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It may be time to replace my Mr. Coffee... I'm not totally happy with it.

I need a recommendation for a good coffee maker... not looking for a single cup deal, need a carafe style so I can make several cups at a time.

What do you use/like?

Oh yeah, I'd also like to be able to set it the night before so coffee is ready and waiting.

Every pot I brew lately is bitter, regardless of coffee brand, amount used and all that jazz.

jrc, I'm a coffee-holic. I make LOTS of coffee for just me, cuz I drink it all!

I've had coffee makers that I liked, but they didn't last more than a year. I got tired of replacing them, so I bought a Cuisinart that makes 14c of coffee and I love it. I don't often make the full 14c, but it's there if I want it. I bought it from Amazon, based on good reviews, AND especially because it came with a 3 year warranty. I'll try to look up the link and edit this post with the one I bought. You may not need such a large capacity, but I'd recommend Cuisinart, even in a smaller capacity model.

You can set it to brew so it's ready in the morning, and I like that it has the "sneak a cup" feature as well. You can also program the warming burner to keep coffee either very hot or not so hot. I just left mine on medium.

Edited to add: this is the one I got:

http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DCC-2600-Central-Programmable-Coffeemaker/dp/B001NGO27W/ref=sr_1_8?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1404435800&sr=1-8&keywords=cuisinart+coffee+maker

[This message edited by Too_Trusting at 8:03 PM, July 3rd (Thursday)]

Have you thoroughly cleaned your current coffee maker first? That might make a difference. I know with my Mr. Coffee espresso maker, if I don't wipe it down really good, old grinds can get trapped in parts and make the fresh coffee taste yucky. I run vinegar through mine every so often, too.

I make a big pot of coffee, drink one cup hot and then the rest goes in the fridge for iced coffee later... so 14 cups wouldn't be unheard of around here.

FWSO likes it cold and DS has taken to drinking coffee once in a while (yeah, he's 12 going on 45)

Inconnu - No, I haven't cleaned it

But the other problem is that the clock went out on it, the display actually never worked, so I can't program it to make coffee.... which would be nice for work days when I have to leave home at 6:30am.

We have one of the "free" Gevalia coffee makers that is complementary when you buy their coffee.

Its worked well for us for over ten years.
We use it to make pots of tea for iced tea (and occasionally we make coffee). When this one dies, I want a Keurig.

Nespresso...end of story

Cuisinart! Their warranty is awesome - they shipped me a free replacement when mine broke after about 9 mos.

They have one with a coffee grinder built in - if you are into fresh ground coffee. Mmmmmmm

Krups. They are expensive upfront but I've had mine for seven years and it's going strong. The reason I recommend it because so many people say "Wow that's good coffee" and it's just plain old Maxwell House or something. It's got to be the machine because it happens all the time. It has a great filter and it must make a difference.

Meta, I also love the Krups, and it used to be my go-to favorite. BUT, read the reviews from more recent models on Amazon. It doesn't seem to be as well made anymore, and the reviews indicate it's hard to get warranty work and/or parts. THAT was what swayed me to the Cuisinart I purchased about 1.5 years ago.

I agree, tho - Krups makes outstanding coffee!

That's disappointing to hear. Doesn't that seem to always be the way? Kitchenaid mixers are the same. Rave reviews on the old ones , but the newer ones just aren't the same quality.

The keys are 1) getting the water hot enough (about 200) and 2) taking the right amount of time for the water to wend its way through the grinds.

Mr. Coffee machines probably get the water hot enough, but the route the water takes through the grinds doesn't work for me. Bunn machines, too, don't do it for me.

I've gotten drip coffee I love from Technivorm ($280), Bonavita ($170), and a Kenwood deLonghi knock off of Technivorm ($45) electric machines and from Melitta and Chemex manual carafes/filters. (Prices/info on machines from surlatable.com. I get no benefit from Sur La Table's sales.) The only one of the electrics that I've owned is the Kenwood, and I hope it never breaks.

I've used basic Braun, Krups, and Cuisinart at home, but they never got the water hot enough.

If you buy a coffee maker with a grinder, make sure the grinder is a good burr grinder - a grind tastes immensely better than a smash, and most of the grinders sold really smash the beans.

I, too, make hot coffee, drink some, and use the rest for iced coffee. It's the best way.

(signed) sisoon
drip coffee fetishist

[This message edited by sisoon at 12:15 PM, July 4th (Friday)]

We love our cuisinart with a thermal carafe. The coffee stays hot for 4 hours or so and it doesn't get that cooked taste like the glass carafe on burner.

I was thinking a Thermal Carafe would be better!

I bought a Paderno stainless steel French press. It keeps the coffee at the perfect temperature. No muss, no fuss. Boil water, grind coffee, put coffee in, put water in, wait five minutes and press.

Yum.

No timer though, but I don't care. The flavour is outstanding.

For the iced coffee folks...how long can you keep the coffee in the fridge before it turns?

One other thing, JRC - my Cuisinart has a regular glass carafe, but I just pour it into a thermal carafe and save to have throughout the day. As I said, I drink a LOT of coffee, and most machines with a thermal carafe don't have the capability to make 12-14 c of coffee. I bought a stainless steel 1.5 ltr carafe from Wal Mart for something like $16. I keep it on my counter, and voila! Coffee all day.

Oh, and as sissoon said about the coffee maker taking enough time to send the water through the coffee - the Cuisinart I have also has a bold setting that sends the water through the grounds more slowly. I use that ALL the time because I like my coffee so strong, it has been mistaken for diesel fuel...

[This message edited by Too_Trusting at 5:09 PM, July 4th (Friday)]

Another vote for Cuisinart.

So, apparently jrc is looking for a new "Mr", (she's not happy with the current one), that puts out not just once, but several times in a row. Oh, and she wants to be able to "turn him on" at night, but then he has to wait till the morning to give her the "jolt". And to top it off, she doesn't want him to be "bitter" about this, lol.

Jrc, have you considered MC?

[This message edited by painpaingoaway at 5:48 PM, July 7th (Monday)]

Thanks PPGA