Zojirushi ECBD15 Fresh Brew Stainless Steel Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker w/ Decalcifier

by Zojirushi

Product Features

• Stylish automatic coffee brewer with 1.5-liter thermal carafe
• Stainless-steel carafe keeps coffee hot for hours
• 1025 watts; electronic clock/timer with preset function; auto shut-off for safety
• Clever brew-and-serve lid design; easy-to-read water gauge
• Measures 15 by 12 by 9 inches; 1-year warranty

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 5.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B000Y1VPZE
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #71,918 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining)

Product Description

Lots of folks dislike the burnt flavor that coffee gets when it sits in a glass pot over a heating element. To avoid this, coffee shops often brew right into large thermal pots to keep the coffee warm without it becoming overcooked. The Zojirushi Fresh Brew does that, too, but in home-sized batches. It looks great, too, with a glossy black body and stainless steel carafe and brew basket. To brew, lift the lid and swing the water outlet spout to one side while the filter is being loaded; the spout will return to its proper position when the lid is closed. A small red ball in the water gauge makes it extra simple to read. And an electronic clock module also serves as a timer that will start the brewer at a specified time. The carafe's lid is designed to be on during brewing, with a small cap to help keep the heat in after it's ready. The Fresh Brew also has a pause-and-serve function that stops the flow for 30 seconds while a cup of coffee is served. To clean the brewer unit, use a solution of white vinegar and water, following the instructions in the accompanying booklet. The unit is not immersible. The exterior can be wiped with a damp soft rag; do not use abrasives or scouring pads. The filter reservoir is removable; clean with warm soapy water and rinse thoroughly. The coffee brewer measures 15 by 12 by 9 inches (includes carafe handle when unit is completely assembled), and it uses #4 cone-shaped disposable paper filters. The Fresh Brew comes with a detailed instruction booklet. Zojirushi guarantees its products with a one-year limited warranty

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I like this coffee maker, November 6, 2004

By 

Scott O. (USA) - See all my reviews

First, if you are interested in this coffee maker. Buy the EC-BD15. Amazon has it for about $68 and free shipping. It is the same as the EC-BD15BA. We bought the EC-BD15. Our EC-BD15 had an inserted sheet in the instruction manual that corrects the manual by replacing the #3 filter wording for the #4 filter wording. The #4 filter fits fine, no cutting or anything. Apparently the the EC-BD15BA has the wording corrected in the manual and prints it on the box. If that is worth the difference in cost then go for it. It really just looks like a translation problem for the American market that uses #4 filters.

The coffee maker is exactly 15 inches tall. So make sure you have room under a cabinet if you store it there. My wife says the coffee stays hotter than in our old Mr Coffee thermal model. This caraffe is unbreakable because it is solid steel. No glass insert like our old Mr Coffee.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Only one version of this coffee maker, September 14, 2004

By 

P. Kim "pknyc" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

I called Zojirushi as well, and they confirmed that there is only one version of this coffee maker. There is no difference between the EC-BD15 and the EC-BD15BA. The "BA" signifies "black," as in the color of this machine. Strangely enough, the "BA" makes the price increase.

You can call Zojirushi direct (800-733-6270) and confirm this yourselves. Again, there is only one version, so be wary of paying more for the "BA."

As for the machine, it's great. The carafe retains heat well, thus negating the need for a warming element. This is better as your coffee won't cook and taste funny over time.

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Great mechanics but the coffee taste is lost...really lost., November 9, 2004

By 

Pio (Orange County, CA) - See all my reviews

We drink a lot of coffee all day, every day. So we decided to convert to a thermal carafe coffeemaker in order to keep our coffee hotter and fresher-tasting. We first bought the 10-cup Capresso MT-500 which we loved except for the carafe which leaked slightly. The coffee was perfect everytime and the taste great. Unfortunately the control panel burned out about a year and half after we bought it. So instead of another expensive Capresso replacement, we decided to try a Japanese model which we thought might be more reliable. We have been using the Zojirushi for 2 weeks now and it works perfectly. No leaks and it just feels more mechanically reliable than the Capresso. Unfortunately, there is no water filter system in this model compared to others (we had taken this for granted and not checked for it). And no reuseable metal mesh filter (that I could find on the market) instead of paper filters. The water also does not seem as hot when it goes into the coffee grounds. We are not sure why our coffee just doesn't taste very good anymore, but we definitely have noted a real sharp drop in taste quality. Today, we pulled out our very old Krups ProAroma model and have noted a definite taste improvement. We will use this and the Zojirushi thermal carafe until we get a new Capresso coffeemaker replacement. Don't waste your money on this Zojirushi model unless you don't care about taste. It was money thrown out the window as far as we are concerned. Even mediocre coffee beans are too expensive to use with this machine.