# Coffee Makers (OLD THREAD 2006)



## jlf58 (Nov 26, 2006)

Hello Tuggers,

My wife loves coffee but I don't drink it so I need some help. I want to buy her a new coffee maker for Christmas. I heard about the ones that make individual cups and you can pick what flavors you want. Should I go that route or just buy a good coffe maker. Please help with suggestions on both ideas !!!!!!! She drinks about 3 or 4 cups a day and never at night. She drinks it black so must really like the taste of coffee. Right now she has the typical $40 coffee pot and buys whatever coffee is on sale but loves buying Starbucks or wawa coffe so I figured it's time to upgrade her 



Thanks
Fletch


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## Sir Newf (Nov 26, 2006)

I enjoy my Capresso-MT500 coffee maker (approx $160) and Milstone Columbia Supreme coffee (smoother than Starbucks)...Enjoy.


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## mapper (Nov 26, 2006)

Hi Fletch,

The best coffee maker I have owned so far came from Gevalia.  I ordered their sample starter and received a really nice coffeemaker. Here is a direct link to their new offer for a really nice stainless steel coffee maker with two stainless steel travel mugs:

http://www.joingevalia.com/Promo/Gev0607/promo_001_12adcssmug.htm?keycode=112529*

I continued to order Gevalia coffee for a few months, (I set it up so that my coffee order came every two months), until I found another online store that has many more flavors.  I now order my coffee at www.spotafjavacoffee.com* and have tried about 8 or 9 different flavors so far.

If your wife likes coffee as much as I do, she' ll love this!

Diana

*I am not affiliated, nor do I gain anything by you visiting/purchasing from either website.


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## baz48 (Nov 27, 2006)

We tried the Gevalia machine that makes the single cups of coffee.  We are not very impressed.  The coffee is very weak, even if we use two of the little pods.  I think we'll be donating it to the Goodwill.

We just returned from Italy and loved their simple espresso coffee maker so much that we bought one while there.  Now, of course, I see them in all the kitchen stores here, but had't noticed them before.  You use very fine espresso grind coffee and it makes a single small cup.  Or you can get a slightly larger machine and make a regular size cup of coffee.  Here's a link to the most popular brand of Italian coffee maker.  You can search online for a store that sells them.  Amazon.com has them.

http://www.bialettiusa.com/bialetti/index.html

We also have a Melita Mill & Brew coffee that grinds the grounds and then brews.  We really like that a lot.


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## Avery (Nov 27, 2006)

I got the 12 cup Gevalia stainless coffee maker on one of their promotions, it was $15 including shipping. I love it, it's comparable to the $129 coffeemakers at Bed Bath and Beyond.

eta: and for a stocking stuffer, why not add some really good coffee? I love the Guatemalan HueHueTenango from Delaware Coffee Roasters on ebay....


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Nov 27, 2006)

Sir Newf said:
			
		

> I enjoy my Capresso-MT500 coffee maker (approx $160) and Milstone Columbia Supreme coffee (smoother than Starbucks)...Enjoy.


Tried the Millstone - hate it.

Love my Starbucks Gold Coast or Sulawesi.  I can make a potent brew, without the bitterness.  Not all bold or strong roasts are equal - Starbucks French Roast, for example, doesn't cut it.  Pay a bit more and get the good stuff.  When you get good coffee, you can increase the strength without making it undrinkably bitter.  

As the strength goes up - and your palate adjusts - the whole coffee experience changes.  There are many more flavors in good coffee than you experience in a "traditional" cup of coffee.  If the coffee isn't strong many of the flavors don't have a chance to come out of the beans, or the flavors aren't there in the first place.  Merely roasting the coffee as "bold" doesn't work if the flavor isn't in the beans in the first place.  That's the difference between Starbucks French Roast and Starbucks Sulawesi - they're both bold, but the French Roast is lesser qualtiy beans (that's why the French Roast is cheaper).  

I drink one large cup of coffee per day - about 20 ounces - that's the capacity of one of the beautiful mugs sold at the Banana Patch ceramic studio in Hanapepe town on Kaua`i.  I use four to five tablespoons of freshly ground coffee (depending on how I feel in that morning). That completely satisfies me for the day.  

When I use an lesser quality of coffe, that strength of coffee becomes undrinkably bitter.  I just finished trying out a bag of the New Mexico Piñon coffee that I picked up at Trader Joe's.  Supposed to be good coffee but it was the same story - I had to brew about 40 ounces of coffee to control the bitterness, and then the lack of body (i.e., all of the complex background flavors) was apparent.

*******

BTW - I grind it in a Capresso burr grinder and brew it in a Gevalia unit that I got for free on one of their promos.  

At the time I also tried the Gevalia coffee - I tried every variety they had except for the foo-foo flavored stuff.  Hated all of them.  Wound up giving away the last two pounds (of peaberry) just to get it out of the house.  

Went back to the Gold Coast and asked myself why I wasted so much time and money on the Gevalia junk.


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## BSQ (Nov 27, 2006)

FWIW I absolutely hated my one cup coffee maker.  I too found the coffee to be weak tasting and for the size mug I regularly use I had to brew two large cups. The water tank was at best akward to fill, though not impossible. I had a Senseo and a Melita onene.  Both used the pods.  The melita I found particularly troublesome since only their own brand of pods fit well.  Anything else that was supposed to fit just made a mess.

I've since changed over to a french press.  Love it.  If you stick with an automatic coffee maker, my only suggestion would be to go with a thermal carafe.  We have the cuisinart grind n brew which I like, but the next one will not have the grind feature since it's a pain to clean.  The carafe is the big bonus.


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## Malibu Sky (Nov 27, 2006)

For a ton of info on single serve coffee check out the forums at http://www.singleservecoffee.com/

I have 3 singler serve coffee maker-Black and Decker, Krupps and Flavia...and love them all!


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## Cathy in Boston (Nov 28, 2006)

If she really loves the flavor of good strong coffee, you might want to consider a French Press.  After drinking French Press Kona in Hawaii in May, I immediately bought one upon returning home, and I love it.  I have the Bodum 8 cup, which would make about two good-size cups, and costs about $30.  For coffee, I can't recommend Greenwell Kona Peaberry beans highly enough.  See links:

http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Chambor...r_3/104-1089230-6819927?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden

http://www.greenwellfarms.com/Merch...roduct_Code=peaberry&Category_Code=konacoffee


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## sammy (Nov 29, 2006)

*Try this coffee pot and these beans*

I have hated the coffee out of my pot lately and read up on the Coffee thread from a few weeks ago.  (I happen to hate Starbucks coffee - tastes burnt to me so I never get my info from there.)  

On Thanksgiving I stayed with family that owned a single cup pod coffee maker.  Wow - great coffee!  I asked if they thought it was the coffee pot, the coffee, or the water.  They seem to think it is the coffee, but just in case, here is what we used:

Keurig Elite B40 Single-cup Brewer  

I see it online today at www.gourmet.org for 99.99 and a slightly bigger model for 149.99

The coffee was in pods made by Timothy and by Green Mountain.  They also both have websites.  

I like the pod concept because in our house we all like different kinds of coffee.  I am sure it gets quite expensive vs standard coffee by the pot (especially if you just buy anything on sale), but if you read the coffee thread, it says never let coffee sit more than 5 minutes anyway.  Hence, get a single cup maker!  

I'm sure whatever you get will be a much appreciated gift.  Happy shopping!


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Nov 29, 2006)

sammy said:
			
		

> I have hated the coffee out of my pot lately and read up on the Coffee thread from a few weeks ago.  (I happen to hate Starbucks coffee - tastes burnt to me so I never get my info from there.)  !


If you're evaluating Starbucks coffee based on the drip they sell in their stores, I'm not surprised you reach that conclusion. I drink their Sulawest regularly at home, and love it.  It is decidedly bold, but far from burnt.  I've had the Sulawesi from their stores, however, and it doesn't come to close to what that coffee is if prepared with even a modest bit of attention to brewing technique. 

Starbucks does a terrible job with the drip served in their stores - but they're really not in the drip coffee business either.

