Customer Reviews

BUNN ST Velocity Brew 10-Cup Thermal Carafe Home Coffee Brewer

5 star:		(153)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

We've had the Bunn STX coffee maker for a couple of months now. It replaced out 10 year old Bunn BT-10 that develop a leak.
Pluses:
Design. It's gorgeous! Looks like something Jonathan Ivee of Apple would design. Form follows function here (always a good thing) but form is fantastic!
Good hot coffee fast. Less than 5 minutes for a carafe full of perfect coffee. Can't beat that.
Customer service. As good as it gets.
Minuses:
The carafe. You cannot pour out all the coffee in the carafe without taking the lid off. Towards the end of the carafe, coffee will start to come out of the hole in the lid. And the rubber seal in the top of the lid was not well thought out. It comes out easily. I washed the lid in the dishwasher (top rack) and it must've come out. I didn't notice it till later. I emailed Bunn customer service and they sent me two of them for free. I love their customer service. With the old BT-10, the deliming tool was a steel spring-type contraption. Ours got rusty and Bunn customer service sent us a new one free of charge.
So, would I buy it again? Yes. I only wish the carafe was more like our old BT-10.

Coffee is my beverage of choice. Drink it constantly. I'm not a compulsive gourmand, but over the years I've gained enough knowledge to be sophisticated and demanding of a decent drink.

Coffee pots have a simple mission, really. To properly heat and immerse the grounds in water so that what goes into the carafe is hot and flavorful. There are a lot of other nuances about the beans, the grind, the water; but that's not the pot's problem. In our self imposed spaz world of multitask, no-time-to-do-anything-intelligently, insanity we need clocks and timers on everything to ensure we can snatch at a premade cup of joe on our way to the car.

The Bunn home system answer to these issues is that they promise a 3 minute brewed pot, on demand, of nice hot coffee. Who needs timers. It's that quick.

Welllll.

You have to understand that Bunn's are preload immersion heaters. When you first unbox the pot, before you ever turn the pot on, you will need to fill the coffee maker with water ( good idea to keep an old carafe around to measure your water input 'cause Bunn's don't have water levels to see how much water is in the tank ). Once you've filled the reservoir you can turn the pot on. Then you have to wait 15 minutes to preheat the reservoir. I don't know how you feel about having a constant running appliance on your table top while no ones home. I unplug all my kitchen appliances when I'm not using them. So if you want home brew with an unplugged Bunn you have to do the preload ritual every time you plug it back in.

As to making the coffee. The STX is a 10 cup carafe styled maker. Some of the complaints made by others demonstrate their unfamiliarity with the concept. Under high heat coffee deteriorates in 15 minutes ( remember the ole lead pencil flavored burned coffee? yum yum. ) For better tasting and relatively sustained heat it is best that you make smaller batches and use a carafe. You sacrafice the convenience of not having to make more for the happiness of good brew. ( Another trick anybody who ever used a thermos should know is that you should preheat the thermos by putting warm tap water in it for a minute before brewing. Putting hot coffee in a cold thermos is duhh. )

Coffee of your choice goes into the hopper. The box comes with 20 Bunn paper filters for starts. Place your empty warmed, and sealed thermos carafe under the hopper. Open the water port on the top of the Bunn. Use an old coffee pot carafe to put the desired amount of fresh cold water into the top of the pot. There is a ground in the pot that will not allow brewing to occur until you close the water port on top of the Bunn. Remember you have a preheated reservoir. As soon as you close the port water smacks your grounds and the carafe starts to fill.

Is it worth it? Are you getting that much better of a cup of coffee the Bunn way? I can't answer that for you. I just got the pot yesterday and I've had two pots out of it so far. You can certainly infer that this isn't the Holy Grail of coffee pots. ( But what is. )

If you play by the pre-immersion rules you can get a really fast pot of coffee. It does a pretty good job of keeping your coffee reasonably hot. I have yet to find a home system that got you a cup that stayed hot to the last swig: the Bunn came close, but no cigar.

How does the coffee taste? It's very good. But the Bunn filters are very heavy and they tend to homogeonize the begeeppers out of what you're drinking. By that I mean the output has a very bright flavor and nose that is very pleasing to the front of your mouth. But some of the back of the palate strong notes get stripped away from the coffee. I'm going to have to go get a reuseable basket and see what sort of results that will allow.

I'll probably update this later with some matured impressions.

This is an excellent system. But it's one in a busy field.

Addendum:

It's been a few days since I've started using the Bunn. I did get a gold reusable basket filter, and as far as I'm concerned it is a large improvement over the Bunn paper filter. The Bunn method does tend to make a very smooth cup of coffee; but the basket filter let a little more sediment into the cup and gives you some back of the palate flavoring.

