You can get one with a thermal carafe or else get a thermos bottle to keep the coffee hot after brewing. The only two brands that brew at the proper temperature are Technivorm and Capresso. I had a Capresso and although it made good coffee, it had a design flaw that caused the brew basket to often overflow and flood the counter. I now have a Technivorm and am very pleased with it except that the thermal carafe is very thin and doesn't keep the coffee warm too long so I now use a thermos.

Still loving my Keurig

I received a Keurig as a gift to help me through my kitchen renovation. If you do not like strong coffee and don't mind being limited to the K cups (not too limiting IMHO) it is a good choice. There is an option that allows you to use your own coffee but it is messy and awkward. I brew it right into my thermos cup, add stevia and I'm set for the day.

Thanks for your responses. I prefer not to use K cups and not to spend around $200. Was thinking closer to $100 for top of price range. Other suggestions please.

I cannot recommend the Krups Moka brew enough. It is very small on the countertop (about 10" and short). You can make up to 8 cups.

But the biggest selling point is that it brews with steam, not hot water. As a result, you get actual hot coffee, which is really delicious. It stays warmer longer. It is a breeze to clean.

I was so frustrated with drip coffee makers until I discovered this guy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Krups Moka Brew

Regardless of which coffee maker you purchase here's my recommendation for a carafe- the Nissan Thermos carafe. It's a double walled stainless steel carafe that keeps the brewed coffee hot for hours. It doesn't have a glass inside so it's unbreakable. It looks like the ones you see in convenience stores by the coffee machines that contain the milk, cream half n half. There are several different sizes to chose from.

Here is a link that might be useful: stainless steel carafe

I own a Capresso ST-600 for home and a Keurig Mini for work, so I can offer some comments on both. In short, I feel that I have the best of both (coffee) worlds. I love these two machines. I fully agree with the poster above about which machines offer the proper brew temperature. You may get a cheaper machine that comes close, but I don't know where you'd find reliable testing information for those machines. I chose the Capresso ST-600 for home, frankly, on price. Even though it was listing for close to $200, I got mine on Amazon for $60. I believe they can still be found there for about $70, but of course you can check. I read all about the supposed glitches with the Capresso models. And I know that the styling of the ST-600 is a bit different (I like to call it Soviet missile-silo styling). But it looks fine on my countertop. And it makes great coffee. And it keeps it hot in the carafe for a long time. I mean, after 24 hours (if there's any left) it will still be lukewarm. I haven't had any flooding problems, and am aware that the carafe lid must be in the proper position, and the spout inserted into the machine to start brewing. A total non-issue, IMO.

So, I'm spoiled at home. And there's a Starbucks in my building. I was spending way too much $ there. 4-cup drip machines just weren't doing it for me. After research, I decided to go with Keurig Mini. Not $200, but $65 with a Bed, Bath & Beyond coupon. I love this one, too. True, K-cups work out to be about 50 cents (or even a little more), but it's worth it to me. And way cheaper than Starbucks. They have a very good selection of coffees (and teas and hot chocolate), and I'm having a good time sampling and making notes on which ones I like best. With the Mini, you fill the tank for each cup. That's not a problem for me as we have bottled water closeby. The larger Keurigs have a reservoir tank, so it's quicker, but uses more energy. Good luck on your choice.

My last 2 Cuisinart coffee makers died on me when they were just about 1 year old. They were not cheap. About $100 each. This time I bought a Mr Coffee and so far,only a month, I'm very happy with it. I could buy 2 1/2 of these for what I paid for each Cuisinart.

Steve a,
Have you tried the White Chocolate, hot chocolate? Put a little Amereto in and it will make ya slap your mama!

I have had the Technivorm Mocha Master for two years. It continues to make superb coffee every morning. It has three big plusses for me.

First, every piece that comes into contact with the coffee is easily washed, so you don't get bitter residue ruining your coffee. The spray wand that shoots water over the grounds is removable so that you don't get a buildup of coffee on it. I just put it in the dishwasher every night. I also put the filter basket in the dishwasher, too, though it isn't recommended. I plan to buy a couple since I think it may shorten the lifespan of it. A really clean coffeemaker is critical to getting consistently great coffee.

Second, the filterbasket has a flow control valve. This is nice because it reduces (but unfortunately, doesn't eliminate) drips after you remove the carage. But the best use of it is use it to reduce the speed at which the water drips through the grounds. It takes longer to brew a pot (still faster than my previous coffeemakers) but you get stronger coffee using less beans. It's nice to save money!

Third, the filter basket has a little slot in that causes any overflow to run down the outside of the filter basket into the coffeepot -- not all over your counter. If you use too much coffee or forget to open the flow valve, you don't end up with a huge mess. I lost my last Starbucks Aroma because the basket overflowed and the ensuing flood shorted it out.

The worst thing about the Technivorm is the silly thermal carafe it came with. It dripped every time you poured with it. It lost its vacuum one month out of warranty. I replaced it with a Nissan thermal carafe which keeps my coffee fresh tasting and hot.

