Great coffeemaker so far, inept users apparently....
355787
Well, I had this coffee maker for a couple weeks now and I have to say that most of the reviews I have seen on here are simply RIDICULOUS!  A little common sense goes a LONG way people! Don't let user inabilities keep you from buying this coffee maker!

Hard to fill reservoir?? How much room you need to pour the water? The area is huge!
Using the tank to fill, you simply pour out the water using the corner and BAM, easily done!

I haven't noticed any 'plastic' taste.

No leaks.

Brews really quiet compared to other makers I've had.

Coffee is nice and hot and the warmer doesn't appear to burn coffee either.

I will update if any of the 'mentioned problems by others' surface, but as of right now I love this thing and its SO nice not having to deal with a carafe!
2324983
I received this coffee maker as a gift two years ago.  I loved it so much, I bought my mom one as well.  When I visited, I noticed hers randomly turning off during the brew cycle.  I apologized for a broken gift, but I didn't have her receipt.

Now, two years later, my unit is doing the same thing - turning off and on during the brew cycle.  It isn't just the brew feature that shuts down, even the clock on the front blinks off.  I've ended up just giving the machine half an hour or so to blink itself on and off during the brew cycle until it manages to finish.  It works in that sense, but for how long?

Sadly I have no receipt to try and get a warranty replacement, but I've read that's a very irritating process in and of itself.  If I had faith that this wouldn't happen again, I'd buy another unit; I LOVE the features and the quality of coffee it makes is excellent.  If the machine is built to fail within the warranty period, why isn't it SUBSTANTIALLY cheaper?

2/2 failure of the unit
2536366
My husband is the coffee expert in our family and he says this Braun KF7150BK is five stars all the way.

Edit 7/7/17:  Because of a question asked I had my husband brew a pot of coffee this morning while I watched this pot work its magic.  You can read the entire experiment in the comment section.  Short answer, the decorative top is made with dimples, not holes.  There is steam which escapes all along the lid back seam.  The product description states that all condensation stays inside the pot.  Well, that's correct because the DROPS of condensation never leave the pot -- STEAM does.  I have not changed the original review so you can see where I made the incorrect statement.  Resume original review.

The manual is easy to read and actually helpful.  (This isn't always the case with some brands.)
LED control panel is actually easy to read.
There is an honest to goodness on/off switch.  (I know, isn't that just crazy??)
There is a setting for brewing a small pot, between 1-4 cups.
You can set the coffee strength between regular and bold.
The warming plate has three temperatures.  Yes, count them, low, medium, or high and they work.
There is a 60-second built in back-up for saving your settings if you have a power glitch like we have a lot.
The lid comes off the glass carafe so you can put both pieces in the dishwasher.
You can indicate the hardness of your water and get a reminder of when you need to descale the unit.
Plus.......this thing is just plain gorgeous sitting on the kitchen counter.

Interestingly enough, as well as all the things previously listed, the coffee maker also makes a darn good cup of coffee.  It is just a little bit loud to me, not to my husband.  It brews quickly, less than five minutes for the "short pot" which is the size we usually make.  You can take a quick cup before the brew cycle finishes.  The temperature of the finished first cup is hot (just right for hubby who likes it practically scalding).  An interesting little tidbit from the manual is that the coffee will have better flavor balance if you stir the coffee after it has finished the brew cycle.  According to the manual, the strongest coffee results from the first water through the grounds so stirring will even out the strength in the finished pot.  The automatic timer and clock are easy to set and also easy to read because the numerals are a good size.  You can use either the permanent "gold" filter included with the machine or use paper filters.

Now, the only aspect you might want to consider before you purchase this unit:  the top of the machine is perforated and while this looks very attractive, it results in a lot of hot steam coming out of the top and the back of this unit.  Be careful that you have enough room around the coffee maker so that steam has someplace to go and not just into the finish of your kitchen cabinet.  I like for this unit to have plenty of air circulation around it when we are using it.  We just pull it forward out from under the shelf above it and then push it back (on those very nice non-skid feet) out of the way when it is not in use.
3452576
I bought this coffeemaker because of the Cuisinart brand but there are several things about it that are extremely disappointing. Putting water in the pot is almost impossible to gauge the amount. It turns off after brewed by itself, can't hear the tone and I don't know how to keep it on and therefore hot. The amount of coffee that comes out when pouring is extremely slow.

