Hamilton Beach Brewstation 12-Cup Coffee Maker with Internal Brew Pot & Water Reservoir - Black & Chrome - Perfect for Home, Office & Dorm Use

Went on a vacation and this coffee pot was in the unit. (Keep in mind that I recently purchased a brand new coffee pot about a month ago) I was so impressed with how easy this coffee pot was to not only fill and clean but to dispense, I ordered it the first day of vacation and it was waiting for me when I returned home. I love the fact that there is no pot you just put your mug up against the dispenser bar and presto magic there’s your coffee. Very easy window to see how many cups are remaining in the ease of filling and cleaning the pot is unbelievable. And the coffee taste delicious do not hesitate to purchase this. And you can also program how long you want the coffee to remain hot forso far = so good - had my last one (same brand-design) for over 5 years (and yes, it was still working good, but this one just 'fits' the space better) am liking this just as much and maybe a bit better being it does fit so much better = I'm goodFULL DISCLOSURE: We paid the full listed price and received no discounts.I purchased this "older" model (48464) as a factory re-certified coffee maker for $29, about $10 cheaper than a new item from Amazon Prime. The note included with the machine stated it was re-certified in the USA by local folks at the facility in North Carolina. I ordered it on a Sunday and it arrived the following Tuesday. Pretty darn good for a non-Prime order! It came in the original (but new) box showing correctly what's inside. A label on the outside indicated it was rebuilt in August 2016. The coffee maker showed zero signs of previous use and i would not have been able to tell it from a new product.The is our second Brew Master. The one it replaced is 5+ years old and tired. It pretty much got used every day for 2-4 brewings but the dispense rate got slow and no amount of cleaning would resolve this. Brewed coffee is rather oily and overtime can build up around the small parts of the dispensing mechanism. This can lead to a slow dispensing rate as well as a tendency to drip a bit after you remove your cup. Hamilton Beach recommends the usual vinegar and water mix to remove scale buildup that might occur in the pump and dispensing lines and they also recommend an overnite soak of hot water and 2 tablespoons of automatic dishwasher detergent. Whichever method you use, be sure to run at least 2 full brewing cycles using plain water. Also, if you have the time, run a plain water cycle through the machine after a week's use as a preventative measure.This model is obviously an improvement over our previous model. The LCD screen is much easier to see, it has brew https://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-48464-Capacity-Brewstation/dp/B001K66LPQ/ref=sr_1_13?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1544104775&sr=1-13&keywords=hamilton+beach+coffee+makersettings that actually work---if you like a stronger brew you can select "BOLD" and it slows down the rate at which hot water is poured into the brewing basket. It has a timer to shut off the heating element. There is also a 1-4 cup setting that slows down the rate but not quite as much as the BOLD setting. If you're an iced coffee lover (we are), you can actually make a pot of ice cold coffee. Basically, you double the amount of coffee, select the ICED brew, and fill the empty dispensing tank with ice cubes. Then just brew up a pot of iced coffee! Easy Peasy.The brewing basket has many brewing holes unlike our old model which has just one hole for the coffee to drip through. This model also has an automatic shut off gizmo which stops the flow of hot water if you lift the lid during the brewing cycle, like you might do to add some more coffee. The old model did not have this feature. This machine is the 12 cup version while our old machine was a 10 cup model. We found that if you brewed 10 cups in the old one, it made a mess with splashed coffee grounds. Brewing 10 cups in this one did not make a mess. We have not tried to brew 12 cups.Perhaps it is because this is the taller 12 cup model, but you can dispense coffee into one of those tall travel cups. Our old 10 cupper did not have the clearance to do this.Lastly, all Hamilton Beach Brew Master machines do in fact keep the coffee hot for a longer period of time without imparting that burnt taste.This is a great machine with a proven track record for reliability. It's inexpensive and highly recommended for all coffee lovers.The only nit to pick is this is not truly a one hand dispensing operation. Once you get the available coffee down to 4 cups or so, you'll need to use your other hand to stop the machine from sliding when you push your cup against the dispensing button. The sleeker your counter top is, the greater the tendency to slide, A non-issue.