Bought this model at Target a couple weeks ago to replace the cheapo Mr. Coffee machine we''d been using for the past 5 years. Personally, I think it''s great. The wife, however, thinks the coffee comes out too strong. I told her that she''s finally getting a taste of real coffee, not some watered down junk. You might need to play around a bit to figure out the ratio of grounds:water that suits you.
Pros:
1. Coffee is hot. No worries about lukewarm coffee here.
2. Coffee comes out tasting good. It''s on the strong side. My preference is to use a french press, but the HG is much more convenient for my morning routine.
Cons (all minor in my view):
1. Coffee might be too hot for some. I burned my tongue on the first few cups, so I usually let it sit on the counter for a few minutes before drinking.
2. It''s a 10 minute brew cycle (6 to heat the water, 4 for the drip). It''s a little long for my wife, but I have no problems with it. I usually just wind up shaving, brushing teeth, combing hair, etc. during the brew.
3. It''s LOUD. Those who are sensitive to that kind of thing might want to look at a different model.
4. It''s pretty tall. It just barely fits under our cabinets and I have to slide it out every morning in order to fill it.
5. It has an 8-cup capacity. We only drink 6 cups in the morning, so it suits our needs. We figure that we can make multiple pots on the rare occasions that we have company/family over.
6. It has a 4-cup minimum. Again, it works well for us, but I wouldn''t recommend it to my single friends that limit themselves to one mug.
I haven''t had any issues with the carafe, like others have mentioned. Then again, the Mr Coffee regularly left little puddles on the kitchen counter, so maybe I just haven''t noticed the problems. At any rate, it pours fine for me and I haven''t spilled anything yet.
It''s not a perfect machine, but I definitely think that the positives outweigh the negatives. My primary concern was getting good tasting coffee. The HG definitely delivers, so I can live with all of the minor inconveniences.
After my trusty Cuisinart DCC-1200 12-Cup Brew Central Coffeemaker, Black and Stainless Steel died after 5 years of steady use, I decided to ''upgrade'' to a Bunn. The Bunn HG brewer is different from previous Bunns because it heats the water for each brew right before actually brewing, as opposed to inefficiently keeping a water tank heated 24/7, 365 days a year (previous Bunn models). It is for this reason, and the Bunn name, that I enthusiastically dove in and bought it. To make a long story short, I am not so enthusiastic after using it--read on for details.
The carafe. It actually is the cleanest pouring carafe I have ever used--not a drop spilled. However, it consists of a plastic rim attached to a lower portion of glass. Coffee leaks at this junction no matter how fast you pour, producing a steady stream of coffee that dribbles down the outside of the coffee pot and onto the counter top. Not sure if I just got a bad carafe or if this problem is more common.
Full capacity brewing. The way this unit works is you add up to 8 cups of water to the tank. When turned on, it boils this water until the total temp reaches 200 deg F (about 6 mins), then it releases it over 4 minutes through the coffee funnel and into the carafe. The problem is that if the full 8 cups of water are added to the tank, a little comes out during the boil phase from between the spin lid and top of the tank. This then goes down the sides of the tank, drips on the pot and down to the warming plate where it hisses and boils (no, I didn''t overfill it--it was right on the max line). I did not experience this with a little under 7.5 cups water in the tank.
Build. This unit actually looks like it came from Captain Picard''s ready room and is unique looking. However, there is a lot of open space in it''s design--the unit is not compact. Also, there are only two supports holding up the water tank and the brew basket. During the aforementioned boil phase, the vibrations of the boiling water cause the tank to visibly shake. It isn''t excessive and in no way harms the unit, but it adds a chintzy feel to this unit and could easily be solved by supporting the tank on three sides. In addition, it is just about 15.5 inches tall, but my cabinets sit exactly 15.25 inches above my countertops. Grrr!
Lastly, 8 cup capacity is just barely enough for me and my wife--a larger capacity would be nice.