Of course, no matter what you do with their French Roast, it's probably going to come out tasiting burnt if you try to make it to proper strength.


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## sammy (Nov 29, 2006)

T_R_Oglodyte   

Thanks for the Starbucks tips; I hadn't realized there would be a difference.  I'll have to give them a try!


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## wackymother (Nov 29, 2006)

sammy said:
			
		

> On Thanksgiving I stayed with family that owned a single cup pod coffee maker.  Wow - great coffee!  I asked if they thought it was the coffee pot, the coffee, or the water.  They seem to think it is the coffee, but just in case, here is what we used:
> 
> Keurig Elite B40 Single-cup Brewer
> 
> ...



They were demonstrating the big Keurig at Bed Bath and Beyond over the weekend, and I had a cup of coffee that it made. It was really good, even with (ugh) Cremora. (If it can overcome Cremora, you KNOW it's good.) BB&B also sells the pods; mine was from Timothy's. The pods are expensive but, on the bright side, BB&B always has 20 percent off coupons and $5 off $15 coupons. And of course you can get 20 percent off the coffeemaker, too. 

I liked the big water reservoir.


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## sammy (Nov 29, 2006)

wackymother said:
			
		

> ....BB&B also always has 20 percent off coupons and $5 off $15 coupons. And of course you can get 20 percent off the coffeemaker, too.




BTW, my BBB says they'll honor competitor coupons that are not expired, and their own coupons even if they ARE expired, so stash them away for whenever!!!


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## Luanne (Nov 29, 2006)

*combo coffee grinder, coffee maker*

Has anyone had experience with the coffee grinder, coffee maker things?  I'm getting so lazy that many mornings I'll just use the Folgers because it's already ground.  I'm wondering how the combo machines hold up.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Nov 29, 2006)

sammy said:
			
		

> T_R_Oglodyte
> 
> Thanks for the Starbucks tips; I hadn't realized there would be a difference.  I'll have to give them a try!


Yes - there are huge diiffernces in coffees, and as your palate becomes adjusted you'll find that it's worth paying  more to get premium beans.

At one time I never seriously considered Starbucks much for beans, because the coffee they served didn't come up to the standards of the excellent brews that I had occasionally had and was seeking.  A couple of times I tried their French Roast, and was disappointed.

I had literally reached a point where I was ready to conclude I was never going to be able to make that cup of coffee I was seeking without a lot of additional help.

Then I started getting together with my best friend every Saturday morning, and he would make coffee for us.  His coffee was consistently great - the coffee I was looking for.  I noticed that he wasn't doing anything different from me. the only difference was the coffee.  He was the one who turned me on to the Starbucks Sulawest.  I bought some beans, started using them and was hooked.  I've explored most of their premium bold and extra bold varieties, but I always come back to the Sulawest and Gold Coast.

****

One of the advantages of Starbucks - or any other decent coffee store - is the number and varietycoffees they do have available.  It's worth exploring in the premium end of things.

****

Oh, and if you don't want burnt coffee, it's important that you get the coffee off of heat as soon as it brews.  If your makes has a thermal carafe, that's great.  Mine doesn't; I just get the coffee into a mug or a carafe as soon as it finishes brewing.


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## BSQ (Nov 29, 2006)

Luanne said:
			
		

> Has anyone had experience with the coffee grinder, coffee maker things?  I'm getting so lazy that many mornings I'll just use the Folgers because it's already ground.  I'm wondering how the combo machines hold up.



we have the Cuisinart Grind Brew Thermal Carafe model.  Love it, but it's a PIA to use.  I've read mixed reviews on it.  We bought a white box one (refurbished), and have had it for 2 1/2 years with daily use and no problems.


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## Luanne (Nov 29, 2006)

BSQ said:
			
		

> we have the Cuisinart Grind Brew Thermal Carafe model.  Love it, but it's a PIA to use.  I've read mixed reviews on it.  We bought a white box one (refurbished), and have had it for 2 1/2 years with daily use and no problems.



Thanks for the input.  What makes it a PIA?


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## BSQ (Nov 29, 2006)

cleaning out the grinding mechanism is messy.  steam gets in there and gunks it up.  It's akward to take apart (I think).

Some quirks of it ... if you fill up the water tank too far there's a hole in the back that the water runs out ... and overflow precaution I guess, but it makes a mess none the less.  If the carafe top isn't on just right, you end up with coffee all over the countertop (can be challenging when you're half awake).  I'm a light sleeper.  When the timer goes off, rather than waking up to the smell of fresh brewed coffee I wake up to the infernal racket of the grinding mechanism.

Mostly I let BubbaQ do the cleaning since He uses it more than I do.


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## Malibu Sky (Nov 29, 2006)

BSQ said:
			
		

> cleaning out the grinding mechanism is messy.  steam gets in there and gunks it up.  It's akward to take apart (I think).
> 
> Some quirks of it ... if you fill up the water tank too far there's a hole in the back that the water runs out ... and overflow precaution I guess, but it makes a mess none the less.  If the carafe top isn't on just right, you end up with coffee all over the countertop (can be challenging when you're half awake).  I'm a light sleeper.  When the timer goes off, rather than waking up to the smell of fresh brewed coffee I wake up to the infernal racket of the grinding mechanism.
> 
> Mostly I let BubbaQ do the cleaning since He uses it more than I do.



Yep. the steam from the brewing coffee seeps into the grinder area and get it damp causing the left over grinds to get sticky and turns into "gunk."   I only on occasion will use that grinder now...like if I really need to wake up early and need the coffee ASAP!


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## Luanne (Nov 30, 2006)

BSQ said:
			
		

> cleaning out the grinding mechanism is messy.  steam gets in there and gunks it up.  It's akward to take apart (I think).



Thanks.  I think I will stick with the separate grinder and coffee maker I have now.


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## wackymother (Nov 30, 2006)

sammy said:
			
		

> BTW, my BBB says they'll honor competitor coupons that are not expired, and their own coupons even if they ARE expired, so stash them away for whenever!!!



Yes, BB&B will honor Linens N Things coupons and their own expired coupons. I think this is company policy. My BB&B will even let me use one coupon for each item in my order. Whenever I go there I'm like the coupon fairy  --I sidle up to people and mutter, "You have a coupon for that, right? No? Take one of mine!"


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## mepiccolo (Nov 30, 2006)

I have the Cuisinart Grind n Brew and we use it daily and send it up the night before with the timer.  I don't think it's that much of a hassle to clean at all (takes about one minute to rinse it all out).  I can't imagine having to grind the coffee beans in another machine and then put the ground coffee into the coffee maker-that seems like a hassle to me.  Would never go back to a coffee maker that uses already ground coffee--never fresh enough tasting.  The filter needs to be replaced about every six weeks if you use it daily and that makes a difference in the taste of the coffee.  I'm on my 3rd grind n brew in about 4-5 years (one time just to change the color of it) and I'm real happy with it.  Got it for sale at Macy's for $99 but I did see one (wrong color) at TJ Maxx for $60.


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## sammy (Dec 1, 2006)

speaking of filters......

I got to thinking about mine.  It is the paper type with charcoal or some other black substances inside.  I just changed it recently, but before that had gone a year or two!!! without replacing it (not easy to find).  Couldn't they breed mold and bacteria sitting in a dark, warm place and wet all the time?


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## CMF (Dec 1, 2006)

*Hamilton Beach Brewstation*

This is the best coffee maker I ever owned.  $40.


Charles


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## mike130 (Dec 1, 2006)

*Single Serve Coffee*

I have a Keurig  B60 and I love it.
For more info on Single Serve Coffee's go to:

http://www.singleservecoffee.com/


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## AwayWeGo (Jan 19, 2009)

*Energy Saving Timeshare Coffee Makers.*

Both timeshares where we took our after-Christmas Florida vacation earlier this month ( -- we just got home last night -- ) had energy-saving Mr. Coffee style coffee makers in the unit kitchens. 

They work just like the regular Mr. Coffee coffee makers, except the coffee pots don't sit on hotplates to keep the fresh brew piping hot. 