Also I tend to use a heaping tablespoon of grounds per cup. Too much for the Bunn. Three cups on this system with my usual mix and Im getting a wicked buzz from coffee I haven't experienced in decades (lol). For 8 cups 6 tablespoons is plenty.

I'm sticking with the 4 stars. This is a well thought out system. But the output is an acquired taste. I'm not swept off my feet by the Bunn.

I was one of the first customers of this STX brewer. Full disclosure: Bunn awarded me this Bunn as a result of me winning their video contest earlier this summer. I have used Bunn brewers for about 10 years. This particular thermal model is solidly built compared to their last model which was all plastic, and would kind of bend at the slightest pressure if any were given on the top of the machine. Not so with this one. The quality can even be seen in the grounds basket - not your usual thin plastic basket. This one is very sturdy thick plastic, surrounded by stainless steel. The coffee produced is the usual Bunn quality - great. I've used this brewer every day and it consistently gives me the same quality pot of coffee. An even better value when purchased via stores like Amazon where the price is better than what can be had in your regular retail stores.

I REALLY like this coffee maker but I wish I could give it a rating of 4.5 because a 5 implies it's perfect and well, there are a couple of things I would change if given the chance.

First, and most importantly,it makes great coffee! It's piping hot when I pour my first cup and it tastes worlds better than the coffee I was getting from my 1 year old Mr. Coffee. The unit looks and feels solid and the set up is easy. In about 15 minutes or so we were ready to brew our first pot.

It's fast, the second you close the lid it, the stream of coffee starts and the pot is done in 3-4 minutes. The thermal carafe keeps the coffee much warmer than my old glass carafe ever did, although it isn't perfect.

Ok- Speaking of imperfections, here's the few things I would improve if I could:

I'm used to setting up my coffee pot the night before and having it ready when I wake up, this unit does not have that feature. It brews fast, so I didn't think it would be a big deal however I now have to get up and in my "morning fog" prepare the coffee and "warm up" the carafe...This in reality probably adds as much time to the process as it takes to brew the whole pot. Most of the time is spent warming the carafe (waiting for the water to get hot out of the tap seems to take forever in my place at 5am) so I might try experimenting with setting up as much as possible the night before and then just warming up the carafe or seeing how long it stays warm if I don't pre-warm it. Anyway, a delay feature would be added if I were Queen.

I would also make the mouth of the carafe just a tiny bit wider so your hand could slip in and out for cleaning. Also, while the carafe pours like a dream (no dribbles like Mr. Coffee left for me to clean up evey morning) a tighter seal would make the coffee stay hotter longer. This is a minor detail in my personal use, since I have a cup or 2 and I'm out the door.

Lastly, MADE IN CHINA. Just seeing this on a product now raises questions about it's safety. I would feel so much better about the product if I saw "MADE IN USA" instead.

I'm thrilled with my new coffee pot, and as long as the unit proves reliable, this will be a purchase I won't regret. I've quit stopping off for a "good" cup of coffee on my way to work, and just taking my own.

It seems that everyone who writes a review for a high-end coffee maker is either a condescending twit or an utter dipshizzle. I hope I can find a middle ground (utter twit?) to help you decide to buy the Bunn STX coffee maker.

The initial set up of this coffee maker is easy. My initial impression of the coffee maker is that it is simple, sturdy, and well made. Most of the components are stainless steel, including the funnel basket, the thermal carafe and the tank. The lid to the thermos is well-made, with clear arrows indicating the quarter-turn to tighten the lid. There are no leaks, fluid pours out quickly, and maybe a tablespoon of coffee is left in the bottom when you pour the last cup. There is only one "vacation" switch that controls the tank heater: on or off. To brew coffee you slide shut the lid of the water inlet--after the thermal carafe is replaced under the funnel, which might be contrary to your current routine.

Initially, you must prime the tank heater with water before you can make your first batch. The instructions were clear and this was easy. A pot of coffee truly takes less than three minutes to brew with the machine's preheated water. This coffee maker is supposed to be left on so that it keeps the water in the tank at 200 degrees at all times; if you choose to turn off the pot to save electricity, it takes approximately 10 minutes to heat the water again. The machine is somewhat loud when it is actively heating cool water, but when the heater turns off you know the water is ready. A second pot of coffee can be made immediately, as long as you have emptied the thermos.

Because the machine brews so quickly, there is no need for a "pause brew" feature. Because it brews into a thermos, there is no need for a plate warmer. Because this coffee pot is intended for coffee aficionados who appreciate fresh-ground beans, there is no clock or timer. Because there's not a bunch of gizmos to flake out, this coffee pot does one thing and does it WELL. As such, Bunn offers a three-year warranty. Me likey.

