KRUPS KM4688 Moka Brewer Filter Coffee Maker, 10-Cup, Black

Finally the right coffee maker. My old coffee maker was a Hamilton Beach Brewstation, which after years of service, started leaking all over the place. I liked it because it was carafe free and easy to maintain. I ended up choosing the Moka Brew because:1) It brews hot. I find it strange that many brewers do not brew very hot. The Hamilton Beach did not brew hot for me. I always had to microwave my cup after brewing just to get it hot. With the KRUPS Moka Brewer, the coffee is HOT; no microwaving needed.2) It’s mostly easy to maintain. The Moka brewer uses a mesh permanent filter which initially I thought was a plus. Most reviewers also like this feature. However, when emptying the used grinds into the trash, the wet coffee grinds stick to the mesh filter and don't fall out easily, requiring rinsing in the sink. Even with water they don’t fall out easily. Boo. I liked my old paper filters where you simply pull out the spent grinds and drop the paper and grinds in the trash. So initially I was a little grumpy. But then a family member suggested using my old Melitta “Basket” Coffee Filters, which I had used with the HB Brewstation. You can buy these at most grocery stores or Amazon; I get mine at Smart and Final. So now I use the paper filter within the mesh filter. Problem solved.3) Creates ice coffee easily. Sometimes it is hard to get right. And this is one area that carafe based machines do better vs. their single brew competitors. With the Moka Brewer I can place the entire carafe in the refrigerator after brewing. Just adjust the amount of coffee grinds when you brew to increase the intensity of the flavor when mixing ice. Works great.4) Utilizes less plastic. The Moka Brewer utilizes a stainless steel heating element and water tank. When the brew is completed, it sits in a glass carafe, unlike my HB Brewstation, which is all plastic.5) It’s small. The Moka brewer fits in my small kitchen. This was the reason I returned the Cuisinart 12-Cup Coffee on Demand Coffeemaker, which was so big, that when you opened the lid, it would hit my cabinets. (Thank you Amazon for the easy return!)6) The Moka Brewer looks good. So I was struck by the Moka Brewer’s design visually online. It appeared unusual and modern looking. When it arrived however, it wasn’t as striking as I thought it would be, but I still enjoy its distinctive look and interesting mechanics.7) Taste. Not sure what happened to “Grants” Moka Brewer but to me, the Moka Brew makes coffee that tastes just right, not too strong or too weak. And did I mention it is hot! :)Cons:1) So I agree with another reviewer who says this unit is overpriced. I was willing to pay extra because of the unusual design. This is one reason I picked it over the Bonavita BV1800, which let’s face it looks boring and outdated. The cost is about $50 more than I would like but given the Moka Brew has a two year warranty; I guess I’ll take the chance on it lasting a while. It feels very well made and sturdy.2) It is also true that pouring water into the base is a little challenging. But filling the Moka Brew is much easier that my old Brewstation, which always resulted in water on the counter.Hope this review helps. Hint: When the unit first arrives, the cord looks short. Remove the carafe, turn the unit upside down and gently pull the cord out from the plastic restraints underneath the base to increase the length.

I bought this due to limited countertop space. I am Happy that I did. I makes an excellent cup of coffee. I grind fresh from beans every time I make a pot. The only possible negative is that the best coffee can be made with a paper filter. The fine mesh filter in the drip chamber works OK, but makes for a muddy cup of coffee. Using a paper filter (3 3/4" diameter) clears things up and improves the flavor immensely. Pouring water into the chamber at the bottom can be a bit messy depending on how you become accustomed to pouring, the space is a bit tight. But, it took me only a pot to adjust to the differences between this coffee maker and pouring water in the usual sort of drip coffee maker. I like the design, it doesn't take up much counter space, it doesn't take any longer to brew an 8 cup pot than the usual drip maker and can be easily operated in the normal clearance between a counter and the upper cabinets (16 to 18") Overall I would certainly buy it again. However, it looks as tough it is going to last a very long time.

Tried to love it but this is the worst coffee maker I have purchased. After making several pots of coffee I gave up and returned this item. The coffee had a very strange taste, must be something inside the machine or the brewing process. The worst part is this model does not have a warmer to keep the coffee hot, by the time I finished an 8oz cup and went back for more what was left in the pot had already cooled down. I should have paid more attention that most of the reviews are from the Vine program which handed them to those customers for free, If I had received a free one it would be at the local landfill by now. I am back to my camping french press which makes a much better cup of coffee than this machine and it was only $25. I have the Krups KM900 ordered and hoping it makes a better cup of coffee.

This is the third Krups moka brew that I've purchased. I love the way the coffee comes out, nice and strong. That being said, I'm glad I didn't get rid of the old one, because this new model is way too slow at brewing. I grind my coffee very fine and the water passes through the grind very slow, to the point that after twenty minutes the coffee maker would turn itself off. It's okay if you are brewing coffee for two people, not for company.

This is an excellent coffee brewer, guaranteed to provide the right temperature and full, rich extraction. I've owned more than one and it remains a favorite. On the other hand Krups service ... well, definitely not a favorite. At about 7 months, the Moka Brewer began leaking pressure/steam from the top, where the the carafe cover meets the top "bar" of the brewer. If I shut the machine down and "re-seated" the carafe, things generally improved, but that's no solution.So I removed the seal, cleaned the area and things improved for a while, but again no joy. I ordered a replacement seal on-line from a Krups authorized parts supplier, but when it came it didn't fit. Turns out there are no replacement seals available for the newer models.So I went to Krups for help and the bottom line was most unfortunate. I have to ship my coffee maker back to an authorized service center and wait 2-3 weeks for word on repair/replacement. That's not wait for a new/repaired unit, but wait for word of the Krups decision.Good grief. If the machine were two - three years old, that would make sense, but it was purchased from Amazon in March - a little over 6 months ago.C'mon Krups, develop your sense of customer service. At the end of the day, the bitter taste in my mouth is not from the coffee ... Bottom line: Great machine; meh service.