amyk49's Full Review: Mr. Coffee NLX20 12-Cup Coffee Maker
About a year ago I was in the market for a new coffee maker. I had a list of must-have features, and spent an entire tedious day shopping for exactly what I wanted. My old coffee maker was a Mr. Coffee, and I didn't have any particular qualms with Mr. Coffee, but somehow I felt I wanted something different this time, something more "exotic" perhaps, like DeLonghi or Krups - just, well, because.
No luck whatsoever. After driving 2 hours to the nearest "big town", searching store after store, I couldn't find what I was looking for. Until, that is, I relented and took a closer look at the new Mr. Coffee line of coffee makers. The Mr. Coffee 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker NLX20 had every single feature I wanted. Not too complicated or fancy, yet basic. The design was nicer than the old Mr. Coffee I had, sort of sleek and rounded. And - now came the true test where other brands had failed - the brew basket holder opened and closed easily and smoothly. I could take the brew basket out and replace it easily and smoothly as well. Nothing drives me nuttier than battling with a coffee maker in the morning. All moving parts must work effortlessly. Mr. Coffee to the rescue!
~ Features
The NLX20 has the following features:
Brewing Pause 'N Serve - A must-have for me. I can't wait for the whole pot to brew! This pause 'n serve is designed well and works smoothly. I've never had a problem or an inadvertent drip yet.
Automatic Shut-Off - Another must-have, because sometimes I'll forget to turn it off. The model will keep your coffee hot for two hours, then automatically shut off. If you need to keep your coffee hot longer, just slide the control switch to "Off" and then back to "On."
Clock and Timer - This model has a timer and a clock, with a lighted display. To set the clock simply press and hold the "Hour" and "Minute" buttons. You can also easily set the coffee maker to brew automatically at a preset time. Oh, and this coffee maker will work even if the clock isn't set. (Handy for those early mornings when the power had gone off and setting a clock is just way too much to deal with before you've had a cup of coffee.)
~ Other Things to Note
This Mr. Coffee model has a lift-up dust cover over the water reservoir. The water reservoir is also marked inside to indicate water levels by cup. It's easy to pour water into the reservoir from pretty much any angle.
The brew basket swings out, and is removable.
The decanter is glass, marked with water levels, up to 12 cups to the metal band. The handle is well balanced and sturdy. The decanter lid is hinged, and removable. I've found the decanter to pour quite nicely with no dripping.
I chose the black model, and I will never ever go back to white again. It looks clean and new still, over a year now. The coffee stains that are inevitable on white just don't show up on the black finish.
What this model does NOT do: (but I didn't want anyway)
There is no adjustment for brewing 1-4 cups
You cannot adjust the warmer plate temperature
There are no audible indicators
My one and only complaint - The clock set buttons are positioned so they are easy to bump and then the time on the clock will change. This can mess up your preset brew time.
~ Final Thoughts
I really love my Mr. Coffee Programmable Coffee Maker. It makes wonderful coffee, day in and day out. I have totally neglected to clean as recommended - every 80 brews for soft water, every 40 brews for hard water. And yet the Mr. Coffee works great every time. It's a keeper!
(I am heading to the kitchen right now to clean the coffee maker - I swear! Hey, I want to make sure it continues making that great coffee.)
Sleek, modern look, with clock and timer for programming. Pause `n Serve allows you to sneak a cup before brewing is complete. Safety auto shut-off, c...More at Amazon Marketplace
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