In all fairness, the unit makes good coffee. However, so do other coffee makers that only cost half as much. Even if a replacement carafe would solve the leaking coffee problem, I feel there are too many issues present for a $100 coffee brewer.
ADDENDUM (11/4/10): I decided to keep this unit when the place I bought it from wanted to charge a 15% restocking fee (my fault for not reading the fine print). I contacted BUNN about the leaky carafe and they sent out a replacement, which works good--no leaks. Unfortunately, I went to make coffee the next day but nothing happened. The display showed it was working, but it did not heat the water. I called BUNN again, and they sent another brewer. So far, this one is working just fine. I have to say BUNN customer service has been excellent in dealing with my issues--both times sending out replacements promptly.
Buy BUNN HG Phase Brew 8-Cup Home Coffee Brewer Now
I made my 1st pot of coffee with this today, and I can say that this pot made the best coffee I have ever made. I went with this Bunn model because it was affordable, had a clock/timer, and preheats the water to the correct temperature before the brewing begins. The unit was very attractive, easy to set up, and though the directions said the water had a 6 minute heat up time and then a 3 minute brew time, my coffee was ready much quicker. I add liquid creamer to my coffee, and even though it was chilled creamer, the coffee was still piping hot. The coffee was smooth, with no bitter notes at all. I used Dunkin'' Donuts freshly ground arabica beans, and it tasted better than any coffee I ever got at their donut shop! Bunn has made a believer out of me, the water temp. really makes a huge difference.
Read Best Reviews of BUNN HG Phase Brew 8-Cup Home Coffee Brewer Here
First off, let me say I almost NEVER drank ''drip-style'' coffee before I started using this Bunn maker. I have a french press at work, and use that every day -on the weekends, I usually don''t bother with the drip maker at home and when I do, I''m usually not crazy about the flavor. More trouble than it''s worth.
Enter this newfangled coffee maker... the technology is touted at length on the product description, so I''ll spare a re-hash, but to summarize:
Dimensions: this fits atop my kitchen counter, beneath the cabinets, without a problem. Not sure what others on here have been complaining about (unless their cabinets are really low). It''s a little taller than my old maker, but not that much taller. Fits in the same spot as the old one.
Aesthetic: I like the brushed steel / black aesthetic. Modern, and meshes with other devices around the kitchen/house. I''m not a stickler for interior decoration, but it''s still a plus.
Ease of use: same as a normal maker; fill the carage, pour the water in the receptacle, place filter, scoop coffee, hit ''Start''... in 8-10 minutes you get perfect coffee.
Carafe: this is where this product gets 4 stars instead of 5. It''s a relatively small annoyance, but so key with coffee makers that it does mean I''m lowering my rating. The Carafe is attractive and well-made, but you have to be careful pouring water into the top receptacle, and be even more careful pouring hot coffee into your mug. Why? The pour spout is ''modern'' looking, as in it''s mostly flat, without a clearly defined pouring channel. As a consequence, liquids tend to run to the sides of the pour spout and will trickle down the outside of the carafe and spill on your counter/table/lap.
This can be MOSTLY mitigated by pouring carefully and you have to leave the top on (helps reduce the seepage/spilling). After a few times, I got more or less accustomed to it and can avoid spilling now, but it''s still a small annoyance that, repeated with each pour, makes me miss my old coffee maker''s carafe.
Coffee Flavor: the bubbling/steaming sound as the water heats up sets your mouth to watering. When the coffee brews, the smell instantly fills the room and house. The coffee from this machine is much bolder than normal drip-style makers, yet, true to the manufacturer''s promise, is not bitter at all -I''d say even bolder (and still less bitter) than the coffee I make with my french press. I really believe the technology and the super-hot water make superior coffee.
Capacity: the 8-''cup'' capacity is fine for me. Makes 3-4 good mugs of coffee, and for those who want more, it''d be easy to refill the maker and re-start it... by the time you''re done with your cup(s), another batch will be ready.
