Hamilton Beach 12-Cup Programmable Drip Coffee Maker Machine with Glass Coffee Pot, Black

This is a basic coffee maker with a serious flaw. The lid on the carafe is hinged and there is no latch to keep the lid closed when pouring coffee. The lid has a nub that one has to push against when pouring coffee. But those not familiar with the carafe can easily pour hot coffee on the counter or themselves. We are likely to dispose of this coffee maker.

I probably did not fully read the description before buying this coffee maker, because I was disappointed to find it took cone coffee filters, which I do not like and find more expensive than basket style. What I dislike most is the carafe. The opening is small, and coupled with the extreme roundness of the carafe, it is difficult to wash. I use it daily and run my dishwasher about three times a week, thus I hand wash the carafe, and it is not an easy task even though I do not have large hands. Consequently, I returned the Hamilton Beach and purchased a Mr. Coffee, which I love.

While this coffee maker delivers nice tasting coffee, and is easy to use, it has a design flaw that causes the carafe to catch slightly going in and out, and it is made of low quality plastic materials. This combination of bad design and poor materials resulted in the top of the plastic carafe handle that attaches it to the glass holding the coffee to snap off after less than five months of use. It came detached while full of hot coffee, so potentially dangerous. We've had MANY similar coffee pots over the last 40 years and never before had a carafe handle snap off like this.

It is the only coffee maker I know of with a cone shaped filter basket at a reasonable price. Usually you have to pay at least $80 plus for a coffee maker that uses cone shaped filters. I have purchased many coffee makers over the years - both with cone shaped and basket shaped filters - and cone filters make the best tasting coffee in my opinion. Also, filling the water reservoir is very convenient due to the large opening and the water level window that is viewable from both sides. Finally, it has been my experience that most coffee makers stop working after about 4 years of use so why spend $80 -$120 when you can spend $23.38 and still brew a very good tasting cup of coffee.

I ordered this HB model b/c it's become difficult to find cone-type auto drip coffee makers; this was one of the only options out there. So disappointed in the coffee it makes. It is a 12 C pot. With a ratio of 1 T coffee: 9 C water, we end up with grounds in every pot. I emailed HB customer service asking "Is this normal?" They asked for more details. I even sent back pictures (grounds up and over wet filter, grounds in cup, grounds in sink). Their solution was to use *more* coffee. It hasn't helped. Yuck. I haven't read this complaint from others, so I suspect there's something wrong with the coffee pot I got.

This Hamilton Beach coffee maker is a nice addition in the kitchen. I read a few reviews on this coffee maker and it seems that with the control panel on the bottom was a problem for some people. I think they are saying it might stop working if coffee gets in there? Ok I own a coffee maker with the control panel on top and if you think about it, the steam goes upwards into the control panel every time it is used, not to mention the over flow, so therefore the control panel on top, coffee makers will always have moisture in it. I have used the Hamilton coffee maker everyday for the last 2 weeks and not once has the control panel gotten wet. The Hamilton coffee maker has only 5 buttons, 1 hour, 1 minute these set the time of day and time in which to start the maker, 1 program button 1 on/off button and 1 auto. The instructions are very, very easy to understand and very complete. (may I note: the other coffee maker I have has 8 buttons and zero instructions, nearly impossible to use without making a complete mess). The Hamilton Beach Programmable coffee maker uses a 4" cone filter which is not available in all stores, which is my reason for 4 stars. I have found them only in the bigger grocery stores.

Hamilton Beach 12 Cup Programmable Coffee Maker is Black and Stainless Steel. Programmable Clock/Timer. Automatic Shut-Off, Water Window, Auto Pause and Serve. It has a cone-shaped Brew Basket for making great tasting coffee. It uses #4 cone-shaped coffee filters. Non Stick Keep-Hot Plate resists messy coffee buildup and wipes clean. Auto Pause and Serve lets you pour a cup of coffee before the brew cycle is complete. Cord Storage and a simple to program Clock/Timer. Let's you set morning coffee in advance. Made in China. Make sure you push down on the filter basket so it is properly seated in the machine. Just make sure you align the tab correctly and gently press down on the basket so it "seats" properly. You can feel it when it is done correctly. If it is not done correctly the top lid for the coffee maker will not close or it will be difficult to snap the top shut so you will know that the basket is not fully set down. This coffee maker makes good coffee even on the first time. It will turn off automatically. It is good quality and seems to be durable. I would recommend this product. It keeps coffee hot and is easy to pour. Simple to use. Very easy to clean without much scrubbing. I just wipe down the coffee maker with a wet sponge and dry it and then it looks brand new again. It doesn't make a lot of noise. Nice drdign and looks great on the kitchen counter. Really goes good with stainless steel appliances. You can make 12 cups at a time or less. Use 1level tablespoon of coffee for each cup you want to make. Never fill past the 12 cup mark. Great value for the price. I would buy this product for my family. I have no negative comments only positive ones. We love it and it is so easy to use.

We made the serious mistake of purchasing a very inexpensive coffee maker when our last one quit working. What a mistake! It quickly became obvious that we needed to spend a few more bucks and get one that worked better for us. The auto shutoff function is one that didn't seem important to us, but we truly appreciate having it on our Hamilton Beach coffee maker. Who enjoys burnt coffee? Knowing that the heating coil will automatically turn itself off after two hours means that we no longer have to try to keep track of when the pot was turned on. And we don't have to remember to turn it off! We've also noticed that the cone shape for the coffee seems to offer a better flavor when brewing. We've started using a little less coffee per pot as a result. My wife has commented that the spout seems to be less messy when she's pouring water into the reservoir. She hated the mess she'd get with our last pot.

I am a coffee pot enthusiast; I must have 3 or 4 coffee pots in my house at the present time. My thing with coffee pots, I am very critical; and the reason is I have had coffee pots that leak; steam up the clock, the timer resets itself, etc. So we have the Hamilton Beach – I love Hamilton Beach and have had their coffee pots in the past. Currently I am using a Mr. Coffee, which I like. The pluses: • it makes 12 cups of coffee, • it has a wide area to pour in water, • the coffee pot and maker are compact, • it is very easy to set the clock and program the timer, • it shuts off after 2 hours, • and keeps the coffee hot, • it has the number of cups on both sides of the pot, • the coffee filter fits tight in the maker, • It is also smart looking. The cons: • when opening the top to add the water you will notice the top seems very loose like it could come off in a moment’s notice, • The clock doesn’t light up. Yes I would recommend this coffee maker, it works great, I have used it three times already, and I literally cannot find anything that would dissuade me at this point and time. Definitely would recommend this coffee maker to anyone.