Comments on: BLACK+DECKER 12-Cup Thermal Programmable Coffee maker, Brew Strength Selector, Auto-clean, Black and Silver

By: Richard & Michelle K

Richard & Michelle K — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 16:06:45 +0000

A very capable coffee maker!
I’ve bought over 2,000 products via Amazon and this one makes me happy… every morning. Of course I’m talking about my BLACK+DECKER 12-Cup Thermal Coffeemaker! Let me get a few specific items out of the way. I want to address some specific questions that others have been asked and the answers that left me with questions still.1. NO, it does not come with a reusable coffee grind filter basket. YES, you can purchase one here on Amazon that fits perfectly and does a great job (I bought the GOLDTONE Reusable 8-12 Cup Basket Coffee Filter for a little under $8.00).2. Read this one carefully! The unit comes with a anti-drip or “stop” basket. This basket allows you to get a cup of coffee before the brew cycle is complete by automatically closing a spring-loaded valve when you remove the carafe (thermos) from the coffee maker to pour a cup of coffee. There is also a spring loaded valve in the carafe lid that, when the carafe is in the coffee maker, the spring is depressed and allows coffee to flow from the basket into the carafe and, when removed from the coffee maker, this spring closes, thus sealing the carafe so that your coffee stays warm in the thermos. Both of these spring-loaded valves can become clogged with rogue coffee grinds (especially if you use paper liners and they are not properly seated in the bottom or sides of the coffee filter basket and a few grinds end up on the outside). If this happens, you might experience overflow and get water on your counter. This is easily avoided by simply removing the basket from the coffee maker itself and washing after use (it lifts right out). Just be sure to depress the spring-loaded part when rinsing to make sure that no grinds are clogging the drip hole. Similarly, when cleaning the carafe (thermos) lid, depress that spring-loaded valve, and make sure water runs freely through the lid. This is a NORMAL thing to do when cleaning a coffee maker after brewing a pot, so I’m not real sure why there are issues, but these steps are not specific to this coffee maker and are standard cleaning practices.3. This coffee maker uses flat-bottom filters… NOT cone filters!4. NO. The carafe does not sit on a heated plate. The carafe is insulated like a thermos, but if you let your coffee sit for more than a couple of hours, you will need to (dare I say!) microwave your coffee. Do not be tempted to re-run brewed coffee back through the machine as it will eventually gunk up the innards! It does help to pre-warm the thermos before brewing. Simply pour in the cold water to your coffee maker first. Then, using very hot water, fill up the thermos, put the lid on and let it sit for 5 – 10 minutes. Then pour out the hot water and start the brew cycle with the empty carafe in place. Your coffee will stay hotter, longer.5. TIP-TIME! I find that using a re-usable coffee grind basket saves me $$ (aside from the obvious of having to buy paper filters). This coffee maker comes with a feature to brew STRONG and BOLD coffee (settings to increase the strength of your coffee by lengthening the brew cycle by a few seconds, therefore allowing the grinds to steep a bit longer). The usual ratio of normal coffee is 1 TBSP of coffee for each two cups of water. If I choose BOLD (which is the highest setting – normal –> Strong –> Bold), I can use 5 TBSP to 12 cups of water and still get a strong, great-tasting brew.6. Bonus TIP! You can use even less coffee, and get better flavor, if you grind your own beans. Either grind them just prior to making your coffee, or grind them at the local grocery store if they have the machine to do so. Coffee oils are sensitive to time. The fresher the grind, the richer the taste.7. Bonus TIP #2! Use COLD water! Never brew using hot water from the tap… I’m not Millennial enough to suggest that you use bottled water (those who drank from water hoses as a kid will get that reference), but the quality of your water will make a difference in the taste of your coffee. Nuff said.

