Customer Reviews

Hamilton Beach 48131 Aroma Express 5-Cup Coffeemaker, White

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

This coffee maker makes coffee, but it also makes a huge mess. It is practically impossible to pour the coffee into your cup without getting almost as much on the kitchen counter! I think it is the extra wide spout and the reason they give you 5 cups instead of 4 in the pot. This spillage also happens when pouring the water into the reservoir. Also, it you remove the carafe during brewing, it is not drip free. It will dribble and splash against the coffee maker. The coffee making is fairly quick and quiet. I prefer my old coffee maker that had a slide out basket and a pot that was easier to deal with.

I have owned this Hamilton Beach Aroma Express 5 Cup Coffee Maker for five years. I make at least one batch of Coffee every day. It has become part of my family. I will do a PROS & CONS type of review.

PROS:
Brews at a Higher temperature than most household coffee makers. 185 degrees F measured at the spray head.
Hotter initial serving temperature than most household units. Barely sip able when first brewed.
Fairly easy to clean up. Capacity of 25 ounces/5 cups at 5 ounces each is about 5 ounces more than most of it's competitors which are usually 20 ounces/4 cups. You can do the math, but it is about 2 and 1/2 10 ounce mugs.
Fairly fast brew time. About 9 minutes from the time I hit the start button until the time it stops dripping.
Takes regular size 8 to 12 cup paper filters or 4 to 6 cup paper filters if you can find them. I prefer the regular size unbleached/brown/natural paper filters. I think they impart less chemical or paper flavor than the bleached white filters. Since the coffee is brewed at a fairly high temperature I think that more flavor compounds are extracted from the grounds to produce more flavor than average/lower brewing temperature units. One of the first things I noticed when switching to this coffee maker from my 4 cup Mr. Coffee was the increase in the coffee aroma while brewing. I thought Aroma Express was just a name, but the Aroma Express actually produces more aroma and faster coffee than my 4 cup Mr. Coffee. The small size of this unit is ideal for a kitchen with very limited counter space or a dorm room. I see the prices are now up to at least $19 now which is still a good value. I purchased mine from Wal-Mart in 2004 for $14.95 plus tax.

CONS:
You need to pour the decanter/pot very slowly or the contents will leak out around the decanter lid and make a mess especially when the decanter is full. It is a good idea to flip open the lid when decanting weather pouring water while filling the reservoir or pouring brewed coffee into your mug. I try to pour it slow, but I find a paper towel comes in handy. Do not fill up to the max fill level indicated inside the reservoir. Fill it about 1/4 inch short of the max fill line. If you fill to the max fill line you will end up with water on your counter top. The filter basket is slightly cumbersome to remove and replace. Do not drop the fill basket. it will crack fairly easily. I dropped mine and it broke off the bottom hole that helps it to hinge on the unit. It makes it easier to remove and replaced the filter basket now, so I have mixed feelings about it braking. The spring activated stopper for the sneak a cup feature will still leak a few drops when the brew pot is removed. It will burn on the heating plate and create a unwanted burnt coffee aroma. It will also cause the brew pot to stick to the heating plate and continually remove portions of the non-stick coating on the heating plate. This can be reduced if you wipe off the heating plate before replacing the brew pot. I rotate the brew pot via the handle before removing the brew pot from the unit to brake the pot loose from the heating plate in case it sticks. My filter basket often tips forward slightly while brewing. I try to straighten it up to keep level and so the coffee grounds get an even exposure to the hot water, but it seems to sneak back out.

SUMMARY: If I wanted to spend less than $20 and or I only had a small space for a coffee maker, I would buy this Hamilton Beach Aroma Express 5 Cup Coffee Maker again. If money and space was not an object I would purchase a $245 Technivorm KBTS(32oz) or a $265 Technivorm KBT(40oz) coffee maker.

