KRUPS Espresseria Full Automatic Espresso Machine Save 45% Off

I just received this Krups Espresseria automatic machine. I have a Jura ENA 4 at my work so I will try to make some comparisons to them. The Jura is about the same price and they both have very similar features. I was so excited when I found out I would be receiving this Krups machine so that I can make my cappuccino at home too! I am a coffee fool so I make alot. With winter coming up this will be well used. Ok I have been using the Jura for some time at my work and it has been a very nice machine and is easy to setup, clean, and use. The Krups is no exception here as it is very easy to setup. Just fill the water container, bean hopper, set language, ML or OZ for liquid measurement, water hardness and ready to go. I use beans I buy here on Amazon. They are eight Oclock brand 50 % decaf. I chose the fine grind setting and brewed my first Cappuccio in less than a minute and the froth was superb. The coffee taste and strength is every bit as good as the Jura maybe alittle stronger with the Krups. I like that the machine is fully programable for different fill levels of coffee. You can fill one or two cups at a time. The nozzle height can be adjusted for taller cups but will not accommodate tall cups without sliding the drip tray out. The Jura can accommodate tall glasses no problem. The steam wand worked very well with no mess and produced a very nice froth and is fully adjustable for many positions. I really liked the spill tray as it has a float in it that rises to let you know when it is full. The Jura does not have this. Both machines come with a water filter to help reduce the bad flavors and reduce machine descaling frequency. The both come with a starter pack of cleaning tablets. As with any coffee espresso machine it will need cleaning to keep the flavor and machine working properly. It looks like the Krups requires less frequent cleaning. Both the frothing nozzles need cleaning frequently. All in all this is a very nice machine that will see alot of use. Oh yeah I was kind of surprised when I opened the box and noticed a small amount of coffee grinds in the machine. I called Krups customer service and was promptly advised that the machines grinders are tested during the assembly. I found no mention of this in the owners info so I was surprised but it is very nice to know that the machines are quality tested before shipping them out. Oh I should note that Jura does mention in there instructions that small traces of coffee grinds may be found in there machines for the same reason. Well I will try to make some comparisons now.

The Krups you can only use whole beans and no preground coffee.

The Jura has a bypass doser that allows you to use preground coffee.

The Jura does not come with a milk container and must be bought separately for about 80-100 dollars.

The Krups does come with its own stainless steel milk container even though it is not mentioned or shown in any of the pictures. I was really hoping it did come with it. Yeah!!

The Krups is made in France and not Mexico or China.

The Jura has a removable bean container.

The Krups does not have a removable bean container so no quick swapout of beans. Must run them all trough machine.

They both hold about the same amount of old grind cakes at 14.

The Jura needs to be cleaned every 180 cycles.

The Krups needs to be cleaned every 360 cycles. Big plus here!

The Jura takes about 44 minutes on the cleaning cycle.

The Krups take about 22 minutes on the cleaning cycle.

Both have an energy saving mode that is programable.

Both can be changed from ML to Oz for fluid measurement.

Both Krups and Jura come with a 2 year or 6000 cup warranty.

My likes about the Krups are slightly stronger coffee than the Jura.

Less frequent cleaning demands with the Krups.

Krups comes with its own Stainless milk container so you can fill it and put back in fridge when not using. The Jura you must purchase the milk container for 8-100 dollars.

Krups has a drip tray float to remind you when it needs cleaning out.

The Krups costumer service department was very quick and responsive when I called them. Oh yeah and they were all American so I could understand them.

The Krups has a better look for a home than does the Jura in my opinion.

I like being able to see how full the bean container is on the Krups without looking down in it unlike the Jura.

My dislikes abouth the Krups are no removable bean container. So when you want to change coffee beans to another brand you must cycle them through where as the Jura you can remove the bean container and empty it out.

Cannot use preground coffee as an option where as you can on the Jura.

The Krups nozzle does not raise as high as I would like to accommodate taller cups but can if you slide the drip tray out first.

So bottom line would I recommend the Krups Espresseria machine??? Yes I defiantly would!!!

UPDATE:

Ok so I have been using it for some time now and love it more than ever!! My wife too!! When just making a good old fashioned coffee the creama is so rich and yummy. I love it. I am still experimenting with all the minor adjustments you can make to custom tailor it but so far I like the grind set on very fine for a very robust flavor but not bitter at all. I am also loving the included milk container for the milk froth. It is very nice to be able to just fill it, use it, then put back in the fridge when done. Jura makes you pay extra for there milk container so nice job Krups!! Well just wanted to give an update as to how things are going here. Thanks

We''re a 2-3 cup a day coffee household. This doesn''t include all of the weekly trips to the coffee shop while at work for more specialized drinks. Prior to getting this espresso maker we simply brewed flavored coffee at home with cheap and disposable coffee makers. We were of course overjoyed to welcome the Krups EA8250001 Espresseria Full Automatic Espresso and coffee Machine into our kitchen. Here are my thoughts;

Pros

+ All in one unit. Stores, grinds, brews and disposes of your coffee. No outside water lines needed.

