Compares Mostly Favorably to its DeLonghi and Cuisinart Counterparts
339992
This is my third burr grinder -- I also own a DeLonghi that replaced a Cuisinart.  Like the other two, this Black and Decker burr grinder is a high-speed grinder, which means that you'll get static in your grounds and that some heat will be generated that will slightly influence the taste.  The low-speed conical burr grinders always go over $100 and sometimes much more, so you'll have to accept those downsides unless you want to splurge for a higher-end grinder.  That said, even a high-speed burr grinder is MUCH better than a blade grinder.  You'll taste the difference.

The Black & Decker grinder is in one notable way better than the DeLonghi and Cuisinart models: the coarsest grind is coarser than the other two.  If you make French press coffee, you'll appreciate it, although, if you haven't used a burr grinder before, you might be surprised still by the fact you won't get chunky grounds.  At the finest setting, you'll get coffee powder appropriate for espresso.  Noise-wise, the B&D is comparable to the Cuisinart and a little more noisy than the DeLonghi.  The hopper in the B&D is the smallest among the three, with the Cuisinart's being the largest.  I tend to ignore the max line, however, and I fill it to the top with beans.  I also do that with the DeLonghi.  Even doing that, the bean capacity in the B&D is smaller.  Among the three models, the B&D is the smallest and most slim, and that might mean that its motor is smaller.

To work, you fill the hopper with beans, select the ground coarseness, select the number of scoops (generally 2 for 4 cups, for regular strength), and push the power button.  The grinds are dispensed into the plastic container that fits into the body.  It can grind up to 12 scoops, according to the dial, although I've never done that many.  You don't have to deal with even numbers, either, as you do with some grinders -- you can do three or nine -- and that's a great feature for those of us that like to add an extra scoop for strength.

The only thing I don't like about this burr grinder is the dials.  I find it somewhat difficult to see how many scoops have been selected, and it took me a while to see how the grind coarseness was indicated.  The grind selector is a lock kind, which means there are distinct steps rather than a continuous adjustment.  I don't mind that at all since it has many steps.

This is a surprisingly good high-speed burr grinder, although it's (possibly) smaller motor might affect longevity.

-- Debbie Lee Wesselmann
1517196
Large in size and requiring sufficient space, this counter top oven from Cuisinart is designed to combine the heating ability of a convection oven with the speed of a microwave oven. It offers both abilities in one, and can add convenience to most any kitchen.

This oven does have a nice appearance and it looks good on a large countertop. Its stainless steel matches well in my kitchen, with its abundance of stainless steel appliances. You need to make sure to have plenty of space for ventilating in the rear and on one side of the unit, but other than that, it easily makes the grade from an appearance standpoint.

But besides being pretty, a micro/convection oven needs to work well at heating up food and this one seems okay in most instances. The microwave works as well as any other, but I do have some other issues with this oven, and chief among them is that the outside of the unit gets very hot. You can feel the heat radiating from the inside- out and a quick check of the exterior will confirm that the heat is exiting through the outside walls of the oven. This will surprise some users at first, but you get used to it. You just have to make sure to keep your hands- and those of kids in the house- away from the unit while in operation.

This oven has several different settings from which to select. Besides the microwave setting, it has a defrost setting, warm, convection, convection bake, and convection roast. It even comes with a recipe book so you can utilize these special settings and prepare food like a pro. But one fact to keep in mind is that this unit can take a long time to heat up to high temperatures. It has little problem reaching, say, 350 but if temps get into the mid to upper 400 range, it can take longer than is worth it. For these high- temp cooking jobs, a regular oven is best. I'm not an expert on heat transfer, but it seems like the loss of heat described above is part of the problem.

Ovens are a must for any kitchen and having a microwave/convection combo is nice for certain cooking purposes. This Cuisinart model works well for the most part, but the issues with the heat convince me to rate it only average overall.
31561
While it's a bit of a stretch to call it "pour-over," the KCM0802 delivers on its basic promise, providing better-tasting coffee than a standard drip machine at the cost of a slightly longer wait.

