Black & Decker CM1650B 975-Watt 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker Save 26% Off

I purchased my CM1650B Coffeemaker at a local big box store. It uses a cone type filter and holds a full 12 cups of water. It does a good job of preventing escaping steam while brewing, it does vent a little steam at the end of the cycle. The steam is mentioned for those who use this under wood finished cabinets, excessive steam can damage the finish on some wood cabinets. This is one of the better brewers I have used in that respect.

I like the carafe. You can pour a little or a lot at a time and not worry about dribbling coffee all over the place. It took about 12.5 minutes to brew a full 12 cups. This unit has a built in hot plate to keep the coffee at serving temperature. It will automatically shut off after 2 hours but can be programmed for 1, 2, 3, or 4 hours of time. To fill the water reservoir, you lift the top lid and pour the water in at the back. This seems a little awkward at first but I did not spill any water. There is a water level gauge on the front which is handy. At the end of the brew cycle, the coffee temperature was 186 degrees F and after 30 minutes, it was 180 degrees. At one hour the temperature was 182 degrees. I mention that because some reviews, at other sites, complained of coffee that was not hot enough. 180F is HOT.

It has a removable charcoal type water filter. I use reverse osmosis water mixed with a little tap water, for flavor, and find a filter unnecessary. It is a nice added feature though. There is also a setting for making ''strong'' coffee. I am not sure what that does other than maybe slow down the brew time a little. I use the default ''regular'' setting and just adjust the amount of coffee to regulate strength. The end of cycle signal is a nice tone loud enough to get your attention.

I grind my own coffee beans and have found that about 1.6 ounces (weight) of fine ground beans will make a darned good pot of brewed coffee in this thing (with a paper filter). The cone type filters (this unit) tend to be a little more efficient than the basket type. As far as which type is ''best'' I cannot say. I have gotten excellent coffee from both, you just need to adjust the amount and grind of coffee a little.

I did measure the amount of liquid this holds, it is about 72 ounces.

I would say this is a good valued coffee maker. It has some nice features and makes coffee just as tasty as my old $100 coffee maker. :)

I go through coffeemakers quite often. I had given up on them because they all quit working after a few months. My last "coffeemaker" was actually an electric percolator. Good coffee, but too NOISY (woke the neighborhood) and took too much time. Then THAT one broke.

I chose this one mainly because it has blue lights. Blue clock, blue brewing light my favorite. But this maker is no blue light special. Sleek in design, a little tall for those who love neat, sweet & petite, but a great machine, nonetheless.

The top is "hinged" so it stays up while filling (a good feature when you''re still half asleep). The water is filled from the back (either side a plus for me). Easy-to-see fill bar, nice charcoal filter, sturdy pot, good fit for the pot, easy to operate. It has a pause-n-pour feature (or whatever it''s called), allows you to brew 2-4 cups, (as if!), and has a "strong" button if you need an extra kick in the a.m. It''s also vewwy, vewwy quiet. There''s a little noise at the end (typical), and the beep to signal that your coffee is ready is just loud enough.

Puts out great tasting, hot coffee. I hope it lasts forever.

My ONLY complaint is that on the end of the electrical plug, there''s a plastic thingie thats on very tight, and you need to poke yourself while trying to use a steak knife to cut the lil booger off. OH I think the cord is about 2'' in length (? maybe 18") but longer than others. And if you don''t want all that cord on your counter, you can push it in to the bottom of the maker.

I know this is considered a home appliance, but it''s Black & Decker, and I would classify it as a power tool. Definitely a great coffeemaker!

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I have used the coffee maker for 2 days, so I can''t address longevity or durability.

Easy to setup and program. The auto shut-off setting needs to be changed before you brew the coffee, as it doesn''t allow changes during the brew cycle. This is the case with the 2-4 cup setting and the brew strength, also.

We could fit the coffee maker on the counter under the cabinets in our kitchen, but there wasn''t enough space to then open the lid. The lid needs to open to about 22.5 inches to access the filter and pour in the water. There was just enough room for us to move the maker to the edge of the counter and have room to open the lid before hitting the cabinets. The rubber feet on the bottom would make it difficult to slide the machine back once it is filled. Had to buy an extension cord, as the cord that comes with it is maybe 2 feet. The manual doesn''t state the wattage or amperage of the unit, but does warn not to use an extension cord that can''t handle the rating of the unit.