+ Stainless Steel milk frothing bottle provided. Very nice!

+ Auto clean/rinse cycle. Only needs complete cleaning once every 360 cycles!

+ Modern and sleek black look. Also, very compact in size for an espresso machine.

+ Easy to use digital interface and quick set up.

+ Water proof service guide stored inside a side slot of the machine.

+ Steamer nozzle also dispenses hot water for tea/hot chocolate drinkers.

+ Extremely quick brew time. Less than 2 minutes.

+ Energy efficient and has an auto-off timer.

+ Made in France (not Taiwan or China like many products today).

+ 2 year or 6,000 cup warrantee.

+ Machine alerts you on all cleaning/replacement functions.

+ Tool provided for easy installation of the unit''s water filter. Especially useful if you have larger hands.

Cons

Incredibly expensive.

Milk frothing bottle and attachments are a bit cumbersome to use and clean.

Water filters are $18-20 each and need to be replaced every two months.

Unable to use flavored or pre-ground coffee. There''s no bypass chamber to change beans. Once your coffee is in the machine it''s in there until you use it.

Frother is rather rigid and has limited flexibility. It''s also difficult to use on a countertop, especially with larger mugs. You need to have it on the counter edge to even get a larger cup out.

Can be rather noisey, especially early in the morning. Water tank can rattle quite a bit when brewing the coffee.

Clock display doesn''t stay on when you''re not using the machine.

Water dispenser tray platform is a bit small and while the coffee nozzles do raise, it''s not really enough for larger coffee mugs.

Some crucial pieces of the machine are plastic (coffee nozzles, parts of the frother etc.). I would prefer them to be metal as the plastic feels like it could crack from the heat.

The Krups EA8250001 Espresseria Full Automatic Espresso and coffee Machine is something most people would never buy but would love to receive it as a gift. I''m sure there are many of these machines on wedding registries from couples with crossed fingers. For the price this machine should definitely be considered an investment. Spending this much on an espresso machine is difficult to justify. However, if you can afford the purchase price it definitely does what it''s supposed to. I can absolutely say that I''m the envy of all my coffee drinking coworkers and friends. I know our household will get many years of use out of it.

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This could seriously be the best thing I have ever purchased. It is expensive, but man, it is great to wake up and push 3 different buttons a total of 5 different times and have an excellent cup of cappuccino. It could not be easier. Set up is a breeze. The machine tells you when you need water or a new filter. You can see the coffee beans. There is no mess to clean up. When it is time to empty the spent grounds (about every 10-15 cups) a message comes on, you pull out a side drawer, dump it in the trash, empty and rinse the water tray and ... voila.

We bought this assuming that it would not replace our regular drip coffee maker. But we completely stopped using the coffee maker and instead have cappuccino or cafe creme every day. The automatic cappuccino foamer is really quite clever and easy to clean. We have found that you need milk fat to make a decent foam so use whole milk or add a little 1/2 n 1/2 to whatever reduced fat milk you use and it will make a good foam. It takes a few experiments to see how long you need to let the steam run to get the right amount of milk foam to mix with the strong espresso. We have finally landed on 15 seconds. The machine always comes back to whatever setting you used last, so once you get a setting you like you can pretty much just push a few buttons and your coffee is ready in less than 2 minutes from the time you power up the machine.

It pays to experiment with beans also. We use a mix of 1/2 decaf cafe Britt which is nice and dark and adds an earthy flavor, and 1/2 regular caf Lavazza Super Crema because that seemed to be a consensus good espresso bean. The Lavazza is a medium roast. So now we have the coffee we like, and cappuccinos better than any we can get in a restaurant or coffee shop (always way way too much milk). I am confident we would never use a manual machine. My hats off to people who do. If you are like me and want a great espresso, cappuccino or cafe noisette every day, you will love this machine

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So, I''ve had this machine for about a month now, and I''ll echo much of what others have said: it makes an awesome cup of espresso (especially if you''ve got good quality espresso roasted beans, but that goes without saying). The fully automatic nature of the machine makes it a dream to easily get a good cup of coffee, and I''m fiendishly excited that I can reduce my outlays to Starbucks.

The one "complaint" that I had about the machine was that the auto milk attachment didn''t get hot enough (i.e. it got up to around 110 degrees F), so I started nuking my coffee to get it to a good "americanized" coffee temperature. But, I found a solution: when you hit the steam button and the milks starts pouring into your cup, pinch the plastic tube so that it sputters--this will allow more steam to get into the mix, thereby heating up the milk more. The result? Milk that gets to about 140 degrees F!! Perfect stuff. Also, BTW--I''ve successfully used almond milk from the start, so if you want to go healthy and tasty, then you have a good non-dairy, non-soy option. Cheers and enjoy!

