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This is the third machine I've owned of this model because I keep wearing them out. This is an older model of the Hamilton BrewStation but it is the best one they made. It's the best.
Today I put 2 cups of water and 4.5 tablespoons of dark roast coffee grounds and I got watery coffee. My problem is that it doesn't seem to matter what my ratio of coffee to water is, it always seems to come out weak. This coffee pot makes a quick cup of coffee and it comes out hot. I love the convenience of having a dispenser. I've tried different coffees, loading up on grounds.nothing seems to make a difference.
However, it made horrible coffee --- I tried using different amounts of grounds but it made no difference the coffee did not taste good. My guests did not like the quality of the coffee either so after a couple of weeks I gave the coffee maker to Goodwill. All the ads made this sound really good, so I bought one early on. It tasted like instant coffee that you used to get at BK.
The result is that coffee quality quickly deteriorates compared to a coffee maker with a carafe design (especially one with a tall and narrow carafe or coffee pot to minimize the surface area of the coffee that is exposed to the air. The rated capacity should be really how many cups will be drunk inside of 15 minutes which is about how long the coffee keeps. The seal that keeps the coffee from continuing to pour out after the cup is filled is another weak point of the design of this coffee maker. It would have been better to have a 4 cup model that was narrower with a basin that held less coffee as making more coffee unless it is drunk immediately makes no sense.
For most people who want convenience and really like the taste and aroma component of the taste of their coffee a Senseo coffee maker will provide a much more satisfying experience. After a couple years the seal on my unit failed completely and the entire coffee container would need to be replaced - if you can find a replacement (and expect to pay $35 with shipping for this part). The more coffee you brew the greater the potential mess to clean up. This is done at the expense of the quality of the coffee and durability of the coffee maker. It is a relatively open coffee basin with a lot of air surface and a heating element to keep the coffee warm that is too high and provides the same heat output whether there are 12 cups in the chamber or 2 cups. This is a great coffee maker if convenience is most important but it is a terrible design if you care about the quality of the coffee and especially if you plan to brew more than a couple cups of coffee and would like to drink it over a period of an hour. Shutting off the unit so it does not continue to cook the coffee helps and then warming the coffee in a microwave for 20 seconds but this defeats the purpose of this type of coffee maker.
I hate to have a coffee maker added to the local landfill just because a small 10 cent seal cannot be replaced. It is a very convenient to use coffee maker with the single-cup serve of its design. The coffee once brewed is in a plastic container that provides very little insulation and naturally the large amount of surface area also promotes cooling which is offset with an oversized warming element that quickly cooks the coffee and removing any possibility of aroma. A small coffee ground can block the seal and keep it from closing all the way and then all the coffee in the unit will empty out on to the counter and then to the floor.
I love mine so much, I bought one for my parents. I'd recommend it to anyone. After several months, it gets "used" and needs a new one. It comes with an optional water filter that I use. It makes a pot of coffee in 5 minutes, and keeps it warm for a couple of hours before shutting off automatically. I've had my coffee maker for about 3 years now and never had any problem with it. It cleans easily too. I've been able to order additional replacement filters online directly from Hamilton Beach for a very reasonable price.
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