Customer Reviews

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

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

 

 

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.

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.

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.

I love my Zoji rice cooker, so when it was time to get a new coffee pot, I decided to get this conundrum. It is a mix of really great things and really dumb things.

Great :
Makes a large pot of hot good tasting coffee

I can tell already that the pause and serve will not break anytime soon unlike every other pot I have owned

Easy to put in coffee and water, if you don't use the stinking carafe for water (see below).

Unbreakable Carafe

Awful :
I read all the reviews about how the lid to the carafe shreds hands so I screwed it on loosely and it still was locked solid after it heated up. Turns out you only close it when you want coffee not to pour, you can leave it a few turns loose at all times... so OK, but I cut my hand on the damn thing.

The stinking pour spout is so small that it takes 30 seconds to pour a cup of coffee. I tend to unscrew the cap and dump coffee out of the big opening. This is nearly unacceptable.

Size 3 filters (got scissors?) I was warned, but my leftover 4's don't fit very well after cutting them.

The clock and controls feel cheap which is so unlike my rice cooker although now that I think about it, there is no way to turn the rice cooker off (you have to unplug it).

I wouldn't buy this again.

I bought this little gem 2 years ago after reading hundreds of reviews for many different models. I finally thought to write a review so others can benefit the way I did. This machine has just improved with age. Makes GREAT coffee exactly the way I like it, strong! The carafe keeps the brew hot all day long. Easy to use. Good looking in the kitchen. Doesn't have a filter like many other models but I use filtered water and grind beans right before brewing. Again, this model is very very easy to use, and makes a great pot of coffee. No frills, but very little that can go wrong.

Highly recommend to anyone wanting a carafe with timer. I've had 5 coffee makers over the years and this is my favorite hands down.

Ok to clear up this confusion, I called Zojirushi. They confirmed to me there is ONLY 1 VERSION of this coffee maker. Its just that they previously made the mistake of saying this unit uses a #3 filter, but in actuality, there are no #3 in USA, so you HAVE to use #4 and fold the top a bit or you will have to use #2 (which is a size lower but works perfectly). So either use #4 with adjustment or just use #2. Contrary to what many think, there is ONLY 1 version of this coffee maker, Costco sells the same ones here on Amazon. Look at the UPC and all units say EC-BD15BA, but will say on the top of the box EC-BD15.

The design of the carafe on this maker is good; the mouth is a bit wider than most, but you will still need a bottle brush to really clean it. There is even a secondary carafe lid to prevent air from entering the carafe after you have brewed a pot.

I bought mine at Costco for less than Amazon, and the latest revision of this model (Model EC-BD15BA) states that you can use the readily available #4 cone filters. I think Zojirushi realized that #4 filters are easily found for the American market.

The unit is easy to program for timed brewing, and the water level indicator is easy to read.

I bought the Zoji about a year ago and I have not had a single problem with it. It takes standard size filters, makes great hot coffee, and keeps it hot all day. Here's some of the other things I like about it. I use water out of a cooler. It tastes great but it is much too cold, so I pour it into the machine then swivel the brew head over the reservoir so the water recycles. In the meantime I'm grinding my coffee. After I'm done I give the water in the reservoir a stir and voila great tasting coffee. The other feature I like about it is the fact that the filter basket comes out for easy cleaning, then you can take off the entire brew head for cleaning as well. As for not being able to get the lid unscrewed after making coffee, yes the plastic of the lid expands and can make it somewhat difficult, although I personally haven't been able to get it off. If you wait five to ten minutes after you brew, it comes off no problem.

I've had my coffeemaker for about 2 years. It has worked faithfully every day. Coffee stays warm for long periods of time without scorching like those with a hot plate. This one has been my second favorite out of the pots I've owned during the years. My only problem has been that it won't fit under my cabinets! It's way too tall. To those who have a problem opening the top after brewing....it can be left loosely screwed on and will work just fine.

Zojirushi EC-BD15 Fresh Brew Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker

Makes great coffee. I read other reviews that said they had problems with the filters, size, cap on the carafe. I have had no problems at all. It fits under my cabinets perfectly, I use the gold filter I bought from amazon, and as long as you read the instructions on how to use it, the carafe pours great.