Unboxing and setup are simple, and the machine is more attractive than most despite being almost entirely plastic, with a prominent stainless-steel outer casing on the drip basket displayed prominently. It has a smallish capacity compared to other machines its size, a nominal "8 cups" (denominated in those strange tiny coffee-maker-capacity cups) that equates to about three real 12-oz mugfuls of coffee when all brewed up. The machine is fairly big, but still just short enough to slot under a cabinet on a countertop. (Note that it fills from the top, though, so you'll need to pull it out a lot.) It has a number of nice convenience features, like an easy-to-see water level indicator and an attractive display with a programmable timer. The only down side to all the electronics is that it beeps -- quite annoyingly and loudly -- at the beginning and end of each brew cycle.

The machine's concept is that it works like a pour-over brew at a high-end coffee shop, allowing the ground coffee to "bloom" in hot water before it completes brewing it with the remaining water. This means that the brew cycle takes a bit longer than a conventional drip machine (I clocked a 4-cup brew at 5:45), but in exchange should provide much more depth and richness of flavor.

It doesn't quite live up to the "pour-over" promise -- I compared it directly, using the same fresh-roasted beans from my local high-end shop, to a real pour-over (as well as a French press), and the machine's brew was far weaker and much less complex in flavor (perhaps because of its lower brewing temperature; it doesn't seem to consistently get hot enough). But it's still a huge upgrade from drip coffee! If you like the taste of drip (better than the oily, chewy brew of a French press, still my favorite), this is a great way to upgrade to a richer brew that will get more out of good fresh-roasted beans. That's a quite specific niche, but for that use I'm happy to recommend it.
629341
We have used this coffee maker for 2 months. Nearly perfect (4.9 stars perhaps). Previous 2 makers were B&D under the counter, generally no longer available. The final one became sluggish after nearly 10 years or service, so we are not current in coffee maker technology but do expect longevity in consumer products. The Cuisinart DCC-2600 has been excellent - 15 minutes to brew a full pot, variable carafe temperature is nice, controls are nicely designed; 14 cup = 76 ounces (5.2 ounce cup??) is much larger than the previous "12-cup" makers. Easy to remove spent grounds, no leaks or drips, good taste. So what might be better? Water sight glass is hard to see but we use calibrated bottle to fill. The end-of-brew tone is OK, but we would prefer an LED when brewing is finished. Carbon water filters likely help the taste but they are exepnsive for what you get and somewhat hard to find. Unit is big - >14" tall when closed and >24" tall to fill. Made in China, of course.
Updated after 5 years 10 months: Still working extremely well but (as at least one other reviewer noted) it now leaks from the bottom. Worse if it is left filled overnight, but even if it is filled just before use there is about 1 Oz of clear water on the countertop after brewing. Cannot open bottom to troubleshoot without deep, skinny security torx or similar bit. Also, the metallic finish is blistering where it was exposed to hot steam. Overall though I retain the nearly 5* rating for 2200 pots of coffee at 5 cents per large pot.
3191202
Black and Decker TC3290XSD Toaster Oven

This is an attractive unit with stainless steel sides and top and wide glass front.  The controls are digital, which is a plus since you get exactly the same setting each time you select it, as opposed to the more traditional spring loaded countdown timer knob. The controls are on the right front, and have little icons to tell you what they do. The icons are not that easy to understand initially, so there are descriptions of each icon on the glass just to the left of the controls in three languages, which is a lot of writing on the glass.

The unit has settings for convection bake, broil, toast, reheat, pizza, bagels, and frozen snacks.  You can accept the default settings for each or use the temp up and down buttons to change the setting.  You also have access to a timer which you can set so you don't accidentally over cook something. It will not start timing until the oven reaches the set temperature, and will shut the oven off when the timer is done.  Nice feature for those of us who tend to put things in the oven, go into another room to "take care of one or two emails," and then finally pull the food out when the smoke alarm is going off. However, it is worth noting that the timer does come on automatically even if you don't set it, so make sure it is giving you enough time to cook your food, or set it to just "stay on."

