Another coffee addict here. I just replaced a Cuisinart Brew and Grind that gave out after only two years. It was over $200.00 and not worth it. I had to constantly clean out the passage for the grounds to go into the basket. I decided it would be much easier to just use a separate grinder. I have hard water so I was diligent about descaling the coffeemaker, but one day it just quit. So I kept the thermo pot and chucked the machine.

I decided to just buy something cheap and replace it as needed. I bought a Mr Coffee JWX31 and couldn't be happier. It makes good coffee and has the features that I like. (Link below) Sounds like you enjoy the same features.

My backup is a French Press which I use quite often as it really does produce great coffee.

Nancy

Here is a link that might be useful: Mr Coffee

I don't drink a lot of coffee, but when I do have it I like it to be a good, hot cup. I'm no expert, but I think the best coffee is from freshly ground beans made in a French press. This method suited us for years, even DH, who is a coffee guy.

But we entertain a lot & the French press method was a bit much to pull off when serving a number of people for breakfast/brunch. So we invested in a Keurig machine after hearing raves from so many people.

Surprise, surprise....we love it! DH was especially skeptical at first, but he was won over when the model we got had temp. adjustments to deliver a really hot cup. (A complaint about the original models was that the water temp wasn't hot enough).

Anyway, we love it for the convenience and the ability to have different types of coffee on hand to suit everyone. That's something that we couldn't do when we used whole beans to grind with the press. If we bought decaf beans or flavored coffees & didn't use them within a short time they lost their flavor.

I thought these machines were a passing trend and was not impressed when I had coffee from some of the early generation machines (in offices & hospital waiting rooms)but I've been converted.

We now have 2 of them - the Platinum model & the new Cuisinart model. I would recommend either of them. Every single cup is hot and fresh.

I'm using a free Gevalia pot that Elery got when he bought a pound of coffee or two from them. It's a 12 cup, stainless and black, gives me hot coffee, has a timer so it turns itself on in the morning if I put everything in the night before, and I can get a cup in the middle, it lets me pour a cup in the midst of a brewing cycle. It's relatively fast too.

Elery promptly cancelled the coffee shipments, LOL, and I kept the pot. The price was right and I've had it for about 2 years.

I grind my own beans in a separate grinder, the grinder is about 20 years old, a Krups.

In the morning before work, though, I have time for ONE cup of coffee. I use a french press for that and it makes darned good coffee, but only one cup at a time.

Annie

Annie, we're another Gevalia household. My husband signed up for the service...the pot is great, the coffee, "eh." Canceled the coffee, still using the pot 5 years later.

I shopped around and didn't see anything world changing in coffee pots. I went and bought another cheapo Mr Coffee basic machine. It only has one button for on and off. Coffee can be "sneaked" while it is making without a problem. I turn it off soon as the coffee is made and rewarm it in the microwave.

It will make a good backup machine if I ever buy a fancy pot.

: )
lyra

Another vote for a French Press or a basic stovetop espresso maker.

(Starship Enterprise.....well, you might not be too far off the mark. Did you know that the Mr. Fusion energy source on the 'Back to the Future' DeLorean was a Krups coffee grinder?)

I'll tell you a quick story about my personal need for coffee. Years ago I had hernia surgery and for a couple of days afterward I had my parents and then boyfriend with me and even though I still in a lot of pain I got tired of being doted on and sent them all home. Day three, coffee pot dies at 6 a.m. This was totally unexpected and completely horrible:) Even though I wasn't supposed to be up and walking around I put on my softest clothing, limped out to the car, drove to Target, hobbled around the store to find ANYTHING that would brew coffee, and made my way home in my slow, pathetic way.

Does that quality as coffee addiction?. Ha ha. So sad, truly but since it is really my only vice I'm comfortable with it.

I look forward to hearing what suggestions you get for a good machine because you just never know when disaster will strike:)

Kate

Another Mr. Coffee fan here. I think the coffee and the beans contribute more to great coffee than the machine itself. I do drink the coffee immediately after brewing however. And, I like the convenience of putting everything in the dishwasher, and, if someone breaks the pot, I can very easily get another one locally.