Other reviewers have complained about spillage or dripping with this product. I didn't encounter these problems. This is a small coffeemaker! It only makes five, 5-oz cups of coffee. If you make a full 25-oz pot and then move it quickly, you'll spill some coffee. The same goes for filling the water chamber to make coffee. If, on the other hand, you realize you're dealing with a small, full pot and act accordingly, you won't have any problems. It does exactly what it's supposed to do. It makes small amounts of good coffee quickly and easily. For under $15, what more can you ask for.

My mother swore by Hamilton Beach appliances. This is one that I find myself swearing at! The carafe itself is very drippy - I cannot pour a cup of coffee without having to wipe down the counter afterwards. The paper filters constantly collapse in the brewing basket and then come out drippy and messy also.

I miss my old Mellita - This coffee maker needs alot of help.

Sorry Hamilton Beach - I'm calling it as I see it!

Just got this brand new for the holidays and I'm here on line ordering a replacement already.
Drips all over the place.
Filter basket is VERY tricky to reinsert after emptying and sometimes slips back out.
Coffee is just so-so.

I love this coffee maker!! I have had mine for over 5 years now, use it every day, and it still works great. Matter of fact, I bought a spare when I saw it at an outlet store just in case something happened to the one I had and they happened to stop making them.

Advantages: brews more coffee than the regular small coffee makers, can use a regular-sized coffee filter, the swing-out filter holder is easy to remove to dispose of filter and grinds in garbage, the brewed coffee is hot when you pour it (not like other coffee makers where you need to warm your cup to ensure coffee stays hot).

Disadvantages: Spilling when pouring from the carafe (easy solution - lift up drip lid before you pour, solves problem), the nonstick coating on heat plate is starting to chip off, hard to clean all the nooks and crannies at the bottom of filter holder.

All in all, a great coffee maker, would buy again (oh wait, I already did!). Also, I too like my coffee strong so I'm not sure what another reviewer was talking about. One needs to put a sufficient amount of grounds in to get a proper cup of coffee (check out Alton Brown's comments on matter).

I bought this coffee pot for my husband before I read the other reviews. After I read them I thought I might have made a mistake... I was wrong. My husband said it was great and he loved how it poured. He said it was lots better than the last coffee pot he had!

This little guy has been brewing for ten years and has crossed the country several times. The only sign of age is the logo has worn away and the handle on the carafe is a bit loose. The loose handle is why I'm looking for another one and was surprised by the negative reviews. Yes, if you overfill it it will cause spills,the filter basket is a bit tricky to put back in the hinge but after a few times you'll be able to do it blindfolded. I only brew premium freshly ground coffe beans and this machine heats the brewing water the hottest of any drip coffee maker (I've tested several). This is the primary reason for the great coffee it puts out. Now if I can only find a replacement carafe that is not nearly the same price as the entire Aroma Express machine!

The Aroma Express is not a fancy coffee maker. It will not beep at you, function without a carafe, tell the time, brew different strengths at the touch of a button, or use special "pods". It also won't cost more than $30 (I paid $20 a year and a half ago), so in some sense you do get what you pay for. Because it is both small and inexpensive, it's perfect for a college student's dorm room.

What you get is a very simple, no frills coffee maker that makes a rather good cup of coffee. I've never had problems with weak coffee; I like mine strong and the Aroma Express does not disappoint. I have also used it to heat water for tea and even pasta. I did say it was good for a college student, after all! I do find that using filtered water (I have a filtering pitcher) makes a better cup, and good quality coffee helps the taste as well, of course.

I find it surprisingly easy to remove and clean the filter basket; after the first try or so I got the knack of it. Occasionally I use a clean Q-tip to get into the grooves of the basket. The coffee maker does leak on occasion, which is why I've knocked it down a star. Sticking a paper towel or a thin cloth towel beneath the coffee maker will help with this. Still, for the size and price, this coffee maker is a great little machine to have around - especially if you're on a budget (filtered water, good coffee, milk sugar and basket filters inclusive, I'm still only spending 15 cents a cup).

I am thoroughly pleased with this coffeemaker; it is a replacement for the very same one that I had for about 10 years. It pours without dripping, heat element is perfect for producing sipping coffee, and very easy to clean.