Unfortunately I through out the box or I would return it. Can I?
3233456
Frigidaire has taken the time to make a quality product and thought carefully about the customer's needs. They have fixed all the little quirks about past coffeemakers that have bugged me in past(See the Diane Kistner extensive review, anything else I say would be redundant except about the carafe). Past coffeemakers, I have owned, dribble coffee if poured too quickly, not the Frigidaire. The spout will handle any volume and quickly into your coffee cup without having to wipe down the counter at every refill. Again, this is just one of the many little quirks that Frigidaire engineers have thought about and fixed. The 3 setting burner (low, med, hi) is an awesome feature!
MOST OF ALL THIS MAKES A EXCELLENT CUP OF COFFEE!!!

In addition, I have used this coffeemaker for 2 months now with no problems. I will try to update later to see if it lasts, some reviewers have had problems after 3-6 months.

**Update April 2014: This coffee maker has stopped working, much like the other reviewers. All lights come on, but it won't pump the water. When I called the company, after talking to a representative today and him insisting that they would not warranty it because I don't have the receipt (it was a wedding present and I thought it would be tacky to contact the gifter for his credit card statement or reciept). I have emailed the manufacture from the responses of other reviewers and I will update when I get a response. Until then I have reduced the rating.
3546488
HI,  I really like the coffee maker, it's great.  I kind of muddled through because I couldn't find the instruction booklet.  Luckily I've made coffee a few times before.  I like it, I'd just like to know more about it.  I'm bump this up to 5 stars right away if I had the instruction booklet. Actually I did decide to bump it to 5 stars, I just emailed the company and will be asking them to send me an instruction booklet, they seem to be very customer centric.
3888206
I had an older model of this and it lasted about 3 years. When it went, thought I would try the new model since it looks more modern and perhaps improved? Well........

The GOOD
There is SO MUCH to like about this coffee maker. I find it easy to use and easy to clean. I like setting it up the night before and waking up to great coffee. I also like that I have complete control over the strength of the coffee, the fact that it has a small charcoal filter for the water chamber, and that it's BPA free. Some people have complained the coffee maker is loud, but this one's not quite as loud as the previous model, and it doesn't bother me.

The BAD
This one only lasted about 4 months before having a problem that required replacement. The top hatch where the coffee beans go became warped (this was the diagnosis from Cuisinart over the phone as if they'd seen this problem before) although it didn't look warped. This caused the appliance to think it wasn't closed, or that it was missing a part, and it wouldn't function. Even though all parts were in and the lid was snapped shut, it would beep when I pushed the on button and then would not function. Incidentally, if this ever happens to yours, you can put something heavy on top of it like a cast iron pan, but of course that's pretty risky. This is what we did while we waited for the replacement. At first I tried heavy duty packing tape on the lid but it didn't hold because of condensation - it needed something heavy.

So ok, at least we have a 3-year warranty, right? Well, they charge $10 to send you a new one and you have to send back the defective one at your cost. These are the rules of the limited warrantly. They waived the $10 outbound fee for me because I sqawked about it (remember, 4 months in!) So I thought how bad can returning it be (ground shipping) since there's no rush? I packed it up and brought it to UPS. Their quote was $30. I left and went to USPS and it was $25. So if I'd had to pay the 10 bucks too, we're talking $35 to replace an $80 item I bought only 4 mo. ago, which kind of burned me up.

There appears to be an update on the lid of the new one. There is a square component added to the plastic arm that comes down from the lid and meets up with the close switch below it. So that's the good news for anyone purchasing now or in the future (I hope). I've tried to show this in the pictures. The straight, cylinder piece is the one that malfunctioned. The one with a rectangle at the top is the replacement. This doesn't seem like a very significant engineering difference, but here's hoping the updated one lasts.

So it seems like this is probably a known issue with the device, however Cuisinart stands by their limited warranty which means you have to return your defective item on your dime. Talking with a supervisor didn't change the course at all. I've been crazy loyal to this brand (we have 3 or 4 Cuisinart appliances in our kitchen) but this experience will have me looking at this brand more cautiously going forward.
175164
I won't go into a lot of product overview, since it has all been covered. I thought, instead, I would go over some of the things you can do to extend the life of any model BrewStation.