However, I am intrigued by the Keurig coffee makers although I have never had one. Someday, I will try one out since we only drink 2 cups a day.
For a group, I would still want a regular coffee maker, saving the keurig for the special coffees.

I really like a percolator. For the past two years my coffee has been mediocre to bad. This is with a generic cheap coffee maker. It's so much better in my press, when I actually pull it out. I am going to surprise myself, I mean my husband, with a percolator for Christmas this year.

I, too, have a Keurig and love it. It does take up a lot of counter space; therefore, I have decided when in quits working, I will go back to my smallest Melitta cone and the filters for myself and the larger cone and filters when I have guests. I will use an electric tea kettle for the water, since they can heat water to a very hot degree.

I originally went to the Keurig when my Mom moved in with me. She drank coffee throughout the day, and I did not want to take a chance of her burning herself with hot, boiling water when using the Melitta while I was at work. The Keurig was wonderful for that purpose.

I have the 8 cup version of this one at the link.

Best feature: it drips into a thermal carafe. Keeps it hot for at least an hour or two, but I usually have consumed it before it gets cold. Thermal carafes don't overheat the coffee like coffee makers with a heating element under the pot. Plus, it turns off when it's done brewing so you never have to worry that you didn't turn off the coffeepot.

I'll never go back to a coffee pot with a heater under the pot; the thermal carafe is THE way to go. Seriously. Plus you can take the pot anywhere you want in the house--back porch, bedroom, wherever--and the carafe will keep it hot for a good while. This pot has worked fine for five years or so, and when I have to replace it, it will be another pot with a thermal carafe. Maybe the Technivorm Moccamaster.

Here is a link that might be useful: coffee maker

We use Bialetti type stove top espresso makers and a French press. But if I were to get a coffee ''machine'', I'd look for an insulated (thermal) carafe rather than a glass carafe on a hot plate.

I checked Cooks Illustrated for you. They found that most coffee machines don't heat the water to 195-205F (thus weak coffee) or do the brewing too quickly (thin coffee) or too slowly (bitter coffee).

They top-rated the Technivorm Moccamaster ($250, ouch, but they said the coffee was better than that from a French press) and gave all the others low marks. The best of these were a Krups FMF5, a Cuisinart DGB900 (integral grinder), and a Black & Decker TCM830.

I also checked Consumer Reports. They top rated a Cuisinart, the Brew Central DCC1200.

Hope that helps.

Kate, I'm impressed that you only have one vice!

I have had numerous Gevalias over the years with success...they just kept offering me new ones to join again. Sometimes I would buy their coffee for a while, then cancel. I now have a Cuisinart that my children bought me as a gift. It died a couple of weeks ago; I called Williams-Sonoma and 2 days later a new one was on my doorstep. Im very happy with it.

jude

On the Thermal pot coffee makers, can you put the pot on a gas stove on simmer? I do like really hot coffee and many of the drip machine plates do not keep it hot enough.

"I have had numerous Gevalias over the years with success..."

I have always been happy with the Gevalia, also...like the others, I cancel coffee order after ordering, only because of price.

On the Thermal pot coffee makers, can you put the pot on a gas stove on simmer? I do like really hot coffee and many of the drip machine plates do not keep it hot enough.

Probably not. They are basically thermos flasks. Some have plastic parts.

Thanks everyone. I haven't gotten a new coffee maker yet!!! So, so far,I've been making coffee in my little espresso maker and buying coffee on the road. I do appreciate all the advice and will let you know what I find up with.

I gave the DH a little flack for not coming home with a coffee maker yesterday. So I wonder if he'll come home with one today. Yesterday I was at home puppy sitting (they got fixed on Monday.) and today I was on the road for work.

On the Thermal pot coffee makers, can you put the pot on a gas stove on simmer? I do like really hot coffee and many of the drip machine plates do not keep it hot enough.

Probably not. They are basically thermos flasks. Some have plastic parts.

Thanks for info. I know very soon I will be looking for a new pot. Mine has slowed down and cleaner didn't make any difference so I suspect it's dying.

So what did I go with...

Cuisinart, the Brew Central DCC1200!

12 cups of that wonderful nectar of the bean
Brew Pause so I can sneak a cup of coffee while brewing
I can pre set it to shut off after a certain time
and its under $100.

Thanks everyone for your input!