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As part of our ongoing research into the best coffee makers out there, we tested the Hamilton Beach coffee maker.
This machine has no carafe which makes it unique in the drip coffee maker world, and is a handy innovation that means there’s no risk of spillages or breakages.
But does it work as well as it’s more conventional counterparts?
Read on to find out!
You will also learn about:
- The features of the machine
- How it works
- The advantages of the machine
- The disadvantages of the machine
- Some top tips to help you get the most out of your machine
- Who the machine is/isn’t suited to
The Features of the Hamilton Beach Coffee Maker
“The Hamilton Beach twelve cup brew station coffee maker offers convenient one hand dispensing without a conventional glass carafe. There’s no pouring or spills and nothing to break or replace.”
The features of the Hamilton Beach BrewStation coffee maker include:
- One hand dispensing: The lack of a carafe means you just pop your cup under the dispense spout and dispense your coffee one cup at a time.
- Versatile brewing options: You can choose from regular brewing, bold brewing for a stronger flavour, and iced coffee. You can also choose to brew a small batch of one to three cups.
- Automatic shut off: This ensures you never again forget to turn your machine off, wasting power and costing you money. You can choose to set the automatic shut off from one to four hours.
- Built in water heater: The heater ensures a consistent temperature and the lack of heating plate means your coffee won’t have that scorched taste that some machines can incur
The following is included with your purchase:
- One Hamilton Beach coffee machine
- Carrying tank (to fill the water tank)
- A user manual
- A standard warranty of twelve months
There are also some optional add ons:
- An extended warranty of three or four years for a small additional fee.
The option to purchase the Hamilton Beach 80675 permanent gold tone filter (for making eight to twelve cups) for just over $5. This means you don’t have to buy paper filters and will save you money in the long run
There are several options for purchasing your Hamilton Beach coffee maker:
- The twelve cup machine (which we tested) for around $50
- The ten cup machine for around $35
- The twelve cup machine with included gold tone filter for around $55
If you want to use the reusable filter, then choosing option three will save you around a dollar. It’s up to you to decide whether an extra two cups per brew is worth fifteen dollars or not!
How Does the Hamilton Beach BrewStation Work?
Firstly, you use the carrying tank to fill the machine to your desired level. Then add your coffee.
Next, you choose what type of brew you want – regular, bold or iced. Switch the machine on and that’s it. You can also programme it to come on at a set time so you can have freshly brewed hot coffee for waking up to or returning from work.
The machine is easy to use and the internal storage tends to keep the coffee hot for longer than a carafe would. The lack of a carafe also simplifies the cleaning process – it’s one less thing to clean! The machine keeps your coffee hot for around four hours which is pretty good for these kinds of machines.
The coffee has a good flavour with no scorched taste and you can definitely taste the difference between the regular and the bold brews.
Things We Like
The advantages of choosing this machine are:
Things We Didn't Like
Top Tips for Getting the Most Out of the Hamilton Beach Machine
Here are some top tips for ensuring you get a great coffee every time:
- Make sure the machine is cleaned regularly and thoroughly
- Make sure the machine is descaled regularly
- Use good quality coffee
- Use freshly ground coffee
- Run two cleaning cycles before you brew your first pot to ensure that the machine is primed
Is this machine ideal for me?
This machine is ideal for anyone who wants an easy to use machine that still has options. It’s also ideal for anyone a little bit clumsy who has a habit of dropping and breaking their glass carafes!
Who shouldn't buy this machine?
Because there isn’t a carafe, this machine isn’t suited to multiple people households where everyone likes their coffee differently.
So for example, if one person likes a strong brew and one likes a regular brew, or one person likes decaf and the other doesn’t, this machine won’t work well for you. There’s no option to brew two separate pots and both have your coffee your way.
What's the Bottom Line?
Overall, the lack of carafe on this model is a huge plus. It’s a great machine that makes nice tasting coffee consistently and easily.
The programmable timer makes it a huge plus for anyone who likes their coffee ready at a certain time. This machine is a good little buy!
Why does it leak after you get a cup of coffee when you press thebar
I am having the same issue. Unfortunately when it leaks it runs down the back of the cup and you have to be careful to wipe down your cup or you have coffee rings on everything! We tightened down the piece in the bottom of the bucket and still
Leaked!
Unless they’ve changed this since we bought ours, you do not have to fill and refill a cup to empty the tank. You simply lift it out of the machine by it’s handle and pour the leftover coffee down the drain. This coffeemaker is my absolute favorite and unfortunately we have to replace ours because of the terrible water we have. We use filtered water and clean it regularly but there is only so much a PUR pitcher can do with the water we have. The build up finally killed it so we’re getting another. Best coffeemaker ever? I think so!
We’ve bought 3 or 4 of these coffeemakers and really like them a lot. We program it so our coffee is hot and ready when we get up in the morning.
There is one really aggravating problem we’ve had with each one and that is that it leaks badly and water is everywhere. I finally set it in a cookie sheet with sides so the leaking water is contained and i can pour it out.
Is there an answer to this problem? I surely hope so!!!