I just tossed my 5th BrewStation and ordered a 6th. Why? Because of all the goods points the others have stated. The 5th was the first Deluxe and lasted about 18 months. Unlike the previous models, nothing on the BrewStation broke. The last water filter I had in the tank ruptured and the granules clogged the water line. So, I've added another thought to my things to do to extend the life of a BrewStation. When the new one arrives, I will wrap the filter basket with cheesecloth, so if it ruptures, the cheesecloth will contain the granules and cheesecloth will not interrupt the water flow.

What else can you do to extend the life of a BrewStation? First and foremost... clean it regularly. I don't wait for the sensor to tell me to clean it. I do a clean cycle at the first of every month. You don't need to purchase an expensive cleaner. Just follow the directions in the manual for cleaning with white vinegar and water. This will keep the thin water intake line from clogging.

Even a tiny coffee ground can lodge in the dispenser and cause the tank to drip. A larger ground will cause it to flow. In the deluxe model, they have included a small filter over the dispenser which has greatly reduced this problem. It is still a good idea, though, to make sure the dispenser is clean every time you clean the tank. Just gently push the rubber stopper up a little with your finger, so the water flows through and rinse the filter, as well.

If you grind your own coffee, don't grind it too finely. Very finely ground coffee will not allow the water to flow properly and the coffee basket will fill with water and overflow. In a regular coffee maker, this just causes a mess. In a BrewStation, it can be a disaster, since the coffee saturated overflow can go back into the intake tank.

I hope these ideas are helpful for some of you.
1359206
First used on 3/26/17 and so far it's one of the better coffee pots I've used. Coffee tastes great and gets hot like I like it.
Pros of machine: programmable, quiet, coffee tastes great, sturdy decanter pot, nice design, filter has fine enough mesh that purchasing paper cone filters is not required (unless you want easier cleanup)
Cons of machine: clock face has no backlight (I had to put this one in a different spot than my previous pots so I had better lighting to program it), no beep or alert that brewing has stopped or that 2 hours is up and it's turning itself off, water reservoir has 2 ridiculously small openings to pour the water into and if your hand isn't completely steady you will spill

I was hesitant after reading some other reviews about it not working so I purchased a 3 yr warranty from Amazon. We'll see if I have to use it. I'll update my review if I experience problems or if it stops working and I send for repair or replacement. But so far, this is superior to all the Black & Decker and Mr. Coffee appliances I have used previously and had to replace repeatedly (my last Mr. Coffee just stopped brewing; it would turn on but not brew anything and I routinely and meticulously clean my coffee makers because hard water is a problem in my area). I recommend this particular coffee maker to anyone looking for a new one.
2994359
When it's working properly this is a fantastic coffee maker. It really makes delicous coffee and the warmer keeps coffee hot without scalding it. We have been having an issue lately with the hot water tank spitting out the wrong amount of water when I pour in a pot. It seems like it should be a simple fix but the manual is a novel and it hasn't been easy to figure out.
3058093
In terms of coffee knowledge, I'd say I'm above average but not too crazy. My usual coffee makers are moka pots, French presses, pour over devices or cold brews. But when people come to visit, they don't want to put up with waiting an extra 10 minutes for my creations, nor do they care to have anything better than a regular cup of coffee.

So I initially got this for them. I wanted a drip machine that was up to my standards but would make hot coffee for guests. The 8-cup Bonavita machines seemed excessive for me and a couple of guests, but this is perfect. I'll comment on a few of the common concerns about this machine.

