Customer Reviews

Hamilton Beach 47374HB H.B. DIGITAL BREW STATION 10 CUP BLACK

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(22)

 

 

When I first reviewed this product, I had used it for nearly 2 weeks and was satisfied. However several days ago I noticed the coffee maker was making an odd noise when brewing. I realized that the machine was leaking and dousing the heating element with water, making lots of concerning hissing and crackling noises. The water then leaked out the bottom as well. I only wish I'd read the reviews before I purchased this machine.

UPDATE: I contacted Hamilton Beach and the customer service lady said that reports of leaks were common, so they sent me a new coffee maker. Too bad the new coffee maker leaked as well! It had the exact same problem of leaking on the heating element and out the bottom.

I called again to ask for a refund and they refused. Instead they are sending me a 3rd coffee maker. Now suddenly this second customer service lady insisted that leaks were not a common problem.

Also, I have noticed that there are new 5-star reviews of this unit which claim that those of us who left 1-star reviews are "lazy" or that the leak is "user error". One has to wonder why these reviewers are taking this so seriously, and why they're using their reviews to attack others.

Long story short, I highly recommend you save yourself some trouble and some money - avoid this machine!

After about 3 months the switch started clicking inside when it wasn't in use. At first I thought nothing of it. Then I started noticing it was hot when I went to make a pot of coffee even though I hadn't been home all day. As time has passed (over the course of the last month) the heat (when off) has been rising. This is ironic since it wouldn't make a "HOT" cup of coffee in the first place.

I've been unplugging it recently when I'm not using it to be safe while waiting for my new one to arrive (definitely not made by HB) and in the past week I've forgotten to unplug it twice. I've come home to open it to STEAM and IMMENSE heat to the tune of the used filter being black at the top from being cooked. I would definitely stay away from this lest you want a fire to erupt. Today marks the last pot of coffee I'll have from this coffee maker.

I got the coffeemaker for christmas '08, it is now Jan. 09 and it will not dispense coffee with the urn thing on the maker, you have to remove it from the base and quickly place it over the cup b/c it starts pouring coffee. you don't have to worry about getting burned b/c the coffee doesn't stay hot in this thing anyway, so SAVE YOUR MONEY! THIS THING IS JUNK!

Mine lasted about 1 year. It worked well at first, though it does burn coffee when the tank is nearly empty. After a few months it began to leak around the base plate (very messy), and the valve began to get loose and tend to dribble all over when dispensing. (When I took it apart, I discovered the cheap plastic valve had actually broken, and the insides of the valve assembly were quite unsanitary -- strange gunk accumulated in the dispenser area, despite daily washing). This is clearly not designed for maintainability either: they do not offer replacement tanks, valves etc. and they use a mix of phillips and spanner type screws to make it intentionally difficult for DIY types to repair the seals.

The design concept is good, I just wish the manufacturing wasn't so pathetic.

I bought this coffee maker with some trepidation based on the other reviews I read, but decided to anyway. It had all of the features I was looking for, and the negative comments seemed like things I could either avoid (now that I was aware of them) or common sense user errors. I bought it at Walmart and paid $30. I brought it home, washed it out, and then made a full pot of coffee. It was excellent! Very easy to use, the coffee stayed hot and didn't get burnt at all. I had been looking to replace my traditional glass carafe because after a little while, the heating plate would burn the coffee. I had done a bunch of online research between the glass carafe, thermal carafe, and this kind. I let this one go for the full 2 hours before the machine shut itself off, and the coffee never tasted burnt. I usually only fill it up to the 6 cup mark in the morning and that makes me 2-large cups (huge mugs from Pier One) or 3-small cups (smaller mugs from Starbucks). I love the dispenser, the glass carafe always made a mess when I'd pour it. Having people over and dispensing the coffee isn't a problem for me, I never took the glass carafe away from the coffee maker or put it on the table anyway. I've been using this coffee maker 4-6 times a week for about a month now.....and I love it! It's super easy to clean as well. I have had no issues with it leaking or getting too hot/not getting hot enough.

Okay, my theory is that companies that mass produce appliances like this only put a few machines through inspection. All the others are allowed to be sold to paying costumers whether or not they work well. I think they know people would rather buy a new machine than get their money back and go through all the hassle. And they make it as difficult as they can for the customer to go through the motions so they can make the profit. I would say in the case of this coffee machine, you have more like a 75/25 % chance of getting a defective appliance.
My machine leaks too. I have cleaned the heating unit faithfully every month since I bought it. I have tightened the screws under the pot part as many times but today is the first time an entire pot of coffee has leaked out of it. It was a burden I was willing to endure because I loved this machine but today it's cost me more than the darned thing is worth. Use your imagination and think what a pot of coffee spilled all over a kitchen counter and rug covered floors can damage. My cabinets are stained my counter is stained my rugs will have to be replaced. Even my son's textbook got soaked and the year just started! I'm going to have to send him to school with a soggy textbook and probably have to pay for it at the end of the year.
If you're a gambling person, you might hit the jack pot and get the appliance that works as it should, but if you are a conservative spender, look elsewhere for a coffee maker. The one I bought started leaking conveniently after the return by date for Walmart, so I could not return it there. I'm online right now looking at a different one.

I have had this coffee maker for a week now. This coffee maker leaks! If you want coffee all over your counter then get this coffee maker. It seemed ok when I ran it to clean it. But, when I made my first 4 cup serving and let it stand for a while I ended up with brewed coffee all over the counter. Mine goes back to the store.

My suggestion is if you want hot coffee, DON'T buy this coffeemaker. If you don't get the coffee right when it's done brewing, you will need to heat your coffee for at least 15 seconds in the microwave.

This is my second one in under 90 days.
Why I went with this one again, I have no idea!
Quit brewing after about 30 days.
Second one did the exact same thing!

It will brew about 3 cups and then stops!
I think the designers should go back to school!
Bad design on the brewing!

We bought this coffee maker about 10 months ago. It was to replace yet another coffee maker that we had managed to break the carafe on. Broke three in 8 years - and usually the cost to replace was nearly the same as replacing the entire maker.

It worked awesome for 10 months. Absolutely my favorite coffee maker. Coffee was made quickly. Kept hot for 2 hours. We never had a leak. Never. It was just amazing, and was perfect for the two of us drinking a pot or two a day.

And in the last week, the on/off switch seems to be broken. It will brew about 2 cups...then stop. Have to shut it off and then turn it back on again...to get 2 more cups. Very frustrating, and the Hamilton Beach website is not helpful. It basically suggests that if we didn't clean it weekly with their suggested cleanser then it's the users fault it's broken. I believe there are several problems that could be caused by not cleaning it. However - I do NOT believe the on/off switch is one of those.

I love the idea of this coffee pot, I love the price point. Unfortunately, I cannot love this specific pot. Any suggestions on a similar but GOOD one?