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101 of 102 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Solid coffee maker, excellent value, September 10, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: Melitta MEMB10TB Mill & Brew Coffeemaker (Kitchen)
I've used this machine for over a month now and am very happy with it. It makes as good a pot of drip coffee as most people could ever want, and the construction, while definitely plastic, seems quite solid to me. I prefer strong coffee, and have found that I need to use more coffee than they recommend, especially for small pots (I use 3 scoops for a 2-cup pot, though 4 - 4.5 scoops for a 4-cup pot works fine). I figure this is something that happens with a lot of basket-style auto-drip coffee makers, since a little coffee spread over the bottom of a basket just isn't going to infuse as much. If you do like your coffee scalding hot, this is probably not the machine for you. I always find coffee shop coffee to be way too hot for the first few minutes... this machine brews plenty hot for me. And, since it's in a non-heated carafe, you don't have to worry about burner injuries/accidents, *and* the coffee doesn't taste burnt after an hour. Overall, this machine really excels at medium-to-large pots of coffee (6-10 cups), because more hot liquid will keep hot longer in the carafe, and the grind consistency won't matter as much with a large amount of coffee. For smaller pots, it's a tad less consistent. However, its advantages overall still keep me happily using it, even for my small pots. I have a lot of experience using and drinking from a friend's much more expensive grind-n-brew (with burr grinder), and can attest that the coffee produced here tastes just as good to me, and the machine is just as easy to use (and easier to clean thoroughly). Overall, I think it's a great coffee maker and excellent value for the money.
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51 of 51 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Easy to operate even when caffine-deprived!, February 16, 2004
By A Customer
This review is from: Melitta MEMB10TB Mill & Brew Coffeemaker (Kitchen)
I purchased this about a month ago and have been very happy. I was a little concerned from some of the reviews and looked at many, many makes and models but am very happy with this coffee maker. The machine is easy to use once you read the manual (something I admit that I hate doing), makes great coffee, and reasonably easy to clean I agree that for smaller pots you need a little more coffee for it to be strong the way I like it. But I do believe that with all basket filters that is the case. You need to select a cone model if that is a problem for you. I also would recommend using Grind 3 instead of the default 4 which was too fine. I think the coffee comes out hot enough, and I even use some milk in my coffee. You can make it even hotter if you pre-warm the carafe, which I know that those that use the timer can't do. I have never had any problems with the lid falling off -- there is a small raised circle so that if you align that with the spout the lid stays on tight but the coffee comes out plenty fast. I love the fact that I don't have to remember to shut it off before I leave the house. And because there is no burner the third cup hours later is as good as the first. I haven't found cleaning to be a big deal. I do put the grinds down my disposal which makes it easy. But just a quick rinse and it is good to go for the next day.
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53 of 54 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Makes a great cup of strong coffee!, May 22, 2003
This review is from: Melitta MEMB10TB Mill & Brew Coffeemaker (Kitchen)
I'll begin this review by describing this unit's sole weakness: to keep the coffee hot longer than an hour you need to pre-rinse the thermal carafe with hot water. You probably won't do this if you use the very reliable timer. If you enjoy your coffee blonde and sweet, you might need to show the mug a little radar love (microwave) to boost the heat... Even with this minor issue, I still feel compelled to give this unit five stars. I'm not trying to hyperinflate the score. I don't have stock in the company. It's just that this baby makes a great cup of strong coffee! I bought this to replace a 15 year old Krups machine. I still have the Krups. The Melitta was purchased mainly because of the timer. I wanted to wake up to a cup of java. I also think coffee tastes better when the beans are ground right before brewing. Based upon other reviews and the Culinary Institute's award, I crossed my fingers and bought this machine. I'm glad I did. I prefer strong coffee, like S-bucks bold Kenya roast. Utilizing a ratio of x cups of water (measured on the machine's water lines) to x+1 scoops of coffee (using the provided scoop), makes the perfect cup of coffee for me (eg - 6 cups of water and 7 scoops of coffee beans = good coffee). If I make 6 cups or less, I grind it on 4; greater than 6 cups - I grind it on 5. The machine is easy to use, easy to program, and easy to clean. I love it! It makes a really wonderful cup of coffee. Quite simply, the Melitta really delivers!
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