Mr. CoffeeCG13-RB 12-Cup Switch Coffeemaker, Black

This is the first coffee maker I've ever owned. I actually don't like to drink coffee, which is why I've gone 37 years without one of these (even though I have about every other small kitchen appliance in the world). But I recently got a package of Crio Bru (ground roasted cacao beans that you brew like coffee) and this machine was cheap enough, so I decided to buy it.I'm very happy with it. Perhaps because I've never owned a coffee machine before, I'm not expecting a lot of features. This is pretty simple -- put a filter in, put your coffee/cacao/tea in, fill the reservoir, and turn it on. The only switch is an on-off switch, and it does NOT shut off automatically when the pot is empty of water, so you will have to watch out for that. It's not a problem for me because I usually only make one or two mugs' worth of cocoa at a time.The 12-cup size is nice for someone who works from home, perhaps a small office or grad school lab, or a dorm. Because this is so inexpensive, it's really good as an entry-level machine.This did smell pretty heavily of plastic when I opened the box. However, the smell started dissipating pretty soon after I removed the coffee machine from the box. And I followed the first-time use cleaning instructions (basically run water through it once on a brew cycle, then dump the water out) and then just ran it again and heated water using the machine. I poured the heated water over a tea bag. The tea tasted fine, with no plastic taste, so the first-time cleaning instructions seem to have been sufficient.I've since used this for the Crio Bru beverage, and it works quite well for that, too. This machine works really quickly -- it's much faster than boiling water in a tea kettle, so I'll probably be "cheating" and using this quite frequently to heat water for tea, especially if I'm going to want a lot of tea at once (because the water in this'll stay warm instead of continually needing to be re-boiled).In the end, this was an excellent choice for my particular situation. If you're used to something fancier, you may not be happy with this. But this is a good, basic machine. (For what it's worth, the same machine sells at a big box retailer near where I live for quite a bit more -- the current Amazon price is very good.)

Happy with my new Mr. Coffee CG12-Cup Switch Coffeemaker. Had to replace my old Mr. Coffee when we started a kitchen remodel and I moved it to another area. The first time I tried to make a pot of coffee after plugging it into a different outlet (and yes, I tried different outlets to no avail!) it would not start the brew. (It was about 4-5 years old; the 'delay-brew' had quit working a few years before.)So, knowing it was going to be another Mr. Coffee Coffeemaker for me, I started researching various coffeemakers on Amazon and other sites (several other brands included). This Mr. Coffee CG12 came close to what I had; not too fancy and it's white which is what I wanted in my new kitchen. It was a good price for my needs.You do have to remember to push the spout back into place after filling basket with filter and grounds----a different style than my old one. This one, easier to add water.So all in all, I'm happy with the style, features (it has a delay setting), coffee flavor and amount of heat and it's simplicity....AND it's WHITE! Not many coffeemakers are offered in white.

I've tried cheaper coffee makers. They've quickly failed or their carafes have snapped and spilled coffee. I've also owned much more expensive models with all kinds of fancy features, but they had to be reprogrammed every time they were unplugged or the power blinked and they didn't make better coffee. On occasions when I've forgotten to turn off this coffeemaker, it has run for many hours empty without a problem.With this coffee maker I just install a paper basket filter, add the grounds and water, turn it on and it takes about one-minute per cup to brew. My wife and I usually brew 10 cups at a time, The pause-and-serve feature allows removal of the carafe while brewing without spillage. Amazon's price when I ordered this coffee maker was the same price as Wal-Mart's but I had the convenience of FREE home delivery from Amazon. This model replaced an identical Mr. Coffee switch coffee maker in our kitchen that had served me well for more than eight years before it finally gave out. For me, paying barely more than $2/year for a coffee maker is a bargain.At home we use a vintage Krups Type 223 burr bean grinder which measures our coffee. Our brewing water is softened and processed through a reverse-osmosis filter. While traveling in our motorhome, we use an identical Mr. Coffee coffeemaker but use pre-ground coffee measured with a scoop to keep it simple. Our motorhome water is supplied through a Camco 40045 TastePURE KDF Water Filter - 2 pack. We're never disappointed with the quality of our Mr. Coffee brew. We use generic store-brand paper basket filters. We also have a Coleman Camping Coffee Maker that we use when we are camping without electric hookups. It brews coffee atop our propane gas stove, is about twice as expensive, is slightly slower but uses the same paper basket filters as our Mr. Coffee.Although I prefer the appearance of the white model of this coffeemaker, it does eventually show stains on the lid that covers the brewing basket. Whether my choice is black or white, these Mr. Coffee coffeemakers have proven to be functionally identical. I believe that these coffeemakers strike the right balance for simplicity of operation, reliability, quality brew and reasonable cost.