Coffee, Tea and Me» coffee maker

Hamilton Beach 43253 Ensemble 12-Cup Coffeemaker

RT Cunningham — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 07:25:05 +0000

If I buy this red coffee maker, it will only be because I'm trying to please the wife. You see, she has this thing about the color red. If she had her way, everything we own would be one shade of red or another. We had a 1990 Toyota Corolla once and, as you can probably guess, it was red. Fortunately, I don't make my purchasing decisions based on color alone. There has to be something else that compels me to make my selection. Nevertheless, when I spotted the Hamilton Beach 43253 Ensemble 12-Cup Coffeemaker on Amazon, I just had to take a look and read the reviews.

Features

The features seem as if they should apply to just about any decent coffee maker, with minor exceptions like exact size and such:

12-cup coffeemaker with user-friendly control panel and digital display
Programmable clock/timer for "wake-up" coffee; brew-pause function
Glass carafe with stay-cool handle, measuring marks, and drip-free pour spout
Nonstick hot plate; 2-hour automatic shut-off for safety; easy-to-clean removable parts
Measures approximately 11 by 8 by 14 inches; 1-year limited warranty

Non-Features

This is a relatively inexpensive automatic drip coffee maker and as such, some of the features the higher-priced models include just aren't there. You get what you pay for, and this coffee maker is no exception.

I'm sure I'm not alone when I say I really don't need a removable water tank, bean grinder or cup warming plate. On the other hand, there aren't any strength settings either, something I've come to expect in any coffee maker I buy. I don't care about the timer, but it seems like every coffee maker beyond the ultra-cheap has it installed.

Pricing and Availability

If it's on Amazon, I'm sure it's available all over the place, including the local Walmart store (if you're in the US, that is). I can't buy this locally with our lack of coffee makers and I'm not sure I would want to.

The coffee maker sells for $41.99 (on up) on Amazon and I don't know what your local prices may be. Even if I buy it, I would have it shipped by a relative in the US who sends me a couple of cargo boxes each year.

Amazon Reviews

I didn't notice it until I read the review, but the top of the carafe doesn't leave room for more than 12 cups if you overfill the water tank. I suppose it's not a big deal, but a person could be in for a surprise if he or she isn't paying attention.

Other than that, I didn't really read anything bad about this coffee maker. The only recommendation I noted was that a permanent coffee filter was recommended because they work well with it.

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A Lack of Coffee Makers in Olongapo City, Philippines

RT Cunningham — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 19:00:16 +0000

While I was shopping at the Royal Subic supermarket at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, I noticed various brands of imported fine grind gourmet coffee on one of the shelves. One that I specifically remember is "Melitta Fair Trade Organic Gourmet Coffee". It's not cheap, with the "Sun & Moon" blend being $8.50 for 10 ounces/283 grams. Still, I had a desire to drink something besides the instant coffee I've been drinking. Since I don't have a coffee maker, I set out to find one.

Appliance Stores that DO NOT carry Coffee Makers

After visiting a few small appliance stores and two major appliance stores, I've almost come to the conclusion that Olongapo City is the instant coffee capital of the world. I only found two brands of coffee makers in the two major appliance stores and only a couple of choices of models. One brand is "American Home" and the other brand name is an oriental name that I couldn't pronounce and I can't remember.

The American Home automatic drip coffee makers resembled other coffee makers I've seen and even owned while living in the US. When I got home, I did a Google search for these coffee makers and guess what? I couldn't find them anywhere. The closest I could come was "American Home Appliances" in the American Home building in Quezon City (metro Manila), Philippines. My guess is that it's a locally produced brand and that the "American" part of the name is a misnomer, probably intentional.

Other Options

The American Home coffee makers are cheap. The only one I liked at the "Savers" store costs a mere 600 pesos (about USD $13.00). It will suffice until I can get a better one. It has a "built-in" coffee filter, so at least I don't have to buy any paper filters for it. I won't be buying it until June, however, because I'm strapped for cash until then.

One of my neighbors, whose family recently moved from California, told me that they brought their coffee maker with them because they knew they couldn't find any locally. He's a disabled ex-military guy, just like another neighbor of mine. They're both Filipino, however, so it's not like I'm being surrounded by other Americans even if both of them served with the US military.

My wife is returning to the US this month for a few months (less than a year). My oldest son's family (including our grandson) lives there and my son's paying for the tickets. Anyway, my wife always sends at least one "balikbayan box" every time she's in the US. This time, she'll be buying a better coffee maker.

One other alternative is to take a trip to Manila to find what I need or want. Because I absolutely refuse to go to Manila unless I'm going for some other reason (such as a trip to the American Embassy) and I seriously doubt I'll be doing that within the next year, Manila is not an option.

As soon as I have a coffee maker, and some gourmet coffee, I'll start writing about the gourmet coffee and let you know how it tastes. Of course, I'll be comparing it to the standard brands like Folgers and Maxwell House only at the beginning.

