We generally make 2 or 3 12-cup pots of coffee every day in this family! Here are the pros/cons of this unit so far after ONE WEEK. This is a LONG REVIEW, and will be updated as/if needed. --Pro: Press button. Get coffee. Very nice. I bought this solely due to extensive RA issues making it nearly impossible for my mother to pour herself a cup of coffee from a full 12-cup carafe in our previous traditional-style coffee maker. It wasn't so easy for me and my neuropathy, either. This is the same ease of a k-cup pod dispensing fresh coffee into a mug: no heavy lifting. While you have a water reservoir that removes and you have to fill, it is lightweight, and the weight distribution of the water makes it easier to handle than any carafe. Con: Also for ease of use, we keep our coffee makers on a small tray that makes it easier to move forward/backward on the counter to clean things from under the kitchen cabinet units above. Pressing the dispenser pushes back the unit in this setup because it is so lightweight. We have to reconfigure our decades-long setup to accommodate the machine, which is not a dealbreaker, but it's worth noting. --Pro: ICED COFFEE. I'm the only one in the house that can, will, and has already enjoyed this feature. Follow the instructions in the manual completely -- double-strength concentrated coffee that brews directly onto the ice inside and dispenses as ** perfection ** in your tumbler. CHEFS KISS. Con: Iced coffee and warm coffee use the same tanks and reservoirs meaning you cannot make an iced coffee if someone wants hot coffee or there is already coffee made or brewing, etc. In our house, that's going to cause problems, because no one else wants iced coffee but me... 8( I would be very interested in seeing a larger unit that can do both simultaneously. Otherwise, I'll have to keep struggling to make my own for work or buy another individual unit for myself later. --Pro: Super easy to clean. All the parts are very easy to rinse out between uses and they all fit together with ease; no real pressing or pushing or clicking or snapping things -- just PLOP and GO. They're VERY LIGHTWEIGHT which is a huge plus in our disabled household. Con: Because the internal unit keeps the coffee warm, it makes subtle noise constantly, whereas a traditional carafe-style machine just has the hot plate which doesn't make noise. It's subtle, but to the AUTISTS out there who are sensitive to noise (it's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me), it might be a dealbreaker. Also, because it's constantly warming, that internal plate browns in spots pretty quickly as noted by others and if you keep just a small amount of coffee warming in the unit, it WILL need cleaning very, very often because of this. We cleaned ours before first use and had the indicator to clean the unit within 48 hours of setup. --Pro: There is a clear measure on the right side of the unit that shows you how much coffee is inside the machine for visual people, thank goodness. If I can't see it, I either don't think it exists, or I forget it exists. Con: It's fully on the left side of the machine. The removable water reservoir pulls off from the right side of the machine. If you keep your coffeemaker in a corner or nook/cranny of your kitchen, you'll have to move your set-up entirely or move it slightly every time you want to see if there is any coffee inside before pushing the button. It's minor, sure, but incredibly annoying. It also fogs really easily because it's clear through to the coffee inside. Could definitely be improved upon in future models. --Pro: LCD display is LIT. Yayuh. You can actually see the time on your coffee maker. No more flashlights next to the coffeemaker! It's strangely hard to find sometimes in the "cheaper" units (read: Mr. Coffee carafe, my first love). Con: That display is REALLY BRIGHT, LOL! If it's plugged in, it's ON. Whether the machine is on/off brewing, the display is ON. If you're sensitive to blue light... you know what I'm saying. More importantly, it's VERY disappointing that the dispenser area of the machine does NOT also have a light (think: how icemakers on fridges often toggle a light when you're having ice dispensed so you can see what you're doing). This might not seem like a big deal, and you definitely have to train yourself not to stick your coffee mug or tumbler so close to the dispenser that you can't see what's happening, but it's also something to note for those of us who prefer dark-colored coffee cups and drink coffee at night. A dark kitchen, a dark mug, and a BRIGHT LCD DISPLAY above but no light at the dispenser means you have to press/dispense and guess and pull it out to see if there is enough or too much in your cup, go back, repeat, etc. It doesn't make much sound when it dispenses so you can't really rely on that to help in the dark. --OTHER PROS: (1) It's not an overly complicated machine, very easy to program and change settings, with clear indicators on what you have selected. (2) Simple aesthetic design overall that looks good on the counter matching other kitchen appliances. (3) The coffee TASTES GOOD. This has to be noted because a lot of units brew coffee that tastes like plastic and metal and burned flesh. The coffee is even and smooth in taste, bold without seeming charred or cooked. --OTHER CONS: (1) The drip tray and the removable plate are the most finicky things I have ever met in my life. Neither clicks in; the tray slides under and the plate just sits on top, and it does not do either of these with confidence and ease. I'm constantly fidgeting with it and it never seems to really settle into place. (2) There is no indication of when the unit has finished brewing coffee that I've figured out just yet. There is no beep that says "I'm done! Come get your coffee!" because it's constantly IN MODE to keep it warm after brewing; if you turn it off, the unit turns off, and it won't keep your coffee warm. This is a huge adjustment from our traditional carafe style and so far a pretty huge con that we can't hear when it's done brewing. The flipside is you can have coffee from the dispenser while it still finishes brewing the rest of the coffee (though technically I don't recommend this because the taste will be inconsistent). (3) The strong brew option takes FOREVER to brew. The manual warns you of this but you're not prepared for just how long it takes, I promise you. We brew strong coffee naturally by increasing the scoops but this unit also seems finicky on just how much coffee you can put in the filter area before it overflows. OVERALL: I'd give it a 3.5/5.0 rating. I don't hate it but I can't say I love it either. As it was bought solely for my parents for disability considerations, I'll default to them on whether it will stay or be returned. If it were just me, I'd likely send it back and keep searching for an alternative, but I can tell you those alternatives would most definitely be more expensive. And the money talks. For the price point, it's worth a try; you might love it more than I. ♥
