Customer Reviews

KitchenAid KCM511OB 10-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker, Onyx Black

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(25)

 

 

Let me start off with saying that when this coffee machine works, it makes a very good tasting (though barely warm) cup of coffee. The coffee is rich and flavorful, never bitter or scorched. Unfortunately, the hassles are not worth it.

Like many others here, my previous Kitchen Aid coffeemaker was recalled and this was sent as the replacement.

1st off, The coffee is not warm enough until it has sat on the hotplate for about an hour (and by then the taste is ruined).

2nd, the design of this machine is questionable. There is a bizarre 'split' lid on the top of the machine (one hinged lid over the coffee grounds basket and one at the rear for the water). The rear cover is supposed to allow easy water filling, but you can't see the volume gauge unless you have both of the doors open. So what is the point of the second door? Also, when you open the top to make a new pot, you get a flood of water condensation that drips all over the place, down the side of the machine and back into the clean water reservoir.

The most serious design flaw and the reason I don't recommend it to anyone at all is the occasional overflow of coffee and coffee grounds from the machine. There is nothing like waking up to a muddy pool of coffee all over the counter, the kitchen cabinets and the floor. I have tried using a different (ie coarser) grind of coffee, used paper filters instead of the gold filter, but nothing seems to matter. It still happens about 25 percent of the time. There is no logical reason for it. I never turn this machine on unless I put a ring of paper towels around the bottom edge.

Also Because the plastic rim around the top of the pot isn't flush with the inside of the glass carafe, it refuses to let go of the last few tablespoons of coffee unless you (literally) shake it.

If people *must* have matching Kitchen Aid appliances in their kitchen, then this is the machine for you. It certainly is attractive. But if you want a coffee maker that will make a hot cup of coffee without major hassles and extra cleanup, avoid this machine like the plague.

**update. I love how follow-up reviews have insinuated that those of us that had problems with the machine simply didn't follow instructions and were too dumb to realize you can't put in both a paper filter AND the gold filter at the same time!! That or we didn't push the pot all the way in. Give us a break!! We followed all the instructions. It's just a plan defective product! It comes as no surprise to me that this poorly designed machine has been discontinued by the manufacturer for quite some time now.

I read all the Negative reviews on the Kitchenaid coffee maker. Im one of those people that keeps a open mind about the problems that other people have. Most of the time I figure its user error or that its a 1 in a 1000 chance the problem will happen to me. Well I bought the coffee maker to match all my Kitchenaid appliances. The first 2 weeks were great I thought everyone was crazy for all the Negative reviews. After 2 weeks if made more than 4 cups of coffee at a time it would leak out of the base, so I had coffee to clean off the counter after each use. I did find that if I used the 1-4 cup setting it would not leak. So Loving the coffee makers look I figured I would deal with this and use the 1-4 cup setting. For 1 month all was fine not a problem. One morning I went to make coffee and I got "ERROR 2" on the display. In the manual it said to turn off and back on and if the error came back it must be repaired. It was sent back and my money refunded. I ended up getting the Cuisinart Brew Central 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker. I love it and it works like a dream. It still looks great with all my Kitchenaid. Hope this helps someone.

Hmmmmm. Seems like everyone here received this model in exchange for a recalled model, including me. Kitchenaid...please re-attach the cord and send me the fire hazard back!! This coffeemaker is attractive, but looks aren't everything. Each time we have made a full pot, the coffee grinds have overflowed into the carafe, even though we use Bunn oversize filters. We have had to resort to brewing less than the maximum amount. Sigh. The water does not reach proper brewing temperature and the coffee is weak. I guess in this case, I got what I paid for. Nothing.

This coffee maker looks nice on a countertop, and makes great coffee. However, a there is a significant flaw in the design of this machine. If the coffee pot is not precisely positioned during brewing, the basket doesn't drain into the pot, but rather overflows into the area behind and under the pot, and finally onto the counter. I've learned to compensate for this, but a person shouldn't have to make such an effort with an $80 coffee maker.

Like many others, I received this coffee maker as a replacement for the recalled model. The first one frequently leaked coffee all over my counter top. I called KitchenAid. They apologized and sent me a new one -- the same model, Well, the third time I used it coffee grounds were everywhere: in the pot throughout the machine on the counter. To make matters worse, the grounds blocked the opening on the carafe and less than 1/4 cup of coffee made it into the glass carafe! The other 9 and 3/4 was all over the macine and counter top. What a mess! I ended up at Starbucks that morning. I called KitchenAid later that day and settled for the $50.00 buyback. I just bought a new Krups thermal and so far, so good.

I bought this coffee maker to match my KitchenAid blender and coffee gridner. The coffee maker is attractive but works terribly. If you make more than 1 or 2 cups it overflows hot coffee onto the counter top. There is almost always grounds in the coffee too. When I called KitchenAid customer service they said they made a revision to fix the problems and sent me another one. It has the same problems. This is NOT user error I have tried different coffees, grinds, and positioning the carafe differently. This coffee maker is just a distrastrous design mistake. Finally I got KitchenAid to buy the coffee maker back and got a Cuisinart one. It works perfectly, costs less, and has more features. I would recommend Cuisinart and highly recommend that you do not buy this shoddy coffee maker - you will regret it.

Received error message the first time it was pluged in. I guess I'll go back to buying $20 throw away coffee pots that work for 20 years. I've always been happy with Kitchenaid products until now.

I have several other Kitchen Aid appliances and they are all great - solid, hefty machines that do superior work, the type of items Kitchen Aid has built a reputation on. So that is why I bought this coffee maker (actually I have the previous model before this "update"). Boy, howdy! Was I blind-sighted! The quality of the housing is no better than a Mr. Coffee for 1/4 the price, and I too, have experienced the leaking problems like other reviewers have noted. And on mine, the spring that keeps the shut off unit down while you take the pot off the machine to have that first cup while it is still brewing - well, it decided to not do it's job only after about a month of owning it. The unit leaks coffee as if that is what it was designed to do. HEY, KITCHEN AID ENGINEERS - DO YOU READ THESE AMAZON REVIEWS? IF YOU DO, THEN GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND MAKE A COFFEE MAKER THAT IS IN LINE WITH YOUR OTHER PRODUCTS! AND GIVE THOSE OF US THAT BOUGHT YOUR PREVIOUS JUNK A FULL CREDIT TRADE IN TO UPGRADE TO IT ONCE IT IS AVAILABLE! HOW HARD IS IT TO MAKE A GOOD COFFEE MAKER? MY GRANDMA'S EARLY 70'S MR. COFFEE IS STILL PERKING STRONG - WHAT AN EMBARASSMENT TO KITCHEN AID. Nuff' said.

You'd think that there's not much room for error in designing a coffee make but this product has a major glitch. If you don't rest the coffee maker on the burner just right, the coffee that drips during the brewing dprocess does not all land in the carafe! I've had several messes to clean up. Also, the coffee occassionally has plastic taste that is being picked up somewhere during the brweing process.(...)I'd find that these glitches are not compenstated for by the numerous user-friendly features and great styling.

I called KitchenAid yesterday to complain about the replacement coffeemaker. I was told that there were not other complaints. I didn't have the overflow of water problem but the coffee was not hot enough, the design was rediculous with the water chamber in the rear and the measure stick which you could not see. You would have to use the pot to pour the water in and there was residue left in the pot. Also, the condensation was enough to make a cup of coffee. I chose to receive the foodprocessor to replace the replacement. I have many KitchenAid products but this one was the pits.