This is a large unit, primarily for families (or those living without an oven!)  It measures 21.5" wide by 11.25" tall by about 13" deep.  It is advertised as an 8 slice toaster oven, however, as you can see in my pic, if you are using normal size bread you will only get 6 slices toasted at a time.  In my first test, I put 6 slices in the oven and set it to "4" (the default).  As you can see in the pic, they are minimally toasted, and the slices on the sides, especially in the back, were not quite as done as the middle pieces.  Test 2 was to determine how each setting toasts, and so the next pic is of two slices (placed in the middle of the oven) on "4" then two on "5" then two on "6."  The 4 setting took 3 minutes 30 secs and is just barely toasted with a chewy center.  The 5 setting (4:20) is more golden brown and still chewy inside.  The 6 setting (six minutes) was obviously overdone.  So I tried the 6 setting again, but this time put 6 slices in the oven.  The last pic shows the results: an even brown color, with some chew left in the center.  I would only use the 6 setting (not to mention the 7 setting) for either frozen bread, or when the toaster oven is full of bread. By the way, the second time I did the 6 setting it only toasted for 5:40, so the unit makes internal adjustments when the oven is already warm.  Nice feature usually only found in more expensive ovens.

It should be noted that toaster ovens can save money, especially vs electric stove ovens, since the toaster oven is heating up a smaller space.  That said, it always makes sense to get the smallest toaster oven for your needs, as this will be the most efficient.  If you consistently only toast 2 bagels for breakfast, this is not the toaster oven for you.  If you consistently toast 4 bagels, you've got yourself a winner.

Was able to bake an orange/olive oil cake in a cake pan, and a pizza directly on the oven grate in the middle position- both came out perfect.

As with almost all toaster ovens, the outside of this unit gets hot.  A couple of minutes after toasting, the sides were still measuring 145 degrees, and the front stainless just above the glass door was 160.  Care should be taken to avoid these surfaces.
1195802
I have owned this unit now for about six months, having received it as a gift for X-mas.  I would like to give it 4.5 stars, because of the design flaws noted in other reviews, but due to its simplicity and ease of use I can forgive this.

Pros:
Thermal carafe keeps coffee warm longer
Easy to load basket and it's washable
12 cup capacity means I have coffee in the carafe for two days (and it's usually still warm the next day!)
Easily programmable and simple to use
Carafe is well balanced and easy to pour
The swing out basket makes adding grounds from my grinder a breeze

Cons:
Must be VERY cautious that the basket is properly seated otherwise spillage is a certainty
Cleaning the carafe is somewhat problematic (though a mixture of warm bleach and water left to sit a while will usually do the trick)
I could see the beeping being annoying but it doesn't bother me

Overall, I recommend this unit, with the caveat that you be CERTAIN to adequately seat the basket or there will be coffee on the floor and none in your mug (this happened one morning to me at 630 am, not a good time for mopping up cups of spilled coffee).  The basket design is problematic on my model, but everything else works like a champ.  Perhaps in the future they can have it click into place or something to indicate that it won't stab you in the back - et tu Cuisinart?
101901
I've had this for a month or so now. I'm probably unfairly comparing it to my 15-20 yo Delonghi toaster oven that finally crossed over to the other side.