Easy to pour don''t need to lift the lid to prevent spillage.

Seating the carafe in the proper position may be a challenge. I had to fiddle with it when I ran the first pot of water through it for the initial cleaning. The first real pot of coffee poured through with no problem, but the next pot started to back up and I had to adjust the carafe to get get it to drip properly. I''ll need to keep an eye on this or try to make an adjustment.

Coffee is good and hot. Not as hot as some coffee shops say Duncan Dounuts, but hot enough for me. I used the 2-4 cup setting, but haven''t played with the strong brew setting to know if it makes a difference. I used the reusable filter supplied with the coffee maker and it did fine.

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We were in desperate need of a new coffee maker (no longer able to use our old one). We were willing to pay a good chunk more (maybe $50-150, but not $350) but the reviews for so many models from formerly reputable brands were so mixed (especially the newer ones) we were getting really discouraged. We really wanted a black one, and our other top choice (a Cuisinart thermal model) was too tall to fit under our cabinets. So this one ultimately won because it had relatively few bad reviews and it looked really nice.

When it arrived, I was still thrilled with the way it looks. It''s a very clean, contemporary design. And though all black units are largely plastic, it doesn''t look cheesy at all. I was also concerned that the carafe would be very frail given the prior reviews, but it doesn''t feel any thinner than other models I''ve used extensively over the years (Mr. Coffee, Black and Decker, Krups, Cuisinart) and it has the added benefit of having the rim protected with plastic, so one of the most likely breakage points is insulated.

But what really really impressed me is the mechanics. The lid, though plastic, is fairly substantial, and holds itself nicely up when opened (it made me realize how many times I''ve flipped open the lid to fill the machine only to have it drop back down on other units). And it pours without a drip. Not one dribble. Again, I''d gotten accustomed to a little dribble as par for the course when pouring.

Similarly, when taking the pot out for a mid-brew cup, not a drop. And again, none at the end. All of my prior pots have left a few drips on the heating plate which eventually bake on. So far, none. I had always assumed it wasn''t possible to make it leakproof, but I was wrong.

So why only 4 stars? Well, mainly because the coffee is not as hot as I would like it. I''m not a coffee snob I buy supermarket brands that are (gasp!) pre-ground because I''m too lazy to pull out the grinder. The main reason I would like my coffee hotter is that I often nurse a single cup over several hours (I know, "ewww..."). So the fact that it''s not so hot temperature-wise means I have to stick it into the microwave that much sooner to reheat it (I know, double "ew" for anyone who really loves good joe).

I also wonder if it is brewing the best cup of coffee. My impression is that it''s weaker than I''m used to, but I''m also still getting familiar with the machine and playing with strength settings, etc. And I am NOT a strong coffee drinker. I run from French and Italian roasts, and I still find the regular setting results (with the same proportions I''ve used for years on my prior coffee machine) on the weak side.

It works about the same with and without a filter, though if you go filter-less, there is a bit of coffee grind sludge at the bottom (which was my experience in the past with filter-less machines).

I also worried a bit about the beep at the end of brewing, but I found it to be a very reasonable volume and not at all intrusive.

And did I mention, it does look mah-velous?

Revised 1/9/2013

P.S. After using this for a few months, I think the concerns about carafe breakage are unfounded. I''ve definitely hit the bottom of the glass against the edge of the stone countertop that surrounds the too-small sink in our kitchen. Each time I''ve cringed but so far so good. Of course, now that I''ve put this into my review, Murphy''s law says it''s toast.

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I''m glad I bought this one. After reading many reviews and checking the pricing, I thought this has all the features but at half the price of Cuisiart types. It has a nifty feature that make the coffee stronger (I like it like that) but not bitter. Make the coffee fast, but I use the program feature. The only thing I thought was kind of a nuisance was the small area you have to pour the water into, takes a little practice.

I do recommend this coffeemaker, I believe its a very good value.

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