1. The issue with the carafe not being able to fully pour every drop of coffee: to me, this is a non issue. Simply taking off the lid and getting that last tablespoon of coffee out is simple enough. Did you spill a drop? I'm sorry for your loss...?
2. The carafe doesn't keep the coffee warmer longer than an hour: you mean there's coffee left in this tiny pot for longer than 20 minutes? Thermodynamics is against this on this one due to its size. For its price, the coffee stays quite warm.
3. You have to put the lid on after the brew is complete: ??????? Another non issue. The brew time is short, even on the pre-infusion setting. You're not going to be late to work for adding a 7-second step to your morning coffee routine. You're going to be late because you were reading Twitter or your kids decided today was the day to put an entire box's worth of tissue in the toilet because they like to flush things.
4. Wanna make less than 5 cups? Cool, but make no less than 3. The machine is at its best when making a full pot, but the coffee will still be nice and hot and the beans will be properly saturated at 3. Less than that, and both things will suffer. The coffee just doesn't get hot enough and you'll end up with dry beans.
5. Take the manufacturer's advice and weigh your beans, using 10 grams per cup. Food scales are very cheap and a helpful item for coffee geeks, bakers, people who are focusing on portion control and anyone trying to figure out postage for a package.
6. This coffee maker works best when plugged in all the time, since it'll be able to maintain the settings that your program (limited as they are). I keep the manual handy since I do unplug it regularly and I want to make sure that pre-infusion setting is working during every brew.
7. Use a medium to fine grind. I've seen people use a coarser grind meant for French presses and I haven't had the best success with that, especially with medium roasts. I have the Bodum burr grinder and just set it to the middle, one notch to the right.
8. Filters. The Melitta #4 works, and I like them when using a finer grind. I also have a reusable gold filter and that also works, but still manages to leave a little silt in the coffee. I use both regularly depending on the coffee and the grind.

I purchased a refurbished unit which made this a really great value. For a unit this size that's priced over $100, I expect better ease-of-use, especially with the electronic settings. As for the coffee it produces, I was blown away. It brought out the best in my Stumptown Hair Bender and Trader Joe's Kenyan AA beans and I'm using it more often compared to my other brewing methods. If you want the ease of drip coffee but not the 8-12 cup amounts, and also have some standards when it comes to your brew, get this.
2280081
EDITING ON 12/03/13: Again, thanks to a fantastic customer service rep my defective unit was replaced. The new one works well in its first week, and the warmer plate definitely has a better coating on it and no liquid on the warmer after brewing a pot.  Makes GREAT coffee.  I'm raising my rating based on the machine's performance and the customer service received.  I'm looking forward to many years of use.  They've earned my loyalty.  (And I forgot to mention earlier that the metallic red is a great color -- not over the top at all, and looks quite good on the counter surrounded by the normal bland appliance colors.)

EDITING on 11/14/13: I managed to make contact with someone at the company who took the time to investigate the issue and raise it with management. The resolution is completely satisfactory.  They don't understand why the warmer plate is damaged either. They have offered to swap out the unit. I need to pack and ship it to them and then they will send me a replacement unit. While I have to pay for packing/shipping one way, I still find the solution fair. Kudos to the customer service agent who went the extra mile and has been incredibly responsive. I am raising my rating from 2 stars to 3 based on this level of service. I will change the rating again based on how the new unit performs.

ORIGINAL REVIEW:
Making a lower than expected review because after only 3 months of very light use (1 pot a day), the warmer plate coating has already become very scratched and rough.  Quite surprising given the cost and otherwise high quality.  My prior Krups teflon coating lasted a very very long time (and the pot itself 21 years, replaced by this unit).  Also, I notice liquid sizzling off during brewing, but don't see any leaks or places it could be dripping from.  Somehow it condenses onto the hot plate, though.  I imagine this is related to the poor performance of the teflon?

Email from the company tells me that the severe wear and tear is "normal". Having used many pots, I've never seen the hot plate so damaged so quickly.

Also, unfortunately, the manufacturer warranty is pretty poor and requires original packaging and UPC symbol which I did not save once it was working for a couple of weeks.  Have to say that the machine makes fantastic coffee, especially if you get the right grind for the right coffee.  But disappointed by the workmanship and lack of options for fixing the defective unit given the price and hype.
1412427
I've only had this coffee maker a few weeks, and it seems to brew well, stays hot, no issues. I am slightly confused about what would incline you to use the 1-4 c. feature vs. strong brew (does it brew differently for a smaller amount of coffee?), as there's no explanation included in the paperwork.

The carafe is TERRIBLE. It has a plastic spout mounted on a glass carafe, and it retains water when you pour, mixing cold water in with my coffee. It also retains the last bit of coffee when you empty the pot. Also, if you're placing your coffee maker on a counter with a cupboard above it, the top doesn't open all the way, which prevents you from tipping the carafe all the way when filling, which leads to spilling (EVERY TIME I use it I have spilled water) and even more water retained in the caraffe.
1207492
Update: One very important note -- the instructions for the included MyJo Cup say to put up to 2 TABLESPOONS of coffee in the cup. There is no way 2 tablespoons will fit into that cup. However, 2 rounded TEASPOONS do fit in the cup very well. And the strength of the coffee, even at the fullest water, is very nice.

