Mr. Coffee Coffee Maker, Programmable Coffee Machine with Auto Pause, 10 Cups, Stainless Steel

First things First:So I just received this coffee maker today, to replace an over 10 years old Mr. Coffee maker that the physical buttons began to fail on. The process of set-up, cleaning and brewing was straight forward and easy. But bear with me and follow the steps I've laid out here.My Process and Cleaning Cycle:Upon unpacking, I ran 2 cups of white vinegar through it, on the Clean cycle. Then I ran 2 pots of pure filtered water through it, to remove the vinegar, and then brewed my first pot of strong coffee after completing the cleaning process. The cleaning process takes 45 minutes, so do know that if the "Clean" light illuminates, and you decide to clean and descale it, it won't be a quick process. The instruction manual says it will illuminate after 90 brew cycles, so keep this in mind.Included Carbon Filter Disks:I won't be using the included carbon filter disk, as I have a reverse osmosis system that removes impurities, chlorine, mineral sediments and improves water flavor on its own, so the carbon filter would be redundant and unnecessary for me. However, my old Mr. Coffee maker that this one replaced, also used these carbon filters, and I have used them in the past, so I can attest to their effectiveness.Brewing Process and Coffee Flavor:After the extended cleaning process, and thoroughly rinsing the coffee maker, I brewed my first pot of coffee. I use a store brand 10-12 cup natural (brown) disposable coffee filters, and have for years with no issues in my old Mr. Coffee maker. So dont feel the need to purchase the name brand, as suggested in the owner's manual, it's really not necessary. Just be sure it is the right size (10-12 cup and not 4-8 cup), is fully seated and not tilted in the filter basket. Place your desired amount of coffee grounds into the basket and level. Fill the water reservoir to the desired amount for the amount of coffee you want to make, but be sure not to fill past the "10 Max" line.Then, if you desire, select the "Strong" button and "Brew Now" or "Brew Later" button. Seat the carafe onto the Brew station platform, and be sure it is fully seated. Then, depending on your preferred Flavor, select the "Strong" button and either the "Brew Now" or "Brew Later" button. The brew cycle is quite quick and you'll soon be enjoying a nice hot cup of coffee. There is no audible chime when the pot is done brewing, unlike my old Mr. Coffee maker. That I will miss. Past that, my first Brew tastes amazing.Additional Tips:>>First step should be to read and then reread the short instruction manual. It has valuable operating instructions, which will ensure best performance, longevity, enjoyment and troubleshooting tips. The manual is literally just 16 pages long. Trust me, it took me all of 5 minutes to read, so take the time, it could save you from making unnecessary mistakes that could effect your enjoyment and the longevity of this Mr. Coffee maker.>> Second step, don't skip running the cleaning cycle, or at least running a Brew Cycle with vinegar and rinsing with 2 pots of water before brewing your first pot of coffee. We all know that no matter how meticulous the manufacturing and inspection is, there's always residue and potential for small pieces of plastic from the manufacturing process, this is just a given. After I ran the cleaning process above, I found a single tiny piece of plastic floating in the water in the carafe, so just endure the cleaning. No plastic is good to ingest.>> Do Not over fill the water reservoir. Do be sure to level the ground coffee and ensure the filter is properly seated into the basket. Also, be sure to take your time when replacing the removable water reservoir, filter basket and carafe. If any of these are improperly placed it can, and will, effect the functionality of the coffee maker.Address complaints:Finally, I'll address the complaints with the speed, to which, the brewed coffee dispenses from the carafe. They're simply silly and petty. Does it come out as fast as a glass carafe? No. But it dispenses just fine and does not cause spillage while pouring 205° degree coffee! It does require you to depress a button toward the back of the handle on the carafe. It's not difficult to depress or reach with one hand while dispensing.And, while I've just begun using this maker today, I can not give an opinion about leakage. As I've only run a clean cycle, 2 pots of filtered water and 1 pot of coffee through this maker. Only time will tell. But I suspect, as is the case frequently, it is operator error and failure to read and follow the manufacturer's instructions. I get it, operating a coffee pot seems pretty straight forward, but taking 5-10 minutes to familiarize oneself with a new machine can be the difference between many years of enjoyment or a complete disaster. Of course, there are always cases of manufacturing defects, but considering the several "leaking" complaints posted about this machine, and the overwhelming number of satisfied reviews, I'm willing to give more credence to operator error than defects.So let me reassure you:1) Time will tell, but I've found that proper care and operation lead to longevity and enjoyment;And 2) This is a fine coffee maker. It is easy to set up and operate. And produces a superb cup of coffee. Buy it and enjoy.