The coffee pots of the energy-saving coffee makers just sit on unheated surfaces.  Unlike the Mr. Coffee units with regular glass coffee pots, the energy savers catch the coffee in insulated thermos-style coffee pots.  Those keep the coffee nice & hot without additional electric heating.  When the brew cycle is done, the coffee maker shuts off completely & the coffee stays hot for a long time in the insulated coffee pot. 

The hotplate on every old-style Mr. Coffee unit keeps using more & more electric power until somebody switches the thing off -- even if the coffee pot is close to empty.  After a few hours, any coffee still sitting there in a glass pot on the hotplate is pretty much undrinkable

I can imagine that hundreds of untended Mr. Coffees in the the kitchens of the condo units a timeshare resort could run up the electricity bill bigtime by contrast with the insulated-pot models that just brew coffee & then shut off.  

Replacing the conventional drip coffee makers with the energy saving non-heating kind might save as much power as using twisty compact fluorescent light bulbs in place of regular incandescent bulbs. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## ricoba (Jan 19, 2009)

Alan, you are the master of digging up ancient posts! 

While it's not a Mr. Coffee brand maker, I have a Braun maker, that is essentially the same in that the coffee is brewed and kept hot in a stainless steel thermal carafe. I didn't buy it to be energy efficient, I bought it because I liked the idea of not having a hotplate continually burning the coffee between cups.  My carafe keeps the coffee at a good temp for an hour or two, but after that it does cool off.


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## AwayWeGo (Jan 19, 2009)

*Everything Old Is New Again.*




ricoba said:


> Alan, you are the master of digging up ancient posts!


Waste not, want not. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## ricoba (Jan 19, 2009)

AwayWeGo said:


> Waste not, want not.
> 
> -- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​



:whoopie:


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## FlyerBobcat (Jan 19, 2009)

Interesting....  Really never thought about it much since we have been doing it sooooo long, but we have a "regular" coffee-maker (glass pot) but a "thermos" type carafe left over from a previous coffe maker.

We ALWAYS immediately pour the coffee from the glass pot to the insulated carafe.  It then can go with us to the kitchen table or outside on the patio.  But equally important is that the coffee stay fresh (not burnt), and we even can enjoy a cup later in the day by just warming it a little in the microwave.
[.... not exactly like fresh brewed, but it's ok!]


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## RonB (Jan 19, 2009)

I've been researching making coffee for a short time. What I have learned is that the "up and coming" coffee maker is the AeroPress . I haven't read a single bad remark about it. If I hadn't just received a french press for Christmas, I'd buy one.
Ron


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## AwayWeGo (Jan 19, 2009)

*If This Is Coffee, I'll Have Tea.  If This Is Tea, Bring Me A Cup Of Coffee.*




flyerbobcat said:


> [.... not exactly like fresh brewed, but it's ok!]


I'm guessing warmed up coffee is lots more OK than the rancid stuff that sat there overheating on the hotplate all morning.  

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## "Roger" (Jan 19, 2009)

Interesting concept, Ron, but I think I will take a pass.

It is basically a variation of the French Press and the French Press does make good coffee.  Unfortunately, (1) I would not want to deal with getting the water to just the right temperature. (2) The coffee is ending up in a glass container.  If you don't drink it right away, you either end up with cold coffee or you have to heat it and then you will lose the quality.  (The thermal pots that Alan experienced in his timeshare really do solve that problem - at least for an hour or two.)


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## RonB (Jan 19, 2009)

"Roger" said:


> Interesting concept, Ron, but I think I will take a pass.
> 
> It is basically a variation of the French Press and the French Press does make good coffee.  Unfortunately, (1) I would not want to deal with getting the water to just the right temperature. (2) The coffee is ending up in a glass container.  If you don't drink it right away, you either end up with cold coffee or you have to heat it and then you will lose the quality.  (The thermal pots that Alan experienced in his timeshare really do solve that problem - at least for an hour or two.)



Roger, the coffee ends up in whatever container you use. As for temp., you only have to measure once to get the time for the amount of water you use. Once you know that it takes 2.5 min to heat 6 oz of water to the desired temp, you just do that every time. And it has to be _much_ easier to clean.  
Ron


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## AwayWeGo (Aug 25, 2009)

*Goodbye Mr. Coffee.  Hello Black & Decker Under-Cabinet Coffee Maker.*

When we were at the Black & Decker close-out store between Lewes DE & Rehoboth Beach DE recently, The Chief Of Staff on impulse bought me -- tax free (because the store is in Delaware) -- an outstanding new Black & Decker Model SDC740B SpaceMaker 12-cup programmable under-cabinet coffee maker.  It replaces the Mr. Coffee non-programmable coffee maker that's been brewing up coffee around here for the past few years. 

Nothing was wrong with the Mr. Coffee that I know of.  It turned out, however, that The Chief Of Staff wasn't all that happy with how the Mr. Coffee looks & how it takes up space on the kitchen countertop over by the corner between the stove & the sink. 

Who knew ? 

The new under-cabinet coffee maker takes up space under the cabinet & this over the counter, but it is over by the refrigerator & thus out of sight from the family room. 

I have no one but myself to blame for positioning the under-cabinet coffee maker right in front of the 4-receptacle wall plug, so plugging it in after it was installed was semi-tricky.  Ditto re-plugging the under-cabinet radio, which hangs right next to the new coffee maker.  Plugging in the toaster & coffee grinder will be a bit easier, but only because I took the time to plug the coffee maker & radio into the totally hidden receptacles, leaving the semi-hidden receptacles semi-accessible. 

The Chief Of Staff doesn't even drink coffee (or tea), but she likes to make sure I have everything I need to support my coffee (& tea) habit. 

The problem now is what to do with the fully functional but no longer needed Mr. Coffee, which has been retired from service as of this afternoon. 

In the olden days, Black & Decker just made electric drills & saws & hedge trimmers & grinders & all like that.  Who knew they would 1 day branch out into kitchen appliances ?  

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Passepartout (Aug 25, 2009)

AwayWeGo said:


> The problem now is what to do with the fully functional but no longer needed Mr. Coffee, which has been retired from service as of this afternoon.
> 
> In the olden days, Black & Decker just made electric drills & saws & hedge trimmers & grinders & all like that.  Who knew they would 1 day branch out into kitchen appliances ?
> 
> -- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​



Your friendly local DI, St Vincent de Paul, Starvation Army or whatever disadvantaged outlet you choose will be happy to accept the old Mr. Coffee.

I just retired my (just couple-year-old) B&D stainless steel blender. It ceased to crush ice and I couldn't reasonably get a new, sharp blade. The local Macy's had an upper level Osterizer for 40% off last weekend, and I had a coupon for another 20% off, so I sprung on it. $80 unit for well under $40. It makes double orders of Margaritas smoother than the old B&D ever made singles. Replacement blades are readily available and DW came equipped with little jars that screw onto the Oster base for salad dressings, sauces, etc that I may want to save. Excellent! I am a happy clam! 

Now for a trip to the charity store with a truckload of donations. Did I mention that DW and your humble correspondent are both shrunk out of a lot of clothes. If the old ones go to charity we will at least look better if we get fat again. 

Jim Ricks


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## AwayWeGo (Aug 25, 2009)

*No More Salvation Army Thrift Store At Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.*




Passepartout said:


> Your friendly local DI, St Vincent de Paul, Starvation Army or whatever disadvantaged outlet you choose will be happy to accept the old Mr. Coffee.


The former huge Salvation Army thrift store at Rehoboth Beach DE has closed & the property has been converted to a humongous discount liquor store -- going from 1 extreme to another, eh ? 

Meanwhile, I still use my dinky 4-cup Mr. Coffee for brewing coffee at our dinky Rehoboth Beach non-traveling travel trailer.  Works fine.  And after breakfast, I put it away in a cabinet so that The Chief Of Staff won't have to look at it. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## ricoba (Aug 25, 2009)

AwayWeGo said:


> In the olden days, Black & Decker just made electric drills & saws & hedge trimmers & grinders & all like that.  Who knew they would 1 day branch out into kitchen appliances ?
> 
> -- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​[/FONT][/SIZE]



Alan, you really are out of touch!   

