Moccamaster KBTS

The Technivorm Moccamaster is a marvel. And, believe me, I did enough research beforehand to assure myself that such a description was probably true, just on account of the price. Woo! I have never paid so much for a coffeemaker! I have, however, owned 8 of them in 30 years. That's just not right. What I knew going in was that none of the 8 coffeemakers I have owned measured up to this one --some because the technology/market demand wasn't "there" yet and others because they just aren't as good, even though they had major brand recognition and lots of rave reviews and some even worked pretty well. The most important thing I have learned during all my years of coffeeholism is something I learned doing this research: The water that brews your coffee has to be between 195-205 degrees; otherwise, there's virtually no possibility that the flavor can be extracted from the ground beans. I guess grinding the coffee beans right before you brew counts for a lot, too, but I was unaware that it made that much difference, so i have no frame of reference in that regard.. The water temperature thing is BIG, though. This machine is ultra-simple in looks, a very sleek, almost retro, look --clean lines, beautiful stainless steel carafe. Some have said that this carafe doesn't keep coffee hot, but I'm afraid I make what I need and serve it --it only takes 5-8 minutes (!) to make an entire pot, so keeping it hot is not an important issue in my opinion. There has also been criticism that the coffee doesn't pour easily because of the shape of the carafe's spout. Okay. If that's all you can find, then ...whatev. ;o] I was so... in awe, sort of, at ordering such an expensive coffeemaker. Okay, so I have money issues - who doesn't? Besides, you can read and research any item all you want, but you don't really know, until you have the thing in hand, whether it lives up to the reviews and claims. When we received it, it was almost like opening sunken treasure; and making our first pot was done in respectful silence. (see "money issues" above). :o) We were stunned. WHAT. A. GOOD. CUP. OF. COFFEE. The same coffee we thought must have been ground wrong or mixed wrong or something, it was so bad in our Capresso, turned out PERfectly in the Technivorm.. Hallelujah! There's still hope for getting great coffee from a home coffeemaker! What's funny is that, really examining the machine one day, I realized that it is REALLY simple-looking --not just in design but in concept. It looks as if someone was having their 39th bad cup of coffee and they threw up their hands and said, "Oh, HELLZbellz, *I* could make a better coffeemaker!" and then they just did --with the same uninformed but very enthusiastic fervor they made go-karts when they were kids. But, most definitely, this is not to say that it's not a sophisticated machine. OHhhh, no --they certainly know what they're doing, and the Moccamaster is obviously worth every penny. It's a simple and yet sophisticated design and, most importantly, it absolutely works like a dream. Technivorm's rave reviews are warranted, in my opinion, and I feel very comfortable giving it one myself. I'm sorry that, apparently, there's not as good a machine made in America; but the Netherlands is not a bad second choice! If you're determined to finally have a GREAT cup of coffee, EVERY time you make one, and, quite likely, use less coffee in the process, then this is your new machine. We've saved a lot of money on coffee already --it wasn't that the coffee was ground wrong, and we didn't have to use *more* to get the flavor we wanted; it was just that the brewing water wasn't hot enough and it took 12+ minutes to brew! Solution? Technivorm Mocca Master. We LOVE this thing, and I bet you will, too.

Most importantly, this brewer makes a delicious cup of coffee in a hurry. It's very simple, both in making the coffee and cleaning up after. The plastic parts are light but not flimsy, and the whole impression is one of well-made quality. I bought this to replace a "full featured" coffee maker where the only feature I used was auto shutoff, which works perfectly on the Technivorm. It's fast enough that in my opinion, there's no need for a timer. The best part of this machine is the carafe. It easily keeps the coffee hot enough for my second cup. The outside doesn't get hot, so you can set it anywhere. It pours slowly but doesn't ever drip, and it's easy to clean (your hand won't fit inside - I use a bottle brush). My only "complaint" is that if you let it air dry, the stainless shows water spots.

