I have owned the Gevalia coffee maker for several years. I love the thermal carafe - can make a pot and take it with me on trips, fishing, etc. The coffee maker itself operates just like any other coffee maker, except that the heating element cuts off automatically once the coffee has made. The carafe keeps the coffee hot for several hours and it doesn't get that "day old" taste that coffee will have after it sits on a hot element for any length of time. No, I do not use their coffee - did for awhile, but too expensive for regular use. My problem was not with the coffee maker but rather with the company. They would make unauthorized shipments at Christmas time, etc. And when I asked for coffee shipments to be cancelled, I would keep getting shipments. When I returned the shipments they would not give me credit. Finally I just kept refusing the shipments by writing 'REFUSED' across the shipping box. Still got billed for those shipments. Finally sent letter via registered mail, return receipt requested. I should have known...When I first ordered the coffee maker I waited for it to come for almost 2 months, then had to call and ask about it. My check had cleared ($12.00 I think it was on their special offer) They assured me it would be sent right away, which it was. Then a couple of months later, I got a second coffee maker. I called them and asked where to return it since I had a duplicate shipment. They said they had no record of it - and I kept telling the girl I didn't need a 2nd one, didn't want it. She told me if I shipped it back it would mess up their inventory. I never got billed for it, so after about a year I just gave it away. Don't know how they are now, but they were not very good at record keeping a few years ago.

Just to think outside the box: if you like strong hot coffee, you might consider using a $10 filter cone like this, brewing into a nissan thermos: http://www.amazon.com/RSVP-Manual-Coffee-Carafes-Thermos/dp/B000BUDDTY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337024666&sr=8-1 You can buy a high quality nissan thermos of whatever an appropriate volume is you need, and they keep stuff hot a long time. They make them in different sizes. Here's one that's 61 oz: http://www.amazon.com/Thermos-Nissan-Stainless-Bottle-Folding/dp/B000U8D0H2/ref=pd_sbs_hg_1 Of course, you'd still need something to boil water with, and you'd need to pour the coffee into your travel mugs, but you'd have a lot of hot coffee throughout the day. More gadgets, but more flexibility.

I've had one of those that I got free many years ago. We didn't use it much except when we had company..the coffee pot was a carafe...Just a few days before Christmas when I made tea I poured it in the coffee pot...it sat like that for about 10 mins then all of a sudden it popped. I noticed an add that they have now...it is stainless, comes with a thermos and a travel coffee cup...and two packages of coffee...for 22 dollars I've been thinking about doing that again... I bought myself a new carafe for Christmas. patti

We have 2 Keurig coffemakers at work. Unfortunately, while they provide a wide variety of coffees, we're only offered 2 teas...neither of which I like. I usually use the filtered water dispenser for hot water with tea bags. We have several serious tea drinkers at work and they are lobbying for a Keurig machine for tea only...they insist their tea is contaminated by coffee when using the same machine whether using a K-cup or tea bag! I actually agree...that's why I use the hot water dispenser on the filtered water.