll primarily use my Mr. Coffee machine and this as a backup. I like how compact this unit is, how easy it is to use, and how sturdy it is. I wish it wasn't so difficult to clean it of the plastic smell initially and I wish it brewed hotter, or at least let me tweak the temperature. With just those things fixed, I would easily give it that extra star.
This coffee maker reminds me of something you would find in a hotel room but a little better. It is light and ready to go out of the box. Has a water reservoir in the back. It has two coffee filters included with it. It only holds 12 oz of water so great for the bachelor or occasional one cup coffee person. Overall it seems like it is built well and would be good for a secondary coffee maker or someone who only needs one cup