This was a replacement for a probably 15+ year old Mr. Coffee model BVMC-PSTX91-WM that my wife just loved. This model BVMC-DT102 coffee maker appears to be an updated version of our prior model.As far as we are concerned, this coffee maker is perfect in every way. Absolutely love the thermal stainless steel carafe which is a much better option than the el cheapo hotplate style makers with a glass carafe. No safety concerns or burnt coffee. With the press to pour lid you don’t have to contend with sloshing or spillage.Set it for delay brew and you can wake up to piping hot fresh coffee. The carafe keeps the coffee hot and fresh for hours.Simple to set and operate. No need to reset the delay brew time – remembers the prior setting. Just fill the water reservoir, add filter and coffee, push the button and you are good to go (but remember to empty any remaining coffee in the carafe or you will wake up to a puddle on your countertop – don’t ask how I know this).The removable water reservoir and filter basket are also great features. Makes getting the machine ready for its next round a breeze.While it is too soon to comment on long term reliability, have had it in service for about a week now. Probably brewed 10 or 12 pots of coffee in that time. No problems or concerns to report – functions exactly as it should.Would buy another in a minute and, since it is the wife’s favorite, I may do so to have a spare on hand just in case they are ever discontinued.Wish I could give it 10 stars!!

I have had the normal range of cheap coffee makers, typically replaced when the glass carafe broke. Then I got a thermal maker from Black and Decker, which had numerous flaws (I wrote a less than flattering review of that one). So this time, I made the effort to read reviews. This one has lots and they are really, really helpful.Some are glowing, and some are not, so I appreciate and respect all of the views expressed, and don't discount anything negative people have said. My perspective is: moving from a low-end thermal maker that had all the issues this Mr. Coffee model claims to resolve, I have in the first few days of use been completely impressed.The water reservoir on the right is easily accessible, even in a relatively tight space to the side, since it lifts straight up. The basket on the right needs about 6" of clearance on the side to pull out. (So under a cabinet might not be a great place for it). Both are easily filled. Markings on the water reservoir are clear and legible. Several people have complained about the water cover, but it seems simple and fine to me; just resting on top. I live in an area with excellent tap water, so have not used the supplied water filter. Normal paper basket filters work fine for me; I don't make a full pot (usually 6 "cups"), but no sign of overflowing as reported by others, even with coffee ground rather finely.(My previous cheaper maker would often overflow and was a pain to fill and hard to read)The coffee is hot. Perfectly hot. I like that I can rinse and empty the carafe with a swish of warm water, but even when it was cold the coffee was hot. The coffee stays hot in the carafe as promised, for hours.(My previous maker neither of these were true, even before the gasket seal fell out)Note that there is no heating element to keep the coffee warm, only to boil the water during the phase of making coffee. I looked at several Bunn models; they all had heaters to keep water near brewing temperature, which seems wasteful and unnecessary to me. As advertised, the coffee from this model brews very quickly.The coffee tastes great. This was a total surprise for me. I love a great cup of coffee, and have tried many different makers, methods, beans, grinds and so on over the years, but never was able to get something I loved at home without jumping through hoops. This model has made me a few really exceptionally good pots of coffee, without me doing anything special. I think this is because the water is hot and distributed over the grounds in the filter basket evenly. Several people remarked that coffee was a little weaker; I had a different experience: same grind and amount of coffee/water as my old maker and I get much richer and more flavorful coffee. This is really what is making me smile.The carafe seats nicely into the space for it. It feels solid and "locked in".(previous maker would often overflow if carafe was not seated just perfectly. Others have said this can happen with this model, but it seems far less likely to me.)Carafe pours cleanly and at a normal rate as far as I can see. Others have said it's slow because it's a vacuum seal, and perhaps that's true, but it's not remarkable slow to my eye.Front panel controls are nice looking and seem well constructed, as do other parts. It doesn't feel cheap. We'll see -- I have been so sorely disappointed in so many products made these days, even high-end name brands. We bought a toaster fro Krups and the lettering wore off the knobs in a matter of months. Really? As I mentioned in my review of my old Black and Decker coffee maker, the plastic button pad peeled up and I had to stick it down again. Really? So fingers crossed, but both design and construction seem solid and durable.After a few days, this seems like a very well made, thoughtfully designed product that does a simple job very well.