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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
High Altitude Bunn impressions, September 20, 2009
This review is from: BUNN NHBX-B(D) Generation High Altitude10-Cup Home Pourover Coffee Brewer, Black (Kitchen)
Sep 20, 2009: I've owned this product for two days now. So far so good. Amazon packaged this item well and I got free delivery in 4 days. Thanks Amazon! I'm very pleased with your service.
This coffee maker is replacing a Braun unit, which gave me nothing but grief with its numerous problems. I did quite a bit of research on Consumer Reports (CR) and Amazon and decided on the Bunn. I respect CR, but sometimes their recommendations don't match owners' experiences, who use a particular product for a much longer time than CR's testers do. Because of this, I value the owner reviews on Amazon.
This coffee maker has a nice look to it--at least for my taste. The funnel and a decanter's handle seem a bit flimsy. I have a preference for sturdier things. Still, I don't expect them to give me trouble in the future. If they do, I can get replacements from Bunn or a reseller.
You *really* have to pay attention to the setup instructions, which are good. I failed to write down the serial number ("date code") on the bottom of the unit, so I had to go through a lengthy step to drain the reservoir in order to get at the info necessary to register my coffee maker. (The extra time was needed to cool the hot water in the reservoir. Bunn's FAQ has the exact steps.)
In any case, one should take the time to read the instructions carefully--especially, since this coffee maker operates differently than most others. For example, adding water and closing the top lid starts the hot water to flow immediately (ie. starts the coffee making process). There's no switch to push. So you'd better have the funnel and the decanter in place, otherwise you'll have a major mess to clean up. I've made some pots of coffee by now and got a hang of it. It's not tricky at all--just different.
As one reviewer already suggested for the non-high altitude model, you can save on energy by using a timer. I use an X10 3-prong Appliance Module for the coffee maker along with a programmable Mini Timer. (You can get these from x10.com. Despite their weird web site, their gadgets work. Radio Shack used to re-sell their stuff.) The Mini Timer turns power on to the coffee maker via the Appliance Module at 5am and shuts it off at 5pm. So the water is heated 12 hours per day, when I'm likely to want to make coffee. I still must be physically present to make a pot of coffee and don't believe that any automation is possible. This is fine by me, since brewing is so quick.
I don't use the warmer plate at all. Instead, I pour the hot coffee into the thermal carafe from my decommissioned Braun coffee maker. This keeps the coffee acceptably hot for hours. Similar thermal carafes are available for $20-30 from Amazon.
Some people complained that the glass carafe makes a mess when pouring coffee from it. I didn't encounter this problem. I'm sure it's related to pouring "technique."
On CR's recommendation I ordered a new and inexpensive coffee grinder from Amazon (Mr. Coffee IDS77), which should give me control over grind quantity and level of coarseness. I haven't yet received this grinder and therefore can't comment on its efficiency.
Again, on CR's recommendation I bought Eight O'Clock Coffee 100% Colombian caffeinated coffee, which was their top choice and it's not very expensive. I used this coffee today. It was fine and not bitter.
As other people already pointed out, you can get Bunn filters inexpensively. I found sites that sell them in bulk for $14/1,000.
In summary: I like my new Bunn. The coffee it made came out tasting great and the brewing process is very fast. If anything changes, I'll post an update.
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