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Choose your Pod Coffee Maker Wisely

RT Cunningham — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 09:20:27 +0000

A pod coffee maker, as I recently found out, is the preferred term for a single serve one cup coffee maker. It's because it forces water through little coffee packets, or pods, under pressure. Examples of some pod coffee makers include models like the Keurig Special Edition B60 Gourmet Single Serve Coffee Maker and the Black & Decker DCM18S Brew 'n Go Personal Coffeemaker with Travel Mug. If this is the kind of coffee maker you want to buy, there are a few of things you need to be aware of before plunking down your hard-earned cash.

Pod Coffee Maker Coffee Drawbacks

According to the Consumer Reports article, "A different (but not better) breed of brewer", each cup produced by a single pod is relatively weak compared to that which you can get from a traditional automatic drip coffee maker.

If you like your coffee a little on the strong side, and a particular pod coffee model doesn't allow you to use more than one pod at a time, it's best to skip that model and find a model that does. To be honest, I hadn't considered it until reading that article.

Another caveat is that there's usually little choice in the brands of coffee you can use or the coffee varieties within each brand. The pods tend to be machine-specific, not interchangeable with any other pod coffee maker, and sometimes specific to a particular model even when produced for other models from the same manufacturer.

The final issue you need to be aware of is that only some of the coffee pods are available for purchase at the local supermarket. That's okay, really, because the best-tasting, top coffee brands aren't usually sold at the local supermarket.

Pod Coffee Maker Sales

According to an article at The Gourmet Retailer, "Sales of Pod Coffee Makers Jump 20 Percent", pod coffee maker sales are up 20 percent for the first six months of 2010 compared to the first six month of 2009. Pod coffee makers already account for 30 percent of the sales of all drip coffee makers.

I wonder how long the percentage of pod coffee makers being sold will continue to rise. How many people buy these coffee makers without realizing the drawbacks that come with them? The drawbacks are obviously going to be more profound depending on what pod coffee maker is chosen, the consumer's location and the prices of the pods. A person living in a large US city is going to find availability much more to their liking than a person living in a rural farm town.

The key factor driving pod coffee sales is convenience. I don't think the sales are going to slow very much anytime soon. Being able to make a single cup serving of coffee at home or work, when one cup is all you want, is just way too convenient to ignore.

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The DeLonghi DCF212T Coffee Maker

RT Cunningham — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:52:13 +0000

DeLonghi is an Italy-based small appliance manufacturer which expanded in a big way in 2001. It's probably more accurately spelled "De' Longhi", but search engines probably wouldn't put the two words together as they should. I've been asleep at the wheel or something because I just recently heard of the company for the first time, unlike brands such as Mr. Coffee or Cuisinart. Still, the DeLonghi coffee makers offer at least one unique feature which should be mentioned.

The DeLonghi DCF212T Coffee Maker

This particular model (and other models may have it, but I haven't checked) has a patented system which allows you to easily access the water tank and coffee filter from the front. The company claims you will "never move your coffee maker" again. They have obviously never met my wife. She moves everything that can possibly be moved.

I don't know how many other coffee manufacturers, and I'm sure I'll come across others, produce coffee makers with "permanent filters", but DeLonghi boasts of it for this model. This is actually something I would appreciate since I use bottled water for my coffee. I'm not really into being "green" and have nothing against the paper filters, but less trash is less trash.

As far as price goes, I see it advertised for prices from $40 to $49.95. There's not much wiggle room there and I'm wondering that, if I find this particular model locally, would I be able to get the price lower than $40. Inquiring minds want to know – since my wife is already home for good, at least I don't have to do the haggling myself.

It's too hot to drink coffee after breakfast-time right now, so shopping can wait for a week or three. Hopefully, I'll know exactly what I want when we start looking for a new coffee maker by the time we actually get out of the house.

Delonghi DCF212T @ testfreaks.com

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The Cuisinart DCC-1150 Coffee Maker

RT Cunningham — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:44:45 +0000

Time isn't on my side in some ways. A few months have passed since I mentioned I was going to save myself some money by buying a coffee maker. Frankly, I just haven't had the the desire to go out and look for one, haggle over the price and be done with it. Since my wife will be joining me in about a week, after more than a year-long separation, I think I'll just wait and let her do the haggling. In the meantime, I'm going to do some virtual shopping to see what the prices should be as opposed to what the vendors want to charge me.

I'm going to start with the Cuisinart models because it's one of the brands I'm most familiar with. Now, when it comes to virtual shopping, time IS on my side since I don't actually have to go anywhere.

The Cuisinart DCC-1150 Coffee Maker

I don't know about other people, but the first thing I look at is the price. Is it within my target price range? If it is, I'll continue to read. If it isn't, I'll move on to something else. My target price range is between $50 and $100 — anything lower is probably too cheaply made and anything higher is probably not worth the extra expense. I found this particular model, the DCC-1150, at Cuisinart's site for $79.95, so it's within my price range. Knowing that prices can vary greatly, I looked around and found the same model selling at other places for as low as $58.99 (a little more than $20 less than the manufacturer's suggested price). If you add the 12 percent VAT tax I have to pay locally, the lower price is still lower than the suggested price.

