Black & Decker DCM18S Brew 'n Go Personal Coffeemaker with Travel Mug
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Black & Decker DCM18S Brew 'n Go Personal Coffeemaker with Travel Mug
Customer Review: Repeat Purchase
Summary: 5 Stars
I like this little pot so well that I am buying my third and fourth pots. I have learned that when you find something you like this well with a price this good, you should stock up. I expect this pot to last quite a while just based on the brand name, but when it does finally give out I don't want to have to search for a replacement. I am also buying the new ones just for the mugs. I brew coffee into the mug and pour it a little at a time in my ceramic cup. This way every sip of every cup of coffee is at the exact drinking temperature I most enjoy. I'm generally not that picky - but if you can have your morning coffee perfect in every way, every time - why not? It sets a great tone for the day. I already have two, so if I want a second cup, I can start that one before I finish the first and have it waiting - but they have to be in the dishwasher sometime. If I want a larger pot of coffee I have to wait for someone else to make it, because I can no longer manage the weight of a full pot of water.
I am not, however, a fan of permanent filters. They seem like a good idea, but how do you get all of the grounds out without washing them down your drain? A friend said that a similar product leaves a bit of "silt" in the bottom of her cup.
My solution to both of these issues is simple. I cut a paper towel in quarters, then dampen one piece and mold it over the up-side-down mesh filter. When dry, this makes a perfect replacement for the mesh filter - it just sets in the basket. I have also damped and used fluted filters made for a four-cup pot in the same manner. My husband purchased #2 filters for me, and cutting about 3/4 of an inch off the top makes these a viable alternative. I still prefer making my own filters - I feel like I am being eco-friendly when I compost them and you just can't beat the cost. Buying two more pots will also allow me to make four filters at once and, in time, they will pay for themselves just in not having to buy #1 filters, which I can't find for under about 20 cents each.
Customer Review: 1-Star Now--Bought 2, Switches Broke in BOTH after 9 months
Summary: 3 Stars
This is a June 28, 2008 update. If I could I would downgrade the star-rating to 1. When I did the October 2007 review I said that even though the coffee maker only lasted 9 months, I was pretty happy with it overall and I was going to order another one. My thought was that it made decent coffee and it was inexpensive (now I say cheap.)
After the second one lasting only 8 months I give up. I will be looking for something else. In both cases the coffee makers stopped working because the switch seemed broken. With both coffee makers, when the switch was depressed nothing happened. No click, no light, no heat, no coffee.
I was the only person in my home making coffee. I made 7-10 cups per week on it. I was not rough or abusive with the machines. There seems to be a flaw in the switch.
First Review:
I liked it while it worked. There is nothing else comparable--especially for the price. Used it daily from January 19, 2007 until today (9 mos) when it stopped working altogether. I am getting another one because it's cheap and convenient. I only drink one cup of coffee per day and my 12-cup coffee makers never tasted good unless I made larger batches.
Coffee quality is ok. Coffee is hot. The mug is small. It is pretty slow considering it's only making 15 oz. of coffee. You can only fill the water reservoir to a certain point before it overflows. Only a certain size cup will fit.
The lid for the mug is useless. It is too loose and drips. I transfer the coffee to another travel mug with a tight lid.
I think the coffee tastes much better using #1 paper filters (can use #2 in a pinch) than the (nylon?) filter it comes with. The filter that it comes with allows coffee grounds to pass through and the flavor of the coffee is not as good IMO.
If there was something better I would get it. Others say their's have lasted longer with daily use so I probably just got a lemon. Like I said, I'm getting another one.
Customer Review: I'd buy the Toastess one-cup instead
Summary: 2 Stars
I bought a Toastess one-cup coffeemaker a few years ago, have used it daily, and it still works fine. But a couple of months ago I was looking for a backup in case it fizzles out. Some folks recommended the Black & Decker because it has an auto power shutoff when brewing is done, but the Toastess does not (you have to manually switch it off if you want the power from the wall socket completely shut off, although it *does* turn the heating element off automatically when brewing is done).
So I decided to start using the B&D, and just keep the Toastess as backup. However, about six weeks after I started using the new B&D coffeemaker, the on/off switch failed. So now when I push the spring-loaded switch down to start brewing, it just pops up again and won't stay in the "brew" position. And when I picked up the unit to inspect more closely, I could hear what sounded like a piece of plastic rattling around inside the unit. So I assume the switch broke inside the unit.
