Just to start, I''m extremely cynical and I don''t subscribe to the idea that just because it''s expensive makes it the best. I must admit, this is the best cup of coffee I have ever made. I just received this coffee maker (via Zappos,) as Amazon isn''t shipping direct yet. I''ve been drinking my coffee virtually the same way for 25 years, so my test this morning contained the same coffee, measurements, and ingredients I have always used. I went through the steps as directed by Viking, and the end result was a hotter, deeper, zero-bitter cup of amazing coffee.*Side Note: Even though this coffee maker comes with a filter, always use filtered water. We have HIGH mineral content water, so this is something we have always used anyway. Viking states, that not doing so with this kind of water, will void the warranty. The coffee maker will tell you when it''s time to "de-calcify" (this may or may not occur when using filtered water).
There WILL be a bit of a time-consuming (roughly 30-40 minutes) initial process you WILL need to invest in so don''t intend on having that first cup if you are pressed for time. There is an initial "priming" (using roughly 2 cups of water), then a "first 10-cup brew" of just water only (for cleaning purposes). After that, you''re ready for clock set-up, auto programming, and finally time to brew! I used the reusable filter that comes with it instead of the usual non-bleached disposable filters, and I have nothing negative to say about it.
As far as our usual process, we use our favorite whole-bean coffee and grind it in a burr grinder at the finest setting.
Is it worth $300.00? If the flavor, temperature, and dependability of the machine all hold up, it will be a resounding yes. I will update this review over time to let you know for sure.
SIX-WEEK UPDATE: Still impressed, no regrets! Overflowed once (my fault) I filled the water tank over the fill line when I selected the 12-cup serving. If I had one criticism, it would be how slowly it pours when opened to the "o" mark. I''m assuming Viking made it an intentional feature in order to keep the remaining coffee hot which it does. Obviously, one can take the lid completely off to remedy that.
**FLASHING "dcl": So it finally said it was time to decalcify. Easy process, but allow yourself ~20 minutes to do this. The only thing that wasn''t covered in my instruction book was how to get the "dcl" to quit flashing after the process was done. It''s not automatically detected YOU NEED TO PRESS THE "ON" BUTTON, THEN HOLD DOWN THE "BREW" BUTTON (NOT SIMULTANEOUSLY) FOR A FEW SECONDS TO CLEAR IT. Hopefully newer packaged instructions will show this. Still no regrets! **Don''t forget to replace the filter in the reservoir.**
That was my original review. After speaking to Viking I learned that I had to keep it on the open (o) position and not between the locked and open, while pouring, as their directions state. Works GREAT no more leaks and it''s such a great looking coffee machine! They just need to correct their directions.
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The only good thing that I can say about this machine is that is brews a hot pot of coffee. Other than that, it has been a huge disapointment. While the carafe is wrapped in a stainless strip, the balance of the unit is made of the sort of plastic and in a similar design as a $30-$60 machine. At half the price this machine would be over-valuedSome features that have been particularly irksome:
1.) The filter is ill-fitting and surely cannot actually filter as the water easily by-passes the filer
2.) The machine is noisy it emits a pulsing / grinding noise every 10 seconds while brewing
3.) The carafe does not fit well under the spring-loaded brewing area
4.) The electronics (at least on the machine I''ve purchased) are fickle and every morning I have to run through a combination of unplug, plug back in, hit program, specify number of cups, on-off, etc to try to get the thing to go to work.
This coffee maker may have the Viking name plate but do not expect it to be anything close to the quality of your Viking stove or fridge.
Read Best Reviews of Viking 12-Cup Coffee Maker Here
We started looking for a reliable, high-quality coffee maker after our Krups XP2070 failed us (will not power on) after two years, and our Krups KM7000 grind-n-brew after 13 months (leaked, shipped in for repair, then jammed). We were willing to spend a little more money for a higher quality, reliable coffee maker this time around.There seems to be a gap in the market between the lower-end (Cuisinart, Krups, etc) and the high end (>$700), then we stumbled on this Viking 12 cup coffee maker. We know of the Viking brand, but had never owned a Viking product so we weren''t sure if their quality matched their price.
We took the plunge and ordered and received our Viking coffee maker about two weeks ago, so this is an initial impressions review. When it quits working we''ll update this review with our post-mortem thoughts (which we hope won''t be for a long time).
Initial impressions are very good. It looks nice and feels high quality the fit and finish matches our expectations for the Viking brand. The front and carafe are stainless steel, and the sides are a high-quality metallic looking plastic. Initial priming was quick and easy. We like the side loading water canister and coffee filter since our old coffee makers were filled from the top and we had to pull them out from under our kitchen cabinet everyday to fill them. It''s not loud, but you will hear a couple of water pump sounds during its brew cycle. The carafe doesn''t spill, which surprised us because all of the Krups glass carafes we''ve owned, invariably spilled (almost by design..grr) it''s amazing how nice a non-spilling carafe is! :) The carafe is insulated and keeps coffee steaming hot for hours -it''s still drinkable warm in mid-afternoon.
The water is hot and the brew is good. Yum. It took about 4 days to dial in the correct coffee strength (tip: use the # of cups to control the amount of coffee you make, not the amount of water you add to the water canister. )
The only improvement we can think of is a chime at the end of the brew cycle to let us know the coffee is ready.
It''s not feature packed, but after our previous experiences we were looking for less features in exchange for good product design, quality and reliability. Overall we are very happy with our new Viking coffee maker and at this point enthusiastically recommend it.
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When I first started using the product it seem to take long to brew. Within two weeks the product failed completely. Because it was used, regarless of how little, it could not be returned to AMazon. They did not care.A call to Viking met with rude people; however, one person promised a complete new coffe maker, but it would take 6-weeks. I agreed to wait. Surprise, surprise a partial unit arrived in two weeks. When I opened the box, it was clear this unit had been used:Viking did not even try to clean it or to buff out the scratches and dents before sending it me. Someone else had returned a damaged unit. And it just was sent to me. Follow-on calls to Viking are all met with not my problem call this number (I now have 7 different 800 for Viking in the and out of the US). Finally after hours on the phone, I got someone to listen. Send many detailed pictures which got me a third unit that did not work.
Unless you have money to toss away, do not purchase this unit.
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