It did take a pot or two of coffee to dial in the perfect flavor. Because it brews so quickly, my first pot of coffee, even though I used 10 heaping tablespoons of medium-grind whole bean coffee for a 10-cup brew, was relatively weak. I use a Kitchenaid burr coffee mill (another five-star review I should write) and I dialed my grind approximately one-tenth finer to compensate. My next pot, ten heaping tablespoons for ten cups, was slightly too strong, so on my third pot I reduced the amount of grounds. Perrrrrrrfect.

Every step up in machinery or technique will change the way your coffee tastes. It's amazing what the difference is between the same beans, same batch, same grind, same amount, sent through my seven-year-old Krups drip machine as this Bunn. Similarly, it was a huge difference when I upgraded from my old Braun burr mill to the Kitchenaid coffee mill. If your first pot of coffee isn't spot-on, I suggest that you adjust your mill settings or try upgrading your beans, 'cuz the problem does not reside with this pot.

OMG- FINALLY THE PERFECT COFFEEMAKER!!! I would give it 10 stars if I could. I'm the biggest coffee addict- never without a cup of coffee. I bought this 3 mos. ago and it's awesome! Though there was nothing wrong with my other Bunn, I bought this to match my newly remodeled kitchen (all black and stainless). Got my first Bunn about 20 years ago (after blowing through many cheap coffeemakers), and will never buy anything but a Bunn again- they're a little more expensive but so, so worth it, and this one is the best! Perfect coffee everytime in 3 minutes. With my other Bunns I would keep the warmer on for about 1/2 hour after making the coffee (any longer and it would taste kinda old or burnt) and just heat it in the microwave. With this one the thermal carafe keeps the coffee hot for about 3 hours. And you don't have to worry about getting to work and thinking "Did I turn off the burner on the coffeemaker"? It's very easy to clean (wash by hand- but no big deal). It looks so sleek and modern and it's very well made- the carafe is heavy duty and the basket for the grounds is much thicker and heavier than normal. The one thing I would caution anyone about is to make sure you use Bunn filters. Because of the way the Bunn sprayheads work the cheapy filters sometimes allow the grounds to overflow the filter and get in the coffee. (Yuck!!) I can't say enough good about this coffeemaker!! Love it-love it-love it!! I would recommend it to anyone. It is the BEST- you will not be sorry!!

We had a Bunn previous to this purchase but the original started to leak after 10 years. The original Bunn made good coffee but the coffee in the pot would cool after a few minutes. The new BUNN stays hot for about an hour and it too makes great coffee. We found the BUNN coffee maker to be well worth the money compared to buying a standard electric coffee pot.

The Bunn STX makes really great coffee. However, I do not need the unit to maintain hot water 24 hours a day. I tried pluging the Bunn STX into a wall timer with an on/off range. I set the ON time about 15 minutes before I get up in the morning so the water is hot when I make my morning coffee. You can set the timer to turn OFF anytime after the coffee is made since the thermal carafe will keep the coffee hot without any electrical power. Once you leave for work there is no need to waste electrical power to keep the water hot when no one is home. You can even set the timer to come on again if you want coffee in the evening. A plug in wall timer from any hardware store works great. The timer eliminates the need to use the BUNN STX vacation switch on back. I think the Bunn will last longer since the internal heating element is not on all the time. I wish Bunn would add a built in timer in future models. I know the idea behind BUNN coffee makers is to keep it simple. However, for a high end home unit a timer should be included.

Update: Bunn now has a new model line called Phase Brew. The Phase Brew models are programmable and only heat the water when needed. You will have to wait 10 minutes for the brewing cycle to complete (6 minutes for water to heat and 4 minutes to brew). The STX model does have a faster brewing cycle of only 3 minutes for a full pot.

Before I made this purchase I read just about all of the reviews here. The overwhelming majority of them are very, very positive - glowing, you might say - as they should be. These reviews are trustworthy and I see no need to repeat what they say.

I was given pause by the occasional negative review until I noticed it was typically written by someone who, for example:

- had actually used a percolator (other than while sitting around the campfire on a cattle drive with Gabby Hayes) and been happy with it;
- uses Maxwell House/Folger, etc., coffee;
- uses ANY pre-ground coffee;
- claims they have to use "twice" the amount of coffee than before;
- grinds their beans the night before to "save time" and has used their prior brewer's timer feature to make the coffee before they awake;
- would leave their glass carafe on the warmer base after the brewing stops for any more than seconds before pouring the coffee into a thermal carafe;
- rates this product a one-star "disappointment" because "the carefe (sic) platform is not heated" and there is "no guage (sic) to tell how many cups of coffee you are making"; and
doesn't seem to have read or comprehended anything whatsoever beforehand about the well-advertised size, physical characteristics and capabilities of the product, etc., etc., and still wants to "find" something to criticize.

