Just purchased the Espressione Supremma and love it. I have used other brands, Saeco and Delonghi and this one is much better. Did have to go through set up procedures and adjust grinder to proper setting, but once I did that, the unit works like a dream. Tight dry pucks in the waste container. Holds about 20 before you have to dump out. The cobalt blue light looks awesome when the unit is on at nite in my kitchen. The touch screen is so simple to use. I was able to program the size of the 4 espresso drinks to my size cups. Also I just used the auto frother and it froths awesome. You need to remove the frother on the unit and screw this one on and then place the tube into the milk and it sucks it up and comes out hot and frothed. The computer on this unit is very smart. It will show you on the screen if the dump box is full or if a component is missing. I am loving my new purchase and plan to have it for a long, long time.

After almost a month and a second try, I give up.
There are some pros, though, and it would be unfair not to mention them …
Nice design, very attractive.
The coffee is not bad at all.
And, the customer support very competent and knowledgeable.
But …
The machine seems to have a mind of its own.
The first one didn’t work at all. I called customer support, but more to accomplish a formality … When you pay $1,000.00 for a product, the last thing you expect is to have to spend the first day trying to make it work.
But I decided to give it another try.
The second one started just fine. User friendly, great coffee, stylish (looks great on the counter)…
After a couple of weeks, the output became inconsistent (some shots not even enough to fill a tablespoon). Resetting the amount of water didn’t help. Customer service suggested that I avoid using the fine grind settings … in other words: avoid certain settings, you may mess-up the machine. Well, this is not what I was expecting from a $1,000.00 machine.
At the same time, the brewing group started spilling the ground coffee all over the brewing compartment, without apparent reason (and, therefore, no way to fix it). Cleaning became a hassle.
The bottom line is … not worth $1,000.00. This is the reason for the single star.

I have had my Hamilton Beach Classic Chrome coffee maker for two days now. I am an avid coffee drinker and had a much more expensive model that stopped functioning. At first, I tried to replace it with a very cheap Sunbeam model. Well, the water never got hot enough to make a decent cup of coffee. I took it back and then I then started researching coffee makers online. Having a tight budget, I was looking for something that simply made a good cup of coffee without breaking my budget. I own other Hamilton Beach products and have found them to be top quality. I came across the Hamilton Beach Classic Chrome, read the reviews on it and decided to give it a try. I got it for an outstanding price. Because this models retails at a much higher cost then I paid for it. I also looked at other stores and they could not touch the price I paid. The seller I purchased it from was prompt and my delivery came much sooner then expected. I could already tell when I ran the vinegar through the machine to clean it, that it was much better then the cheaper model I purchased and did as well as the more expensive model I was replacing. The water was very hot. It is simple and easy to use. My first cup was everything I could hope for and more. And right now, I am enjoying my coffee just as much. One of the things I liked was that it did not have that horrible plastic smell and taste that you get with in-expensive models. It also fits nicely in my small apartment kitchen and really looks sharp. I don’t see very well and the clock on the front is easy to read. the construction is solid and so far, no leaks on my counter top. It is programmable, but brews coffee very fast without programming it. About twice as fast as my more expensive model. The coffee stays hot for quite a long time and the automatic shut off feature works just fine. It does not have a sneak-a-cup feature as far as I can tell, but the speed it makes a pot, more then makes up for it. I also like the small pot feature if I only want a few cups. I would definitively recommend this coffee maker as a good replacement for more expensive models.

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It was just terrific –just as I imagined and came with a set of starter filters too—perfect — my highest compliments — inexpensive and a great deal

John

I purchased my DCM485 as a “gently used” and inspected unit, with a 30 day guarantee. Ok, I’ll admit that these reviews (and the fact that it was “used”) scared me into spending a few dollars on an extended warranty. I’ve had it now for about a week. I am, so far, very happy with my “new” Thermal Carafe Coffeemaker.

I had researched similar units for quite a long time, wanting the quality coffee that a thermal carafe maintained without the hot plate burn. I balked at paying the high price to “adopt” one, as Bikerman astutely pointed out. I found mine on an auction site for around $60.00, (including shipping), so I felt it was a bargain, and that I was taking less risk due to the smaller investment. But I digress.

When my package arrived, I excitedly checked out my new purchase. I ran a few vinegar/water cycles through it to clean it, and was pleased with the lack of leaks during that process. I quickly read the instructions (which I felt were pretty straightforward), set the clock and programmed it for a 6 AM brew time the next morning. Call me impatient, but I found it annoying that there was no way to reverse when setting the clock/timer. If you were a minute or two over, you had to go around 24 hours again. Small potatoes really, as I realize many digital clocks are this way, but still…annoying.