Black & Decker have made small appliances for quite a few years now.


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## BSQ (Aug 26, 2009)

BSQ said:


> we have the Cuisinart Grind Brew Thermal Carafe model.  Love it, but it's a PIA to use.  I've read mixed reviews on it.  We bought a white box one (refurbished), and have had it for 2 1/2 years with daily use and no problems.



nice to see my coffee maker is still holding up well.


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## AwayWeGo (Sep 12, 2009)

*Part Missing From New Under-Counter Coffee Maker.*

The new coffee maker works OK but is missing 1 tiny part.  

It has a spring-loaded lever whose purpose is to shut off the flow of coffee from the basket when the pot is removed.  It works by pressing a little rubber stopper up against the hole where the coffee flows out. 

Unfortunately, the little rubber plug-stopper is missing.  That means any time the pot is removed while coffee is still brewing, some of the coffee from the brew basket drips out of the basket & onto the hotplate.  

Fortunately, the company that handles warranties & consumer affairs for Black & Decker said they'll send me a little rubber plug.  

I had to jump through some hoops via E-Mail to get'm to agree to send the little rubber stopper.  But I'm just an old retired guy with nothing better to do, so no problem.  Meanwhile, I just take care not to pour myself a cup of coffee till brewing is good & complete. 

The under-counter coffee maker is a semi-fancy model with a a built-in timer feature adapted from the world of clock radios.  Instead of turning on a buzzer or playing a radio, this 1 automatically starts the coffee maker at the set time -- which doesn't do any good unless I've loaded it ahead of time with water & a new filter & fresh ground coffee.  

It also doesn't do any good unless I've taken care to put both the built-in digital clock & the program timer on the correct AM or PM designation.  (I learned that the hard way yesterday.)  

Fortunately, it takes only a few minutes to brew up a whole potful of coffee, so there's minimal waiting time even without using the automatic feature (or setting it correctly). 

Who'd a-thunk ? 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## AwayWeGo (Sep 21, 2009)

*Black & Decker Comes Through.*

Black & Decker not only sent me a little rubber plug-stopper, they supplied a whole new brew-basket assembly, complete with little rubber plug-stopper & everything.

By me, that's overkill.  But, hey, the company can fulfill its warranty obligations any way it chooses.  

No doubt they decided it's cheaper to catalogue & inventory fewer replacement parts than it would be to list & stock every little spring & plug-stopper. 

In other words, what they lose by sending out complete parts assemblies they make up in volume (or something like it). 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## AwayWeGo (Oct 14, 2009)

*Automatic Shut-Off After 2 Hours.*

A convenient power-saving feature I didn't even know the Black & Decker under-cabinet coffee maker had when I installed it. 

Who knew ? 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Passepartout (Oct 14, 2009)

It's been my experience that all of these timed coffee makers that I've tried-  and a lot of manual turn-on ones have this feature. Maybe it's mandated?

Anyway, why does a self-proclaimed old retired guy with time on his hands need a coffee brewer timer? Heck, since I don't need to be anywhere at any particular time in the morning, I just smash the 'Start' button when I stagger to the kitchen unless in the unlikely event of my beloved getting there first.

Jim Ricks


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## AwayWeGo (Oct 14, 2009)

*Old Retired Guys Rarely Need Advanced Features.*




Passepartout said:


> It's been my experience that all of these timed coffee makers that I've tried-  and a lot of manual turn-on ones have this feature. Maybe it's mandated?
> 
> Anyway, why does a self-proclaimed old retired guy with time on his hands need a coffee brewer timer? Heck, since I don't need to be anywhere at any particular time in the morning, I just smash the 'Start' button when I stagger to the kitchen unless in the unlikely event of my beloved getting there first.
> 
> Jim Ricks


I absolutely don't need the automatic start feature -- would have been happy to buy a timerless unit.  At the time, however, only the upscale automatic-start models were on sale ($35) at the Black & Decker close-out store.  So it goes.

The brewing cycle on mine has started automatically maybe 3 or 4 times, even though I've loaded up the coffee maker & set it for an 8AM start a dozen times or more.  Usually I'm up between 7 & 8, so I cancel auto-start & press the conventional _on_ button myself.  (At my age, that's an accomplishment.) 

The Mr. Coffee unit I used before The Chief Of Staff upgraded me to Black & Decker was timerless -- would only start when somebody started it.  As far as I know, it would stay on indefinitely -- till any remaining coffee in the carafe dried up way past sludge & turned to black residue stuck inside the bottom of the pot, & then it still didn't turn off by itself.   

Some timeshares where we've stayed had timerless & heaterless coffee makers.  The fresh-brewed coffee dripped into an insulated double-wall carafe that kept the coffee hot long enough to serve all of it -- a nice low-tech economy feature. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## laurac260 (Oct 14, 2009)

*Love the Keurig!*

I can cook just about anything, just ask my husband.  

But I cannot make a decent cup of coffee to save my life (just ask my husband).

Being over tired of giving my money away to the mermaid for a bad cup of joe, we switched to the Keurig system.  I have not had a bad cup of coffee in 3 years!  

The coffee is always fresh, the cup is always hot, I just add in my vanilla, coffee mate, and sugar, insert the pod, put the cup underneath, push a little button, and voila!

Love it!


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## Passepartout (Oct 14, 2009)

laurac260 said:


> I can cook just about anything, just ask my husband.
> But I cannot make a decent cup of coffee to save my life (just ask my husband).
> ....for a bad cup of joe, we switched to the Keurig system.



Just kidding about that last line of your quote. I won't ask your husband about the food or coffee. He had the good taste to marry you didn't he?

We've stayed in a couple of hotels with Keurig coffee makers in-room, and I found them entirely satisfactory for times when one doesn't have access to their favorite roasted beans/grinder/filtered water, etc. With the amount of delectible brown brew that gets consumed around here, I'd go to the poor house with the cost of those handy little pods.

While we are on the subject of coffee here, do any TUGgers regularly roast their own coffee beans? I thought about it, but don't have a handy local supply of raw beans. I wonder if it's worth the hassle of mail-ordering beans. Recommendations gratefully accepted.

Jim Ricks

Jim Ricks


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## AwayWeGo (Oct 29, 2009)

*Black & Decker Customer Service -- Again.  (New Problem With New Coffee Maker.)*

The Black & Decker under-cabinet coffee maker brews coffee just fine, & now with the replacement part they sent, I would expect the whole thing to be 100% good to go. 

Unfortunately that is not the case, & I had to re-Email Black & Decker customer service with another complaint. 

The trouble is in pouring the coffee into mugs after brewing is complete.  When coffee is being poured into a mug from the Black & Decker coffee pot, fresh-brewed coffee dribbles out from the groove between the glass pot & the top black plastic rim on top, 1 inch or so below the pour spout.  It started out as just a few drops, then over time it got worse.  Now it's a steady dribble.  The only way to pour coffee without making a mess is to hold the mug over the sink while pouring coffee from the Black & Decker coffee pot.  

I don't know why the product designers thought it would be a good idea to form a pour spout out of an added plastic top rim instead of simply molding the glass carafe so that the glass itself forms a top spout right opposite the handle (as with Mr. Coffee, Proctor-Silex, etc.)  Even with a gasket between the plastic rim & the top of the glass pot, there's got to be a certain amount of tension compressing the gasket, or it will leak.  I don't see any way of tightening anything, so there's no way I can think of to stop the leak.  