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This is the best super automatic espresso machine out there based on my own, super-nerdy formula: "(rich flavor * ease of use) / cost." Dorky, yes, but you''re talking to someone who came up with decisionking.com and previously has used a one-touch Tassimo machine in USA, one-touch Philips machine in Spain, and a few other cheap espresso machines including the manual kind. I am a resident of Spain and a US citizen, so I appreciate a good european style "cafe con leche."

The advantages of this Krups machine are that: 1) it''s the most compact machine, 2) it''s very simple to operate 3) it has the lowest cost of the different super automatic brands (as of 10-26-2011), 4) and it can use oily beans unlike the other different brands of machines. 5) Also, it runs the longest between cleaning cycles (360 cycles) compared to the other brands. The resulting coffee is, of course, rich and smooth and full of flavor. That being said, it is important to note that coffee flavor seems to be more related to the quality/freshness of coffee beans used rather than the machine itself.

The disadvantages of this Krups machine are its high cost (relative to my cheap coffee machines before) and no bypass doser. But both of these disadvantages are minimal especially when you compare the Krups cost to the other super automatic espresso machines. On the other hand, a bypass doser is important for that quick decaf, one would want to make for late night after dinner.

Bottom line is: I''d give this device 4.5 stars since it does not have the bypass doser. But if you want an easy to use, minimal maintenance, one-touch espresso machine, that is compact and costs the least of the super automatics then I think this Krups is the machine you want to invest in.

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Brita Atlantis Water Pitcher

Overall, we''re very happy with the Brita Atlantis Pitcher. Also bought one for Mom. The only minor problem is is sometimes spills a little if you don''t pour carefully. The water tastes great, and we use it all the time at home, now only using bottled water for on-the-go. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY UPGRADING TO THE BRITA DELUXE OR BRITA CHROME: The Brita Deluxe has an indicator light to signal you to change filters however it goes off after a set amount of time rather than the actual usage of the filter. I got one as a gift and prefer the standard model. The light just gets annoying, especially when you know you don''t need to change the filter yet. The chrome model also has the annoying light and is more difficult to clean (my sister has it). If you have more than one person in the house, or if you drink a lot of water, I would suggest buying the larger size. Or you can do what we do. We bought another large refillable bottle that we keep filled with the filtered water while the Brita is doing its job.

You can often get great deals on the replacement filters if you keep your eyes open for sales, and it''s definitely worth it to buy the 3 pack of filters.

Definitely rinse the filter twice before you use it.

(TOP 10 REVIEWER)(COMMUNITY FORUM 04)(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)The top of this pitcher is a bit fragile; if you drop it on a tile floor, it can break, or at least the small spout cover can break, so beware.

The water does filter "slowly" but acceptable. I say "slowly" because the job of filtering water by gravity naturally takes some time. The water has to percolate down through the filter surface area; this just is a slow process without any help from positive or negative (vacuum) pressure.

The pitcher holds 2 quarts. Frankly, if your water is bad-tasting, you will be filling this pitcher up many times a day. If that is the case, get an inline filter instead. This pitcher is ok for a small family, but for a large, water-drinking, Kool-aid making, tea drinking family you may need a lot more. We have one, and we use it a lot, so I have to say it''s pretty good, overall.

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This filtration pitcher is the only one I have ever had, tried, or used. If you buy this you need to get the filters with the color indicator that tells you when to change it. I made the mistake of buying filters without it and after the filter has died, you can usually tell by the taste (which is really bad). this is a good price. it is very easy to fill. it takes a little while to filter the water, maybe a little longer than I would like. At my house, 8 cups of water is gone in no time though. If you have a family, it is probably smarter to buy a little bigger one. but the good thing is that it doesn''t take up much room in the fridge and it is easy to pour.

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This is a good alternative but has its drawbacks. I think a britta sink/faucet model would be more convenient but my faucet is not set up for one. The water from this pitcher tastes very good and I use it for my coffee which allows me to not buy filters for the pot...however.... a full pitcher is just under a full pot of coffee and the refilling of the britta is very slow. (The re-fill rate seems to decrease as the filter gets older) Something to consider if you will be bringing the pitcher to the dinner table for a family... You really cant pour it till its done filtering. The filters are fairly expensive but less than buying bottled water. I also find the pitcher to be a bit heavy and the lid delicate. altho it has not broken i can see that that might be a problem... This is a good alternative to a faucet model or bottled water but it isnt without its drawbacks.

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Our family lived for many years in a Central American country where the water was iffy. We became Brita users then in the remote hope that it would keep some of the bad stuff our of our stomachs.

Now, living in Indianapolis where the water is pure but hard, we drink from water poured through the Brita Water Filtration Pitcher in order to filter out some of the minerals that make water ''hard''.

Although I am not persuaded that we have taken great scientific leaps forward towards water purity, my wife assures me that this is progress. Therefore, I try to drink water only out of the Brita.

I can say that it''s not an inconvenient little contraption. It''s easy both to fill the Pitcher and to pour from it, though you''ll likely suffer a few wet countertops before you learn to wait for the water in the newly-filled pitcher to settle.