[UPDATE 12-18]After almost 3 years of daily use, the heating element died. This means there is no heat to keep the brewed coffee warm resulting in trips to the microwave (several reviewers have complained that it doesn't keep the coffee hot even when the heating element is working.) Personally, I don't care for microwave re-heated coffee so this Brew Station is kaput. I also noted shortly after receiving it back in 2016 that the tank which holds the brewed coffee was a little wobbly when in place. Also, it developed a drip after using the push bar to dispense a cup of coffee----fortunately, the drips drop into an easily removed base which is simply rinsed out.So, all things considered would I buy this again? Yes I would and I did. This time, however, I ponied up a couple bucks for the 3 yr replacement plan.UPDATE (4/6/2022): Replaced previous machine with the same model (48464) on 2/9/2022 when the display no longer functioned and coffee could not be brewed. That was 10 years of daily usage.This ‘newer’ model has a CLEAN in the display window.After 2 months no problems with this coffee maker.Use a coffee maker cleaner other than vinegar if you want to remove the buildup of coffee under the screen in the coffee reservoir. The previous model had a removable screen. This screen is not removable. I have been using Cafiza Espresso Cleaner sold at Amazon. Be sure to rinse with plain water by making 3 or 4 pots of water. You may notice flecks of the coffee coming out in the plain water if you dispense it into a glass measuring cup.If the print on the front smears, are you using BLEACH to clean the machine?(Review from 2012):After 6 months, the Brewstation 48464 began belching. I found coffee grounds stuck to the lid where they HAD to be splashed when water came though the lid forcefully. I cleaned out the coffee maker thoroughly using Brew Rite that gets out the coffee stains inside all parts, including the non-removable domed filter in the bottom of the tank. I ran cold water through 3 more brew cycles. The next 12 cups (6 cups of coffee) were brewed with no problem. With no schedule / pattern to it, coffee would be spattered onto the lid. I cut enough plastic off one side of the back of the lid to make it easier to pop off the lid after I experienced this belching and subsequent mess three times. It still requires some force to remove the lid (and to replace it), but the lid stays put during the brew process.Several days ago I had this problem occur again, and I cleaned every part thoroughly. I unscrewed the part of the lid through which water is forced into the coffee in the filter / basket. There was no problem there. I used vinegar and water to clean out the boiler tank. Then I rinsed 5 cycles with plain water through brew cycles and using a clean paper filter each time to catch any coffee grounds that might have been inside the boiler tank. Some coffee grounds appeared in the filter paper each time until the fifth time when there were no particles.This morning, the coffee maker belched - coffee grounds were all over the lid. I have contacted Hamilton Beach through their web site, but 5 hours later I have heard nothing. My thought is that the heater is causing the water to be heated erratically or something prevents the heated water from coming through until pressure builds up to force the water through the vertical tube coming from the boiler tank. It's only 8 months since I bought it, so I am hoping the problem can be resolved easily. [It may need a screen to cover the grounds in the basket to prevent their being spattered out of the filter. I have already tried using the slow brew to see if that would reduce the spattering, but that didn't affect it.]Another problem has been that coffee leaks from the dispenser as the last bit of coffee is dispensed. It is running down the plastic behind the mug / cup instead of flowing through the dispenser and into the cup. Coffee ends up on the floor (not on the counter because I have the 48464 set out far enough so that the lid does not hit the cabinet when it is filled).Other than those problems, it would be a nice step forward to have two LED lights, one on each side of the spout, so that it is possible to see the coffee as it comes out of the dispenser. Not all cups / mugs are white.UPDATE (2016): HB sent me a replacement (same model) for the 2012 model.This has been in daily use for four years in our home. Little problems … except …1. leaks when the volume of coffee remaining is less than 2 cups (HB cups ~ 4-6 oz.);2. internal filter (to catch whatever coffee grounds may have gotten out of the basket) needs to be cleaned with a small brush because it's not removable;3. gauges on sides become dark (but still translucent) due to staining of coffee, making it difficult to see the volume of coffee in the reservoir.To clean the machine, we have been using Brew Rite from a local store for about $5. I have not seen it anywhere in a long time, however, so I ordered some espresso cleaner from Amazon. Only a small amount (about 2 tablespoons) is needed with a full reservoir of 12-cups of water.Our Costco doesn't have the paper filters anymore, so we have been using undersized 8-12 cup filters from Kroger or Walmart - no problems.To enable cleaning of the lid of the machine, I