The company said it will send me a new pot under warranty, but there will be an indefinite delay because the item is on back order.  (So it goes.)  Meanwhile, I'll be pouring coffee over the sink or cleaning up dribbles or both.  Sheesh.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## laurac260 (Oct 29, 2009)

Passepartout said:


> It's been my experience that all of these timed coffee makers that I've tried-  and a lot of manual turn-on ones have this feature. Maybe it's mandated?
> 
> Anyway, why does a self-proclaimed old retired guy with time on his hands need a coffee brewer timer? Heck, since I don't need to be anywhere at any particular time in the morning, I just smash the 'Start' button when I stagger to the kitchen unless in the unlikely event of my beloved getting there first.
> 
> Jim Ricks



I know the answer to this one....  every morning my wonderful hubby gets up before the sun comes up and does a walk, but not before making himself a cup of coffee.  Now, we have the Keurig system, so there is no such thing as making a "pot" of coffee, so he cannot make a pot so that there is coffee for me when I get up behind him.  What he does instead is "prepare" my cup for me, he puts in the requisite amount of sugar, vanilla syrup, and coffee mate, puts the lid on my cup, puts the pod on top, and even sets a little spoon next to the cup.  When I wake up, I stagger to the coffee maker, see the little blue light glowing like a beacon in a sea of fog, put the little pod in it's compartment, put the cup under the dispenser, push the button, and there is my perfect cup of coffee. mmmmm.....   

On the odd day that I get up before he, I stagger into the kitchen, see the dark coffee system just sitting there, and sigh...


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## Passepartout (Oct 29, 2009)

AwayWeGo said:


> I don't know why the product designers thought it would be a good idea to form a pour spout out of an added plastic top rim instead of simply molding the glass carafe so that the glass itself forms a top spout right opposite the handle (as with Mr. Coffee, Proctor-Silex, etc.)  Even with a gasket between the plastic rim & the top of the glass pot, there's got to be a certain amount of tension compressing the gasket, or it will leak.  I don't see any way of tightening anything, so there's no way I can think of to stop the leak.....  Sheesh.
> 
> -- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​



I've had similar _issues_ with various B&D products. A blender I couldn't procure a new blade for after the original dulled from crushing ice, proprietary batteries for battery powered tools. B&D just seems to make it necessary for consumers to search for _only_ B&D consumables and yet they don't make same easily obtainable. Not to mention that their designs just don't last in real-world use. Obviously, they didn't take a lesson from the Sony Betamax vs. VHS fiasco, or Apple's proprietary Mac and 'I-' brands. While in many ways they were and are superior products, because of them being proprietary, they will forever be relegated to smaller market share than the competition.

Meanwhile, maybe you can find a replacement carafe at the thrift store that will both fit and pour without making a mess.

Jim Ricks


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## AwayWeGo (Nov 19, 2009)

*Glad I'm Pouring Coffee With A Steady Hand.*




AwayWeGo said:


> The company said it will send me a new pot under warranty, but there will be an indefinite delay because the item is on back order.  (So it goes.)  Meanwhile, I'll be pouring coffee over the sink or cleaning up dribbles or both.


The company came through with a (free) new coffee pot -- was delivered yesterday by UPS. 

The replacement looks in all respects like another copy of the original coffee pot that went leaky & dribbly after a few weeks.  

We'll see, eh ?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## AwayWeGo (Nov 20, 2009)

*New Pot Pours OK -- For Now.*




AwayWeGo said:


> We'll see, eh ?


Free warranty-replacement OEM coffee pot pours OK -- dripless & non-dribbling, just like the original coffee pot for its 1st few weeks of use. (Even so, by force of habit I still held the pot & mug over the sink while pouring this morning.)

Unless they've improved the seal between the top plastic rim containing the pour spout & the glass carafe the rim sits on, the new pot is bound to start dribbling & leaking just like the original before long. 

Maybe there's a way I can inject some kind of sealent-cement into the space where the rim eventually loosens.  With an extra pot to try it on, I won't be risking much by experimenting. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## AwayWeGo (Feb 8, 2011)

*Handle Broke Off Free Replacement OEM Coffee Pot -- Gorilla Glue To The Rescue.*




AwayWeGo said:


> Free warranty-replacement OEM coffee pot pours OK -- dripless & non-dribbling, just like the original coffee pot for its 1st few weeks of use. (Even so, by force of habit I still held the pot & mug over the sink while pouring this morning.)
> 
> Unless they've improved the seal between the top plastic rim containing the pour spout & the glass carafe the rim sits on, the new pot is bound to start dribbling & leaking just like the original before long.
> 
> Maybe there's a way I can inject some kind of sealent-cement into the space where the rim eventually loosens.  With an extra pot to try it on, I won't be risking much by experimenting.


The free warranty-replacement coffee pot remained dependably dripless & non-dribbling, but unfortunately its handle broke loose -- nearly came all the way off.  That happened when I had just removed a fresh potful of coffee from the under-cabinet coffee maker & I was about to pour myself a steaming mug.  Fortunately I was able to set the pot down before it could crash to the floor, & I only spilled a cupful or so, which I was able to clean up without much trouble. 

I still had the old drippy original coffee pot, so I used that for a while -- pouring the coffee over the sink, as before. 

I had the Gorilla Glue out & open for another Mahnasset music stand fix job, so while the glue was out I got The Chief Of Staff to help me smear some Gorilla Glue into the appropriate places on the broken-off coffee pot handle _and_ under the rim of the old _el drippo_ original coffee pot.  

Next day, the pot with the Gorilla Glued handle was good to go, & it has remained in satisfactory daily use ever since -- about 4 weeks now.  

The other, formerly drippy original coffee pot is hidden in an upper cabinet, also good to go in case anything unfortunate happens to the Gorilla Glued replacement coffee pot. 

When we were in the Black & Decker outlet store recently, I mentioned to 1 of the store guys that it is fortunate they stock Gorilla Glue as well as their full line of Black & Decker tools & appliances, & I explained why, describing the troubles that Gorilla Glue took care of on our Black & Decker coffee pots.  The guy said he had to make the same kind of Gorilla Glue repairs on his personal Black & Decker coffee pot.  Who'd a-thunk ? 

I have no special Black & Decker brand loyalty.  I stick with'm only because the Black & Decker under-cabinet coffee maker is already all installed & everything.  Even if Mr. Coffee or some other brand became available in an under-cabinet style, it's easier to stick with the current Black & Decker coffee maker than to remove it & take on the job of installing some other kind.  

So it goes. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## AwayWeGo (Jun 25, 2012)

*Who Knew They Were Going To Make It Into A Federal Case ?*



AwayWeGo said:


> When we were in the Black & Decker outlet store recently, I mentioned to 1 of the store guys that it is fortunate they stock Gorilla Glue as well as their full line of Black & Decker tools & appliances, & I explained why, describing the troubles that Gorilla Glue took care of on our Black & Decker coffee pots.  The guy said he had to make the same kind of Gorilla Glue repairs on his personal Black & Decker coffee pot.  Who'd a-thunk ?
> 
> I have no special Black & Decker brand loyalty.  I stick with'm only because the Black & Decker under-cabinet coffee maker is already all installed & everything.  Even if Mr. Coffee or some other brand became available in an under-cabinet style, it's easier to stick with the current Black & Decker coffee maker than to remove it & take on the job of installing some other kind.


It turns out I'm not the only person having trouble with faulty Black & Decker coffee maker carafes.  

I received an E-Mail message recently informing me, as someone on record as having bought a Black & Decker spacemaker under-cabinet coffee maker, that there's trouble with the coffee pot handle -- as if I didn't already know from direct experience.  

The message says (in part) *. . .* 

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Applica Consumer Products, Inc is recalling its Black & Decker® Brand SpaceMaker Coffeemaker, models SDC740, SDC740B, SDC740BR, SDC740C, SDC740DIS, SDC740R, SDC750, SDC750C and SDC750DIS. The model number is printed on the underside of the coffeemaker, directly below the water reservoir. The coffee pot handle can break, causing cuts and burns to the consumer.

If the Model Number is SDC740, SDC740B, SDC740BR, SDC740C, SDC740DIS, SDC740R, SDC750, SDC750C or SDC750DIS *stop using it immediately!*

I logged on to the recall registry web site & signed up for a "recall kit," which I'm supposed to receive within 10-14 days.  

I do not plan to stop using the bad coffee pot, immediately or any time.  I've already gone through the Gorilla Glue fix, more or less successfully, a couple of times, & I have poured enough morning potfuls of coffee to have confidence that the rough & ready repair is not apt to give way without warning.  

