Hamilton Beach 4 Cup Coffee Brewer Review

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(More customer reviews)My old 4-cup Mr. Coffee was a decent little coffeemaker and it lasted for about three years before it started to give me trouble. Technically it still works but the coffee it brews is only warm, not hot. So I decided it was time for a new machine.
I did a lot of research, and the fact of the matter is that there just aren't many good quality 4-cup coffeemakers on the market. I researched the models from Mr. Coffee, Cuisinart, and Black & Decker, and none of them got particularly good reviews. I went to local stores and played with the display models and all of them felt very light, flimsy, and cheap. Even the $40 Cuisinart was featherweight and felt like it would fall apart at any moment.
I've always had good luck with Hamilton Beach products, so when I found this one online, I had a good feeling about it. I did some more research and found that this particular model is used in hotels all over the country. That seemed like a good sign. Commercial grade products are usually built to a higher standard than consumer grade stuff.
So I ordered it, and sure enough, it's a major step above the 4-cup machines made by the other manufacturers. Even though it's made mostly of plastic, it is heavy and stable and definitely won't tip over easily. The power cord is heavy grade and has a 3-prong plug. The on/off switch has a nice spring action and seems durable.
Due to the fact that these are made for hotel rooms, there are picture-based instructions in white ink on top of the coffeemaker. If you are very concerned about appearances, this might bother you. It doesn't bother me. The #1 thing I'm concerned about is how the coffee tastes... and with that in mind...
It tastes great! It's very hot, much hotter than my old Mr. Coffee. But the water isn't TOO hot, so you don't need to worry about it making the coffee bitter and over-extracted.
I only have two complaints, and they are relatively minor: when you're finished brewing coffee and you open the basket holder to remove the grounds and filter, a small amount of water falls out and splashes onto the warming plate and onto the counter. It's not a huge amount of water -- maybe a teaspoon -- but it does do this every time I brew coffee. Just something to be aware of; have a paper towel handy and it's not a problem. My other complaint is that there is no way of knowing how much water is in the reservoir. Usually they have a little window or some other indicator, but this unit doesn't have either. Mildly annoying, but not a huge issue and obviously doesn't affect the coffee itself.
All in all, I'm very pleased with this coffeemaker and would recommend it to anyone who is searching for a good quality 4-cup machine.

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Krups FME4 12 Cup Glass Programmable Coffeemaker Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm at a loss as to the problems some other reviewers have had with this coffeemaker. I actually purchased the white unit but it's the same as this one except for the color and metal trim. I bought this machine locally and then went and read the reviews here on Amazon to make sure it was an OK unit. I was on the verge of returning it due to some of the negative comments but I figured "ah, to heck with it" and went ahead and set it up. First off, it makes a great cup of coffee and it's EASY to program. The pot is easy to pour...NO DRIPS and the water level indicator works as it should. I just wonder if all the negative reviewers work for the competition because I found no problems with this unit at all. Now, of course, time will tell if it will last many years as did my last machine but my first impressions are very good.

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Saeco 12-Cup Automatic Drip Coffee Maker with Glass Carafe and Burr Grinder, Stainless Steel Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this machine for Christmas 2010. It's got all the features I want and the build quality is great. BUT I had the same problem as others with beans not making their way to the grinder. I called Saeco where upon the woman told me there were no problems with this that anyone had ever heard of. She also said that everyone uses this machine there and loves it. And she knew the details of the machine to a tee so yes they really do use it there. Surely, I told her there has to be a problem since the reports are widely available in customer reviews at various sites. She would send another machine if I wanted it but it seemed like a true waste to me to do that. I would just have the same issue all over again.
So no satisfaction there .. BUT I HAVE A 2 MINUTE FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM and now I completely love my machine. Here's what you do .. Inside the bean basket is a black round shield over the grinder. Mine shipped to me with the smooth surface of it sloping down from the center. I unscrewed the center screw (requires a small straight screwdriver in the triangle screw head), flipped it over, screwed it on smooth face down, and now no more problems at all. Yes it is that easy. Now you have a great machine without any problems. And I use some pretty sticky beans too.
I'm thinking the design dept didn't talk to the assembly department and this problem resulted. The smooth side looks more presentable so it's logical to assume that that's the side customers should see .. wrong. The smooth side is to ensure that beans don't get hung up on the way to the grinder. So there you have it, problem solved!
Now buy this thing and enjoy a truly great coffee machine! You can make really strong coffee with it and with no bitter taste at all. It doesn't burn the beans and extracts all the oils from the beans!
There is just one little issue .. this unit DOES NOT accept no 4 coffee filters as the literature says but it comes with a really nice gold basket filter so you have no need for paper filters anyway. It's a good filter that works even on very fine grinds.