used my exacto knife to cut a slot on one side (left side, away from where hot water comes from the heater) where it is hinged, allowing that side to come off and lift away from the other side. Coffee spatters on the inside of the lid, so it needs to be cleaned. Once I removed the plastic part that distributes hot water over the coffee, but I found that's not necessary.I was tired of the burnt flavor from using the glass coffee pot. After just deciding to hit the order button, I wanted to give it a full two weeks. I'm NEVER going back to a traditional coffee pot again. No more burnt flavor. And so easy to clean and use. From my husband: my last shot of coffee actually tastes like the first sip!I ordered this one since I was so pleased with last one. It was 11 years old, this one is exactly the same. I really like not having a pot to pour, just hold cup underneath. It had never scorched the coffee when it sets.This is my third Hamilton brew staton. Like all coffee pots, they don’t last forever, but I love the coffe it makes. The convenience of not having a pot and it never burns my coffee!I like the coffee pot, it takes more time to get it ready than the original one I got years ago but I like the fact that it doesn’t have the carafe.There are a few flaws with this thing but it does brew decent coffee. First of all, you need to have this thing pushed up against a wall because otherwise, trying to fill a cup by pushing it into the dispenser bar moves the entire thing backwards which dislocates it from the drip tray. It's a small but annoying feature. Second, the fit and finish on the unit makes GM look like BMW. Its awful. The top section shakes around and nothing seems to fit together properly.I will say this to its defense though: it does make a good cup of coffee and keeps it nice and warm which is what it says it does I suppose. I just wish it was better built.I absolutely love this coffee maker. Of the many machines I've had this one is my favorite.Let's start with the most important thing; how easy it is to clean this bad boy. It's three pieces, each one with large openings so you can fit a giant's hand in there and clean it with soap and water, I wash the coffee reservoir and basket hopper after every use and allow the machine to air dry between uses.The dispenser mechanism:Ive seen several reviews of people complaining about a drip from the dispenser when in use. I've experienced no such flaw, except for one time when I was trying to fill a thermos on too great of angle. Pure user error.Heating element for the coffee reservoir does NOT burn the coffee and definitely keeps it nice and warm for the 4 hour duration.Overall I really like the design and idea behind this coffee maker. Of the many machines I've used this one is definitely my favorite and I would buy it again if it broke, or one similar to it.There is one minor flaw but it's insignificant in the grand scheme of things. When you open the lid after making coffee, the water that has condensed on the lid will drip down the back, and into the counter.You can kinda catch yourself and get it to drip onto the machine but either way youre wiping something. But, small potatoes.I've had this machine for about 6 months now and I hate using it. The filling process isn't especially long, but its very tedious and messy, you will inevitably drip water everywhere as you disassemble the entire machine just to put water in it as the condensation literally never goes away. I read reviews before I bought it and saw people complaining about the same thing and figured they were just being fussy, they weren't, I often opt for driving to get coffee rather than using this. It also pours really slowly, which is really frustrating in the mornings when I'm filling up two mugs.You're better off with a machine with a separate water tank instead of this as you will likely end up replacing it.I love this coffee maker. I intend to keep it for long, as the reason I got rid of my past one was because I broke the carafe for all of them. It has a setting for strong coffee, but more importantly for me, as I only make coffee for myself, a setting for brewing only 1-4 cups at the time. I figure the brewing is best done different for a small batch, and this machine does it really well.One draw back is you have to push the cup against the switch in order to dispense coffee. I often have to hold down the machine so that it doesn't shift back on the counter. You can probably fix that by cutting a piece of rubber pad, the kind you find in hardware stores to keep tools in place inside drawers.The goodGood brewing optionsLike the pot free designThe badPain in in the butt to fill, side tank version would be betterThis unit still uses a hot plate to keep coffee warm.Keeps it hot and tasting better then a traditional coffee pot for an hour max. After that it has the same burnt taste as your cheap coffee pot. If the tank was insulated, it would be an epic coffee pt and worth double.If you want a good coffeemaker that keeps the coffee tasting the same after hours, buy one with an insulated carafe.