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Since we don't usually need a full pot of coffee except on weekends -I typically just grab a Starbucks "Via" instant coffee on the way to work in the morning (a pretty remarkable innovation, by the way) -I was attracted to the hot water dispenser on this coffee maker. I like it particularly because of its 58-ounce capacity -meaning that you don't have to keep refilling it if you're just using it once each morning to fill a car mug. My wife prefers tea to coffee, and she loves being able to get a cup of really hot water whenever she likes. (We fill it with spring water, and the results are superb.) I haven't had any problem with the "add water" light, as another reviewer apparently did. I was concerned about squandering energy by keeping a reservoir of water constantly hot, but it doesn't. It keeps only about 13 ounces of water at serving temperature; the rest of the reservoir is unheated. It doesn't take all that much energy to keep 13 ounces of water hot. And if you know you won't be wanting hot water for a while, you can just turn it off with the on/off button. I had expected it to heat water instantly through some kind of coil system -much like an under-sink unit does -but not so. As a result, if the unit hasn't been on, there's about a 3-minute wait for the water to reach the right temperature. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because I wish the hot water dispenser were programmable in the way the coffee maker is, but it isn't. You have to start it manually. (No you can't use an outlet timer because the unit has an electronic on/off switch.) I also wish the hot water dispenser had a temperature adjustment (the coffee maker does); the water it dispenses is so hot that I have to wait for several minutes before I can drink any beverage I make with it. Finally, some Cuisinart coffee makers have a strength adjustment but this doesn't. But these are minor quibbles; it's still a great appliance. The coffee maker itself works as well as an automatic drip coffee maker can -always a function of trial-and-error at the beginning (what kind and how much coffee you use). It uses a cone filter (#4) -which in my humble opinion always delivers better coffee than the flat filters used in so many other coffee makers -including a lot of Cuisinart models -and the water is sprayed onto the coffee by a showerhead array in the reservoir lid. (Tip for review "Me2": Pour water into the coffee maker by putting the lip of the carafe on the rear LEFT corner and pour it in that way. It's a lot easier and you won't spill any.)
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I looked at a LOT of different coffee makers before deciding on this model. Buying a coffee maker has to be one of the hardest things to buy. The problems come in because everyone has a different take on what coffee is supposed to taste like and unfortunately many of them are dead wrong. The most important thing for anyone that really enjoys coffee the way it is supposed to be made is that the water heats up to a sufficient temperature (greater than 190 degrees). This allows for the best flavor to be extracted from the coffee ground without that bitter taste that you get when the temperature is too low. Since most people don't know that you don't find that information in most reviews. I found that information in the good reviews for this product and it had an overall rating of 4.5 at the time that I purchased it but I was a bit concerned with some of the bad reviews. They pointed to things like the carafe leaking, the hot water dispenser side leaking or not functioning correctly, bad tasting water, etc. Well, I'm happy to report that I have not seen any of these problems.
Pros
1) Hot water dispenser heats water to 185 degrees. This is perfect for anything you might want to use it for.
2) The coffee maker side heats the water to about 200 degrees. This is GREAT for making a really good cup of coffee.
3) The coffee temperature allows the coffee too stay warm even after I add half & half.
4) The lid on the carafe is NOT hinged which means that it doesn't flop around when you're pouring and it doesn't have a flimsy hinge to break.
5) The hot water dispenser side is HUGE, much larger than it looks in the pictures. That is why I've uploaded some pictures with mugs sitting on it and my tape measure showing the actual size. It fits both very wide and very tall mugs.
6) The auto-off setting is adjustable from 1-4 hours. This is great for my mom who likes to brew a pot and drink it all morning.
7) The indicator lights on the hot water side that let you know when the water is ready and when you need to add water are great.
8) Indicator light lets you know when it is time to clean the unit.
Cons
1) I'm not really sure how much safer the safety lock is on the hot water side. Anyone that can reach the lever can EASILY slide that safety lock to the left.
2) This is a small nitpick but pointing out small things like this show how much I really like this coffee maker. In order to set the clock you switch the switch to Clock and then hold down the HR button until the time starts blinking. What else am I going to do while I have the switch set to Clock? Why do I have to hold down that button too? The only reason this actually bugs me is because if you hold it down a split second too long it will begin to change the hour. So if you only wanted to change the minute it can be annoying.
3) This is only a con at first. The first time you pour water into the coffee side the angle of where you have to pour it makes you feel like you're going to spill it. Not to worry though. The design of the carafe and the fact that the flipped up lid will catch the water if you go to far make it really easy. Just don't hesitate and you'll find that it is as easy as pie to pour the water in.
Finally, this thing makes a GREAT TASTING cup of coffee. I can't believe I finally have a drip coffee maker that I enjoy using. Prior to this any time I wanted a good cup of coffee I would break out my French Press.
Feel free to let me know if you have any questions. I'll be glad to check it out and get back to you.
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This machine was to make both the coffee hound and the tea lover in our family happy in the morning. Only one of us is happy.. No complaints at all with the coffee maker..
The hot water dispenser has a strong bad taste that I cant get rid of with repeated vinegar or the 1 cup of lemon juice suggested by the customer service representative.. She had heard my story many times before..
The taste is similar to drinking out of a garden hose. The customer rep assured me that the insides are stainless steel and not plastic. I think there may be some quality control issues...
Even if I could get the bad taste out, the dispenser will only release 16 oz of water for the 32 oz you must put into it. This leaves 16 oz to sit until the next day to be reheated when you add 16 oz of new water.
You must always put in 32 oz to get out 16 oz. If you put in any amount less than 32 oz, the "add water" light will come on after only 6 oz drawn out..The machine will not let you take more than this out--even thought there is plenty more inside of it.
Consequently the new water put in always mixes with the old water that is both stale and bad tasting. Who wants day old water that has the taste diminished further by reheating?
I see this as a big design flaw that requires you to take the entire machine to the sink, pull the very ergonomically incorrect and difficult plug out of the bottom and manually drain it... The manual tells you to do this if the water has been in the dispenser a week or more...
There always will be water in the dispenser a week or more.. yuck..
I say back to the drawing board with this item..
Not what I expected from Cuisinart...
Honest reviews on Cuisinart CHW-12 Coffee Plus 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker
My last old Cuisinart bit the dust so I was in the market for a new one. I had also been in the market for a water kettle but really did not like the idea of having one more appliance on my counter top. When I checked out the Cuisinart web site to see what was new I was blown away by the idea of this coffee maker that also dispensed hot water!! I was so excited about it I had it sent overnight.
I have only had it for a day but oh what a wonderful cup of coffee I had this morning and right now I am loving the convenience of having hot water available for my tea drinking!
Pros: Everything!! In perfect working order and I was able to follow the manufacture's instructions on hot water without any problems at all! Best cup of coffee I have had even counting my old Cuisinart!
Cons: Only 1 negative so far. It is awkward pouring water into the coffee maker side and I guess I will need more practice at this to keep from splashing water all over everything.
So far extremely pleased with my purchase!!
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This is really a great unit. Coffee brews perfectly. As far as the water dispenser, mine works fine. It notices water levels etc. The only thing is that the water will start to smell bad (metallic) if it is left in the resevoir too long. I would say follow the instructions. It says to empty the water resevoir fully if you do not plan to run the water function for more than a week, or to store the unit. There is a drain plug on the bottom of the unit (who knew)... I drained it and refilled it, flushed a couple of times and the water is much better. No more metallic taste/smell... OK, Just an FYI...