I am told by my devoted spouse that we are loyal Brita customers for the long haul. She knows about these things.

Do drink up.

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Culligan D-30 Drinking Water Filter Cartridge Save 30% Off

This filter is a very satisfactory item, unfortunately the seller sent D-30a filters instead. I will modify them so they will work in my filter unit, but it will limit the service life. This kind of service is really not acceptable to me, and I will not use this seller again.

Excellent, easy to install give you very clear and pure water, trusted. Fulfiled my expectatives. The D30 is the most durable, more gallons x cartridge

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Filter Replacement Cartridge (3 pack) Save 10% Off

I have had the Zuvo system for one year now and absolutely love it. Super clean water and these filters are easy to make the replacement. This 3-pack is the way to go and will last you 1 1/2 years! Highly recommended!

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Honeywell QuietCare Cool-Moisture Humidifier Save 25% Off

We bought this humidifier to replace one that was purchased about six years ago, also a Honeywell model. That model had a two gallon tank and would shut off if the water ran out. Compared to that, this newer model has a relatively TINY tank, at perhaps a gallon or so. Since the unit is rated at 3 gallons per day output, that would mean quit a bit of refilling on very dry days. On our old unit, the tank had a handle on the underside (where the fill cap is) so that when you filled it, you had something to hold on to. Not so with the new unit. And to make matters even more difficult, the bottom of this new tank is not flat, so you can''t just set it under the faucet and expect it to stay there.

The most annoying thing though is the absence of an automatic shutoff and indicator light when the water level gets too low. Because the tank is in the back of the unit, it is hard to see the water level. This thing will run and run and run without water, drying out the filter so you have to take it out an re-soak it again. While stylistically nicer, this units functionality is a real step down from previous generations of their humidifiers.

Quiet, works well, needs to be refilled daily. Filter only lasted 6 weeks. My local Home Depot doesn''t stock replacement filter. Must order online. Buy extras when ordering humidifier.

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This humidifier was about as quiet as they come for the first few weeks. It abruptly started making a lot more noise. We''ve tried adjusting everything but the fan just sounds a lot louder now. I don''t recommend buying it if the quiet aspect is your prime concern.

The filter does need to be changed quite often as the other person mentioned.

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Only had unit for a few days and it stopped working.Motor ran,but did not use any water.

I emptied it of all water, put some vinegar in, ran that through,it now works great.

Now, I put a few drops of vinegar in every other fill.

As far as the moldy smell, I use a little Sol u Mel in every two or three fills----no mold.(Sol u Mel kills mold spores and dust mites and helps with alot of other "chores" around the house.

Barbara

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This model is very quiet and will put a lot of moisture into the air, especially if you keep the filter moist by frequent turning and replace it when it hardens and becomes less absorbent.

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Seagull IV X-1F (CA) Drinking Water Filter

After over 10 years ownership of our Seagull IV water filter, I''ve just had my second e-mail customer service contact. As in our first contact, the response has been immediate (one day) and effective. The product is outstanding -probably the best home water filter available.

Bernard Cohen

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Can 100 Carbon Filter With Prefilter

This Can Filter is one of the best on the market, and already having owned other ones, it was a no-brainer to purchase another. However, be advised that these are very hard to ship due to the size and the weight, and the first one I received was so damaged I had to refuse it at the door with FedEx. We were upset as we really were on a time crunch with needing this filter (those of you out there who own these for their intended purpose know what I mean :) but Amazon.com really came through on this shipping damage. I called their customer service as soon as FedEx left, and advised of the damage and that I refused it at the door. (A much quicker and easier way of getting damaged product back to the retailer; that way you don''t have to pay a penny for it to get back to them. Just so you know! ;) Amazon sent another filter out overnight, and we had it delivered the next day! This one wasn''t nearly as damaged; had a few dings but nothing that affected its functionality so we were good with that. I did let Amazon know, and they knocked $50 off an already super low price! That was very great on Amazon''s part, and well worth taking the chance of shipping damage. Take it from someone who needed this the day before it was ordered: this was a great deal dollar-wise that was made even better by Amazon''s great customer service. I highly recommend buying these filters from them, since if something does happen during transit, Amazon WILL make it right by you. A potentially bad experience was turned 100% around... thanks again, Amazon!

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ProTec Humidifier Tank Cleaning Cartridge Save 24% Off

I''m a medical professional and Mom of 3 kids. I researched this product extensively before using it. I thought I would share what I found: A clinical study was conducted in 2006, which showed this product was extremely effective at killing germs and mold in humidifiers (Journal of Water and Health, vol 4.2, 2006). Also, it''s shown to be very safe and 100% natural (based on natural silver technology...the active ingredient in the cartridge is actually used in many drinking water filters found at the "big box" stores.) One point to mention: it doesn''t remove minerals. If you get stains in your humidifier from iron in your water you''ll need a demineralization product for that (or use filtered or distilled water). I use it and highly recommend it.