BOTTOM LINE: I really wish i could give this maker 5 stars. It is a great coffee maker. It looks cool, it sounds cool, makes the house smell good, the coffee tastes great, and it''s well-made. One small design flaw -a quirky and sometimes spillage-prone carafe pour spout -presents a relatively minor annoyance, but as it''s repeated each time you make coffee, it makes you wonder why the engineering team at Bunn didn''t make a slight design tweak to mitigate the pouring problem. Oh well it''s otherwise an outstanding coffee maker.
Want BUNN HG Phase Brew 8-Cup Home Coffee Brewer Discount?
We don''t tend to drink coffee often at all. I have had coffee from all sorts of coffee makers over the years and I just was not impressed by them. Coffee always seems to have that bitter edge that does not thrill me at all. My husband and son have had it on occasion but don''t make a regular habit of drinking it.
...then we got the Bunn HG Phase Brew 8-cup Home Brewer.
I have never had a cup of coffee like that in my life!
WHAT IS THE BUNN HG PHASE BREW 8-CUP HOME BREWER LIKE?
We have made coffee so much since receiving this coffee maker, and I have to say that this is one of the most fabulous experiences I have had in a long while. The coffee maker has a 2-8 cup capacitybut this is only 5 oz cups so if you tend to have larger cups of coffee, this only has a small capacity for a few cups tops.
The water is poured in the top and a flap pushed over the opening, and immediately the water begins to boil. Six minutes later the water is at a consistent temperature of 200 degrees and the liquid is sprayed in the filter over the coffee where it takes 4 minutes to brew. The coffee pot sits on the warming plate and stays warm up two hours before automatically shutting off. The package comes with about 20 coffee filters to start you off.
There is a timer that allows you to preset coffee for the following morning if desired.
WHAT DO I THINK OF THIS COFFEE MAKER?
I have to say that this coffee maker makes unbelievable coffee. Bitterness is at a minimum, and the coffee is smooth and lusciousfor coffee, anyway.
NOT JUST FOR COFFEE...
I was wondering what a non-coffee fan like me would find to do with this amazing machine when I decided to take the plunge and make a cup of green tea the same way that I brewed the coffee. The results were AMAZING!!!
We have tested this unit out with herbal, fruit, green and white teas, all with fantastic results. Tea is strong and full but no bitterness. This is such a delight, I can not tell you how excited I am about this. We all arewhenever making tea or coffee with this thing, we all line up in front of it and try to divide up the spoils to satisfy everyone.
The pot that comes with this machine is a bit tricky to work with and does dribble when you pour it sometimes, but it is not that bad to work with. I just make sure that I wipe it quickly before placing on the warmer. My husband is more irritated with this than I am.
FINAL COMMENTS
So, whether it is tea of coffee, the Bunn HG Phase Brew 8-cup Home Brewer is a delightful machine. The pot has a flap on top which has to be held in place with the thumb so it does not flip open when pouring, but it is not a big deal. So far, the pot also pours well, with just a few occasions of dripping, but it is not too bad.
As long as you remember to turn off the machine and not put an empty pot on the warming plate, this machine works great so far. We use it constantly and can not wait to experiment even more with it.
One last thingyou HAVE to use the filters designed for this coffee maker to get the best resultsand they are not bleached with chemicals so there is not a twisting of flavor like some bleached filters do.
When making tea from bags, we do not use a filter, but instead line the metal cup with the bags evenly distributed across the bottom, but when making loose tea, we do use a filter, allowing for one spoonful per cup of tea wanted. We find that a full 8 cup pot of tea serves our four medium sized mugs perfectly.
UPDATE
Since the writing of this review, we have made 25 types of tea and 8 types of coffee including organic. In every single case whether it be white, green, black, or herbal tea and whether it be caffeinated or de-caf coffee, the results have been superior to any other method we have used in making these same varieties of tea or coffee. We have never been so impressed by a coffee or tea making machine or method as we have this Bunn Phase Brew coffeemaker. I do not exaggerate when I say that everyone in my family raves EVERY SINGLE TIME we drink a beverage brewed in this machine. It is fantastic!
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