Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

If you are reading these reviews on coffee makers you, like me, are amazed at how nearly every maker has very mixed reviews. Why can't a good standard coffee maker be made? My first drip coffee maker lasted 15 years, my second about 8 years but after reading many of the reviews, it appears it's now common for makers to only last 2-3 years! I do like to grind my own beans and my previous coffee maker was a Melitta but it was mediocre in grinding and started to leak at the end of its 8 years. I decided this medium priced coffee maker without a coffee grinder was a good compromise on price and functionality. I have been using it for a month now and have been very impressed. The cone filters do give a better brew but only if you get coffee that is medium fine ground, many commercial coffees are coarse ground. Melitta also makes some coffee and I have found their Vienna Roast to be particularly good. I do believe that the setting on the machine allowing you to make stronger or weaker brews does work. It basically does a slower cycle if you want stronger coffee but again make sure you have medium fine ground coffee to make this work for you. For those of you who are fanatics about hot coffee, it stays plenty hot on the warmer, I had to actually change my setting to a cooler setting. My only criticism is the basket handle must be up when you insert it into the maker. Once you hear the basket snap then you fold down the handle. It took me several days to figure out why I was having difficulty with the basket. I would have given 5 stars had this feature worked better, but not a problem once you understand how to insert it correctly. So after my frustration at researching coffee makers I am very happy with this one. Rest assured that I will update this review if I find the coffee maker doesn't hold up over time... happy brewing! Update: 20 months later - Dec 2013 - The coffee maker continues to do well at brewing. It is starting to show deterioration of the warming ring with a the coating wearing off and some early rust showing through. Doesn't impact the coffee but shows the quality of the materials aren't as good as old coffee makers I've had.