After paying well over a hundred dollars for a humidifier, I got so tired of the sloppy job of cleaning slime out of it that I was almost ready to throw the thing away. After replacing its $15.00 filters (every 3 months) that seem to do about nothing, it didn''t seem worth the cost and effort to keep it operating. The unit''s instructions advised me not to use any additives but just clean the thing about every filling and keep replacing those filters as directed. So, since I was going to throw the thing out anyway, I tried one of these cartridges.

It worked. It''s been about a month, and the slime is starting to come back, but that''s supposed to be the effective life of the cartridge. The humidifier survives. I still have to clean it, but the task is now infrequent and easier.

So, it does what it''s supposed to do; does it for as long as it''s supposed to do it; hasn''t harmed the over-priced humidifier; and is good for the environment as long as it keeps this humidifier out of a landfill.

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The cartridge costs about $5 and last only 20 days before the filter and the cartridge starting reek. However, I found that Holmes Bacteriastat cost

about $7 and could last for a season and it also extended the life of the filter.

My suggestion is to buy the Bacteriastat.

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At the end of the winter season when most of us use a humidifier, we must face the daunting task of cleaning the humidifier before storing it (until next winter).

If you have been conscientious about using a water anti-bacterial additive once a week, then the end of the season cleaning job will not be "too" bad. If not, well, this chore will be more demanding and time-consuming.

This is the first year I have used this product. It is a plastic cage that holds chemicals which promise to keep your humidifier clean. You simply put this thing in your humidifier water tank and the miracle happens. The manufacturer recommends replacing it every month or so. I bought two for our 4 month humidifier/winter season. That seems adequate.

This item looks like something we used to put in our dishwasher to keep the water from spotting... although I am sure the chemicals inside this thing are different.

Anyway, you want to know if it works and is it worth the price.

Yes it works. My humidifier IS cleaner than what it would be without it. Is it worth the price? That depends on the value you put on your time and how hard you are willing to work at the end of the humidifier season to the task of cleaning your humidifier before storing it. I think this "ProTec" product will make the job of cleaning your humidifier very fast and easy. Is that worth $10? That is up to you. What makes this a good investment is knowing your humidifier is being KEPT clean during the months you are using it.

Would I buy this "ProTec PC cleaning cartridge" next year? Yes, I would.

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These work great. I find I don''t have to change the filter or clean the humidifier as often as I do without using one of these. I feel they are worth it.

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Culligan PR-3U Level 2 Universal Pitcher Filter Replacement (3-Pack)

These filters are not worth the paper they are wrapped in. I''d go with something a little more expensive because in this case you get what you pay for.

These filters rock and keep our drinking water tasting clean and fresh! These filters have cut down on our bottled water consumption because this makes water taste better and more worth bottling yourself :o)

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We''ve never experienced any "bad taste" or other negative issues. It works ... as promised and expected. I''m not sure how it could "exceed expectations," but it could do worse.

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I bought these filters to use a replacements in a Brita pitcher. They work reasonably well, but require at least three pitchers worth of water run through them before they stop giving the water an awful taste.

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We use a Culligan water pitcher to fill our Keurig coffee maker. I use one a month per instructions and we have filtered water.

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Cuisinart DGB-600BC Grind & Brew

Ye gads. I forgot all about the fierce partisanship amongst purchasers that this wee little machine invokes. Last year, I dutifully combed through all of the reviews and was almost pursuaded to look to another machine. Thank the stars I was not. Like many, I was won over by the lure of (1)the thermal carafe, (2) the auto grind&brew feature, and (3) the shininess. I also trusted the Cuisinart name and had been previously pleased with the Brew Central. I noted, however, that many writers were highly displeased with (4) the noise and (5) the mess. So, after a year, here are my experiences:

(1) The thermal carafe rocks out loud. Yes, pre-heating the carafe seems to keep the coffee hotter for longer, but on the crazy work-mornings that I use the auto-grind&brew function, I do not pre-heat and find no need to, as I am out of the house at light speed. Note that the coffee is still scaldingly hot. People seem irritated/perplexed at the slowness with which coffee is dispensed from the carafe, as well as the steep pouring angles necessitated by the carafe. I am not at all disturbed by either; however, a relative in need of immediate coffee discovered that one can get faster pouring by just removing the lid. Which defeats the awesome vacuum-packed thermal hotness, but seems a likely remedy for those with a fundamental aversion to slow pours. As far as weird geometry issues, I have nothing to offer.

(2) The auto grind&brew is very convenient. It has always worked flawlessly for me and really amazes and pleases guests who may rise before residents.

(3) It is damn shiny.

(NB: I have a lot of stainless in the kitchen and, through trial and error, have found that the Method stainless steel cleaner keeps it all damn shiny and keeps me from going stark raving from the constant buffing and rubbing).

