Black & Decker Thermal Carafe : Quality Coffeemaker But Lacks Capacity
Written: Sep 12 '01
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: keeps coffee hot, auto shut off, and the Sneak-A-Cup feature is nice.
Cons: only 8 cups instead of the usual 10-12 cup capacity
The Bottom Line: is that the Black & Decker Thermal Carafe is stylish in design, easy to use, and keeps the coffee hot but falls short in some areas.
|
|
|
| phineaskc's Full Review: Bodum Eileen 1292 12-Cup Coffee Maker |
As I mention in other reviews about coffeemakers, I typically don't spend a lot of money on them. When one of my $10.00 makers shoots craps I just run up to the local discount store and purchase another one. Each of them lasting approximately one to two years so I figure that's a relatively solid investment. Why don't I just invest the money in a more expensive model? I had done that in the past only to discover that they really didn't perform any better or last any longer than the cheaper models.
Last week while picking up some shampoo and other items at the store, I noticed that they had a Proctor Silex model on sale for $9.99 and had considered purchasing it because my maker was reaching that one year mark. Being a coffee fiend, it's crucial that I have a full pot of steaming java in the morning or someone is going to pay hell. For that reason, I like to make sure I have a backup in case the cheapo maker bites the dust. After placing the maker in my cart, I wheeled down the appliance aisle and noticed there were several models on sale. Unless you are an appliance junkie, you won't understand the thrill I got looking at the different models and their capabilities. There is just something about a shiny new appliance that brightens a kitchen.
So there I was faced with the more expensive but so much more attractive appliances. The bad thing about the cheap models is that they are usually only available in white and they get stained very quickly. That is when I glanced over to the left and saw the Black & Decker Thermal Carafe maker. The coffeemaker was coal black with a insulated thermal carafe in a brushed chrome finish. Just the looks alone was enough to sell me especially since the colors matched several of my coffee cups. They had the maker on display so I could see there weren't a lot of complicated and unnecessary features, which was meant no reading thick manuals. In all honesty I think what sold me on the coffeemaker was the ability to use a pause feature that allowed you to grab a quick cup of coffee during the brewing process with the Sneak-A-Cup feature. If your maker doesn't have this feature then you know how messy and frustrating it can be to attempt to grab a quick cup from a standard model.
The other feature I really liked about this model is the automatic shutoff. If you are anything like me, you worry when leaving the house that you forgot to shut the coffeemaker off or unplug the iron. With this maker, I don't worry anymore.
So after toying with the display model, I decided to buy it. This model was marked down from $39.99 to $29.99 so I purchased it and the cheap model (always have to get a backup). Once I used the product, I was even more impressed because I could remove the thermal carafe and set it right next to my computer. This meant no more excusing myself from a game of cards online while I grabbed a refill. The carafe is also nice when entertaining for after dinner coffee with friends. Just transport the carafe to the living room or dining room table and you don't have to run to the kitchen every few minutes. The product claims to keep coffee hot for up to four hours but in all honesty I have never had the opportunity to test this claim. This particular maker only has an 8 cup capacity so it rarely makes it past the one hour mark.
Overall I am very satisfied with the purchase and doubt that I will stray much from the carafe style makers in the future. The only feature I would change about this model would be the capacity. Most makers I have purchased have at least a 10-12 cup capacity so this falls short in that area but certainly beats my cheap models in all other areas.
Although I strongly recommend this product for quality, appearance, and performance, it is not one that I would purchase again. The primary reason being that I find myself making two pots of coffee in the morning now instead of the usual one pot due to the capacity. The other reason being that I think the price of this maker was slightly compared to makers with more capacity and features. I wanted a model that was low on complications so it was fine with me but some might consider the price steep for what you get in return.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
phineaskc
|
 - Top 200 |
|
Member: Pamela
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Reviews written: 211
Trusted by: 375 members
About Me:
"Good lord, who Jiffy-popped her head?"
- Karen from Will and Grace
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.