All of them

by BC
(Denton, Tx)

Trying to find a replacement for a Krup 4-cup coffee maker that has served well for 19 years has proven difficult. And a bit expensive.

First a bit about me. I'm over 50, single & at leisure. I do not live according to a clock. I am also at that age where any caffeine after 5 PM affects my sleep. So I get all of my coffee in the morning. I have one 28-32 ounce mug of coffee. Preferred brand is Community Dark Roast. If I want better coffee, I have to drive 50 miles to the nearest Whole Foods or HEB Central Market store to get it. Espresso tastes wonderful but is a pain to make, especially 1st thing in the morning.

My beloved 20 year old Krupp finally died. The plastic wore out around the edges. I have since tried 5 replacements, none of which come close to my old Krupp.

Most of the new features are not what they are cracked up to be. And fancy features like being reprogrammable I find to be a waste of time.
1. A reprogrammable coffee maker is just another alarm clock. If I don't get up at the same time in the morning. How do I know what time to set the time maker? So that feature's out.

2. I have found these new filter baskets to be a waste of time as well. I always find little particles of coffee at the bottom of the carafe or my cup. And they do not filter out the bitter oils that can make dark roasts unpleasant. Nope, the coffeemaker must accept a good ole #2 Melitta style paper filter. Toss that basket in the recycle bin. What?!?! It's not recyclable?

3. The reservoir has to be fill-able by someone half asleep. Most of the flip-top coffeemakers with the wrap around reservoirs are a pain in the tucuss to fill. I swear the lids on the carafes are designed to make this even more difficult. Most also come with an overfill weep hole. What sadist thought up this idea?

Why not just design the reservoir to hold a completely full carafe of water? Seems elementary to me. And a reservoir lid that flips forward. Not to the rear. And get the plumbing off the lid & back into the machine where it belongs. Sometimes a lid just needs to be a lid.

4.The swing out coffee holder is another feature that can be done without. Mr. Coffee machines invented this and every one ends up breaking at the hinge, making the machine useless. It's a great feature for manufacturers that want you to buy a new machine every month but a pain for the user.

5. Price - I AM NOT paying $50 to $100 for a 5 cup coffee maker! Uh-huh, nope, ain't gonna happen!