(4) The noise? Really not that unusual for a coffee bean grinder. I did not notice that it was any louder than other grinders. If the "grind" portion of the auto grind&brew is waking one too early, I would imagine that one could either pregrind or use ground beans and just skip the "grind" function. While it is intriguing to imaging a space age machine with stealth grind mode, I would urge potential buyers to neither expect silence nor let lack of silence keep you from buying this machine.

(5) The ire over the mess was what nearly kept me from purchasing this maker. And I completely forgot about the issue until just now when I re-read some of the reviews. I guess that I don''t understand what "mess" they mean. There are seven parts to this thing that I clean: carafe/lid, filter/basket/lid, and grinder base/lid. I rinse the carafe and filter with hot water and clean the rest with hot soapy water. It all takes approximately 2.5 minutes. I never have to clean the rest of the machine. I usually tilt the top-loader lid open to let condensation out after brewing is done. I occasionally wipe the inside of the machine down with a damp cloth. I have replaced the water filter a couple of times. But altogether, clean-up is not that big of a deal. Maybe others are not getting a tight enough seal on the the grinder parts?

SUMMARY: I have had this machine for over a year and have never had a single problem with it. It makes delicious, hot coffee. I was almost deterred by the problems that others have had with it, but am glad that I opted to take my chances. I gave it four, rather than five stars because so many people have had problems with it. Even though I have not experienced these problems, the negative feedback must nonetheless be taken into consideration.

cheers!

~currer bell

previous was the typical old plastic type with glass carafe

Good Points:

much considerable improvement in coffee taste now

the thermal carafe with autoseal until poured keeps coffee hot and no stale or burnt taste, it is double lined with stainless steel

auto shutoff of heating element immediately after brewing prevents burning of coffee and electricity bills

the 1-4 cup extra heat excellent idea

the built-in grinding process

choice of using paper filter or gold filter basket

beeping tells you when coffee is ready

does not have that ugly water level marker, it has a built-in marker where you pour water, a 3-D step ladder sort of speak

does not expell any heat or humidity from unit, well sealed

nice design and looks

Bad Points:

cannot tell amount coffee left in carafe

pours out slowly from carafe

carafe autoseal feature requires you to pour at a steeper angle to get faster flow output which still isn''t fast enough for me

grinder howls for about 30 seconds when running, it does not adjust grind-time for amount of coffee beans inside, it defaults to a 10 cup grind, solving this would require some clever engineering idea

I find I have to clean more than my old machine, I clean the grinder and lid, basket and basket lid, ... the grinder does create a lot fine coffee dust which does get packed into every nook and cranny

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We have had our new Cuisinart DGB-600BC Grind and Brew, Thermal coffee maker for a week now. We had ordered it online before we saw these reviews and based on the poor reviews of others almost cancelled our order, but decided to give it a try anyway. Well, so far we are not disapointed at all.

Ours was on backorder and perhaps some improvements have been made.

Using the gold filter basket along with a paper filter and a full grinder of normal bean coffee, it makes a very good and strong coffee.

As far as the complaints about cleaning...the only thing different than a normal coffee maker is that you must take out the grinding mechanism and rinse and towel dry after every use. It slips out easily and we just rinse under hot water for about 30 seconds and then dry with a paper towel (there are only two parts to the grinder). Does not take more than a minute or two and you can proceed to make another pot of cofee right away.

The coffee is very hot in the thermal carafe and seems to stay that way for hours. It is a little difficult to pour out the last few ounces of coffee as the pour spout is set in from the side of the carafe.

The stainless model is not really stainless, but is simulated (plastic) stainless. This was somewhat of a disappointment as I don''t know how well the finish will hold up over time.

Another concern is that the opening and closing latches and hinges seem a little flimsy and poorly designed. Sometimes hard to open or close.

In closing, where performance counts a great cup of coffee this coffee maker produces the results we were looking for in a sharp looking package.

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Normally, Cuisinart is synonymous with quality. And I love my Cuisinart food processor. Love the small food processor, too. But their grind-and-brew coffee makers are poorly-made plastic junk. I had the original one...everything with two plastic connectors now has only one, and I was always careful with it...I now have to balance the lid on the carafe, have to hold the top lid closed with clamps I''ve attached or the thing won''t brew...

So when I saw the new model, I thought, "Great! They must have fixed it!" Just got it yesterday, and I''m already disappointed. The first thing you''ll notice is that the nice shiny metal is only real on the carafe. The rest is just a cheap faceplate over flimsy plastic on weak hinges and thin components. I can almost feel it wanting to break every time I fill it. The first model had to be completely dried out after every use because the steam backs up through the grinding components, leaving a trail of coffee-bean-coagulated-sweat all through the device. I''d hoped they''d have put some sort of steam backflow prevention mechanism in the new model...they did not. Still have to dry out the whole works after every use. Even the compartment where only dry beans were placed.

