Customer Reviews

Black & Decker VB100 Vacuum Brew 10-Cup Coffeemaker

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I relucantly bought this Black and Decker pot after my (Starbucks Utopia) Bodum died. I've never been a big fan of B&D. I have to say, I am VERY pleased with this pot! Every single thing that annoyed me my about the Bodum seemed to be addressed with this B&D pot! It has a nice pouring spout, the funnel has a handle, the top of the pot has a separate cover-which at first I thought was dumb, but turns out to be a much better design since I would spill coffee all over the place with my Utopia when I poured too fast, and since the cover flips back for brewing, I eventually snapped it off my accident. The B&D cover stays on nice and tight.

The B&D makes GREAT coffee! We are big coffee drinkers in this house-I also own a coffee roasting business(www.bercetocoffee.com), so we really enjoy a good cup of coffee or two, or three, or four :)

It is SO easy to use and to clean! I'm not sure why people complain about cleaning it. Just dump the grinds onto a paper plate or a paper towel or right into the garbage, throw them out and rinse the funnel.

Once you use this type of pot, you will never use the drip type again. It's just as good as our press pot (which we don't use now that we have this)

Buy it, you'll love it.

I have waited to write my review so I could make sure this thing was working out well. I have been in search of the perfect cup of coffee for years and have determined that you cannot beat Pete's or Starbucks in flavor. Since I am not going to spend $2-$3 per day on coffee, I had to find another option. I've tried countless coffee makers, cone shaped and drip, french presses and pouring boiling water through a cone filter that sits on a coffee cup. French presses work pretty well, but I found they let too much sediment pass through the screen and I wanted to filter it afterward. By the time I was done the coffee wasn't very hot anymore. Also using boiling water isn't the best thing for making smooth coffee. This product does the hard part for you perfectly. You supply good coffee and water and it will make sure to heat the water to the perfect extraction temp (about 195 degrees), keep the water in contact with the grounds for 4 minutes and filter out MOST of the sediment. You end up with about the best cup of coffee you can brew at home and the price of this unit is a fraction of the cost of the ones they sell at Starbucks. This is not the easiest way to make coffee, however. It's not fast and clean up is a hassle. I don't mind the hassle because I'm getting great results, but if you don't want to be bothered, stick to drip coffee makers, but make sure you get one that heats the water to the proper temp.

First, this coffee maker makes the BEST coffee. Everyone always comments on my wonderful coffee. It's better than Starbucks or any other coffeehouse.
However, there are some things one should be aware of....
1. You need to have very fine-ground beans. You can either buy whole and do yourself, but if you buy canned coffee, you'll need to further grind yourself at home.
2. You need to use a higher coffee to water ratio than you would with an automatic drip brew. It takes a little trial and error to figure out.
3. Once you get used to it, it's very easy to use, but it doesn take getting used to.
4. We've had this coffemaker just over a year, and certainly does not look as unique and flashy as it did when we first got it. The plastic carafe is scratched and faded over time and use. It is starting to look like some odd contraption that takes up too much counterspace! That is why i am giving it four stars - the plastic just looks old and worn (the numbers and lines for the cups of water on the carafe have all worn away).

So, if you want great coffee, this is the machine. If counterspace and looks are an issue, then this is not the machine.

My family manufactured one of the major brands of vacuum coffee brewers in the 30's 40's and 50's. My father was an engineer and inventor who developed new models and trained me in the technical details. So I was better prepared to deal with some of the design flaws in this otherwise great brewer.

Problem:
The "Blown" Pot - The permanent filter is blown out of proper position by the pressure of the water coming up the tube. Grounds and water are mixed. Nasty!
Cause:
The filter is clogged by coffee dust.
Solution:
Soak in a solution of Oxy-Clean or similar product overnight. Get a can of compressed air (such as for blowing dust out of your computer and keyboard). Use it to blow loosened coffee dust out of the tight mesh from underneath.
Prevention:
Avoid finer ground coffee. If your coffee source understands Vacuum Grind, buy that. But there will always be a certain amount of fine coffee dust in any type of grind. Eventually, you'll have to deep clean the filter.
Alternate Cause:
The filter does not lock tightly in place. The edges of the lip into which the filter clips, or the locking-ridges of the two prongs of the filter, or both, are worn.
Solution:
This one takes some ingenuity, trial & error, and two pairs of needle-nose pliers. I used the pliers to bend wire from a clothes-hanger into something that clips to the loop of the filter and pushes gently against the cover of the upper bowl. The first one I made was too strong and pushed the lid off unless I weighted it down with a can of soup.

