My Cheap Reviews

Great Coffeemaker
This is a great coffeemaker. It's nice to wake up to the smell of coffee brewed to perfection. It's very attractive and is shaped to fit in the corner.

Fantastic

Very happy with my Capresso 455, upgraded from the model before which lasted five years, read all the reviews on the other makes,and am very glad I chose this model and have been enjoying super cups of coffee with hassle free cleaning.

Weak Coffee
On the strongest setting and using the coarsest grind (as directed in the owners manual) this coffee maker does not make a good strong cup of coffee. I "weighed the evidence" and found that the grinder dispenses between .8 and .9 ounces of coffee (depending on the fine to coarse setting) for an eight-cup pot of coffee set on "strong". To make the proper strength, you need at least 1 ounce of grounds for eight cups. There is no way to adjust the amount of coffee dispensed (confirmed by calling Capresso). You can decrease the amount of water, but what if you need 10 cups? Weak coffee is a deal-breaker. I'm sending mine back.

I'm very, very pleased
Cliffs: A really nice coffee maker that makes great coffee and has terrific convenience features. People who don't read instructions, don't like anything with more than 1-step processes or who use oily or flavored beans shouldn't buy it.

After reading the negative reviews, I've come to the conclusion that most of the negatives are from people who didn't read the instructions or watch the very helpful and concise DVD video tour. The only one I can't argue with is the priciness of this product.

I'll start by addressing some of the negatives noted in other reviews:

- Complexity: Compared to the Melitta Grind & Brew this unit replaced, the process certainly has more steps. I don't think it is anything that a normal person can't master after one pass through it. Yes it is multiple steps, but worth it for the results.
- Thermos pot leaking: We just got it, but honestly I think this is the result of people not fully closing the top or ensuring the pot is fully under the brew basket. No issues there for me so far.
- First batch is bad: It is. The instructions should just tell you to run one set of beans and water through and dump it. I never trust stuff like this the first time anyway.
- Cleaning complexity: I'm just going to disagree that this thing is hard to clean. It is more complicated than a "regular" maker, but...
- Not good for small batches: The instructions admit that the water doesn't get as hot for batches less than 6 cups (which is really 3 larger coffee cups). I'm sure that isn't much different for most coffee makers. If we're doing small batches, we use the french press.
- Oily Beans: The instructions note that oily beans and flavored coffee shouldn't go through the grinder, and recommends you use pre-ground beans in the basket. Maybe it is something that should be disclosed more directly, but if you are griping about the performance of something that is directly mentioned as not optimal in the machine in the instructions and DVD, I'm struggling to justify it. If I were an oily-bean guy I'd either buy them ground, grind them separately or return this machine for a different one. I'm thinking that any grinding coffee maker is going to have this issues - oily beans clump. Unless you get something like the Melitta that grinds the beans in the brewing basket (which isn't a burr grinder), oily bean grounds clumping are going to be a problem.
- Weak coffee: Hasn't been a problem. I'm wondering if people READ THE DIRECTIONS and haven't noticed the four-position setting for the burr grinder.
- Not hot: So far, ours is producing hot coffee. Not boiling, but much hotter than the Melitta

The positives:
- Great tasting coffee: This is a huge step up from the Melitta. Same beans are giving us much better results, presumably because of the burr grinder and better temperature.
- Hot Coffee: Maybe I'm just a pansy. The coffee is plenty hot for me. We'll see what my mother-in-law says next time she visits.
- Thermal Carafe: Hate heating plates you have to clean and that turn off, leaving your coffee cold when you come back for that last cup? Not a problem here. Big fan of the carafe.
- Settings for Auto and Manual brew: If one member gets up early using the auto brew, and one is later that will be brewing another pot, this machine can have separate settings for each.
- Simple to use: One simple knob vs. and array of buttons. I found it really easy. You don't have to measure beans, the settings you choose will use the right amount. I'm thinking this will save me a lot of money since I've been surprised how few grounds are in the basket. I think I've been wasting beans.
- Aesthetics: Looks great sitting on the counter.

My Negatives
- Price: This is a pretty darn expensive coffee maker. For the net of features, I'm willing to give it a shot.
- Sturdy? This thing doesn't seem like it is built for life, and for the money it costs, I was expecting something that felt more substantial. I guess we'll have to see. To be honest, our Melitta didn't either, and it lasted for at least five years and is only getting replaced because they have discontinued the carafe.
-Size: Big, but less big than it sounds like from the dimensions.

Stick With The Cuisinart
Like many folks who purchased this unit, I had a Cuisinart "Grind n Brew" on which the grinder became so noisy I finally decided to buy a new machine. I was attracted to the burr grinder and the fact that based on the design, it appeared to be much easier to clean than my old Cuisinart. So I ponied up 0 and ordered it.
The fact is, it was a major disappointment. I use a dark roasted bean and the beans get stuck and do not fall into the grinder which is on a timer, so the first morning, see-through coffee. Yuck! After a customer service call, I found out that , "oh no, dark roasted beans don't work unless you tap them down while the machine is grinding."
So much for waking up to coffee. So I tried a lighter roast bean and although more coffee did get ground, their programmed settings for a strong 10 cup pot was not really what I considered strong. Their solution-use less water. After I boxed up the Capresso to return, I brought the old Cuisinart from the garage, fired it up and brewed some fine coffee, noisy blade grinder and all, and cleaning up after didn't seem so bad.
Also the Capresso's thermal carafe is adequate at best and the alignment dot (to pour) is very hard to see.
In conclusion, if you really like a full-flavored cup of coffee, this is not the machine for you at any price.