Some of the less than perfect features:
Kinda pricey, although I caught it on a lightning deal which made it a little more palatable (scary-how did Amazon know my old one broke and I wasn't working that day?)
The multiple beeps that signal the end of the cycle are annoyingly like my microwave.
To toast two pieces of toast you have to cycle through 4 or 5 settings including 3 defrost toast settings (with an accompanying beep for each one)-the default is toast 4. Weird that defrost is before toast 2 slices... (On the other hand the 4 slices setting can be used for two-I won't tell!)
The display light is very bright but there is no internal light (my old one didn't have an internal light either).
The design is very square with sharp corners. My older model looked more modern than this one.
This puppy is big! Be ready for the space it will hog.
Outside gets hot-like burn you hot. There is a warning label permanently a fixed that my hand stubbornly refuses to heed. My old model had stay cool top and sides. I make lemonade and use this as a plate warming feature or warming trivet.

Pros:
I do like that it is smart enough to adjust duration when it is already warmed up.
Toasting is decent, but not as even as a stickler might want. I haven't tried the convect feature.
Broil works well for garlic bread or reheating pizza.
Crumb tray is easier to remove and wipe clean.
It's big, do you can fit a lot of food in it.
Adjustable rack height.
Haven't tried baking cookies in it yet or using as a dehydrator, but it has those features.
4086867
I spent a lot of time thinking about buying this machine as we were used to the norm of brewing a big pot of coffee and drinking over the course of the morning and wasn't sure a machine like this would satisfy our usage. Our old coffee maker, a Krups with a thermal carafe didn't keep the coffee hot very long so by the end of the pot, so the idea of brewing a cup when needed seemed like a good way to resolve that. The Espresseria has turned out to be great and makes a very satisfying cup of coffee - Lived with it for about a month now and have made over 100 cups of coffee.

I was concerned about the complicated mechanism in a fully automatic, but the good reviews and comments on the service being in the U.S. gave me the confidence to try it out. Here are the thoughts of someone fairly particular about coffee (and products), but not particularly into espresso ( I enjoy it but coffee is my lifeblood):

-I started using the machine with  regular beans from our local cafe, we used to use dark roast but because the manual suggests avoiding dark roast we wanted to see how it was. Because there is no strength setting other than the grind coarseness, I didn't think the coffee was strong enough. I solved this by making an espresso shot and then a coffee. Once I switched back to dark roast, the coffee was great, even on medium grind setting. The dark roast we use flows fine without the insert part btw.

-The machine is very easy to use and tells you clearly what to do and when to do it. The interface is pretty basic which is a good thing.

-The dial knob feels a bit cheap, I was expecting something a bit more substantial especially as the main interface item. Very minor, and wouldn't keep me from buying the product It is also a bit annoying as the dial does not cycle from bottom to top of the menu or vice versa- you have to turn it in the correct direction to get it to go up or down. I'm not sure this describes it well, but it is a minor interface tweak that would have made the experience much better.

- The fit and finish of the product is good, it is pretty handsome compared to most of these machines. It is all plastic which is a bit unfortunate, but I can only assume and hope the money went into the internals. Time will tell.

- the steam wand is a bit too short so is a bit annoying to use. I don't use it much, so it is nice that it tucks out of the way, but something to consider if you plan on using it a lot.
554023
I had purchased the machine without reading the reviews as a gift for my mother, based on my luck with other DeLonghi products. On Christmas morning I got up early and made a pot of regular drip coffee. Good flavor, and the machine functioned as it should. Then my mother tried to make Cappucino, and had the same problem that some of your reviewers had, not enough steam to froth the milk. I then read some reviews and got a little worried about my purchase. She attempted to make another batch of Cappuccino while I was there and again had little steam pressure. I noticed that the knob was not fully set at cappuccino. I adjusted the knob, and Voila! Plenty of steam. I don't know if others' problems were caused by this but our machine makes good cappuccino and espresso. The drip coffee is excellent. I like the removable drip coffee reservoir, much easier than filling it up with a pot.
1017976
After my 11 cup Cuisinart's blade was recalled and I didn't have a food processor, I did some extensive research and ended up with this wonderfully sophisticated machine. It makes the Cuisinart look like a clunker, which it is. I'm amazed at all of the speeds I can use (16!), the intelligent design, the lightweight, and the low noise factor. My only complaint is with the manual. It didn't explain that the smaller bowl's arrows need to match up with the larger one. The same is true for using the juicer bowl. Otherwise, enjoy!
950777
The Oster OWM1199 is a good microwave/grill combination that will nicely complement any modern kitchen. As someone who hates clutter and rarely cooks, I was enthusiastic about purchasing this all-in-one product. While an excellent value, the grilling capabilities of this product leave something to be desired.

