My New Sunday Best Friend
Written: Sep 08 '01 (Updated Nov 10 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Durable insulated carafe; warmer only hot during brewing cycle; easy operation
Cons: A little larger than many coffee makers; no timer
The Bottom Line: Clumsy and ceramic tile floors just found a friend.
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| smaihlee's Full Review: Philips Cafi Delice HD7612 |
After breaking both the carafe and filter basket on my coffee maker a few weeks ago, I decided it was time for a change. Clumsy and ceramic tile floors do not mix well. Generally, I only make coffee at home on Sundays, and I'm the only one who drinks it. On any other day, I would have just picked up another machine in one of my weekly visits to the friendly neighborhood superstore. However, I was having a powerful day and decided to check out epinions to see about any new and exciting innovations in the world of home coffee makers.
Everything looked pretty run-of-the-mill, that is until I came across the review for the Philips Cafe Delice HD7612. WHOA! I was stopped in my tracks as I read about this wonder with a thermal metal carafe. I was in one of those "must have this" moods, and I swiftly headed to our brand-new neighborhood Target and bought the machine.
My first impression of the Philips Cafe Delice was that it seems a little larger than the average-sized coffee maker. I think this is due in part to the perception received from the subtle hourglass shape of the maker body, though its dimensions truly are a bit larger. Before using the machine the first time, I read through the directions to see what kind of pre-cleaning and setup are required. My machine actually required a bit of minor assembly of parts in the filter basket and water chamber areas (mostly due to the fact that my 2-year-old was rooting in the box and disassembling the coffee maker while I wandered through Target searching for other gadgets). It is suggested that you run a water-only cycle through your machine before your first brew.
Reading the directions is highly recommended with this coffee maker, as is with any new appliance or tool. By doing this, you will realize what the white crescent-shaped fuzzy thing is for. Turns out that this machine has a filtering option for the brew water. This filtering is achieved by putting the crescent-shaped fuzzy thing (aka: water filter)into a plastic holder and snapping it into the water chamber on the machine. While reading the instructions, I learned that this filter is actually counter-productive for a coffee-brewer such as me--someone who brews java infrequently. From the instructions: "Rinse filter well if not used for a couple of days; replace filter if not used for longer period". Hmm...lemme think...nah. As another reviewer put it, if you have a water filter on your faucet, I don't know that the filter would really improve the brew quality all that much.
As for the act of making coffee, using this machine is not unlike most others. 1) Put water in carafe; 2) pour water from carafe into machine chamber; 3) put carafe on hot plate; 4) turn machine on; 5) drink coffee until carafe empty; 6) repeat as desired. This machine uses #4 cone filters that are easy to find at most grocery and mega-stores.
In terms of features, this machine doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles. This is fine for me, because it means one less thing to malfunction or worry about. There is an on/off switch and a "flavor select" switch. No timer, which might be a bummer if you rely on this feature for quality of life in the morning. If you're like me and you grind your beans at the time of making coffee, you shouldn't be bothered.
What do I like about the machine? First and foremost, the thermal metal carafe is wonderful. No broken glass and the coffee stays hot, for at least as long as it takes to drink the contents. The carafe has a screw-top that is tightened during the brew cycle and in between pouring. One thing that is not mentioned in the directions: to pour coffee without making an awful mess, you should rotate the top a full half-turn. I did not do this the first time and the coffee came spewing out the hole of the top, as well as out the side. You get a clean pour with a half-turn of the top.
The second neat thing about this machine is the function of the warming plate. It is only heated up while the brew cycle is taking place. Once the brew cycle is complete, the machine turns itself off and the hot plate cools down. I consider this to be very kid-friendly (meaning curious tots won't be able to burn themselves) and great for those of us who have the habit of forgetting to turn the machine off. Also great for those of us who have husbands who are in the habit of turning off all electrical devices that are not physically attended at the time of use. Double bonus: the carafe is not the least bit hot when brewing is complete. Completely portable and no trivet required to set it on the counter or a table.
Another neat thing about this machine is the mid-cycle pour feature. If you are particularly cranky and cannot wait for the whole pot to brew, you can remove the carafe and the cycle will stop momentarily until you put the carafe back on the warming plate.
Downsides to this machine? I do have one small beef. To put water in the water chamber, you must lift the hinged lid at the top of the machine, not unlike many others. The lid is about 7 inches from front to back, so this is not easily achieved unless you have full clearance above the top of the machine. In addition, the water chamber is U-shaped instead of being square or oval. This being the case, it is a little trickier to get the water in the chamber without spilling some elsewhere. A little practice, and I think I'll be a pro. Other than that, I personally have no problems.
Some may consider the 8-cup limit of the carafe to be limiting to their preference. The machine is a bit pricier than most regular machines, but I think the features are worth it--especially considering I spent as much on my former machine in replacing broken carafes. Also, unlike other machines, the filter basket is a simple plastic "sleeve" that sits down in the machine and removes easily for cleaning. My old machine's filter basket had the "carafe sensor" attached to it (one of the items that broke when I dropped it on the floor).
Two last notes. First, I am unsure of the widespread availability of this machine to date. I got mine at Target because another reviewer said he got his there, so I figured it was a safe bet to look there first. I did look in the coffee maker aisle at Wal-Mart the other day, and they did not have this model or any other Philips coffee makers available. If you're thinking about buying this machine, I would suggest calling around to local stores to check availability. Second, the model I purchased is white with gray accents. The black model, as pictured above, was not available when I purchased mine.
Additional Info...
I wanted to post an additional comment to this review since I've been using the coffee maker for a few months now. This thermal carafe has now become my "EVERYDAY BEST FRIEND". I've had a nasty head cold for several weeks now, and when such things happen I like to drink lots of hot tea and eat things like oatmeal. Not having convenient facilities to boil water at the office, I just run straight water through the machine and tote the carafe with me in the morning. The water stays pleasantly hot for at least 3 hours, and the best part is no spillage! I'm too lazy to grind beans in the morning, but those who do have the inclination might find this option well-suited for taking a pot of coffee to work. Great way to avoid the high price of joe at the office (not to mention the usually nasty taste) or having to stop at the quickie mart on the way in...
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
smaihlee
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Location: Spartanburg, SC
Reviews written: 18
Trusted by: 3 members
About Me:
Sucker for anything - no more!
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