Black & Decker DCM18S Brew 'n Go Personal Coffeemaker with Travel Mug
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List Price: Our Price: $17.39 You Save: $2.60 (13%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $17.31 (click here) Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Black & Decker DCM18S Brew 'n Go Personal Coffeemaker with Travel Mug
Customer Review: awesome purpose with low cost
Summary: 5 Stars
first of all.. amazon always has perfect shipping, it's quick and the box is in a perfect size. (not too small but not too big to carry)
i've used the machine for a couple of weeks. the machine is super easy to use, only requires a button, so no complicated directions or anything. since i'm always in a hurry to school, it is really nice to have a permanent filter instead of paper filters that need to be replaced all the time. the filter is easy to wash, just need to rinse it under water and it's all good. also, it acts as a water boiler so i can also have tea too if i want to. and the machine is really efficient, i get coffee/hot water within 2 minutes, save me time to boil water in a pot for double the amount of time.
as much as i like the coffeemaker, there are some down sides to it.. the cup that comes with it has a plastic inner linings, but makes the coffee to go cold in around an hour. since i drink it on the way to school, it's good for me. but if someone prefers to have it over a long period of time then s/he might need another mug to pour the coffee into. also, the metal outer surface gets really really hot after a few minutes (since the heat is not well preserved at the first place). i'm glad the cup has a rubber handle or else i'll burn my hand.. but holding the handle for too long hurts my wrist a little, esp with a whole cup of coffee as a weight. also, the lid has nothing to seal the hole you drink from, so if you have a full cup of coffee and walk too fast, it'll spill all over the place.
overall, it's an awesome product, with an attractive low price. having a personal coffeemaker makes it convenient to get one exact cup of coffee in just 2 minutes. it's a great purchase with amazon too. i'd recommend anyone to get it.
so if bullet form works better for anyone:
pros:
- low cost
- quick boiling
- convenient with cup offered with the machine
- easy to use
- permanent filter saves money and effort
- easy to wash
cons:
- bad heat preservation (the cup)
- the lid of the cup doesn't have anything to seal the hole you drink from
Customer Review: Customer service for this product is terrible
Summary: 1 Stars
I received one of these coffee makers for Christmas, pulled it out of the box and tried to make a cup of coffee. The brew cycle only ran about an ounce of water before shutting off. I had to re-start the cycle 6 times to get one small cup of coffee. Then it just stopped working all together. The real problems began when I contacted Black and Decker, or their appliance division Applica, to tell them I got a bad coffee maker. They first told me I needed to clean the appliance to remove sediments accumulated from minerals in the water during brewing. I told them this was a brand new coffee maker, and that it didn't work long enough to make one cup of coffee. How could it have sediments? They finally understood and told me that they would replace the unit if I cut off the electrical plug and sent it to them with a letter explaining the problem. They told me to send these via a "Trackable" method and to include a check for $ 7.50 to cover shipping and handling of the replacement coffee maker. I told them that was ridiculous; shipping the plug by a "Trackable" method could easily cost more than the price of the coffee maker, and I saw no reason for me to have to pay $ 7.50 for a product that was no good right out of the box. They finally agreed to wave the $ 7.50 charge for shipping me a new coffee maker, but they still insisted I pay the cost of sending them the plug, (via a trackable method). I told them it was cheeper for me to throw the bad coffee maker away and buy a new one, (Of course, I wouldn't be replacing it with another Black and Decker).
The person who gave me this coffee maker has two of them and says they've always worked fine, so I must have gotten a lemon. However, I wouldn't recommend buying this brand simply because you may one day have to deal with their customer service people. I wouldn't wish that on anybody.
Another thing buyers should be aware of is that the "Stainless steel travel mug" is only metal on the outside. The inside is plastic, so it's not as safe health-wise as the advertising would lead you to believe.
Customer Review: You Gotta Have IT!!!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
For 17 dollars, come on!!! That's like one plain shirt in Old Navy.
Here let me help you out if this coffee maker and you are compatible:
1. Do you drink alot of coffee? If yes then dont get this. Get the six-cup coffee maker. This is for people who drinks 1-2-3 cups a DAY. If you drink more than that it might frustrate you to constantly fill the compartment every now and then. But if you're patient enough to wait for less than a minute, then get it.
2. No need for those filters. Saves the environment and money.
3. Do you want a quickie clean-up? If yes, the get this. Just rinse with water and you're fine.
Hey guys, I read tons of reviews before buying this. I liked it because its light, portable, cleans easily, cheap and environmentally friendly (not to mention economically).
