Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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77 of 80 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best coffeemaker I've ever owned., May 17, 2006
I was a little concerned about opening up shop away from home, 3 states away, and having to leave my tried and true Krups Pro Aroma behind. Granted, its an 8 year old model, but it made a great cup of coffee, and I had mastered the fairly simple interface for programming and setup.
In my search, I read a LOT of negative reviews about the new Krups product family. Really not a surprise cause even the Pro Aroma had its many quirks, but still.....the coffee. So, after reading a bunch of bad reviews on Braun, Mr Coffee, Cuisinart, and Krups coffeemakers, I figured $60 was worth the risk to plunk down on this model. My first impression when I opened the box was that the coffemaker was solid and well constructed, but that the carafe was too light and thinly formed. But after two weeks of use I really cant find anything to complain about.
Yes, the carafe is very light, but I like it. And it pours well with no drips. I havent yet attempted to program the machine cause thats not a necessity for me, but hit the "ON" button and in about 5 minutes you have a fast, hot, and extraordinarily flavored pot of coffee. And this is honestly the best coffee I've ever had from this machine, even much better than my old Pro Aroma from the same manufacturer.
I dont know how Krups does it, and I dont care, this machine is just one of the best on the market today, and probably thee best when we're talking about the quality of the end result...which is all that matters. 5 beans
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34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Almost perfect, July 5, 2006
Let me start by saying two things:
1. I love coffee. Personally, not counting my wonderful wife and staff at the office, I drink at least two _pots_ of coffee per day. Yes, that is over 120 fluid ounces every day, seven days a week. Needless to say I was pleased with each of the new health benefits announced regarding excess coffee consumption!
2. After researching reasonably priced, reliable coffee makers, we bought two of these Krups FME2-14 units: One to replace our aging Braun, and the other for our daughters' apartment. This review encompasses experiences from both households.
There are many things to love about this coffeemaker, and a few (3) minor issues. I'll touch on the issues first: With typical German precision, the water reservoir is designed to hold 60 fluid ounces, or 12 5-ounce cups worth. Not more, but I'm sure it can handle less, being well equipped with a 1-3 cup "small pot" mode. However, if (1) you launch into cleaning it and brewing coffee without really reading the user manual, and (2) you have the tendency to brew the fullest possible pot (as a conspicuous consumer such as myself might), you will quickly discover that the overflow port in the back wall of the water reservoir works exceedingly well. I did. As I wiped up the extra few cups of water rapidly dispensed upon my counter I made the mental note to only fill it with 12 cups henceforth. This is, obviously, a user issue; others who are experienced with pots brewing less than advertised will be pleased to note that 12 cups of water in really translates to 12 cups of coffee out. You do not need to overfill this coffeemaker's reservoir, but you may have to relearn some behaviors.
The glass carafe, while well made and shaped in handling terms, is thinner walled than previous pots we've owned. This has two effects: First, the coffee cools faster when the hot plate turns off. Not that my coffee sits around too long, but if this is a potential issue for you I would buy the insulated carafe model. Second, it does not withstand much rough handling, as indicated by our need to purchase a replacement already for the daughters. One "light bump" in the sink was sufficient. It did make me wonder if the same engineer who designed windshields for the 60s VW Beetle was involved... regardless, don't whack it or you'll be picking up the pieces as well as the tab. My wife also adds that the replacement carafe, at over $20, was more costly than expected. Again: Exercise care in handling!
The final issue I have is the engineer's choice of material for making the feet: Two round plastic knobs (in front) and two square rubberized feet (in back) give the coffeemaker a firm grip on your countertop. Unfortunately too firm if you keep the unit under a close overhang as we do. It does mean you have to lift the unit slightly when moving it in or out, something that's easier to do when empty than full due to the overflow port mentioned earlier. Again, this is easily fixed with something slippery (like a silicone glide pad) that the machine can rest upon.
And as you can tell, none of these issues are true defects. In every other regard the Krups FME2-14 has been the best under $100.00 coffeemaker I have ever owned. The controls are logical and easy to operate, and it makes great brew. Unlike many inexpensive units, the steam does not readily escape from vents or cracks in the heating chamber or drip basket, so you can place it in a more confined space than others (bearing in mind the rubber feet) and it blends well in a modern kitchen. Most importantly, the product itself - the coffee - is consistent time after time. Whatever your personal formula for the perfect cuppa you'll get it here!
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23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Okay. NOW I get it., March 4, 2006
After a gazillion (happy) years with the Krups ProAroma, I decided to contemporize. Committed to staying in the Family Krups, I read bundles of FME-2 reviews and dismissed the negative, too-hard-to-program complaints, figuring that it's a coffee maker -- how hard can it be? I ordered the coffee maker, and after devoting waaay too much time to trying to understand the instruction manual, I decided to just eat the money spent and search for a different brand. But after seeing complaints of one sort or another about all brands/models, I decided to baby-step the FME-2 manual ... and now I've got it.
The automatic-on part was the trickiest, but it's not as bad as some reviewers report: if you use the auto-on, let's say, M-F, just tap the "h/min" just once after the coffee is made on Friday to deactivate the auto-on. Then (still with me?) on Sunday evening after you do the coffee/water thing, tap the "prog" button 3 times (think Kansas if it helps): you do NOT need to reset the time. It will hold the time you have already set, and you'll see 6:30 AM (or whatever) flash before your eyes as you do it. The little clock icon will light, and you're good to go.
True, the clock, itself, does not stay lit, and there is something sort of weird about not seeing the friendly glow as you waltz past the kitchen; but there's always the stove clock, cable box clock, and microwave clock all aglow to reassure you that time is still marching on in the kitchen.
And ... the coffee is great, hot, and as long as the warmer plate is on, so is the ever-so-pretty blue clock (noting "on"). If the handle on the pot holds out (it does not have the "hook over the pot top" feature that we're all used to), this seems to be yet another Krups success. (I still have to wonder, however, if the designers sat around a table deciding how to complicate the set-up process that had been so sensible on the ProAroma.)
May 2006 addendum: So much for being clever. To reactivate the automatic set time after deactivating it, tap the "prog" button 4 times, not 3: the first tap shows "PROG," the second shows the hour, the third shows the minutes, and the neglected-to-mention fourth completes the reactivation. Sorry about the error. So instead of thinking Kansas, think, um, the Beatles. Or the corners of the world. Or just try to remember it's 4 taps....
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