I have wanted a Moccamaster for ten years. However, the price and the size put me off until recently. I’ve gone through 3 Bonavita coffee makers in the past 9 years. Bonavita coffee makers work great until they don’t and the warranty and customer service are terrible. I was ready to try something new, something that would last. So I decided to finally get a Moccamaster after finding out they have a smaller model, the KBTS. It’s about the same size as the Bonavita but is a quality build and has a 5-year warranty. The Moccamasters are handmade in the Netherlands. They are meant to be the coffee maker you keep for a lifetime. If it breaks after the warranty, you can send it in for repairs to their US location in Portland, Oregon, for $59. They sell all of the parts on their website. I love a company that stands behind its products and repairs them instead of sending them to a landfill. So how does it brew? It makes delicious coffee. However, this coffee maker may not be for everyone. If you love great coffee and are willing to spend a bit of time dialing it in, you will love it. Think of it like an automatic pour-over. The Moccamaster coffee makers are known for being able to get the water hot enough (196-205ºF) to properly brew coffee. They are SCA certified meaning they meet stringent qualifications based on proper water temperature, brewing time, and ability to brew within the SCA Golden Cup recommendations. The Moccamaster works best with a medium-coarse grind, something similar to what you would use with a Chemex. If you have a burr grinder, you may need to adjust your settings. If you get your coffee ground for you, ask for a pour-over grind instead of one for drip coffee. If you buy pre-ground coffee, it will likely not work as well. If you are spending the money on this fine appliance, it’s worth getting good coffee beans and a burr grinder. The first pot we brewed was a little weak. We like a stronger ratio than what is recommended. They recommend 1:16, we like 1:15. The second pot was a little bitter. We were still using the grind setting for the Bonavita which was finer. We have a Baratza Encore coffee grinder, so we set it to 19 instead of 17. When we made it slightly more coarse, it was perfect! You may have to play with this a few times until you get exactly what you want. (By the way, the Baratza grinders are also well made and meant to be repaired instead of thrown out. Another quality company!) The stainless steel carafe has a pour-through lid. This helps the coffee stay hot but allows you to pour the coffee without removing the lid. It also comes with a second travel lid that you can use if you want it to stay hot past one hour or are taking it with you. Even though the carafe does not have a specific pour spout, that hasn’t been an issue. It pours evenly without a drop spilled. The opening to the carafe is small, so you will need a bottle brush to properly clean it. None of the pieces are dishwasher safe, so you will need to hand wash everything. As I mentioned, this is not for everyone. However, if you are a coffee enthusiast who wants something straightforward and well-made, the Moccamaster may be your next and best purchase. I am glad that there are companies out there still making quality products that they stand behind. It’s rare. You get what you pay for. There’s a great video on YouTube showing a tour of the factory. If you want to see how they’re made and by whom, you’ll see why they are worth the price. I figure I’ve spent almost $600 on 3 different Bonavita coffee makers that break after a few years or a few weeks, like my last one. Spending $300 on something that will last and is repairable is a bargain.

I wanted a coffee brewing machine with less plastic. I like the way it is arranged and enjoy watching the brew water raining down. It works swiftly, and the metal coffee pot is great to keep the coffee hot for at least a couple hours. But there are many plastic parts here - some of these parts could be glass or metal, such as the water tank and lids. It should either cost less with these materials, or include with better parts in the build at the cost listed. It does make a good brew of coffee quickly, so I give it the OK rating. I'm not returning it, but I would not tell you to quit looking. If the cost is your price range for an accessory device, or you really like coffee and you want to try it out, then go ahead. -----Pros: Speed, operation design, metal pot, visibility, simplicity. -----Cons: Over-priced, poor affordability, plastic parts, no shut-off when empty. ----either: lower capacity, unusual filter type

I cherish my daily coffee and am picky about my beans, grinder, water, etc. This product is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship and I was able to get a good cup of coffee from it. However, to match previous machines and brew an excellent cup, I had to manually pause the brew cycle for bloom time by sliding the carafe away from its trigger button. Then, when resuming, to get the best flavor, I had to manipulate the brew basket by rotating it at least once during the brew cycle to ensure even extraction. You could skip those steps and get a good cup, but for the price point, I didn't feel this was reasonable. I wonder if a modified shower style drip head might help reach the far side of the basket better as others have mentioned, but I'm not willing to drop another $150 to try it. I really wanted to support this company's quality philosophy, but don't want to manipulate my coffee machine during brewing as much as this machine would require for my taste. For those who are less discriminating about flavor, this machine will be great, looks modern, and has a fabulous warranty. After scouting reviews before the purchase, I can clarify that the brewer reaches an excellent temperature for extraction. Also, some claimed that the carafe didn't pour nicely because it lacked a spout, but I strongly disagree. If the plastic lid part is screwed in correctly, the fully circular lip poured beautifully without a drip. There is some residual coffee left around the rim, but a daily rinse would prevent any staining. The carafe kept coffee reasonably hot for drinking for about an hour, perhaps longer if you replace the brew-through plastic lid with the no air exit one provided, although I didn't have a reason to try that.