After all the negative reviews on this site, I fully expected to wake up to a lake of coffee the next morning. Unusually, I overslept and my husband was leaving for work as I walked out. We barely had time to say goodbye, and I continued on to the kitchen to see if I’d made a wise purchase. To my dismay, there was a wet towel on the counter! On further inspection, the coffeemaker looked normal. I poured a cup, and it was good. After sitting for nearly an hour and a half, it was hot, tasted fresh…I was pleased. After consulting with my husband a little later, I found that I’d over-watered a plant, but the coffeemaker had behaved fine. He did agree that it poured slowly from the pot, but he thought the coffee was good and had no other complaints.

Over the next few days, I’ve had similar, consistent results. I’ve experienced none of the steam condensation, drip, dribble, or overflow problems other reviewers have mentioned. There are parts that need to be properly seated to function correctly, and I see how this could cause problems for those that didn’t understand the importance of this. I did not feel that it was difficult to align the lid on the pot or the pot in the receptacle. I didn’t really even think much about it, and had excellent results. The carafe lid is clearly marked “open” and “close”, with a “fin” to help you gently push it into the desired position. Though the pouring is slow, I’ve not found it to dribble at all. One can always remove the lid if you’re in more urgent need of your coffee. It’s a personal choice… I have used a paper filter with the included gold tone filter, out of habit more than anything. I do grind my beans pretty fine, and worry that I may end up with sludge in the bottom of the pot. I’ll certainly give it a try eventually. I was more worried that it wouldn’t function right with my normal “basket” filters, but no problems, even with the wrong type paper filters.

I wanted to share my experience in finding replacement water filters. I contacted the US distributor for DeLonghi by email and this is what they sent in reply to my inquiry.

Thank you for contacting us in regard to Delonghi products. Since the DCM485 is a recent addition to our product line, it has not yet been added to the website. You can order your parts from Fox International Ltd., Inc. Fox is the Authorized National Distributor for Delonghi USA. You can call us Monday thru Friday from 8:30am to 5:00pm ET at 1-800-322-3848. One of our order agents will be happy to assist you.

So there you go. I could not find the filters through any search engines I tried on the web, nor at Amazon, not to say that they were never offered. I wish they were. I have not ordered any from Fox Inc. yet, so can’t share the price or experience. I have used the coffeemaker without the filter and it functioned fine, but feel we have good quality water available on tap. To be honest, these are unusual filters, specifically made for this coffeemaker. I would guess that they will not be manufactured by anyone but DeLonghi. But remember, the coffeemaker works fine without them. Filtered water may be a lesser “evil” for some owners.

In summary, this is a very sturdy and well built coffeemaker. The top completely lifts up on a hinge, making the “gold tone” coffee filter and basket, as well as the removable water reservoir, easily accessible and handy for filling and cleaning. The controls on the top, front of the machine are very visible and easy to use, with straightforward programming and instructions. This model has the extra features of “Accuflavor selector”, automatic brew (programmable timer), pause and serve, and the aforementioned water filter for better tasting coffee. It is not “idiot proof”, and as with any appliance, requires the user to assure it is assembled correctly for optimum functioning and results. I may have just been lucky, and gotten the proverbial cherry in the bowl of lemons, but I find very little to fault this coffeemaker at. I gave it 5 stars, and highly recommend it.

UPDATE- After over a month, I’ve noticed a few things about my DeLonghi. I’ve had a drip or two when I’ve used the pause and serve to sneak a cup before the brew cycle is complete. I’ve also noticed the coffee isn’t as hot then, as it’s had to warm the pot with the lesser amount of liquid. For me, it’s about drinkable at that time, so it’s perfect for that first cup. If you wait until the pot is full, the coffee I pour is too hot to drink immediately. I also noticed you need to be aware of placing the pot back correctly during the pause and serve. You can hear the coffee running into the pot, so I don’t find it that difficult, but it is important. The brew cycle is pretty fast, so you don’t want to dawdle or you will have a run-over. Yes, if you try to pour too rapidly from the pot, you have dripping…but not extreme. I’m still happy with my DeLonghi, just respectful of it’s personality. It makes great coffee, and the thermal carafe assures consistency from first to last cup.

Edit 2010- Please read my comment on the comment below. This appliance did not last as long as I would expect at this price. I suggest you consider the more current reviews for the current models.