Fortunately I escaped cuts & burns when the handle on mine gave out early last year, but just barely.  I didn't complain at the time, figuring the unit was out of warranty so what's the use?  I was not alert enough to complain about the bad coffee pot handle as a safety issue.   

Click here for the government's version of the story.  

By me, Black & Decker deserves credit for notifying me individually via E-Mail instead of just waiting to see whether I found out about the recall on my own.  (But the only reason they had my E-Mail on file is that I contacted them via E-Mail, twice, regarding warranty issues, which they resolved satisfactorily.  Even so, it would have been better if the product had been made right in the 1st place instead of going through all this warranty & recall fuss.  So it goes.)

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## AwayWeGo (Jul 6, 2012)

*"Recall Kit" Received -- All Loaded & Ready To Send Back.*




AwayWeGo said:


> I logged on to the recall registry web site & signed up for a "recall kit," which I'm supposed to receive within 10-14 days.


The "recall kit" was delivered by USPS.  I opened it up & followed the instructions right away.

The kit consists of some flat corrugated cardboard that opens up to make a 10x10x7-inch carton, plus bubble wrap, packing paper, 2 strips of sealing tape (paper-strip backed), & instruction sheet. 

Following instructions, I wrapped the Gorilla-glued & J-B Welded recalled carafe in bubble wrap, placed the wrapped glass pot in the carton, put wads of packing paper in the corners, & sealed up the box flaps. 

Attached to the carton is a pre-paid address label that's good at UPS & USPS & FedEx.  The instruction sheet said they'll send me a replacement glass coffee carafe within 10-14 days of receiving the recalled carafe from me. 

That struck me initially as excess folderol compared with just sending me a new coffee carafe.  After further cogitation, I decided the extra fuss actually makes sense.  That is, why send out new coffee pots willy-nilly when it's possible that many of the recalled coffee makers have long since gone out of service & been disconnected & redirected to Mt. Trashmore?  Instead, they're just sending replacements for actual pots that people (like me) are still using.   

So I'm sending back the intact & repaired bad glass coffee pot.  

I wonder whether anybody is sending back the shards & wreckage of 1 that broke? 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## AwayWeGo (Jul 7, 2012)

*Whoa! A Completely Different Black & Decker "Spacemaker" Coffee Maker Recalled Also.*

My Black & Decker coffee maker got recalled because the pot handle can give way.  (Mine did, but without breaking the glass, so we just cobbled it back together with Gorilla Glue & J-B Weld.)

Now another under-cabinet model got called back as well -- for scald & burn hazards from misaligned brew basket. 

Click here for the official announcement. 

Sam Black & Al Decker must be wishing they had stuck with dustbusters & electric drills instead of branching out into under-cabinet coffee makers. 

So it goes. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## AwayWeGo (Jul 30, 2012)

*Replacement Coffee Pot Received -- Looks Just Like The Original.*




AwayWeGo said:


> The instruction sheet said they'll send me a replacement glass coffee carafe within 10-14 days of receiving the recalled carafe from me.


The safety improvements must be inside where they don't show, because the replacement for the recalled glass carafe looks just like the faulty vessel that got called back because the handles on the originals failed, causing scald & cut injuries to various users (but not to me -- just lucky, I guess).

As it happens, I have another recalled pot for the same coffee maker.  That's because while the warranty was in force, I complained that the original pot leaked coffee through the space between the top of the glass & the bottom edge of the surrounding plastic rim.  So Black & Decker sent me another -- also leak prone & also covered by the recall.  

After receiving replacement no. 1, I sent in via internet for another "recall kit," to be addressed this time to The Chief Of Staff -- his & hers coffee pots, as it were.  Can't hurt to have a spare on hand.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## AwayWeGo (Aug 6, 2012)

*2nd Recall Kit Received & 2nd Recalled Coffee Pot Sent Back For Replacement.*




AwayWeGo said:


> As it happens, I have another recalled pot for the same coffee maker.  That's because while the warranty was in force, I complained that the original pot leaked coffee through the space between the top of the glass & the bottom edge of the surrounding plastic rim.  So Black & Decker sent me another -- also leak prone & also covered by the recall.
> 
> After receiving replacement no. 1, I sent in via internet for another "recall kit," to be addressed this time to The Chief Of Staff -- his & hers coffee pots, as it were.  Can't hurt to have a spare on hand.


Recall Kit was delivered while we were away.  After we got back, I used it to pack up the other recalled carafe.  This morning, I dropped off the package at FedEx for return to Black & Decker.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## AwayWeGo (Aug 22, 2012)

*Chief Of Staff's Replacement Received For Recalled Coffee Pot.*




AwayWeGo said:


> Recall Kit was delivered while we were away.  After we got back, I used it to pack up the other recalled carafe.  This morning, I dropped off the package at FedEx for return to Black & Decker.


The Chief Of Staff doesn't even drink coffee, so she gave me her recall-replacement coffee carafe as a spare.  

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Corinne1123 (Aug 25, 2012)

*General Observations about Coffee..*

This is a topic near and dear to my heart as I love a really good rich tasting cup of coffee, and am always in search of good coffee and a good coffeemaker.
I think many people in general like weak tasting coffee.  I don't.  
- I noticed that years ago (probably around late 90's to 2004) Disney made very good coffee and then over the past few years it's gotten really weak.  I think it's the same brand but maybe people complained about it.
- I like Starbucks but not the French roast.  Their medium is good.  Same for Seattle's best coffee.
I tried their Antigua Guatemala medium roast and it's very good.
- I like the coffee at Olive Garden.  I believe they use Lavazza, and hope to try it at home (it's never the same at home)
- I have tried Gevalia, which is pretty good, but sometimes too weak as well.
(You don't need to use a lot of coffee- 6 heaping tbs for 8 serving size cups)

As far as coffeemakers, I'm not crazy over the single serve Keurig type models.  I htink the cheaper brands are just as good, if not better.  Mr. coffee makes good coffee.  I tried Cuisinart and it's not as good.  I do like the Gevalia regular coffee maker.  I am curious about the French Press but haven't tried one yet.
Other opinions?


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Aug 25, 2012)

Corinne1123 said:


> - I like Starbucks but not the French roast.  Their medium is good.


IMHO - Starbucks French Roast is mediocre at best.  To get a good dark roast from Starbucks try the Gold Coast, Sumatra, or Komodo Dragon.  I can make those as powerful as I can take without the coffee turning bitter. The deep flavors come through very well.

Starbucks Sulawesi is my favorite, but they don't produce that any more.



Corinne1123 said:


> As far as coffeemakers, I'm not crazy over the single serve Keurig type models.


 I tried a Keurig of Starbucks Sumatra side-by-side one time with a drip pot of *pre-ground* Starbucks Sumatra.  Not even close in quality.  The Keurig was quite mediocre, and the cost per cup was about 5x as great - for worse coffee. Count me out on the Keurig.


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## Passepartout (Aug 25, 2012)

I can't say I consider myself a coffee co-noisier. I use the organic blend from Costco in a drip machine. Used to go for *bux Sulawesi until they stopped making it. Their French Roast has a 'metallic' quality to my pallet, so it's off the list.

I use a french press when we're camping (with no electricity) and though it requires a much coarser grind, it works fine. To me, the french press is more of a pita to clean than just throwing a new paper filter in the drip Capresso and hitting 'start' so I don't use one at home.

Jim


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## timeos2 (Aug 25, 2012)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> IMHO - Starbucks French Roast is mediocre at best.  To get a good dark roast from Starbucks try the Gold Coast, Sumatra, or Komodo Dragon.  I can make those as powerful as I can take without the coffee turning bitter. The deep flavors come through very well.
> 
> Starbucks Sulawesi is my favorite, but they don't produce that any more.
> 
> I tried a Keurig of Starbucks Sumatra side-by-side one time with a drip pot of *pre-ground* Starbucks Sumatra.  Not even close in quality.  The Keurig was quite mediocre, and the cost per cup was about 5x as great - for worse coffee. Count me out on the Keurig.