There are some negative in Amazon because they follwed the guidelines in the paper. Here's my precaustions to have a perfect cup:
1. Make sure you dont fill it all with water. Try making 3/4 cups, just to be in the safe side.
2. Use Starbucks ground coffee---it'll make you feel glad you're saving $4.
3. You can use another mug or coffee cup to suit your taste. I got a smiley face mug from the 99c store. Some reviews mentioned that the travel mug smells like rubber when they bought it. duh! that's because its new. All you have to do is wash it with dishwashing liquid. If that's too difficult, then dont buy the coffee maker.
All in all, Im satisfied with my purchase. This is my first coffee maker (I personally bought) and it sure is very cute and useful. Its super cheap--but the most important aspect of it---IT WORKS.
Dont expect like those heavy-weight and dramatic coffee makers. This belongs to a whole new genre. Definitely not your poshy restaurant/hotel coffee maker. Its just a simple plastic toy-like coffee maker that works.
I think I better go. Im at work and making this review?! What's wrong with me---I just like my Brew N Go
Customer Review: What a bummer!
Summary: 3 Stars
I really liked this little coffee pot. Paid $19.99 with free shipping. Even bought one for my sister. Made good coffee, it was really hot. A little messy with the grounds and all but I bought size 2 filters which helped even if they are a little big. I got a nice big cup of hot coffee in an attractive stainless steal cup. Then a short month and half later I went to make a cup and it wouldn't start. I contacted Black & Decker and was told I had to cut off the plug and mail it them and not only would I have to pay to mail it to them, I had to include a check for $7.50 to pay for THEIR shipping and handling to send me a new one. What the foo!!!
I told them I didn't think I should have to pay to get a defective product replaced, that I'd pass on their offer, especially given the fact I didn't have a lot of confidence I wouldn't be doing it again in another month and a half and I would not be buying any more B&D products. They said, well, ok, we'll waive the $7.50 if I would mail the plug with delivery confirmation which rankled. Other manufacturers send a pre-paid label. But I liked the pot and really wanted a working one. So I paid $6.14 to mail in the plug and anxiously awaited my replacement. They sent me the cheaper $14.99 model!!!
Yeah, I get they figured I already had the better cup but that's not the point. I didn't buy the cheaper one, and I had to go thru the hassle of arguing with them, take my time returning the broken one, not to mention paying for the privilege to return it, and they don't replace it with the one I purchased?? What if I had tossed the stainless cup in anticipation of getting the expected replacement of what I bought? It's not that I even have a use for a 2nd stainless steel cup. It's the principal. I bought this product in good faith. I should not have to pay to replace a defective one and my replacement should be the one I bought! I feel like I was stiffed.
All this time and trouble over a $20 machine. I wonder what B&D charges to replace a $100 machine.
Customer Review: Best Value In A Personal Coffeemaker
Summary: 5 Stars
The Black & Decker DCM18S makes a great cup of coffee, fast. Here are some observations after more than a month of constant daily usage.
The permanent filter is a great idea, but I use a very fine grind on my coffee, and the filter's mesh doesn't exclude the fine particulates. I use a Melitta #1 paper filter for extra filtration, but that's just a personal preference. It's not absolutely necessary.
The water fill is on the left side of the unit; you'll be pouring with your left hand. Fortunately, the cup's rim is well designed, and it's easy to pour without spilling, even if you're not a left-hander. The plastic tab for the filter basket protrudes into the pour space. It's best to pour in the water with the basket removed.
The unit drools. Condensate from the last brewing stays in the top, and when you flip the hinged lid open for the next fill, the condensate runs down the lid, then down the back of the unit and onto the counter top, necessitating a wipe-up. The power cord is only 24" long; you might need to unplug it if you need to move the unit for cleanup.
The supplied mug is poorly insulated. It has a comfortable handle, so it's not a problem to hold it, but it doesn't keep the coffee hot. Keeping the lid on helps. The mug is narrow at the bottom, evidently so it will fit in car cupholders. But that gives it a high center of gravity. It's easy to knock the cup over--another good reason to keep the lid on.
The mug does have a non-skid rubber pad on the bottom--a nice touch. No complaints about the size of the mug. It holds 16 ounces. Use it to fill the reservoir, and you'll get the right amount every time.
The unit makes more noise than any other coffeemaker I've ever used. It's not particularly bothersome, though.
Seems like a lot of quibbles for a 5-star review, but none of the above gripes are enough to make me regret my purchase. It still makes a great cup of coffee, fast, and at a price that's hard to beat. I'd buy it again with no hesitation.