Microwaves are inexpensive products these days with relatively limited distinguishing features. One major functional item, of course, is a grilling capability. In my mind, this feature would take the place of a toaster and a toaster oven. Unfortunately, this goal hasn't been satisfied with the Oster OWM1199 as its grill is underpowered.

Grilling three small thawed chicken breasts takes over 25 minutes. It is really slow making toast as well, taking three times as long as a traditional toaster.  I can't imagine actually trying to cook products using the grill.

After some frustration, I checked the wattage with my handy Kill-A-Watt meter (see review). The microwave consumed 1670+ watts whereas the grill only used about 970. This is somewhat perplexing a larger heating-element should have had negligible incremental cost.

The Oster OWM1199 is a moderately good value for those users who will primarily use the microwave capability. Unfortunately, the whole package falls short due to the deficiency in the heating element. If you plan on using the grill frequently, consider alternatives.

Pros

Powerful microwave

Sleek stainless design

Cons

Underpowered grill
4578240
First of all, I have owned the machine for just 2 days and cannot say much about durability, company support etc. But since I have read a couple of other reviews (mostly on Amazon's site, but not only here), I want to clarify on some points that seem fuzzy after reading those reviews, but look pretty obvious when you own the device.

First, the first impressions. It does seem well built, although mainly of plastic. But the plastic is good quality. As for the "plasticky" smell mentioned in some reviews, I can feel none and I have rather good sense of smell. The tank, for example, is made of solid polythene (that is, poly-ethylene), which is standard for all food and medical applications and just does not have any smell. It is one of the least reactive plastic materials. In fact, even strong acids can be kept inside polythene. One thing, I had washed the parts mentioned in the manual before making the first coffee and primed the unit, making several shots of coffee, letting some steam out etc. This is usually quite important as any kitchen utensil that has not been primed can smell of factory dust or residue.

Second, the quality of espresso this unit makes. I have owned quite a few espresso makers and have drunk coffee all over Europe. This one certainly makes a quality espresso. Obviously, there are different preferences, but I can assure that the espresso this unit makes compares very well with the espresso you can buy in Italy in the cafes with professional espresso machines. It is not a "killer" espresso (that is, not as strong as some), it is medium-strength, with proper crema and flavour. Actually, in Italy the normal size of espresso is about 60 mililitres (about 2 fl.oz.). I prefer to make a 100-150 ml shot and this seems to be just about the right size for this machine. If you wish to make the kind of coffee Italians scornfully call "cafe Americano", this might not be the perfect coffee maker, as there is not enough space to put a bigger cup under the nozzle.

Third, the temperature. Some reviews mention that this unit needs 15 to even 45 minutes to heat. Well, this is mentioned in the manual, but in practice this does not seem to matter. If you just make a single shot (Italian size) in the morning, the coffee will be perfectly hot just after about 2 minutes pre-heating. I understand that some people expect their coffee to be "piping hot", but a piping hot coffee is something of a contradiction in itself. If your coffee is really piping hot, then you either burn your mouth or have to wait till it cools down a little, losing the precious aroma in the meantime.
By the way, if you make espresso the traditional Italian way (an espresso maker that looks like an inverted hourglass that you put on your stove, which I believe, is called a "stovetop espresso"), it does not come piping hot. And, incidentally, the strongest espresso I have been able to make was not with an electrical unit, but with such an Italian-style utensil (made by Bialetti).