I have to totally agree. I find the Keurig type single cup to be extremely mediocre - instant may be better! Seeing people pay big money for those systems & the little cups is marketing over quality for certain.


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## AwayWeGo (Aug 26, 2012)

*I Resemble That Remark.*




T_R_Oglodyte said:


> Count me out on the Keurig.


But the little K-cups are cute & trendy, & the resulting brew is always fresh, possibly to be preferred over ready-brewed coffee dispensed out of those pump-action thermos-style reservoirs. 

One timeshare where we stayed -- don't remember which -- had a K-cup machine in the lobby with a variety of blends, even cocoa.  Seemed like a nice touch.  

A local Lasik vision correction place also had K-cup coffee in the waiting room.

For home use, however, despite everything, I'm sticking with Black & Decker.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Elan (Aug 26, 2012)

Passepartout said:


> I can't say I consider myself a coffee co-noisier. I use the organic blend from Costco in a drip machine. Used to go for *bux Sulawesi until they stopped making it. Their French Roast has a 'metallic' quality to my pallet, so it's off the list.
> 
> I use a french press when we're camping (with no electricity) and though it requires a much coarser grind, it works fine. To me, the french press is more of a pita to clean than just throwing a new paper filter in the drip Capresso and hitting 'start' so I don't use one at home.
> 
> Jim



  I used to also use a French press when camping.  Totally concur that it's mostly just a PITA.  Now I use a silicone filter holder & filter that rests on top of ones cup.  Just pour hot water through (slowly).  It's a semi-slow process, but it works well, the coffee tastes *great*, and you just huck the filter in the garbage at the end.

  This thing:

http://www.amazon.com/GSI-Outdoors-...TF8&qid=1345983658&sr=8-1&keywords=gsi+coffee


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## AwayWeGo (Aug 26, 2012)

*Brewing Coffee Down At The Campground.*




Elan said:


> I used to also use a French press when camping.


When we're camping, we just use a 4-cup Mr. Coffee instead of full size. 

Then again, when we're "camping," we have hot & cold running water, flush toilet, electricity, frost-free refrigerator, air conditioning, gas heat, gas hot water, gas range, stand-up shower, queen size bed, satellite TV, & I don't know what-all. 

That's because our version of "camping" is done in our dinky 36-foot non-traveling travel trailer equipped with all or most of the features of timeshares, but in miniature. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Corinne1123 (Aug 26, 2012)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> IMHO - Starbucks French Roast is mediocre at best.  To get a good dark roast from Starbucks try the Gold Coast, Sumatra, or Komodo Dragon.  I can make those as powerful as I can take without the coffee turning bitter. The deep flavors come through very well.
> 
> Starbucks Sulawesi is my favorite, but they don't produce that any more.
> 
> I tried a Keurig of Starbucks Sumatra side-by-side one time with a drip pot of *pre-ground* Starbucks Sumatra.  Not even close in quality.  The Keurig was quite mediocre, and the cost per cup was about 5x as great - for worse coffee. Count me out on the Keurig.



Glad to know I'm not the only one who doesn't fall for the latest mktg fad.

Most of the special name Starbucks you hae to get from the Starbucks store, which isn't a problem because there are so many, and they will grind it for you on site, if you'd like.

I've tried the Targets bagged brand which isn't bad, and you can get single pot sized ones to try. ~makes 6 to 8 cups)
I still want to try the Lavazza brand, but don't see a bagged version, and the tin one will probably taste like most.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Aug 26, 2012)

Corinne1123 said:


> Glad to know I'm not the only one who doesn't fall for the latest mktg fad.
> 
> Most of the special name Starbucks you hae to get from the Starbucks store, which isn't a problem because there are so many, and they will grind it for you on site, if you'd like.
> 
> ...



Here in the Seattle area, most Safeway stores have Sumatra in 12-oz. bags, either whole bean or ground.  Often they knock one or two dollars off the price for Safeway Club members, which means I can wind up paying about $10/pound.  Plus, I can bring the empty bag to Starbucks outlet and get a free drip coffee.

IMHO - to make really good coffee you need to invest in a burr grinder and grind beans just before use.  The deterioration in quality after grinding is dramatic and immediate.  I can easily tell the difference between my Sumatra brewed at home immediately after grinding with the Sumatra served at a Starbucks store, which they generally grind in advance when that is one of the daily brews.


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## AwayWeGo (Sep 2, 2012)

*Travel Coffee.*

When we're home, I use my under-cabinet-mounted Black & Decker coffee maker loaded with (mostly) decaf out of a 3-lb. can from Costco (Price Club).

( I don't dispute David Letterman's observation that decaf can be thought of as tasteless warm brown water, but the doctor said to ease off on caffeine because it can aggravate tinnitus.  Who am I to blow against the wind ? )

At timeshares & in our dinky non-traveling travel trailer, I use convenient filter packs -- pre-measured doses of ground coffee encased in little round or square pillows of filter paper.  My favorite kind was the old Winn-Dixie house brand, till those were discontinued.  

Maxwell House filter packs are usually available at Winn-Dixie & elsewhere.  But my current favorite coffee filter packs come from Community Coffee in Louisiana.  I wait till they're 10% off with free shipping before ordering.  

Formerly, I ordered lots of their 3 regular blends + a few of decaf.  Now, it's lots of decaf + a relatively few Community Blend regular.  So it goes. 

The filter-pack habit, when we're on the road, grew out of using the complimentary coffee filter-packs supplied at many hotels & timeshares -- maybe not connoisseur-quality coffee but still very good in most instances in addition to being super convenient.  

I now generally refer to my stash of Community Coffee filter packs (individually wrapped, BTW, just like the hotel-timeshare complimentary samples) as Timeshare Coffee, & I take a bunch with me any time we're away.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## bogey21 (Sep 2, 2012)

I have used a ($25 - $30) Mr Coffee for years.  Suits my taste which obviously is not connoisseur level.

George


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## Fern Modena (Sep 2, 2012)

Would you believe I used something similar back in the late 1970's?  Only difference was it was hard plastiic and didn't collapse.  But it made good coffee and was fine for one cup.

Fern



Elan said:


> I used to also use a French press when camping.  Totally concur that it's mostly just a PITA.  Now I use a silicone filter holder & filter that rests on top of ones cup.  Just pour hot water through (slowly).  It's a semi-slow process, but it works well, the coffee tastes *great*, and you just huck the filter in the garbage at the end.
> 
> This thing:
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/GSI-Outdoors-...TF8&qid=1345983658&sr=8-1&keywords=gsi+coffee


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## AwayWeGo (Oct 31, 2012)

*Mr. Coffee Doesn't Work When The Power Is Out.*

We experienced a 21-hour power interruption thanks to Hurricane Sandy. 

At breakfast time Tuesday, I lit the outdoor propane-fired barbecue grill & used that to get a pan of water hot enough (not quite to the boiling point) to brew up a pot of fresh coffee via Melitta technology.  

After the 1st mug, I turned the flame to the lowest setting & kept the rest of the coffee hot by setting the pyrex coffee pot right on the grilling rack. 

The coffee was good to the last drop. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## AwayWeGo (Dec 10, 2012)

*Goodbye Black & Decker SpaceMaker.  Hello (Again) Mr. Coffee.*

Black & Decker SpaceMaker under-cabinet electric drip coffee brewers are a good idea whose execution did not live up to the concept. 

Ours has been fraught with problems from Day 1 -- no rubber stopper on the spring-loaded lever that prevents drips when pouring a cup before brewing is done, fragile (recalled) handles on the drip-prone glass pots, burnt out indicator light on the button that turns on the time-delay brew function, leaky water reservoir, & I don't know what-all. 

Today was the last straw.  A puddle caused by the leaky water reservoir soaked some pages of The Chief Of Staff's 2012 calendar, which she keeps on the counter below the under-cabinet coffee maker.  Fortunately it was the old calendar for this year, not the new calendar for 2013.  However that may be, I feel guilty enough as it is for sitting around sipping coffee while typing on the electric computer even without using a coffee maker that causes collateral damage.  