Thanks for the tip, cuffs!

I second the vote for the Technivorm Mocha Master with a Nissan Thermos carafe. The only other counter top coffee maker ever tested to reach proper brewing temp was made by presto an number of years ago but most of those (including mine) met a too short death. My Technivorm is now 3 years old and works as well as the day we got it. As it does not boil the heating chamber dry like most coffee makers, the heating element does not build up deposits.

All the others are just pouring warm water over grounds. There is a BIG difference it the coffee brewed. If its too much money, just get a $9 Proctor Silex at wal mart and save up until you can afford a proper coffee maker. The $9 pot wont make great coffee but it won't waste your money in the mean time.

I have a Zojirushi. We have had it for about 4 years. It uses an excellent spray system, has a small footprint on the counter, and the thermal carafe keeps coffee hot all day. It was on the expensive side--I think it was about $90.00 for a 12 cup, then but it is worth it. It's been going strong with no problems and makes great coffee. Great reviews on the coffee websites and on the various purchasing websites. The only complaint I have (and this is echoed in the reviews I read before buying it) is that the screw-on top of the carafe is hard to open.

For those of you with the Technivorm Moccamaster with the Thermos Nissan carafe, does the carafe fit under the brew basket and enable you to brew directly into the carafe? Do you remove the lid for the carafe when brewing and then put it back on after brewing like you do with the Technivorm carafe?

My only complaint with the Technivorm is the carafe. Right now I brew in the carafe and then put what I don't immediately drink into a small thermos bottle that keeps it hot much longer. I'd much rather brew directly into a better carafe.

I have gone through about 6 drip coffee makers including Capresso. Bottom line is none of them, after about 6 months, heat the water hot enough (200) to make good coffee.

I went to a French Press. Grind the amount of coffee I want, fill with water just starting to boil and wait 4 mintes. Coffee is far better than any drip maker. They are cheap, you don't need filters, and the coffee is great.

Sheesh, I'm so low tech. Have the $20 Melitta glass drip pot that takes #4 filters coupled with a $35 Braun electric kettle. Get fresh coffee, custom blend and grind and get compliments every time.

With drip, it's about water temp, roast and grind -- I never found fancy worked better than plain.

Also have electric drip (Krups) where water doesn't get hot enough, the chemex fell apart and the Bodum reverse vacuum pot is small and miserable to clean and for me, the French press was murder to push, miserable to clean and I didn't like the coffee either.

I keep eyeing one of the Nespresso machines -- so gorgeous -- but ending up with aluminum capsules to mail in for recycling stops me every time I reach for the credit card.

So I stick with the Melitta.

rococogurl: I hear ya. I find that the coffee made with a French press is good, but it tastes quite different than coffee made from a good drip machine. One is not better than the other, just different. Cleaning the press, I agree, is a pain. It's great for camping or when the power goes out, though. In our busy lives, convenience is important. I'll put up with the grinding the beans and cleaning the filter at home in the morning. But at work, it has to be neat and quick, so K-cups fit the ticket. When I heard about vacuum pots, I was all hot to get one. Not as an everyday thing, but as a coffee geek kind of thing. If I happen across a used one in a thrift shop or yard sale, I'll probably get it. Sounds like a hoot. There's just such a wide spectrum of coffee tastes out there; guess Folgers still does ok in the stores. Cheers, Steve

I get lots of compliments on my coffee from coffee snobs. Yuban, melita filter, distilled water, and cheapie Braun drip machine from BB&B.

(Running and ducking for cover ;D )

Hi all, does Braun no longer make coffee makers? My son has a KF600 that he made me some coffee from, and it was great. It has a thermal carafe and 1100 watts. It has great reviews on Amazon, but none available.

Here is a link that might be useful: Braun KF600

Thanks all! I went for the Zojirushi. Wouldn't you know, the day after I ordered it from Amazon, my Cuisinart starting working again. My new coffee maker is expected to arrive tomorrow, so I will let you know what I think.

I was tempted to buy a Technivorm until I saw complaints about the coffee being too cold. Sweet Maria's says they measured it at 156 deg in the cup. Considering coffee from my Keurig is 170 deg in the cup - and even that I find too cool to add much more than the smallest splash of cream, even in a preheated mug - I was scared away. Can anyone speak to this?

IMO the Keurig's coffee isn't much better than ok, but it can't be beat for convenience. And I LOVE it for iced coffee. I believe the Platinum is the only model that has this mode. And I use it for instant hot water.

"I own a Capresso ST-600 for home and a Keurig Mini for work, so I can offer some comments on both. In short, I feel that I have the best of both (coffee) worlds. I love these two machines. I fully agree with the poster above about which machines offer the proper brew temperature. You may get a cheaper machine that comes close, but I don't know where you'd find reliable testing information for those machines. I chose the Capresso ST-600 for home, frankly, on price. Even though it was listing for close to $200, I got mine on Amazon for $60. I believe they can still be found there for about $70, but of course you can check. I read all about the supposed glitches with the Capresso models. And I know that the styling of the ST-600 is a bit different (I like to call it Soviet missile-silo styling). But it looks fine on my countertop. And it makes great coffee. And it keeps it hot in the carafe for a long time. I mean, after 24 hours (if there's any left) it will still be lukewarm. I haven't had any flooding problems, and am aware that the carafe lid must be in the proper position, and the spout inserted into the machine to start brewing. A total non-issue, IMO."