I bought the MyJo a couple weeks ago and tried it out and liked the coffee (I used Peet's Gaia blend, espresso grind in the MyJo cup) a lot. The instructions say to use medium grind, but the pre-ground Peet's coffee worked just fine, and I'm thinking the espresso grind lets more flavor through, just don't make it too fine. The flavor was very rich at 10 ounces.

But I bought the coffee maker for camping so I set it aside and went back to using my regular coffee makers. Then one day I woke up with a migraine and I needed a cup of coffee fast and I needed *not* to spend a bunch of time setting up and starting the regular coffee maker and then waiting for it to brew. I grabbed the MyJo from the shelf, loaded up the coffee, added water from our hot-water dispenser, pushed the plunger 3 or 4 times, and in less than three minutes from start to finish, I had my 10-ounce cup of coffee. It was great!

For the people who are having trouble with pushing the water through or the strength of the coffee, read the instructions -- it talks about what you can do if the silicone valve gives you trouble. Also, try different types of coffee. This coffee maker does not brew like a regular coffee maker. It may take some time to find the right coffee.

I was finally able to try a commercial K-cup and it worked great!

One very important note: The instructions for the included MyJo Cup say to put up to 2 TABLESPOONS of coffee in the cup. There is no way 2 tablespoons will fit into that cup. However, 2 reounded TEASPOONS do fit in the cup very well. And the strength of the coffee, even at the fullest water, is very nice.
885472
This is not the coffee maker for those of you who wake up bleary eyed and brainless.  I love this coffee maker and the coffee it produces is delicious but I quickly learned that it requires a certain amount of finesse and skill in the morning to operate.  Within the first week, if there was a mistake to be made....I am certain it happened to me.
For example...you must make sure the perk tube is placed properly inside the bottom hole or you will end up with a pot of hot water and not coffee.  The basket is difficult to fill without spilling coffee over your countertop and then when placing the basket on the tube - don't get distracted - it will easily slip from your fingers (missing the tube) and dump coffee grounds all over your kitchen floor and counters.  It is a bit loud as it perks - so if you are noise sensitive in the morning - turn up the TV.  Finally, it does not have an automatic shut-off....so don't forget to unplug it!
1738151
Okay.  This manufacturer has succeeded in making a great coffee maker...when it works...it produces a good cup.  We bought this model from BestBuy but it quit after we had it for two years.  Sent it back under warranty and got a new one...but that one quit after a year!  (The water wasn't being pulled into the chamber, over the grounds, to make the coffee.)  Even though we cleaned it every day, and took good care of it, please note that If you are not super careful to make sure the coffee goes directly into the filter, it will get into the water chamber - a very poor design, and impossible to get 100% coffee-ground free, if you do happen to miss a little.  Further, although we loved the design and styling, the stainless steel is a bear to keep clean - if you don't wipe fingerprints off IMMEDIATELY they are there for good (similar problems have been had with stainless steel refrigerators, though manufacturers are now coating the steel with a thin veneer to alleviate the permanent fingerprint problem).
Figuring the problem was our bleary-eyed inaccuracy with the grounds, we got rid of this particular model after inheriting my mothers self-grinding upgrade.  Thought the problem would be eliminated...but no, this one is even more difficult to keep clean.  Though self-grinding, you have to take out the grinder, lid and all, clean its every nook and cranny and make sure it's perfectly dry before using again.  Further, all the coffee you grind will not go into the filter chamber - steam escapes into the grinder part and makes the left-overgrounds in the grinder wet and difficult to clean out...
We are in the market for a new coffee maker and will probably not purchase another Cuisinart product again - too high maintenance and difficult for a simple cup of coffee.
3215910
I have been using it for a couple weeks so far, and it delivered. My friends are really in love with it, and I just tell them to make their way to amazon.com in order to get one.

The only inconvenient with this coffeemaker is the mounting process, it is complicated and difficult to do, however with a little patience and motivation, one can accomplished anything.

a little tip: (Ignore the manual on that one) In order to remove the top of the unit before the installation, place your right hand in the middle of the top, apply some pressure and slide it toward you; Although it is recommended to get your hand wet in order to get a good grab out of it.

Well, that's all folk, good luck with your new coffeemaker and the installation process :)