If you're really interested in producing a great cup of coffee, these negative reviews should not delay/deflect you from buying this brewer. Maxwell House? Percolator? Please!

Since the early 1970's when I first began to appreciate the satisfaction of brewing and drinking coffee using a variety and combination of freshly roasted beans, a Braun or Krups blade grinder just before brewing and the Chemex/Melita drip systems, I've always been open to improving my techniques.

My current coffee bar consists of the Bunn STX, a Rancilio Rocky Doserless burr grinder (burr is the only way to go, but that's another story), a Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine, a Zojirushi thermal carafe for keeping the coffee hotter, longer (nothing can compete with a glass vacuum thermos - NOTHING), an OXO digital scale for precision dosing and an old Melior French Press for a single cup of "instant" coffee. I've roasted my own beans using an iRoast2, but I know I'm better off leaving that to the pros with their high-end equipment. I'm presently on a monthly subscription service for the Kicking Horse Three Sisters and Kick Ass Dark beans offered here. I've always had my coffee black (except for the occasional Irish Coffee or Cappuccino) so the taste of whatever I've brewed is not adulterated or masked by any sweeteners or dairy products, real or faux. (And, if I presumed to write a review of any coffee brewing equipment I would never use any of the flavored "coffees" such as vanilla, hazelnut or caramel truffle as a basis for the review. They belong in a candy making review.)

The Bunn replaced a Cuisinart DCC-1200 which was adequate, but not as good as the earlier Brauns and Krups.

I'm willing to invest time, effort and a few bucks to get good results. If you are also, the Bunn STX will be worth it (in the +/-$155.00 range).

As for the possible wastefulness of the Bunn's emblematic "always on" feature to insure a fresh pot is only minutes away, this is what I've found. According to my Kill A Watt meter over a 72 hour period, which included three brewing cycles, the Bunn consumed 2.41 kWh. For me, at the current $.17 per kWh that's about $.14 per day (or $50.00 per year). Not a big deal. When the Bunn is converting cold water to the proper temperature, it consumes +/-700 watts for 10-12 minutes, then it consumes a constant +/-30 watts to maintain the temperature so you can get the thrill of making a pot in 3-4 minutes. If I were making multiple pots per day, I'd keep it on.

Because I'm not and it only takes 10-12 minutes to bring the Bunn up to temp, I'm staying green and keeping it off using the "vacation" switch. I considered using an appliance timer (when I was first reading the reviews), but here's what I'm doing now first thing in the AM: fill the carafe with cold, Britta-filtered water (this is the water that will be used in tomorrow's brew) and pour it into the brewer (reminding myself to keep the lid open); turn the vacation switch to "back home"; and fill the carafe with hot water, cap it and set it aside. Then, I take my dog out for a short walk in the woods behind my house. Upon our return, I see (actually, hear) if the Bunn is still heating up (the noise some people talk about is only present for the last few minutes of the heating process). If it's good to go, I put in a filter, grind (at a medium setting - 25 on the Rocky - same as the 12-cup Cuisinart) and weigh 45 grams of coffee (proportionally a little LESS than the Cuisinart) and dump it in the the basket (again reminding myself to keep the lid open). I pour the hot water out of the carafe, cap it and put it under the basket, close the lid and in 3-4 minutes I have a truly great cup of coffee. Every time. (1/25/12: I have now brewed over 250 full pots and I have ALWAYS had the same great result.)

I thought some of the most glowing reviews might be hyperbole, but my first taste immediately told me they weren't. Smoother, more tasty and complex than ever, and no bitterness whatsoever. I've been using washed, dried and ground eggshells in the mix since c. 1975, and my coffee has never been what you'd call bitter but the Bunn has taken this to new levels.

To anyone out there who claims they are producing a bad (e.g., "thin," "tasteless," "nasty," "weak," "anemic," "terrible") pot of coffee with this brewer: sorry, it's not the Bunn, it's you. If you can't or won't buy quality beans, grind them in the proper manner, quantity, consistency and be willing to experiment until you get it right - this is true for any grinding/brewing system - you should probably stick with Maxwell House in your percolator or whatever you have previously used and liked.

I do have one complaint about the Bunn STX: the coffee is so good I'm drinking more than I should.

Having used Bunn coffee makers for years, this one is a clear winner.

Bunn is right, you don't need a warming plate. The thermal carafe keeps coffee HOT! 2 hrs later coffee is still steaming hot.

Highly recommended.