Review
Equipped with a digital clock/timer that can be programmed 24 hours in advance to have “wake-up” coffee fresh and hot at the appropriate time, this drip coffeemaker brews 12 cups of coffee directly into a glass carafe in about 10 minutes. The carafe sits on a warming plate and keeps coffee hot. For optimum flavor, a button selects either a five-or-fewer-cups or a six-or-more-cups brewing cycle, and there’s an optional charcoal water-filter cartridge. For safety, the carafe’s handle fits the hand snugly and a panel on the carafe protects the fingers from heat; for convenience, a permanent GoldTone filter is included and a transparent indicator permits monitoring of the water level. The sleek coffeemaker measures 13 in [Read More...]
Buy Capresso 449.01 Elegance Grande Plus 12-Cup Digital Coffeemaker at Amazon
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September 13th, 2010 at 2:44 am
I bought this machine when I went off to college this past year. I put it in my dorm room thinking it would be just for my roomate and I. I discoveed that the smell of coffee aroused all the people in the hall and I ended up sharing my brew in a big way. This machine has worked very well without a hitch since i got it. It was efficient enough to make several brews a morning or night for those all along my hall. I like the way the handle is not super close to the side of the coffee pot becuase nothing is worse then hitting a knuckle on a steaming hot coffee pot in the morning. Also, it is small and relativly elegant as most coffee machines are not. AND THE COFFEE DOESN’T SPILL EVERYWHERE WHEN YOU POUR IT. This is a rare commodity and something not to be missed. This pot is easy to clean and very sturdy. You get exactly what you paid for, which is a sturdy all around good coffee pot.
September 13th, 2010 at 5:23 am
For several years now I have suffered with a Cuisinart coffeemaker (an early model similar to the DCC-100) that was difficult to clean, impossible to pour without dripping or spilling from the poorly-designed carafe, occasionally leaked small amounts of hot water from the grounds basket, and occasionally leaked coffee from the top of the carafe during the drip process. To top it off, my wife never really liked the taste of the brew. So recently I entered the market for a new coffeemaker.
My requirements were simple:
(1) I wanted a good tasting brew, which for me means full-bodied but not burnt- or tarry tasting.
(2) No obvious design defects. E.g., I didn’t want any part of the eggshell-fragile carafe reported in the Braun KF187. No carafes with tiny handles, no carafes with bad spouts that cause dripping on the table or countertop.
(3) No unnecessary frills that make the machine needlessly complex and hence introduces more things to break down. E.g., I do not need an integrated coffee grinder. I do not need an espresso option. I do not need an integrated internet connection.
(4) The color should be black, to fit in with the other stainless steel & black appliances in our kitchen.
The Capresso 449.01 satisfied all my needs and then some. It makes a good pot of coffee. It does not leak or drip. The water temperature is good, and the intensity of the coffee right in the middle of the range that I enjoy drinking it. Brew cycles are fast but not so fast that the basket is prone to overflow if your overgrind your beans (which can sometimes clog metal filters used in high-speed drip machines). All in all, a well thought out basic coffeemaker for a fair price.
Additionally, the 449.01 comes with a few extras that are nice to have (and are not the sorts of things that make it harder to use or more susceptible to breakdown). For instance, a carbon filter built into the water reservoir. A reusable gold-tone grounds filter. A carafe handle that is spaced far enough from the carafe so that you do not burn your hand while grabbing the pot (even if you have big hands). A 2-hour auto-shutoff on the carafe warming plate. And so on. In sum, a highly recommended purchase.