To sum up, this seems to be a very reasonably priced and well-performing espresso machine. It makes quality espresso of medium strength and seems reasonably well-built.
4749398
I wanted a pump espresso machine, but I had two requirements: it had to be easy to use, and it had to be inexpensive. Had no problems finding machines that fit one of those criteria, but finding one that fit both was a challenge.

I picked the XP5220 mainly because of the convenience features of having an auto-tamp system and a puck ejection button. Both work very well. I have no doubt an experienced espresso connoisseur would find both to be unnecessary, but for a novice the auto-tamp in particular is very helpful. No more guessing as to how much to tamp. Plus, both features make the brewing process fast and easy. I'm using Lavazza pre-ground decaf, and have been very, very pleased with the results.

The other features of the machine also work well. It seems well-built (with one exception, as described below), has an attractive design, an easy to fill water reservoir, heats up very quickly, and simple controls. The pull is a bit slow, but fine for my needs. I happened to be able to get a new one on an auction site for under one hundred, but even at the regular price on Amazon I think it's a good value.

The one big drawback is the frothing wand. This is an often-mentioned problem area in the other models in this line. It didn't deter me since I don't ever use it - I prefer to keep milk well away from my espresso (or coffee and tea, for that matter - just don't care for milk). But I did play with it for a while to see how it would work, and I agree that it seems flimsy in construction. It did work, but I'd be concerned about long-term reliability.

So, if frothing milk is a major part of your espresso experience, then you may want to look at a different model. But if you don't plan on frothing much or at all, this is well worth a look if you want an entry-level machine that produces great results with minimal fuss. I'll give it 4 stars since I think the frothing wand should have been better designed, but it's a five star machine given all the other features at this price.
304872
I just bought one of these machines to replace a nearly identical earlier model that I had had until a couple of years ago. That one had also worked very well, but had broken when the carousel was inadvertently turned the wrong way by someone unfamiliar with the machine. The Jura-Capresso company still features this machine on its website, but customers are informed that it is out of stock when adding it to their shopping carts, so it may have been discontinued. The one I bought was a display model that had not been used, but, in case any do become available, here is my review.

This machine makes excellent espresso, cappuccino, and crema coffee, but it is a bit temperamental, with several steps that must be followed in a particular order for it to work properly. That is perhaps why it is classified as a semi-automatic and is recommended for home use only. I can live with its quirks, however, for a machine that produces the same quality coffee, via auto-tamping, as a fully automatic machine for less than a third of the least expensive of those. It brews and dispenses coffee one cup at a time, without waste, without the expense of coffee pods, and without having to constantly clean and refill a lever-based coffee holder, as with my smaller manual espresso maker. With a turn of the carousel, the used coffee is dumped into a substantial holding container and the coffee hopper is ready for reloading, no dismantling and cleaning required, so that I can easily and quickly serve multiple guests their coffee of choice. It serves hot water, as well, heating it and then dispensing it through the steamer/frother spout, so, despite its size, it is a space saver for me, replacing my auto-drip coffeemaker, my other espresso maker, and my electric hot water kettle. I like also that, with the exception of a plate that is easily wiped clean, all of the parts that actually come into contact with the coffee are removable and easily washable.
2866730
Received the 34 ounce model through the Amazon Vine program.  I think that it compares very well to the more expensive Bodum Chambord.which I also have.  The top of this is black poly carbonate whereas the Bodum is steel. The Bodum looks a little bit more upscale but the Francois Mimi feels more solid sitting on the counter.  The mechanisms are comparable and both work well  and will produce equally good coffee.  As others have said you have to use a coarser grind and you have to pay attention and time the brewing.  But overall it is a very easy process.  With any french press coffee, and this one included, you are very likely to get some small amount of grounds in the coffee.  This doesn't bother me but if you are used to a drip system or espresso maker you may find it objectionable.  Once you have your coarse ground coffee ready to go, this is a very efficient method for making excellent quality coffee.  I prefer the espresso machine for the two of us, just making one or two servings at a time, but this french press makes a lot more sense when you are preparing four or more cups at a time.
687322
We purchased this to replace a long gone Cuisinart. I looked around at many models including the Elemental 13 cup at Costco. No comparison as to the build quality. It doesn't have a lot of specialty blades, but the ones it does have do the job very well. The spindle sits in the bowl and the blades go on top, rather loosely it seems, but all is well. The alignment is super easy and the medium tube can handle most items. The slicing disc is the real deal. Turn the adjustment knob to the thickness you want and away you go. Ripe peaches for pies? No problem. Made the pie dough with the plastic blade. Dual shredder can bog down a bit with some cheeses, but go slow and you will be fine. Cabbage for fresh Sauerkraut? shred away. A word of caution on the steel blade though, keep it in it's holder, as I've already cut myself, it's that sharp. It really reminds me of the Robot Coupe we used to use back when I was a chef. Highly recommended.
4388158
When my old roommate moved out with the fancy coffeemaker, I began searching for a replacement. Timer functions, 8+ cup capacity, and ease of use were indispensable features, but I just couldn't afford a $100 machine. After a few weeks of comparison-shopping, I managed to find this model - the only reputable one under $60.

