Customer Reviews

12 Cup Brewstation Coffeemaker with Insulated Tank

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

 

 

I bought this machine to replace a much cheaper Black & Decker coffee maker that had the worst carafe I've ever used. That thing could not pour coffee without dribbling and spilling and I got tired of the constant mess. This Hamilton Beach machine solves that problem completely. I've been using it diligently for a week now and I am very happy with it. I particularly like the adjustable turn-off time and the adjustable strength feature. It keeps my coffee fresh and hot without burning it and since I am home job hunting, it is getting a work out.

It has just one fault that I have found and that is somebody decided to save 10 cents by leaving off an extra (neccesary) foot of power cord. The cord on this is so short that the machine almost must be pushed undeneath the overhead cabinets to reach the power outlet yet the machine is so tall that you can't open it or fill it without pulling it out to the edge of the counter. That puts the power cable up in the air instead of tucked behind my toaster. One extra foot of power cord would have solved this problem. Other than that, it is a great machine. It is tall but the footprint on the counter is smaller than most coffee makers which is a bonus on my too small countertop.

Highly recommended.

We bought this model to replace another brewstation model that worked well for us for over 2 years. I normally don't leave reviews so hopefully this one will carry more weight as you look to purchase a new coffeemaker.

First, the dispenser is so close to the back of the unit that only thin rimmed coffee cups work. Try a large coffee cup or a travel mug and most of the hot coffee will end up on the floor or worse on your feet.

Second, the fill unit is a separate piece that you fill up and pour into the base. It's amazing what you put yourself through to make something work. When I fill the base, I keep a towel below the whole unit on the way to the coffeemaker and back to the sink to pour out the extra water. If you don't, you'll leave a water trail on the floor. I still don't know where this water is coming from but the towel solved the issue.

I've had this unit for about 2 months and this morning it won't turn on. I love the therory behind the design, but they missed the marked on this model. They also lost me as a customer for the next coffeemaker that I purchase. This one was that bad.

I'm actually glad it broke because now I don't have to curse under my breath each time I try to get a cup of coffee.

I have used this coffee maker for more than six months. Below are my pros and cons:

Pros:
* Bright blue display
* Makes coffee hot and fast
* No carafe to hassle with
* Option for automatic shut off between 1-4 hours (keeps coffee hot for several hours)
* Programmable

Cons:
* Short cord- you'll definitely need to be close to the outlet!
* Cumbersome operation to make coffee. You have to pull out two detachable units, one for water and the other for the filter and the coffee.
* Unit dispenser is too close to the unit and is not ideal for tall travel size tumblers (like the picture). You have to insert your tumbler at a precise angle making it hard to see when it's full. If you don't watch what you're doing, you can easily make a make mess! The unit is advertised for "one-hand" dispensing; however, you should use both hands to prevent spilling.

Overall, I rate the coffee maker with 3-stars. It has some nice features, yet it has setbacks that are hard to overlook. The machine is a nice alternative for people who don't want to fiddle around with a carafe, offering the convenience of filling your mug(s) with hot coffee directly from the machine.

We've had this coffee maker for 3 yrs now... Makes coffee fine, but getting it out of the coffee maker is where the problem lies. You can ONLY use a basic standard coffee cup when you press the dispenser. If you try to use a tumbler, like in their product picture (ironically), about 10% of the coffee will end up in your tumbler and the other 90% will be spilling all over your counter - GUARANTEED. There's no way around it. I even took the machine apart to see if there was something not aligned properly, but it's just the way it's made. So, every morning, I have to pull out a regular ceramic coffee cup to get coffee OUT of the brewstation, and then I pour it into my tumbler. Is that a joke or what?

So I said, "the good coffee maker that almost was..." and I mean that: if they would've tested their own product before manufacturing, they would've fixed this obvious problem. If they had, it would've been a very good coffee maker. The coffee tastes fine and I like how the thermal heater keeps the coffee hot, but not so hot to where it would otherwise make the coffee taste bad (acidic) after a couple hours.

I don't know if they have a newer model that fixed this problem, but I won't be buying another Hamilton Beach coffee maker, unless they do.

I got this coffee maker because I was/am tired of stained coffee pots. Its a good coffee maker but its not worth what they ask for it. 2.5 is what I would like to give this make but because it has lasted about a year I'll give it a 3.

Cons/Problems:
Short cord. (its about 2 foot)
Only 4 hours of heating, max. I like to be able to drink coffee all day. Wish someone would make a 6 hour setting.
Its not simple to get coffee out without spilling some, or most.
Not simple to see how much coffee is still in the pot. Not fun to come back to get a 2ed cup to find only a 3ed of a mug still in it.
Its also a pain to make a pot. You have to take the thing 1/2 apart just to make a pot and if you have to slid it around even 3-4'' while the bottom portion is full the overflow in the back spills everything.

Pros:
Makes great coffee in a short time.
The red light that shows its still heating is nice.

Why I'm shopping to get a new one...
After about a year (little less) of use, the seal busted. While making a pot/brewing the area that the coffee comes out of and into a mug drips at least a cup of water. Its still usable but I have to put a mug under it while its brewing till I find something I like.

At best this unit is worth about $30 not the $45 they are asking for it now... and not the $60 I payed for it a year ago. :(

At first it's a great coffeemaker, and it keeps the coffee HOT for up to 4 hours. Started years ago with the first model and kept upgrading, but this is the last straw. Moving on and up to Cuisinart.
However...............Too many parts and steps to brew coffee; loud! First, trying to pour water into the reservoir from the brew chamber is difficult to accomplish without pouring water all over the counter, even if you are careful. The dispenser spout is too near the body so coffee drips and flows all over if you use a thicker mug or try to fill a travel mug. The view panels on the sides quickly take on a coffee color, making it impossible to see how much is left, even cleaning with bleach won't give you a clear view. If you clean it thoroughly, DO NOT get water near the control panel seams, it takes weeks to dry and restore function. Then, the filter basket bail breaks and makes it a two handed operation to remove it to dump grounds. Then, and far more relevant, the thing starts to leak. Coffee from the brew chamber drips back into the water chamber almost as fast as the coffee brews. From there it starts dripping onto the counter. Had this particular one for less than a full year now and already need to replace it.

This coffee maker is just OK. It's hard to fill large cups, but otherwise does a good job. The biggest gripe I have is that the coffee leaks from the holding tank into the fresh water tank below, so you have to turn the whole thing upside down over your sink to empty it before you add fresh water each time. They need a better sealing system there.

I've owned many coffeemakers, and this is by far the worst design I've seen. The coffee dispenser is set back behind the dispensing lever, requiring any cup to be placed at an extreme angle to avoid catastrophic coffee spillage. You can't simply place a cup under the dispenser and expect to obtain even a third of the coffee that will end up on the floor.

I will feel bad when I throw this coffeemaker away after owning it for only a few weeks.