Still Need My Starbucks!
Written: Dec 05 '02 (Updated Mar 31 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Fast and just the right size for one person
Cons: Filter can be better. Flimsy construction. Useless mug.
The Bottom Line: Average performance but unbeatable form factor.
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| wyu's Full Review: Bodum Chambord 2032 6.34-Cup Coffee Maker |
When I purchased the Black & Decker Brew 'N Go, I was looking forward to saying goodbye to Starbucks and halting my significant weekly contributions to its coffers. But alas, it is not to be.
WHAT I LIKE
Speed
This coffee maker works fast! In only about a minute or so, I have a cup of hot coffee in my hands. Definitely faster than going to Starbucks and waiting in line.
Size
It's perfect for one person with moderate caffeine demands. One cup a day is just about all I need, but if you need more than that, brewing another cup only takes a minute.
Easy to Use
This is my first coffee maker, and I didn't even have to read the instruction manual. Plug it in, pour in a cup (250ml) of water, add 3 teaspoon of coffee to the filter, close the lid, push the on button, and coffee comes out almost immediately. When you are done, just take the filter out, dump the grounds and rinse the filter, and it's ready to go another round.
I also like very much the fact that this machine can make an exact amount of hot water, so that you don't have to get out the kettle. For example, if you just want 8oz of hot water for hot chocolate, you just put exactly that amount into the water reservoir. If you use your kettle, you'll end up wasting electricity boiling more water than you need.
Design Considerations
The small size of this coffee maker allows me to tuck it away in a very small corner of my kitchen. It's about 10 inches high, 7 inches wide and 6 inches deep. I also like the fact that the spout is placed high enough that a number of different kinds of cups/mugs can fit under it (not only the cup provided). Anything 5.5 inches or less can fit under the spout.
The construction isn't too sturdy, since it's completely made out of plastic (not the super hard kind) -- typical for those under $20 coffee makers. That said, however, this flimsiness may actually have a silver lining. I dropped this coffee maker today. The cord got tangled in something and the machine got swept off the counter from the height of three feet. The lid over the water reservoir and linked to the water dispenser (that sprays the water into the filter) broke off. As I bent over to retrieve the lid, my heart sank. I thought it was "game over" for this week-old acquisition.
But no! Intentionally or not, Black & Decker did not fuse the hinge of the lid to the machine. Instead, it can be snapped off and put back on again. So that's what I did. The lid clipped back on and I also managed to reinsert the water dispenser's extension into the groove in the lid. Phew! Close call. This design probably made for easier factory assembly, but it turns out to save klutzes like me.
The travel mug has a 450 ml advertised capacity (that's filling it to the brim), and is well designed in that its plastic handle allows you to grip it without touching the metal exterior. However, even with a full cup of hot coffee in the mug, I have not found the cup to be too hot to touch (i.e. no burns or anything), so the handle design isn't actually necessary. The mug is supposed to be top rack dishwasher safe, but I haven't tried it in one since I don't have a dishwasher. However, even if I did, I'd probably still hand wash this mug because I'm concerned that the non-slip grip-pad glued to the bottom of the mug might melt in the heat. I also haven't taken this mug out for a trip outside. Because it is not insulated, the coffee in it already cools more quickly than I'd like indoors, so I can't imagine it would do that well outdoors in the snow.
WHAT I DON'T
Taste
I don't know what it is, but the taste of the coffee isn't what I'm used to. It is not plasticky, but something else. I will have to try another brand of coffee to verify this, but it can also be due to the filter (see below).
Filter Construction
I can easily see this filter tearing someday and I'd have to buy a new coffeemaker. Unlike permanent filters of more expensive coffee makers, this one is not metal but some sort of closely-woven fabric mesh that is suspended on a plastic cone-shaped frame. This mesh fabric appeared to be glued onto this frame -- although I'm not about to tug at it to test it -- that's how fragile it looks!
If it is the filter that makes a coffee maker then this one is pretty disappointing. The filter's fabric does not seem to be woven tightly enough to completely block out some of the coffee grounds. The last half inch of my coffee is usually undrinkable due to this reason. (This is not due to my overfilling the machine and having the water/grounds overflow. I only put in 1 cup of water when this machine has the capacity for 1.5 cups.)
The Travel Mug
One drawback of this mug is that it cannot be microwaved because of the metal exterior. Aside from making the mug look nicer (even that's debatable), I'd rather have something that I can microwave because the coffee does get cold in this mug if you don't drink it all in one go. So if you like your coffee with the morning paper, this mug is virtually useless unless you like cold coffee. I use it very rarely -- only if I've ran out of clean cups.
I'LL PUT UP WITH IT!
Close as Starbucks is to my house, nothing beats having a cup of coffee before you even dress yourself in the morning. Whatever the flaws of this little machine, it is quick, cheap, compact and easy to use/maintain.
Starbucks is now reserved for special occasions. For those ordinary days, I have the Brew 'N Go.
Latest Update
I have found a new way to make coffee! Have you tried stovetop coffee makers? If not, check out my review of the Bialetti Moka Express: http://www.epinions.com/content_94472081028 My search for a permanent Starbucks replacement continues ...
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
wyu
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Location: New York, NY
Reviews written: 36
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
A sporadic Epinionator who wishes that there's another hour each day just for Epinionating.
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