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Cuisinart CRC-400 4-Cup Rice Cooker Review

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(More customer reviews)It's easy to clean and sure looks great on your countertop!
Positive feedback stops here.
I made a mess out of cooking rice (all the negative reviews are true) until I figured that I should use slightly less water than the recommended quantity. After that, I spent 1 year using it nonstop (we eat rice every day).
365 days later, the non-stick bowl is BADLY chipped, like little bubbles that burst on the bottom and left pinhead-sized chips. I swear that I never used anything else than the included plastic scoop (and sponge for cleaning) and never ever scratched it, so I'm 100% sure the non-stick coating quality is to blame.
Add to that that non-stick coating is toxic*, this baby is out of my kitchen as soon as I can afford a Zojirushi. They're not as elegants, but they last forever.For more info on teflon toxicity, visit http://www.ewg.org
http://www.ewg.org/issues/pfcs/20051214/index.php


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Cuisinart 4 Cup Rice Cooker has a brushed stainless housing and embossed Cuisinart logo. Makes 4-7 cups of rice. Traditional Lever control with warm and cook settings

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Cuisinart CEC-7 Egg Cooker Review

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(More customer reviews)I promised myself that I wasn't going to buy any more kitchen appliances. I have too many already. However, my boiled eggs have always been overcooked and rubbery, and I just knew that there must be a way to avoid that. When I read the description and reviews on this device, I bought one.
It came today and I immediately gave it a try. I had three Eggland's Best eggs that I wanted to hard boil for dinner. The operation is intuitive. I used the measuring cup mark for water for three hard cooked eggs, pierced the large end of the eggs and placed them in the holder (pierced end up), put the domed lid on and flipped the switch to ON. About 17 minutes later, the soft beeping sound notified me of the completion of the cooking. I removed the lid, using the handles, and placed the eggs in a bowl of icewater using tongs.
There was no problem of live steam hitting my hands, as mentioned in another review here. In fact, at the point when the completion alarm rings, there is no steam at all because the water is cooked away before the alarm sounds. At that point, all of the steam has escaped through the vent.
Although I will usually only cook 2 or 3 eggs at a time, having a capacity to cook 7 of them will be handy when it comes time to make egg salad or tuna salad.
There is a slight, unusual smell that comes from the unit when the eggs are done. I have no recollection of ever smelling it before. It isn't unpleasant, but it is unidentifiable to me. I suspect that it comes from some egg/water residue left behind when the water evaporates. I have to wipe the heating surface with a wet towel after I remove the eggs because an easy-to-remove residue appears. I suspect that the residue might become hard-to-remove if I don't wipe it away quickly.
I have never had more perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs before. Mine have always been rubbery, with the green-tinted yolks. These were a perfect consistency, with yellow yolks. I am quite pleased with this purchase. I will probably buy more for gifts.
Hard boiled eggs are often a part of my lunch and my breakfast. Now, I don't have to watch them boil and risk overcooking.

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CEC-7 Features: -Egg cooker. -Cooks up to 7 eggs in shells(hard, medium or soft). -Perfectly poaches up to 3 eggs at once. -Amount of water added precisely controls cooking time. -Auto shutoff prevent overcooking. -On/Off switch with indicator light. -Audible tone. -Brushed stainless steel lid. -Includes egg cooker, manual, warranty. -Manufacturer provides 3 year limited warranty. For more information on this product please view the Sheet(s) below: Egg cooker Specification Sheet

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