With the thermal carafe version, the resting plate at the bottom does not heat, it only holds the carafe. I assume the glass version does act as a heating plate...So this morning, when I came to get my coffee, I thought perhaps I''d set the timer wrong. I didn''t see the little light glowing to tell me that the thermal plate was working. I had done it right, however; it just relies on the insulating properties of the thermal carafe to keep the coffee warm. Truth be told, I prefer that to burnt coffee...but that''s the only good part of this device.

I think, for my next grind-and-brew, I''ll shell out the extra bucks for the Capresso.

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I was a skeptic after reading all the negative reviews, and even encountered a disgruntled elderly woman at the store who told me how much she despised this machine, but something in my gut said I should buy it and I did. I''ve had this coffeemaker for three months now and it''s become one of my most loved possessions, right up there with my handsfree wireless and my favorite pens.

It is important to note that it takes a few brews to get to know your new coffeemaker. I too had the leak experience upon first brew, but I realized that I was obviously overfilling the water tank, despite what the level said. It''s also taken some trial and error to get the right ratio of coffee to water, but one must understand that this is a factor of personal taste and shouldn''t be dictated by some recipe. Yes, it takes a little extra effort to clean. But I''ve noticed that most nice things do take that extra effort to manage and maintain, and I don''t mind getting my hands a smidge dirty in exchange for the result!

It does pour slower than the regular carafe. But that''s a bit picky, don''t you think? Seven seconds to fill your cup. What do you want, three seconds? What so great about that other four seconds? Is it life or death? If it is, you probably shouldn''t be kicking back with a cup of coffee at the moment anyway. Plus, this is no regular carafe! I park this thing right next to me at the computer and don''t have to travel back and forth to the kitchen to get more coffee that''s well worth the four seconds I''d save in the kitchen with my old coffeemaker.

It grinds loud? Of course it grinds loud. It''s grinding. Just the nature of the word "grind" leads one to attach a certain amount of noise to the action in my mind. The process is swifter than my previous grind n'' brew and actually a bit quieter not that I mind the grind sound. I''ve come to appreciate it in a way.

I''m not one to usually write a review, but it seemed that others picked at this product and I felt compelled to share my thoughts on what I consider to be a fantastic addition to the kitchen. By one if you''re on the fence. I''ll be enjoying my french roast while you think about it.

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Greenway Long life Multi Stage Filter Save 11% Off

We bought a Greenway hot and cold water dispenser and the filter bottle system that sits atop it several years ago. We have absolutely loved it ever since. We now never use the refrigerator water dispenser because the filter is so much better on this system and even those many years ago Greenway was on top of the BPA controversy and had manufactured their system out of BPA free plastic. This system has saved us a bundle of cash over the years from other water dispenser systems because we don''t have to buy the water and then we don''t have the big jugs to recycle or return to the store. It saves the environment because the impact from transporting water is eliminated because we just fill it from the tap and have excellent quality water whenever we want in whatever quantities we want. If our dispenser broke down I would have to find a way to keep using the filter bottle because it is just too convenient.

I''ve used these filters for about 2 years now (with the whole water dispenser bottle system).

They are great. They really do make tap water taste like bottled water.

You need to change the filter about every 4 months even though it says 6 months. That may just be because we drink a lot of water.

Over all a great product!

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WE LOVE THE GREENWAY SYSTEM ACTUALLY FILTER LASTS 6 MO. NO MORE NEED TO CARRY LARGE BOTTLES OF WATER OR 24 PACK EASY TO USE AND FILL WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND WE PURCHASE QUITE A BIT FROM AMAZON AND HAVE BEEN HAPPY WITH DELIVERY AND CONDITION OP ITEMS

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This is a great product for an office. It is much better than having bottled water delivered and having to store it, pay for it to be transported, etc. A much better option environmentally and A LOT more cost effective. Definitely recommend this.

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This is a perfect solution for bottled water. I''ve been using this filter and replacements when needed, every six months, for the Greenway dispenser, for a few of years. We''ve been pleased with how well it works for the price.

Save 11% Off

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Hydro-Logic 31035 100-GPD Stealth-RO100 Reverse Osmosis Filter Save 22% Off

• Stealth RO100 Reverse Osmosis Filter
• Produces up to 100-Gallon per day of ultra-pure, low PPM water
• Removes 98-Percent of chlorine and contaminants
• Wastes approximately 25-Percent less than other RO systems

Amazing product capable of reducing sediment to a desirable level. Whether this is used for drinking water or for your green house its Clean and Affordable water filtration at its best!

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Perfect solution to hard water. too easy to hook up. if you should have any problems(doubtful) search it on youtube.

