The ultimate in drip brewing
Written: Jul 14 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Keeps coffee hot for hours without burning it with a hot plate
Cons: brew limit of 8 measured cups; can overflow
The Bottom Line: Easily worth the price if you are a true lover of drip-brewed coffee. Caffeine lovers should seek the myriad cheaper machines.
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| johnwhite's Full Review: Philips Cafi Delice HD7612 |
First off, I am a college student. I also became a coffee lover recently and I needed a good coffee maker as a study aid.
I've had this machine for about nine months and have had little issue with it. Personally, I enjoy sipping coffee and not downing it for solely caffeine-intake purposes. So what appeals to me so much is that I can pour a little coffee in my mug, let it cool a bit, sip, then pour a little more super-hot joe. If you brew an entire pot, the coffee will remain *hot* for at least 6 hours. A half pot will still be hot after around 3 hours.
I wouldn't like to brew a lot of quality beans only to end up burning the coffee as it sits on a hot plate (the typical glass pot). Of course, microwaving to reheat coffee totally mangles the flavor. I drink my coffee black, so I wouldn't have cream or sugar to try to compensate for a heinous, re-heated cup.
Now some may complain that there is no timer on this machine. I am *happy* there is no timer. That would mean the beans would be ground at least eight hours ahead of time (assuming you are timing it for a morning brew). But this way, the beans will loose some of their flavor and freshness! I am a coffee lover but not necessarily a caffeine lover.
An interesting note: there is a hot plate on this machine, but it only operates once the machine begins to brew. I believe this is to heat up the thermal carafe so that the carafe itself doesn't reduce the coffee heat. It only heats up marginally and shuts off once the brew cycle is complete. I find this to be a great example of the thoughtfulness that went into this model's design. True coffee lovers must have designed this.
The design extends from the functionality through its attractive appearance. It's such an attractive item by itself. It looks beautiful next to my Starbucks Barista burr grinder. BTW, Starbucks sells a thermal coffee maker that costs twice as much as this, and is certainly less attractive. I considered no other machines as this one instantly stood out for its beautiful synergy (sorry for the buzzword) of design and function.
Another great use for this pot: portability. Five of my friends and I were taking a class together. It happened to be our first class of the morning (9:55). So, each Tuesday/Thursday, I would brew up a full pot of 8 cups to distribute at the start of class. It was just enough for all of us. The thermal coffee pot performed fabulously at keeping the coffee hot and making it easily ported all the way to class.
Minor flaws: there is an eight cup limit. This is fine with me as I rarely need more than a full pot, and usually brew a half pot. Note: you must not add *any* more water than the line for the eighth and final cup. If you do, it *will* overflow the thermal carafe. It's just something you learn about this machine that you don't expect and you won't accidentally do it again. Also, the manual states that you must press the switch to "off" after a full brew cycle. I have never done this and find no issues after nine months of use.
Cleaning is easy enough. I run the pot under water for a few seconds after each brew to clean it out. The inside of the thermal pot is metal so scents don't linger. Every few months, I run some vinegar through the machine to clear any possible mineral deposits. This is not much of a problem since I only use water from my Brita filter in the machine. An internal water filter is included but I felt it pointless since I have a Brita. Plus, I don't know where I would begin to look for the oddly shaped replacement filters.
The model I purchased cost $79 at Target. It is white, instead of black, which is what I would prefer anyway. I don't know where you can buy the black model.
Buy it now, coffee fans.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
johnwhite
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Member: John White
Reviews written: 9
Trusted by: 2 members
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