Customer Reviews

DeLonghi DCF212T Drip Coffeemaker with Convenient Front Access

5 star:		(47)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(20)
1 star:		(60)

 

 

When my $100 coffee maker quit, I researched coffee makers and found this model from DeLonghi I hadn't heard of before. The design of this model sets a new standard for on-the-counter coffee makers. It is incredible to be able to put the filter, coffee, AND WATER in the maker without moving the machine. The caraffe doesn't drip when pouring into the swing out arm (or into the cup later) so there's no messy drips to wipe up at any time.
The digital clock isn't the quickest to set since you have to hold a button in as it changes in minutes only, but hopefully that won't need set often.
The "aroma" button really works! There actually is a difference in the brewing aroma with it on.
Most importantly, the end product was a great cup of coffee! I'm thrilled with the coffee maker and haven't found a single negative aspect yet, including the price. I HIGHLY recommend this model. Kudos Delonghi, you really outdid yourself here. Amazon's shipping was simple and fast. The whole purchasing experience was exceptional. A+++++

I just got this coffee maker a few days ago and for the most part I like it, but, and this is a major but for me, the coffee just isn't quite hot enough. I find myself throwing my cup in the microwave to get it piping hot, not scalding but hot. It's nice looking, the front water loading is convenient, the coffee tastes good, but I wouldn't buy it again because of the temperature issue.

Summary: it died after 40 days.

I did my homework before picking this one, relying a lot on other reviewers' comments. I concede that the pour-from-the-front feature was appealing, but after getting the machine, I realized that it's not such a great design. Because the water channels through this front access swing-out arm, it's very difficult to REMOVE unwanted water, not to mention grounds that somehow end up in the reservoir. When I used a flashlight to examine the reservoir, I was appalled at how scummy it was, even after only a few weeks' usage.

The digital clock is terribly clumsy. To set the clock or brew time, you must hold down a single button until it reaches the desired time. The brew time defaults to 6AM, so if you want to set it for 5AM, you must cycle through 23 hours of counting.....and if you want to change it for the weekend, it's very awkward. Hey, this is 2008! Can't you do better than this, DeLonghi? This is a stone-age digital clock!

But the bottom line was simply this: the heating element stopped working after only 40 days of use. That's simply not acceptable. In the past, a coffeemaker could be expected to last for many years of daily use. Sadly, none of the "imported" coffeemakers I've tried recently can match that performance. This model was an exceptional failure.

I had the same leaking problem that another reviewer had. After about 1 month of daily use this unit starts leaking from the back and liquid coffee goes down to the warming plate making a mess and causing a burnt coffee smell. The company kindly sent me another unit but the same thing happened. So now they are sending me a second replacement and I chose a different model which hopefully will be more reliable. But based on the review on that unit I am not optimistic that unit is any better.

I bought this coffee maker about 4 months ago and it is already in the garbage. After the first month coffee would slowly come out of the carafe around the silver strip near the bottom and get on the burner and the smell of burnt coffe would fill the house. Then this weekend as I was filling the carafe with water it cracked. Carafe's online are $20 + shipping. NOT WORTH IT! So, I went out and bought a Cuisnart Coffee on Demand 12 cup programmable coffee maker and so far it is wonderful! Flavorful and hot coffee and even better there is no carafe to worry with!!!

I also liked everything about this coffee maker, except that the coffee is not hot enough. I will not return it because it would cost 1/2 of what I paid to ship. Stuck with it for awhile!

Perhaps I have been brainwashed into believing that the method of brewing coffee influences flavor, but I have been using a cone style filter for most of my adult life and was shocked when I opened this coffee maker and discovered it had a cup-style filter (not mentioned anywhere I could see in the advertisements for it). As with another reviewer, the temperature was much lower than my favorite old Cuisinart which broke down after many years of daily-plus use, and the coffee cooled down in my cup before I was even halfway finished with it. I packaged this DeLonghi back up and went and replaced my Cuisinart with the identical one I have used for years.

Woke up this morning to a broken coffee pot and went off to bed bath and beyond to buy another one (armed with a 20% off coupon). The price at BB and beyond was the same as amazons.

Good points -
-It was one of the cheapest coffee pots available
-It made excellent (NO, REALLY REALLY EXCELLENT) coffee compared to the black and decker that just broke - even with tap water
-I didnt notice the coffee was not warm enough but I dont like scalding coffee
- very easy to fill
- it came with its own scoop- the directions said 12 scoops for 10 cups and no suggestions for 12 cups (the size of the pot) because the place you put the grounds couldnt hold more than 10 scoops apparantly. However - 10 scoops was perfection for the full pot in my opinion. On my old pot I used to use 9 scoops for 12 cups so its a bit more coffee...but like I said - much better coffee. You might want to consider that if you like VERY strong coffee this might not be the pot for you...there is a limit on how much coffee you can use when you reach the limits of the pot.

Bad-

Honestly the only thing thats a negative is that it takes a surprisingly long time to brew a pot. I mean a surprisingly long time... I am in NJ and it felt like the water was making its way to the coffee pot via the scenic route by way of Canada. If the coffee wasn't SO much better than my old pot... and the unit wasn't $30 less than everything else I might be tempted to return it.

It might be a bigger issue if it didn't have an auto function so I can pre-set the unit to brew my coffee in the morning.

This is the first (and last) DeLonghi coffee maker I have ever bought. I bought it thinking that DeLonghi was a reputable and trusty brand, and this model with the front access was so appealing.

Our cabinets are low and this is the first coffee maker that fits nicely under the counter and doesnt have to be moved to put the coffee in. The convenience of the front access is the ONLY positive thing I can say.

As most other reviewers, my unit has leaked since I got it. The coffee pools out of the front, back, and underneath. So, instead of moving my coffee maker from under the counters to fill it I am moving it so I can mop up puddles of coffee. It burns on the coffee plate as well so instead of smelling a nice coffee aroma in the morning I smell burnt coffee.

I contacted Delonghi and after two weeks (on their site it says they strive to get back to you in 24 hours-yeah right) and three emails they finally responded and said it was only under warranty for manufacturing defects for one year and I was not covered! WHAT! It has been less than a year and it seems the coffee maker leaking everytime I use it would be considered a manufacturing defect. They suggested that I take it to have serviced (more money than the coffee maker itself) and would not help me further.

In a nutshell, this is a terrible coffee maker and Delonghi customer service is equally terrible, slow, and unhelpful.. I feel so cheated. However, I have learned a lesson about Delonghi, the quality of their producst, and their loyalty (or lack of) to their customers. Please read the reviews and do not purchase this model!

I previously had a Delonghi coffee maker that worked just fine, but decided I wanted one in a different color/design. Going based on my previous experience with Delonghi I decided to try this new model. So far my experience has been great. It is a nice simple contemporary design. It has a little cup warming tray on top that uses the steam from the coffee maker to warm the cup. It is true that the coffee doesn't come out quite as hot as other coffee makers, but it just means that you don't have to wait to start drinking it. It still comes out hot, just not scalding hot like some of the others. Best of all...FRONT ACCESS! No moving the thing to put in water and coffee.