So that's it for the Black & Decker SpaceMaker coffee brewer.  It is unscrewed & dismounted & on the launching pad to be out of here.  

The old reliable Mr. Coffee is out of basement storage & back in its place of honor on the kitchen counter right under the space from which the Black & Decker SpaceMaker was just de-installed. 

So it goes. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Passepartout (Dec 10, 2012)

My 12 y.o. Capresso combo drip/pump espresso hasn't taken to piddling on the counter yet, but thanks to our calcium laden water, it's brewing slower and slower. It might benefit from running a few batches of white vinegar through it, but I haven't tried that yet. One of these days it will need replaced, and there just isn't anything sold anymore that is equivalent. Maybe it will be time for just a 'normal' drip machine and an espresso machine tucked into the pantry for occasional use. I won't have one of those 'single' serve Keurig (or equivalent) outfits due to cost. Heck, I can make a whole pot of Costco 'Rain Forest Organic' for less than a cuppa Keurig.

Maybe I oughtta sit on Santa's knee and ask for one of those fancy Jura Capresso automatic barista's on the counter!

Jim


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## MuranoJo (Dec 11, 2012)

Hard water in our area means we pretty much have to run the vinegar solution through about once every month or so.  Actually, the instructions that come with almost every coffeemaker we've had suggest we do this.
PIB, but it does help.


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## AwayWeGo (Jan 1, 2013)

*Migrating Mr. Coffee.*




AwayWeGo said:


> The old reliable Mr. Coffee is out of basement storage & back in its place of honor on the kitchen counter right under the space from which the Black & Decker SpaceMaker was just de-installed.


Old reliable is now brewing up coffee at an extremely nice bed & breakfast inn down in the Virginia countryside. 

The innkeepers invited us to an open house reception.  We accepted the invitation & looked forward to the event with enthusiasm.  A day before the event, an innkeeper asked us to bring a coffee maker, if we had 1 to spare, because 1 of hers had gone defunct & she didn't want to interrupt her party preparations to go get a replacement if she didn't have to. 

No problem.  We packed up Mr. Coffee & took it along.  It did its job so well at the open house that we donated it -- over the protest of the innkeeper, who wanted to pay for it.  Nonsense, we said.  Then we told the story of how we got that particular Mr. Coffee. 

A few years ago when we were vacationing in Reno NV, the resort where we stayed was pretty nice in most respects but did not have an in-room coffee maker.  No problem.  Starbux was down in the lobby.  I remarked to The Chief Of Staff that for what I'd be apt to pay at Starbux over the next few days, I could likely buy a whole new coffee maker, plus filters, plus a pound of coffee.  

Next morning, we pulled into an upscale thrift shop that we noticed in a nice neighborhood when we were out & about.  While The Chief Of Staff browsed stylish clothing, I moseyed over to the kitchen appliance shelf, where I spied a newish Mr. Coffee, pristine condition, timer controlled, for $4.  I grabbed up the Mr. Coffee, checked out when The Chief Of Staff was ready, & off we went. 

Before returning to the resort, we went to a supermarket along the way for pepsi & snacks & coffee & filters.  I figured I'd use the 2nd hand Mr. Coffee while we were in town, then just abandon it at the resort when we left, still coming out ahead in cost & convenience.

Nay.  Too simple. 

Before checking out, The Chief Of Staff packed up the $4 Mr. Coffee -- glass pot & all -- in such a way that it was cushioned by clothing, etc., inside her suitcase.  Not only that, she put it inside layers of plastic & paper so that if the glass got smashed, the fragments would be safely contained. 

Sure enough, the $4 Mr. Coffee survived the flights home.  We retired our old basic model Mr. Coffee & put the timer-controlled Reno special in its place, where it brewed up the morning joe faithfully till the start of the Black & Decker Space-Maker saga, when it went into retirement storage alongside our older basic model. 

With the end of the Black & Decker era, the $4 Reno special went back into service.  Now that the timer-controlled Mr. Coffee has migrated to the Virginia countryside, our even older basic model Mr. Coffee (no timer) has filled the void -- & we are currently without a back-up.  (Not counting what we have 130 miles away in our dinky non-traveling travel trailer near Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.)

BTW, the old basic model Mr. Coffee replaced a Hamilton Beach basic coffee maker that lost its glass pot because of an unfortunate incident involving the Law Of Gravity.  (I.e., _el smasho_.)   It turned out that used coffee makers at Goodwill were priced higher at the time than a new basic-model Mr. Coffee at Target, so I went with the new coffee maker -- & that's what's out in the kitchen brewing coffee now that the Reno special is gone. 

Waste not, want not. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## AwayWeGo (Jan 4, 2013)

*Scant Savings On Thrift Shop Coffee Makers.*




AwayWeGo said:


> It turned out that used coffee makers at Goodwill were priced higher at the time than a new basic-model Mr. Coffee at Target, so I went with the new coffee maker -- & that's what's out in the kitchen brewing coffee now that the Reno special is gone.
> 
> Waste not, want not.


As of now, we have no back-up Mr. Coffee down in the basement.  

No problem.  There are huge supplies of potential replacements -- brand new -- any time I need'm at Home Depot, Lowe's, Wal-Mart, Kmart, Big Lots, Target, & I don't know what-all, at prices not all that much higher than 2nd hand.

$6*.*99 for semi-nasty used Mr. Coffee & similar coffee makers at a a huge 2nd hand store not far from here.

$14*.*99 for brand-new, black & stainless steel, no-name Mr. Coffee style coffee makers, timer-controlled, just around the corner at Home Depot.

Who-d a-thunk ?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Passepartout (Jan 4, 2013)

Better lay in a spare since you charitably divested yourself of the last one. They never give warning before dumping an entire carafe of lukewarm water on the counter and down onto the floor just when you are caffeine deprived.

Remember that Boy Scout Slogan: Be prepared!


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## AwayWeGo (Jan 4, 2013)

*Melitta Is Our Back-Up Back-Up.*




Passepartout said:


> Better lay in a spare since you charitably divested yourself of the last one. They never give warning before dumping an entire carafe of lukewarm water on the counter and down onto the floor just when you are caffeine deprived.


If all else fails, we can drag out the Melitta rig -- which came in handy while power was off 21 hours in the wake of Hurricane Sandy & we had to use the outdoor gas grill for cooking & coffee & I don't know what-all. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## AwayWeGo (Jan 4, 2013)

*Semper Paratus.*




Passepartout said:


> Remember that Boy Scout Slogan: Be prepared!


Click here for _Be Prepared_.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Mosca (Jan 4, 2013)

I use a small Mr Coffee that I've had for years, and the gold metal filter. I used to use a Melitta cone; that worked really well, too. 

The steps I use for good coffee:

1) Use the freshest roasted beans. Cathy recommended Greenwell Farms; I've bought from them, they roast right before shipping. So does Sweet Maria's, they roast on Tuesdays of every week. If you don't mind roasting your own, do it; green coffee is really cheap. I myself don't drink enough coffee to justify the expense of a dedicated roaster and the hassle of roasting my own, I just buy from Sweet Maria's. 

2) Store your beans in an air tight container. Not in the fridge or freezer, they pick up odors in there.

3) Grind right before brewing.

4) Use cold filtered water. We keep a Brita pitcher in the refrigerator anyhow, so that's easy to do. 

5) Use the right proportions. 16 parts water to 1 part coffee, by mass. Measure it with a scale; you only have to do this once and then remember how much.

6) Tamp the ground coffee in the basket before putting the water through. I just started doing this, and it makes a richer brew. If you don't tamp, the water finds channels through the grind and doesn't pick up as much flavor. If you tamp the grind, the water soaks through evenly. I use the back of a spoon, it's simple. 


None of this is much harder than dumping water through coffee, really. The only truly extra step is grinding the beans, and that takes about a minute. I think I brew a pretty decent cup these days. It's not perfect, but all I want is a pretty good cup that's not hard to make, not a perfect cup that's a PITA.


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