Steve a,

What is the Capresso ST600? I don't see it on Amazon and am not sure how it differs from the MT500.

Thanks

I was curious about your statement since Technivorm is supposed to be be one the of the few that brew at the correct temperature so I went to see what they say at sweetmarias and found the following statement. They do measure it in the cup and find it at 156 but they feel that's plenty hot for drinking as do I. I'm not sure how you'd prevent temperature drop off in a drip maker unless you only brew a single cup like the Keurig. I suppose you could reheat in a microwave right after brewing?!?

"We have had some feedback from folks who find the coffee brewed not hot enough in the Technivorms. There is a steep drop off once the water hits the grounds and then drops to the pot - that is to be expected. Testing the machines at our warehouse in Oakland (elev. 8 feet) - I get the following temperatures: 195 to 205 degrees F at the brewhead; in the grounds, 160 degrees F; and 156 degrees F in the pot. I find 156 degrees too hot to actually taste anything - so I let it cool a bit. Some folks find this too cool - they are used to the coffee being heated on a hot plate above brewing temperature but I can't taste anything in a liquid that hot - so reheating the coffee does not make much sense for me. I know that some folks are used to coffee that hot though - that is what they are accustomed to. -Tom"

mtrot: If you go to Amazon and put Capresso ST-600 in the search box, it should pull up the listings, including a picture. I didn't include a link because it pulls up my personalized Amazon page. They show a used ST-600 for $140 and a reburbished for $60. So they may be discontinued, which wouldn't surprise me. I don't think they sold well, which is a shame.

weissman, I believe that the main temperature concern is the brew temp where the water meets the grounds. From what I've read, 200+, or 205 is the ideal. Once it drips down, that's a different story; then it's a matter of keeping it hot enough so that you don't have to microwave it, IMO. That's why good thermal carafes are so nice; the coffee stays hot but doesn't sit and cook on the hot plate.

I know - I responding to foddnastump above who was concerned about the 156 temperature in the cup.

Kg, please post back after you've brewed a pot or two. My Krups died a few weeks ago and the Zo is high on my list.

I hope you love the Zojirushi! We never have any problems with it and it makes great coffee. Rinse/Fill the carafe with very hot tap water and let it sit for a moment while you put the filter and coffee in, and your coffee will stay hot for quite a while (I use it up pretty quickly though--rarely have any left over)!
Another hint is to fold the bottom seam of #4 filters and the filters will fit absolutely perfectly into the cone. Everything comes apart and goes back together easily. WE like very strong coffee so we use a heaping scoop per cup (as measured on the visual tube on the coffeemaker) but play around with it until you have the strength that you like.

Happy coffee drinking. Marciag

Hamilton Beach eclectrics. Around $100 on sale. Brews hotter coffee than most in its price range. Glass carafe doesn't drip. I bought a red one. My mother saw mine and bought an apple green one. My cousins loved how solid and well made it seemed (it weighs twice what other brands do) and bought one, too. All 3 are working great-nearly a year old. The hot plate does shut off after 2 hrs. I have not yet experienced cooked coffee with this machine. I don't usually see them in stores but Lowes and Kohls have had them online. I guess Walmart does now, too.

Try coffeegeek.com and Amazon for reviews of different coffee makers

I used my new Zojirushi a few times. At first I wasn't impressed at all. I found it very noisy and my 2nd cup from the carafe wasn't that hot, and the #4 filters were a little too tall. Also there is no signal that the coffee is done. Then I adjusted the amount of coffee, filled the carafe with hot water before brewing the coffee and brewed my next pot. This time I had a puddle of coffee on the counter. I realized that when I closed the top and the arm moved into the brewing basket, it folded over the too tall filter. I think coffee grinds may have clogged the hole where the coffee enters the carafe. Now I fold the bottom of the filter more than before to make it fit better, still heat the carafe with hot water before brewing, and move the arm over the brew basket before closing and have found the correct amount of coffee to use. This morning I enjoyed my coffee, but my 2nd cup was not as hot as the first. I will continue to use it since I liked it better each time I used it and decide before my 30 days are up for a return to Amazon. If I had to do it again, I don't think I would opt for a carafe style. I would just make a fresh cup when I was ready for it.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I would recommend that you return the Zo to Amazon and order a refurbished Capresso ST-600 for $70. It has a minor quirk or two, but nothing like you describe. Your second cup will be hot (not strictly as hot as the first, laws of physics and all that), but I bet you can't tell the difference.

gbsim
I decided to keep the Zojirushi coffee maker. After adjusting to it (see post above)I haven't had any problems and the coffee tastes great. However, I don't think I would buy a carafe model again.