Problem:
The Locked Pot- Water travels to the lower bowl slowly or not at all. It's impossible to separate the upper and lower bowls because the vacuum in the lower bowl locks them together.
Cause:
The grounds have gotten tightly packed onto the filter-mesh.
Solution:
Remove the top cover and use a round-end table knife (Nothing Sharp!) to gently scrape along the filter mesh. Keep scraping until you hear the hiss of air drawing through the filter. The filter may be starting to clog up with coffee dust. (See above for cleaning details) However, I've seen it happen when the filter is newly clean!!

Problem:
The Spitting Pot- It takes longer than it should for the water to ascend. The water in the upper pot is more agitated than normal and foam and water ooze or spit from the vents of the top cover.
Cause:
The O-Ring seal between the upper bowl and the tube is worn out or gone.
Solution:
Buy some #17 (1 1/16" O.D. x 7/8" I.D.) O-Rings to replace it as necessary. My hardware store sells them in packs of 10.

If you have a different issue or problem, use the Invite as Amazon Friend feature to contact me. Maybe we can figure it out together.

This unit makes absolutely the best coffee you've ever tasted -- and it does it easily. Plus (added bonus): You'll mesmerize and mystify your neighbors when they see this thing in action, believe me. It's coffee and a show. Between the flavor and the entertainment, they'll think you're a coffee god.

I think vacuum method coffee (which is what the VB100 makes) is superior to all other methods I've tried, including press. Press comes closest to it, with the main difference being the amount of sediment the press method leaves in the cup - a vast amount, compared to the VB100. Even with an extremely fine grind, there's very little sediment - infinitesimal, really, and certainly not objectionable. But, like with the press method, the VB100 gives you a very round, full bodied cup, due to the maximal extraction you get from steeping your coffee in water just the right temperature, for just the right amount of time.

Something interesting - unlike with a drip machine, where a lot of water stays in the grounds when the brewing process is finished (i.e.: if you want a ten cup yield, you have to put in more than ten cups to make up for the loss), the VB100 gives you virtually a 100% yield. Because of the vacuum action, almost all the fluid is sucked through the grounds. You'll find them almost dry to the touch when the process is finished.

Here's something important to true coffee lovers: The VB100's carafe uses the correct 6 oz coffee cup measure - not the 5 oz or 4 oz (tasse) measure used on some machines. So your tablespoon per cup ratio is going to be right on the money.

And, although the top mark on the carafe is at 10 cups (60 oz), I've found it can handle 12 cups without any problem - 72 oz is even with the bottom of the handle, where it attaches to the upper part of the pot (I know that's a tortured sentence, but if you buy this thing and measure in 72 oz, you'll see what I mean).

Now, here's a concern: I called Black & Decker's customer service to see if I could buy some extra filters for the VB100, because if anything's ever going to wear out on it, that would be the thing to go first, and it's a crucial part. They told me that no parts were available. Sounded to me like they had stopped making the machine. They told me that it had gone out of production, but that they had started manufacturing them again (they assured me of that) - but that no parts were going to be available. Sounds fishy to me. I'm considering buying a second machine in case the first one ever dies, just in case. Call me crazy, but this thing makes coffee that's that good - having discovered it, I wouldn't want to be without it.

Oh - by the way: I roast my own beans, and work with a major coffee importer and master roaster here in Houston. I'm drinking a rare Haitian as I write this.....heaven.

IF YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE WHO USE "SAVARIN LIKE" CHEAP COFFEE AND TAP WATER, STICK TO YOUR MR. COFFEE DRIP MODEL.


After reading all the reviews and seeing the reviews on TV,I decided to buy the VB100. I had a hard time finding one since it has been unavailable for a long time but I finally found one online.

First off, Don't believe all the bad reviews, the machine does take some getting use to. I admit that I was confused at first.
Like when I took it out of the box and started setting it up, I could not get the top lid off but I went back and re-read the reviews and with some trial and error, I discovered that it is quite simple.

Also, cleaning seemed difficult at first almost daunting,until I read about just wiping out the grinds with a papertowel.Because after brewing, the grinds are almost completely dry due to the vacuum method. Then cleaning became a breeze.