Usage:

I have owned this for 1 year, and I use the machine every day, setting the timer function to brew a 2-cup pot every morning (for which the "1-3 cup" button is helpful). Occasionally I have brewed a full pot for company, and that's worked fine.

The Good:

- Brews well! The coffee may not be scaldingly hot, but it brews hot enough to retain heat in a mug while drinking, and if left in the pot on the hot plate it's still the perfect drinking temperature 2 hrs later. Also, no strange flavors are imparted on the coffee.

- Brews FAST! Seriously, the coffee is ready ten minutes before the toast unless I time things perfectly.

- Very easy to clean and maintain the filter.

- Very easy to settle pot onto hot plate, ensuring the coffee drips directly into carafe (unlike the comparable Cuisinart I tried, which resulted in dribbling coffee unless placed perfectly).

The Bad:

- The carafe IS thin. I was initially very concerned about breaking it, but I have accidentally banged it several times in the sink and no chips yet...

- The swing-out basket is a little cheap (well, compared to the $150+ mahcines). Sometimes if it's not placed perfectly, I have to push it in with a clunking of plastic that doesn't sound too elegant. But, it functions perfectly, so I don't mind taking the time to set the basket in properly.

- Higher-level programming is not intuitive. You really do need to read the manual for programming the timer, etc, although it's not complicated, and you'll remember it after 1 or 2 times.

- The steam vent is quite strong, and if tucked away under a cabinet can warp the finish on the underside.

Common Complaints Addressed:

- "The water level indicator on the front traps air and is inaccurate." Unfortunately, this is true. However, the gradations on the side of the carafe give me a fairly decent idea of how much water I'm adding, so I don't feel the need to refer to an additional indicator.

- "The machine will turn on automatically if the timer function is set." Well, yes it does. That's why I just turn off the timer when I'm going out of town or don't want coffee - I drink it often enough that not having to set it every time is actually helpful. Some reviews have expressed concern of this being a fire hazard, but when there is no water the machine will not brew and instead display an error message, so I don't think this is a danger.

- "The machine/no-drip lid dribbles coffee while percolating/pouring." Huh... this has also never happened to me, not even when I brewed the full pot. Occasionally the "pause" mechanism doesn't engage quickly when the pot is removed, and some coffee dribbles down, but this cleans up very easily afterwards. I have never had the lid leak while pouring a cup, or while the coffee was just sitting and percolating.

Summary:

For ~$60, I am very pleased with the performance of this model. It probably wouldn't end up on a wedding registry, but for the basic needs of a daily coffee drinker, this is a great bargain. In fact, the only drawback I have encountered from using this coffeemaker is that I find myself drinking far too much coffee because it's a breeze to make!