This particular model has a 10-cup stainless steel thermal carafe, a plus against the humidity and salt air of the Philippines. It comes in either black or white (I prefer black) and has all the features you'd expect from a coffee maker in this price range. One of the coffee maker accessories I can probably do without when it comes to this particular model is the charcoal water filter. I have bottled water brought in weekly, so any decent filter will probably do the trick to get some amazing mugs of coffee. I can probably get the rest of the accessories at the same place I buy the coffee maker.

Regardless of which Cuisinart model I choose, if I choose a Cuisinart model, I know I can find exactly what I'm looking for in terms of price and usability. I've been told by some of the local merchants that I can find that brand, among others, at any of the SM Malls. I hope I don't have to go that far, but with my wife around once again, it's a given that I'll be traveling more often and further from home than I have the desire to do.

Cuisinart DCC-1150 @ testfreaks.com

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How I Plan to Save Money by Buying a Coffee Maker

RT Cunningham — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:02:26 +0000

I'm preparing to buy a new coffee maker in order to save money on my electric bill. That may sound a bit strange from a person who's been drinking instant coffee for more than three years already. How could I possibly save money by buying a coffee maker that requires electricity in order to operate? Believe it or not, the hot water dispenser that I use to make hot coffee uses more electricity than a coffee maker ever will.

My Electric Bill

There are two items at my house that are sucking up the juice: My hot water dispenser and my hot water tank. The reason is because the heating elements are constantly on (unless I'm a victim of yet another weekly power outage).

I know these two items are the primary culprits because the only other things I have on constantly in my house is my refrigerator and my PC. When I bought the hot water dispenser, my electric bill jumped up by about $20 USD per month. That's just too expensive, in my opinion, for the convenience of a ready supply of hot drinking water.

There is one other way to heat the bottled water and that's by using the microwave oven, but that kind of defeats the money-saving idea. The tap water gets pretty hot, if I let it run for a couple of minutes, but there's no telling what kind of nasties are in it along with the water. No thanks, but I prefer the safety of the bottled water I buy (at about $4.00/200 pesos for 25 gallons, I might add).

Sorry, but I won't sacrifice a hot shower for anything. Not even to save a few more bucks.

Which Coffee Maker or Coffee Maker Brand

There is one other reason I want to buy a new coffee maker: I'm tired of drinking instant coffee. I'm tired of making it by the cup and I'm tired of forgetting how many spoons I put in (when interrupted by relatives) the cup. Not only that, but a couple of in-laws leech instant coffee from me on a regular basis.

A small, 4-cup coffee maker just won't do. I can polish that off within an hour of waking up in the morning. I don't fancy myself making more than two 8 or 12-cup pots of coffee per day. With carafes of those sizes, my in-laws can steal some of my coffee each day and it won't interfere with my daily routine.

Now, I live in the Philippines. I've been to most of the stores where coffee makers are sold and I've seen some Japanese brands as well as American brands, but I didn't see any Mr. Coffee. It doesn't matter, because I prefer buying a Cuisinart coffee maker and I think that's a brand I spotted at the SM Mall in San Fernando, Pampanga the last time I was there. I probably wouldn't have to go that far again (about 50 kilometers) and can probably find one locally, but I doubt the local stores carry Cuisinart coffee maker accessories such as replacement lids and filters.

Back in 1988, I gave a Cuisinart coffee maker to a fellow US Marine at Christmas time because he drank more "lifer juice" than I ever did. When I left that base in 1992, he was still using it and it still worked like it did when it was new. In contrast, I had a GE coffee maker that bit the dust within four months during that same period. I don't remember what brand I bought to replace it with, but I spent more money on it than I probably should have.

Checking Review Sites and Prices

I wouldn't be doing this if I was in the US. In the Philippines, however, I have to check prices before going on any kind of specific shopping run because I know what gimmicks the sales people pull. One of my nephews worked at a local appliance store and the way the sales associates made more than their paltry wage was to jack up the prices (no prices tags on the items).

To be forewarned is to be forearmed, or something like that. So I headed over to TestFreaks, a site I'm already familiar with, and checked out the Cuisinart coffee makers. After selecting the model I want, the Cuisinart DTC-975 (because of the thermal carafe), I headed over to PriceGrabber.com to get a feel for the median price. It appears I can expect to pay between $60 and $90 USD for it.

The Filipino Art of Haggling

I don't know if I'll be able to get that exact coffee maker model. It depends on import stocks. I'll still get a similar model, with a thermal carafe, for around the same price or even less. I learned the Filipino art of haggling from my wife and I'm getting pretty good at it.

The secret is to buy multiple items. When I do that, and haggle along the way, I usually get the prices knocked down for each item. I live on a fixed income and every dollar (or peso) counts. As the expression goes, a penny saved is a penny earned.

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