I have used it many times and I never ran into any problems with the machine or switches or anything else that has been stated in past reviews. It is built really well.

As for the coffee,
The VB100 makes great coffee, no wait excellent coffee. You will be impressed with the taste.
I've used several types of beans and grinds and every pot has been excellent.
I must warn you, the coffee brews extremely hot and when you pour it, you must let it cool or you will burn your tongue.I found that out the hard way.

Overall, I am very pleased with the machine and glad I waited.

Buy it, you will love it trust me

I've never written an online review before, but I felt compelled to for this machine. It truly makes the best coffee I've ever tasted, and I've used every kind of machine available. I like my coffee strong, and as strong as I make it, it NEVER comes out bitter. Perhaps that's what the person who said the coffee was weak meant - without the bitterness, it may have tasted weak to him. Or he may have put too little coffee in it. I find one standard heaping scoop plus one (e.g., for 4 cups of coffee, 5 scoops) is the perfect ratio for me. And I like my coffee super-strong. Easy to use, and once you get used to the cleaning, not so bad to clean. Finally, coffee nirvana!

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Summary: makes a great cup of coffee without a trace of bitterness; it's fun to watch in action; it requires some extra work and you've got to learn a couple simple operating techniques

I had tried many drip coffeemakers, and never had been really happy with the results. Too weak, too strong, too bitter - and never consistent. After watching a Good Eats episode ("True Brew") and reading reviews/articles in Cooks Illustrated, I decided to try the vacuum brewer (sorry - manual brewing may be "best" but it's not for me).

After reading some reviews here, I was ready for some challenges, but the first one stumped me - I simply could not get the lid of the brewing bowl off. As with another reviewer, my wife figured out how to do it, and once I developed the right technique, it was easy. The other challenges - getting the coffee grounds out and getting the brewing basket off after brewing - are legitimate issues, but really it's a matter of technique. Getting the brewer basket off just took a little practice. For me, I grab both handles, give the top part a bit of a twist while lifting just the handle side, and I can get it removed with no spillage or excess force. The coffee grounds I just give a quick wipe over the trash with a paper towel, then go over to the sink and rinse out the few remaining grounds (I'm not paranoid about putting grounds down the drain).

Now, the pluses: this thing brews a great cup o' coffee. I'm still experimenting with coffee quantity, grinding times, etc., but even my "bad" pots of coffee were quite drinkable. And the "good" pots of coffee were quite delicious. No bitterness is sight.

The other great thing is, well, just watching the darned thing in action. Even my wife - not a coffee drinker at all - comes over just to watch the brew action. It's great fun - the slow soak, the "roiling" of the coffee when the last of the water goes up top, then the giant "sploosh" as the brewed coffee overcomes the vacuum pressure. It's a kick.

I now turn off the burner just as soon as the brewing is over, and find I get my two big mugs of coffee down the hatch while the temperature is well within the drinkable range. If you make a big pot and want it to last a while, I would agree that you should get a thermal carafe.

The only thing I've noticed that bugs me a little is that the coffee has a small amount of a sludge-like residue in the bottom. I suspect it's a result of a bit of dust being created when I grind my own beans, but it's not a major issue - heck, it doesn't even taste bad.

So, overall, I would strongly recommend this coffeemaker. It takes a little learning to get the techniques down right, and if you want a totally brainless brewing technique (and are willing to settle for a lesser cup of coffee), then an automatic drip machine may be best for you. But if you don't mind putting a small amount of effort into your brew, this vacuum technique is definitely ready to give you a good return.

The Black & Decker vacuum brew makes excellent, extremely hot coffee. I like strong coffee and did need to add extra ground coffee to the filter to achieve this. The coffeemaker is easy to use and very easy to clean. It does not require any additional
paper or gold filters. The coffee tasted smooth and not at all bitter. The machine is made of plastic and very light weight.The coffee brews quickly and is fun to watch.

I can understand the other 5 star reviews on this machine. I've had one for several months now and have never had a better, hotter cup of coffee. Weak coffee? Not if you use the amount of beans that companies like Peets or Starbucks tell you to use. The only deficiency it has is it doesn't keep the coffee hot very long once it's made. Just schedule it to brew up soon before you need it and you will be very pleased. Oh, and use a good high-quality coffee like Peets and in the proper amount.