I have absolutely nothing negative to say about this coffee maker. It’s simple, it’s stylish, and above all else, it makes extraordinary coffee. I did a TON of research before buying this machine. We’ve had Keurig brewers, Nespresso brewers (which make terrific coffee but the capsules are expensive and can only be purchased from Nespresso), a Viking drip brewer (pretty to look at but SLOOOOOWWWWWW and noisy), and on and on. This time, I wanted to get it right. The Moccamaster doesn’t have a ton of bells and whistles, but I don’t miss them. I set up the morning brew before I go to bed at night, turn it on when I get up, and a fresh pot is ready in about five minutes. It’s whisper quiet when it’s brewing and the coffee is flawless. Spending north of $300 for a new brewer was something I thought long and hard about, but I regret nothing.

For many years I’ve used a basic Mr. Coffee “Blade Grinder” and “Coffee Machine”. The blade grinder has lasted forever. It’s a workhorse. I’ve gone thru several coffee machines. Decided to take the plunge and upgrade and thru research found stellar reviews for the Technivorm Moccamaster. Here is what I learned. 1. Note: moved to a “Burr Mill” (Cuisinart DBM-8) so this review is my impression of a Burr Mill/Moccamaster (79212 KBTS)combination. 2. The coffee the Moccamaster makes is superior. It’s the right temp and has no bitterness that I got from my old setup. This is the whole reason to pay this premium price. 3. The Moccamaster is well built. It is very quiet and brews quickly. I recommend getting a version with a Thermal Carafe; no burnt coffee from a hot plate. Only comes with 3 filters so just buy extra up front. Filters are super easy to install/dispose. 4. The height of the machine is a issue. I opted for the 8 cup version because of this. The 10 cup versions gets too close to the bottom of my kitchen cabinets; was worried about steam under cabinet over time. 5. Also need to consider the footprint/orientation of this coffee maker. I keep mine next to the sink so I can use my faucet hose to fill water tank. And I oriented it so the carafe is towards me with tank behind. 6. The only things that keeps this coffee maker from perfection; There is a button the carafe must depress to run; if you don’t notice this you’ll come back to no brewed coffee. This function is needed but, you must pay attention. There is a plastic platform the carafe sits on; it’s nice but, you must make sure it is properly installed. Not a big deal but, worth noting. Automatically shuts off brewing when water is used but, you must remember to turn off the machine. Again not a big deal but, probably would have been better to just automatically shut off the main power when done brewing; it’s not like it needs to keep a hot plate on. This machine is expensive but, if you love coffee then it might very well be worth it. Summary: Excellent brewed coffee. Easy to use. Built well. Carafe keeps coffee hot for reasonable time-frame. A few basic features keep it from absolute perfection. Cost to purchase will be a barrier for many.

Leaks! I have used the Technivorm-Moccamaster KBTS 8-cup about 10 times and it has leaked every time. I tried to tighten the bottom screws, but this did not help the slow puddle that forms underneath the Moccamaster every time. I do not overfill, I only fill it to 6 cups and the machine drips from the bottom left corner pad (right under the on / off switch). It's an electrical accident waiting to happen. The one star rating is for having to deal with returning this machine (and all its associated parts) to Amazon after paying ~$300. I will admit, this machine will make a good pot of coffee. I normally make coffee every morning using a 1-cup ceramic filter, grounded beans, and I pour very hot water over grounds to make a very strong cup. We bought this machine to make excellent coffee when guests are over so I don't have to make one or two cups at a time. However, the Technivorm-Moccamaster is not a typical coffee machine, and I would not recommend this for someone looking for a conventional coffee machine like the Cuisinart or Breville. The Moccamaster is designed to be simple and there are many pieces that fit together (its a like a child's puzzle toy). While I understand and appreciate the virtues of this design, it takes getting use to this feature. There is one design problem for this model. If you want to park the carafe under the brew basket with the carafe closed (to keep the coffee hot), you will need to remove the "brew-thru-lid," replace it with the thermal carafe travel lid, and remove the bottom pad because it does not fit underneath the brew basket. The picture shows the carafe on the pad, but without the carafe's travel lid (hence, coffee will get cold). Also, the pad doesn't snap to the machine, it kind of hooks on in a loose way. For ~$300, I think about taking these extra steps on a sleepy morning and I feel that I did not get my money's worth. I would rather make coffee using a ~$20 ceramic filter and make a really good cup of coffee. Furthermore, my ceramic filter won't leak, and I don't run the risk of being electrocuted.