I bought this to replace a KitchenAid 10 cup that unfortunately had an untimely death after a broken carafe. This was the second KitchenAid that I had to throw away because they stopped making replacement parts. I decided to go with a thermal carafe and bought this Capresso and a Melitta (Melitta 10-Cup Thermal Coffee Maker) based on reviews. They both make great coffee and I''ve had no problems with dripping as another reviewer posted. I do like the concept of the permanent gold filter, but for whatever reason, I find my coffee is better tasting with paper filters. I noticed the Melitta seemed to have a more robust flavor and it doesn''t use the gold filter. As a result, I''ve put the gold filter in the cabinet and am using paper filters. Also, using a lab grade thermometer, my coffee brews at about 180 degrees F. Too hot for me to drink before allowing it to cool, so I''m pleased with temperature.Comparing to the Melitta thermal brewer, the Capresso seems to be "better equipped" with the gold permanent coffee filter and a water filter as well. The Melitta seems to make slightly better coffee when both are using paper filters. The Capresso seems to brew faster, which may be one of the reasons the Melitta had a more robust coffee flavor. For now, I''m going to continue to use the Capresso as my daily coffee maker and use paper filters. The Melitta is going to serve time at another location due to it''s slightly challenging colors (it has a big red band around the carafe that is less than appealing). If I had to choose one, I''d probably give the nod to the Melitta.
This coffeemaker has been great, with easy to brew, easy to program, quick to brew, hot and tasty coffee. I would definitely recommend it to friends looking for a new one.
Brewing:
Takes less than 10 minutes to brew a full pot. Easy to start, auto-shutoff, and drip-stop for pouring while in the middle of brewing works well.
Carafe:
The carafe keeps our coffee hot for a good amount of time (a couple hours) and warm even longer (another couple hours). I''ve poured myself a cup after 4 hours and still had a cup that was acceptably warm in my book. I''ve had no issues with coffee leaking while brewing, and we have not been overly cautious when placing the carafe. We make sure the lid is on, pop it on the holder, and go. We''ve had no leakage problems of any sort while pouring; it has seemed intuitive to my wife and I that to pour you line up the line on the lid with the pour spout. To me it''s reminiscent of a simple lemonade/punch/kool-aid pitcher with a lid that you turn to pour. Another complaint I''d read about this and other similar models is slow pouring. I''ve not noticed any issues with this, though I''m not used to serving my coffee at water-bucket speeds either. It pours at a medium pace, not a gush, not a dribble. Last note on the carafe: the opening is a bit small, so it may be difficult for some individuals with above average hand size to clean without a brush of some sort.
Filter:
The filter was easy to install and replace, and I definitely noticed a difference in flavor immediately. I dislike the (chlorine-like) taste of our local water, and this filter does a good job of removing that.
Reservoir:
The water reservoir is a slight bit awkward to fill, as it is narrow and the water fill meter is off to the right, and if you turn the base to look at it then the grounds holding portion will be in your way if pouring with your left hand, and the reservoir lid is in your way if you pour with your right hand. Mostly just a slight inconvenience, though every time I fill it I do wish the water fill meter was on the front instead of the side.
Controls:
Because the controls lay flat, they and the display are a little difficult to see unless you pull the coffeemaker right in front of you. That being said, I generally only use the "make coffee" button, and it''s easy to see/ press at arms length away. We''ve only used the programmed start time on a couple occasions, but it worked well.
Gold-toned Filter/ Permanent Filter:
This coffee maker comes with a "Reusable GoldTone Filter". I don''t like it, and don''t generally use it. It may be convenient for those times you run out of paper filters, or if you''re trying to be environmentally conscious to reduce your paper waste. The filter doesn''t do nearly as well at keeping grounds out of the coffee -grounds dust made it into every pot we brewed using it, and left whomever got the last cup (and some in-between) a wonderful surprise gulp at the end. However, this wasn''t a feature we bought the coffeemaker for, and it accepts the standard #4 conical filters.
Cleaning:
Cleaning has been a breeze. Most of the pieces that are in direct contact with the coffee are removable and easy to wash. The instructions give simple to follow guidance on how to clean your system if you get any mineral buildup. The fingerprint-less stainless steel seems to be just that, at least for normal situations.
Buy Capresso 485.05 MT600 Plus 10-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker Now
I had a previous Capresso which died after 5 years. This one works even better easy to program, easy to replace the water filter. Took me a bit to figure out how to line up the lid so the coffee doesn''t spill as they don''t tell you in the manual about lining up the little groove on the lid with the spout so I spent a week spilling coffee until I figured that out. But.. besides that.. it just works and coffee stays warm and tastes great. What more can you want in a coffee maker?Read Best Reviews of Capresso 485.05 MT600 Plus 10-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker Here
I have had the older version of this machine for about 8 years now. It is our favorite coffee maker and we are a bit picky about our coffee. The old machine had a rubber gasket start leaking water, so we decided to replace the machine with a new one.I will note that the old machine was a bit more expensive, and was made in Portugal. Capresso was bought out by a competitor who now is selling the machine a bit cheaper, presumably because they make it in China now.
But while it used to be worth the money, now it is not.
Right off the bat, during the first water-only brew I noticed issues that prompted me to return the machine.
1) The machine itself appears to lean backward maybe a millimeter or two. I would have not noticed that (who would), but this causes a problem with the carafe -the coffee no longer goes straight from the machine into the carafe through an opening in the middle of the lid. Instead it flows on the side of the lid, running about 1/2" through open air -clearly a good way to cool it down. It seems that this is a common problem, as the lid is redesigned now, with the only apparent advantage of being able to catch this kind of spill.
The 8 year old machine is as straight as the first day and the coffee pours into the carafe.
2) The second issue is with the coffee machine lid -it is made from softer plastic. During the first brew, the plastic expanded and warped, popped semi-open and steam was leaving on the sides.
The old machine does have a bit of the same problem, but only because I cracked it and is no longer closing properly.
I have posted a composite picture to illustrate these problems. I would have paid 2x for the same machine if it actually worked.
Want Capresso 485.05 MT600 Plus 10-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker Discount?
It may go without saying, but I think the strongest feature of this coffee maker is the thermal carafe. Having a sealed carafe really helps keep the coffee fresh, and prevents oxidation and bitterness as the coffee sits post-brewing. I have to say, it seems to work we''ve had this coffee maker for two or three weeks now and the coffee seems to be consistently smooth with no nasty acidity.Overall, it works well and seems well-made. The carafe is solid, a nice stainless steel with a sturdy plastic handle. The lid screws on tight and locks in position when the notch is pointing at the handle. In order to pour, you simply unscrew the lid 180 degrees so the notch points towards the spout. A sealed carafe necessarily requires a locking lid, and it seems some users who had difficulty pouring failed to read the directions. It''s very easy to figure out the lid and pours well when used properly.
I would recommend pre-heating the carafe as explained in the instruction manual that is, swirl some hot water from your faucet around inside the carafe, dump it out, and then lock the lid on and brew. A pre-heated carafe will ensure you minimize heat loss in your brewed coffee.
At least one reviewer complained about the water from the drip spout not hitting all of the coffee grounds in the filter during brewing, but I''ve had no such issues. The grounds are always fully soaked after brewing.
Overall, this machine performs well and I have no complaints. I''m not exactly sure why it''s so expensive, but that said, it was a wedding gift so the price wasn''t a strong factor in our purchase. Most of the low reviews on here can fairly be attributed to user error so don''t let those deter you; a quick read of the instruction manual is all it takes to get the most out of this machine. Hoping we get many years of use from it.
Save 1% Off