By: Amazon Customer

Amazon Customer — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 16:06:45 +0000

Makes a Great Cup of Coffee and Keeps it Fresh for Hours at a Bargain Price
After three years I give this coffee maker 4.5 stars. The only reason it doesn’t deserve five, is because it replaced a similar Cuisinart model that is still going strong at our second home after 20+ years and keeps the coffee hot and tasty twice as long as this B&D model, but at twice the price these days. Otherwise, this B&D model makes an excellent cup of coffee. We use a reusable gold filter.We clean it with regular dawn detergent daily. Once a week we soak all parts of the pot for about 30 minutes or so in hot soapy water with a couple tablespoons of Cafiza powder to remove any residue oils to make sure they don’t turn rancid and effect future coffee flavor.The machine is easy to program, use and clean. We use filtered deionized water from the tap to make our coffee, which keeps the inside of the machine free of scale buildup. (Our water supply otherwise is considered very hard.) We grind our own beans once a week to medium coarseness so that we don’t get too much sediment going through the gold filter. We brew the coffee strong, but the carafe protects the flavor from getting bitter for up to four or more hours.If the B&D doesn’t last as long as our Cuisinart, we might not buy another. But so far, at half the cost, it meets the need just fine.

By: Skip

Skip — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 16:06:45 +0000

My favorite coffee maker EVER.
One of the best coffee makers Iâve ever owned! The metal pot keeps my coffee hot for hours even after it turns off! Typical 12 cup with normal brew time. Average size coffee maker. I use this in my travel trailer and sometimes it gets bumpy which I why I wanted the metal pot. So far it is beyond durable!

By: Tushna Marfatia

Tushna Marfatia — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 16:06:45 +0000

I brought this coffee maker because I am looking for a coffee maker with a thermal carafe, but had to return it immediately as it was a 110V machine, something that isnât mentioned on the product description and I did not want to get involved with a step down converter. Cant rate it really accordingly.

By: Lynn Davidson

Lynn Davidson — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 16:06:45 +0000

This is a lovely machine but unfortunately is not UK compatible

By: Lilian

Lilian — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 16:06:45 +0000

CambiÃ© una cafetera de otra marca, de 6 tazas, y hecha de vidrio, por esta maravilla. Estoy muy satisfecha con la compra. Gracias A+++

By: Vic

Vic — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 16:06:45 +0000

Su jarra/termo es importante porque se mantiene caliente el cafÃ© y no se sigue calentando hasta quemarlo. TambiÃ©n su sistema de goteo de regadera, aprovecha mejor el cafÃ© que otras cafeteras con sistema de una sola gota.

By: Martin

Martin — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 16:06:45 +0000

Great product! Bought cause my girlfriend kept breaking the glass carafes and was tired of spending ~$30 for one every two weeks. So far? It doesnât disappoint except for two things..Pros:+Keeps coffee hot for several hours+Brews pretty quick (12 cups in under 10 minutes)+The brewing process is really quiet+Programmable for the next morning+Fairly easy to clean except for the cap+Coffee does not taste like plastic whatsoever which is great.Cons:-No backlight on the clock screen which is a bummer for in the morning brewing-water stays in the cap of the carafe, so you have to push all the spring loaded levers or buttons on it to get the water out-wish it had comes with a reusable filter (i know you can buy one but would’ve been nice for a $100 item)Other than that, itâs great! Itâs an hell of an upgrade if youâre used to the cheaper brewers. 9/10 would order again!

By: James T. Kirk

James T. Kirk — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 16:06:44 +0000

Makes Great Coffee
This coffee maker does an excellent job of making great coffee. I wanted something simpler than the previous pod system that I had been using for years. In my opinion, pods are convenient, but don’t provide the same coffee flavor. I like that this unit doesn’t have a heating pad for the carafe, but instead uses a vacuum sealed carafe that keeps coffee warm for a couple of hours. We usually use up all of the coffee that we make within that time.This machine makes a full 12 cups of coffee and the flow of water seems to be pretty fast, but I’ve never timed it. The machine isn’t quiet, but doesn’t make too much noise either. The noise is tolerable for me, but if you need peace and quiet, this might disturb your zen.Overall, this is a nice coffee maker that is well-designed, simple to use, and consistently good.