Black & Decker DE790B 8-Cup Thermal Carafe Coffeemaker, Black with stainless carafe
by Black & Decker
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Product Summary
Manufacturer: Black & DeckerBrand: Black & Decker
Model: DE790B
Product features:
- Capacity to brew 8-cups of coffee
- Stainless steel thermal carafe
- Auto-off; pause-to-serve
- Features digital clock or timer
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Black & Decker DE790B 8-Cup Thermal Carafe Coffeemaker, Black with stainless carafe
Customer Review: Cautiously Happy.
Summary: 4 Stars
I'm a relative newbie to the art of coffee drinking but I like to think I've done my research. I bought this maker mainly because the experts state repeatedly that a thermal carafe is really the only way to keep coffee warm & that a hot plate only "cooks" the coffee over time causing unwanted bitterness.
I bought this maker not long ago from Target, they had it on sale for $29.99 which was a total bargain.
I have read the other reviews stating difficulties with the carafe top & I can only assume they didn't take five minutes to read the six pages on the use & maintenance of this machine. It's a quick and easily understandable read I thought. There are two alignment arrows, one when you turn the lid clockwise to put it on and another arrow in which you turn the lid counterclockwise to pour the coffee. I like this feature as you are able to pour a cup without the carafe losing its heat.
I got a little scientific with this maker and whipped out my non-contact thermometer to see just how hot things were getting. The experts state that water should be around 190F for full extraction of coffee. Right after this machine was done brewing I flipped the top up and took a reading of the coffee grounds which were at a toasty 170F. The cup of coffee I poured out of the carafe was at this same temperature. So this maker is either hitting that magic 190F during brewing or coming very close to it. An hour and a half later I took another reading of a cup of coffee I poured from the carafe and it was at 155F. I would say only a loss of 15 degrees in that time period is very good and the carafe has impressive thermal integrity.
The top of this machine is very big and allows for easy access to the water reservoir, I've had no problems pouring in the water as others have had. I pour filtered water into this maker from my brita pitcher as I've read that in order to get a quality cup of coffee you need to start with good water.
The filter cup is removable and takes the big flat bottom coffee filters which I like. You can really fill this kind of filter up with coffee if you like it strong. I also like that it allows for more surface area for brewing which is key to a good cup of coffee.
I'm using coffee that I bought from a gourmet roaster here in town & I grind the coffee right before I use it. I can drink four cups of coffee from this carafe in a two hour time period and even two hours later the coffee is still very warm and drinkable. I do have to admit, I did nuke the last cup of coffee in the microwave just to heat it up a bit. That's the magic of using a thermal carafe though. Since the coffee hasn't been "cooking" on a heat plate you can nuke it without losing hardly any flavor or gaining any bitterness.
I'm going to go ahead and keep the receipt and box on this as Target has a 90 day return policy on their items. I read that on the back of the receipt, kind of like I read the instructions on how to use this machine. I can only surmise that the bad reviews of this product are coming from people who have really bad problem solving skills and possibly below average IQ's to the point that they can't follow simple directions.
I'm giving this machine four stars as it is functional and does what it's supposed to do. I would be happier if it hit a solid 190F during its brewing cycle but for $30 it's worth it.
More Black & Decker DE790B 8-Cup Thermal Carafe Coffeemaker, Black with stainless carafe reviews:
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Description of Black & Decker DE790B 8-Cup Thermal Carafe Coffeemaker, Black with stainless carafe
Use the digital clock / timer and wake to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. In a hurry? Enjoy the convenience of Pause-to-Serve to stop the brew cycle while you pour a quick cup full. For peace of mind the unit shuts off immediately after brewing and the thermal carafe keeps the coffee at optimal temperature for several hours.Drip Coffee Machines
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