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I gave it away. he loved it. aaa+++ a a a + + + a a a a a a

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Drip Irrigation for Dummies Kit

I have enjoyed numerous books from the "... For Dummies" series. I love how they approach their material in a way that someone who knows nothing about the subject can understand. The books then go on to give a useful level of depth about the subject. This kit does not. The ''book'' is a pamphlet and is only useful for very small gardens. Just because I am a drip irrigation dummy does not mean I am a dummy with a small garden. I''m picking up my drip irrigation knowlege piecemeal with no confidence in my conclusions and hoped that this kit would solve that. It doesn''t. I want to know what size pipes are appropriate where? How many emitters can I connect before the water pressure gets too low? What, exactly, is an emitter? How does water pressure affect my setup? When are filters necessary? What the heck''s a manifold? How long are you supposed to water (that would be a complex answer depending on emitter, water pressure, and soil, I would imagine)? What kind of timers are best for which situations? When I go looking for answers I tend to get swamped with options I don''t understand. I would expect a dummies book to address these questions clearly and concisely. Instead you get something that''s only useful if you''re trying to water less than a dozen plants and that will probably get clogged up fairly soon because there''s no filter (or so I gather I could be wrong about that, I haven''t found a book to explain it properly to me).

Edited to add: (at request from the comments) Drip Irrigation for Every Landscape and All Climates, 2nd edition

is the closest I''ve come to finding my answers.

It''s not as ''basic'' as I would like and I haven''t tried to implement its reccomendations yet but it does appear to have the answers to my questions.

This is a good starter product and helped me with my first drip irrigation system. I stared at all the individual components in the Home Depot first and then got this one. It comes with all the items you need to hook it up to your hose or existing sprinkler and also has 50 feet of drip line and 50 feet of regular line. Great start and while not for the largest of gardens will provide a good base that you can then expand with the tons of other options that are available on the market.

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The hose part works fine. The information part about drip irrigation did not.

Every " ***** For Dummies" book has detailed information and gives you background on what you are doing and what you can expect from what you bought. This "kit" gives you the hoses, but no book, just a small pamphlet on how to layout the drip hoses but no insight into what you are doing, really. There is no info on how long to keep dripping. I feel adventurous; I''ll just have to do it the old fashioned trial and error way to see what works and what doesn''t.

I am happy with the water saving part. No water runs out on the street anymore.

It all goes into the soil where it''s supposed to. That part I''m happy about.

I would have appreciated a paragraph at the back of the pamphlet "For more information on drip irrigaion, see our website at "www. XXXX . com "

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Anyone that has used a cheap hose or a cheap hose sprayer knows that they leak and usually are not worth the savings. This little packet of junk falls into that catagory. It took me several hours to measure and then feed all the tubes into the various attachments and I made sure every one was tight (read; elbow grease). When I turned it on the pressure was very uneven and leaking from the main connection to the hose (to the point that it would waste any savings that the system was supposed to provide in the first place. This product gets a FAIL.

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I initally installed these systems in four copper flower boxes that are roughly 18" x 48" rectangles. A 4-line manifold was attached to the 1/2" feed pipe in each flower box. (I used a ball valve on the outside of each flower box feed pipe so I could control each box independently if issues developed.) The 4-station manifold may require some work. I had to clean out green plastic injection flashing on two of the 4 manifold lines so that full water pressure could be had at the small sprinkers. I used a 3/32" drill bit in my drill and cleaned them out, then they worked perfectly. The small sprinkers that come with the kit are excellent. You can individually adjust the radius of the water spray from a few inches out to in my case 9 inches. Also, these small sprinkers do not easily clog up with calcium deposits. I''ve had some installed for 2 years with no problems. The water output when using the sprinkers is done in a soft multi-stream form, not a high pressure mist form, thus this kit gets the job done without spraying water all over my deck. This is the best small watering setup I have had in the last 40 years. I''ve now converted all my dripers to these small sprinker type output heads.

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Hamilton Beach 42115 3-in-1 Hot-Beverage Center

This is replacing a 4 cup Melitta coffeemaker (couldn''t find a replacement carafe that would fit the brewer, which sat atop the pot).

This appealed to me in that this product has the following good features:

1) no pot/carafe to crack or clean

2) no waste (since you didn''t have to brew 1-3 cups to get 1 decent sized mug + waste)

3) no hot plate/pot to turn off nothing to worry about if you started a brew and then were unexpectedly called away or forgot about it

4) no paper filters required (but see below)

5) looks interesting doesn''t look like a coffee maker, takes up less space on counter, easier to keep clean.

I read some reviews good and badand decided to get it anyway. AM SO GLAD I DIDI REALLY LIKE THIS THING!

Reasons: 1)-4) above, plus:

5) water resevoir + filter assembly is dishwasher safe (top rack)

6) capability of using pods (I wasn''t about to buy an expensive ''pod-processor'', so this is a very nice ''perk'' pun intended! ;o)

Very easyload it up, walk away, come back to beverage. Lovely!

Some tips to head off any/all problems-

1) Read the manual. Hey, things happen, but really use COLD WATER ONLY.

2) If brewing multiple cupsWAIT AT LEAST 30 SECS after light goes off before starting another brew. To be safe, I wait a full minutehave not had any problems.

3) I could see the potential for ''filter fouling'', so I buy generic #4 Melitta filters (huge pack can be bought for

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