Since I was just past the 30-day Amazon return time limit, I called the manufacturer. They said they would replace it if I cut the plug off and mailed the plug back to them, so they could be sure the unit won't work. [Don't they realize that if I'm lying, I could just buy a cheap plug at the hardware store, or else take one off something else that's broken, and splice it onto the unit to make it functional again?]
But they also said I'd have to pay postage as well as a $7.50 processing fee. So, when all is said and done, if I had done that, I'd have ended up paying about $30 in total (original price plus postage plus processing fee) just to have a coffeemaker that originally cost me about $15!
In which case it would be easier to just order another B&D w/my Amazon Prime account and get free shipping. But do you think I'll ever buy another B&D coffeemaker? No way! As I said, the Toastess has been working fine for years. If it ever does fizzle out, I'll just buy another Toastess.
Customer Review: No waste and no extra expense!
Summary: 5 Stars
I had a small 4 cup coffee maker for years but had to make 2 cups in it to taste right, even though I only drank one cup. I'd forget about the second unnecessary cup, and it would sit in the pot all day while I was at work & eventually stunk up the kitchen over time.
This Brew 'n Go is perfect for a single serving. It heats up the water to the right temperature, which is important for brewing. If you need to make more than one cup, the brewing is done so quickly - in about a minute and a half.
What I like about it is that it does NOT use those coffee pods, so I can use my favorite coffee and brew it extra strong - which is how I drink it. It does have one of those permanent filter baskets, but as I had leftover paper filters, I actually prefer using a paper filter as I can easily lift out the filter for cleaning. The wet grounds stick to the permanent filter otherwise and are hard to clean out. I get the regular fluted, basket-style filters at a dollar store. They tend to sell the smaller filters there which fit this maker. I simply place the paper filter over the plastic filter and with my fingers, push the center of the paper filter down into the bottom of the cone. The flutes automatically fold up and then can easily be flattened to conform to the sides. Lightly moisten the folds to adhere to the sides if needed. No need to buy the Melita cone filters for more money.
From the reviews I read on various "coffee pod" machines, you need to be careful to get a machine with the right amount of pressure to force the water through the coffee, and some machines do not heat the water to the right temperature so the coffee tastes rather weak. Plus the pods can get expensive. You have to make sure you get pods that fit your particular maker - one pod does not fit all - and some models, you are stuck with the coffee they offer, not your own favorite brand.
If you are debating over a filter maker or pods, this is the maker to get.
Customer Review: Okay
Summary: 2 Stars
It certainly functions. It has a permanent mesh filter that you just wash, which is nice. It puts coffee directly into a cup, which is probably what you are guying this for. I had one for a while and it did okay. Eventually it broke after twice-daily use for a year or more. I still use the mug today.
I did have some problems with it. First, it would turn itself on without me pressing the button, sometimes while pouring in the water before I even have the cup under and coffee put in. It wasn't a major problem, you had time to get things together, but it was rather annoying. Then later in the day when empty, it would turn on and hiss, steam, and crackle as it handles a few drops still at the bottom. I thought this was a problem, so I exchanged mine, but the new one did the same thing. Check how sturdy yours is (feet placement) which varies from unit to unit. I exhcnaged that one which too wably (and still hissed, crackled, steamed), but the wably issue was very minor. The new one still turned itself on and hissed/steamed/cracked.
The other problem I had with it is that some coffee grounds always found their way into the coffee. The basket would fill up intenrally and spill over(inside) and would bypass the filter. I really didn't fill it up that much either.
It brewed too fast and ended up weak in flavor (I even like weaker coffee, but this wasn't as good. The mesh sides let far too much water through before it really soaked up the grounds. You can compensate by using more grounds, but that costs more and it will overflow more internally and more grounds show up in the coffee.
Finally, my problem with this system is that without a burner and an open cup, I'd forget about the coffee I started for 45 minutes and it would be luke warm. I switched to a 4-cup coffee pot when mine finally broke. Note that the water where I used this was very hard and had lots of deposit, which probably contributed to its ultimate demise.