Capresso 490.05 ST600 Stainless Thermal Coffeemaker

UPDATE DECEMBER 2007:

final update to this review: we gave up on this capresso shortly after my last update and purchased a cuisinart (~$100-ish). the cuisinart has given us approx 8 months of flawless, carefree performance. it's not nearly as gorgeous on the counter as this capresso, but also unlike the capresso, it's thoughtfully designed, does not require finicky care, and does not have delicate, vulnerable parts. it appears amazon is clearing out the ST600 at a very compelling discount, so i hope buyers are careful.

UPDATE APR 12, 2007:

well, two flimsy plastic pieces on the filter holder have broken off in the last couple weeks. first piece was just an irritation but the second broken piece has disabled the coffeemaker. i am debating whether i should order replacement parts or just give up on the machine. another irritating thing that had been happening over the past couple months was the top lid randomly popping open in the middle of the brew, causing hot water to spit everywhere -when it first happened to my wife, i scoffed at her incompetence and clicked the lid back into place firmly -only to have it pop back up two minutes later, much to my embarrassment :)

wish i could change my star rating ...

ORIGINAL REVIEW DEC 27, 2006:

agree mostly with other reviewers here on some negative traits: coffee maker is too big, steam emissions (including out the back) requires that you give the machine wide clearance, the lid is designed in a way that it will drip condensate down the back of the machine when you open it, etc. on the positive side, the machine is very attractive, and the carafe keeps the coffee surprisingly warm for hours.

i am not a coffee aficionado so cannot opine on how much better the coffee is vs our old $80 krups -it seems marginally less bitter and clean tasting (i drink my coffee black and usually drink americanos outside the home). i suspect that most coffee drinkers would only see a minor difference in taste. but on the other hand, perhaps those willing to pay this much for a coffee maker will generally have a more discerning palate and notice a greater difference than i do.

let me address the issue of spillage, as it appears that there is great debate about this across the many capresso model lines. i initially had problems with the ST600. the design is poor. the spring-loaded, safety cutoff switch situated at the bottom of the machine is too powerful and actually pushes away the carafe when it's empty. even if it does not push away the carafe far enough to cause the spout to disengage and coffee to overflow onto the counter, it will still create enough of a gap to cause steam to shoot out and condense on the front of the machine, between the machine and the carafe. this condensation will dribble down the machine. this is the phenomenon described by lane and sean in prior reviews. this is exacerbated by a slippery countertop (e.g. a granite surface). this could have been avoided by having some sort of locking mechanism that clutches the carafe snugly to the machine, rather than relying on the friction of the footpads on the carafe to hold it against the machine despite the spring-loaded switch pushing it away.

this issue was bad enough that i considered returning the machine. this is how i've "fixed" the problem: when i insert the carafe, i insert the spout first while holding the carafe at a 45-degree down from horizontal. then i shove the bottom of the carafe up against the bottom of the machine in a way that actually ever-so-slightly lifts up the front of the machine. this changes the angle of the force from the spring-loaded switch just enough that it has to tilt the carafe to extend, not just push it away. the spring is not strong enough to push away the carafe in this position, so the carafe stays snug to the machine, and i get no steam spillage and condensation on the front of the machine. this sounds kinda idiotic, especially for a nearly $200 machine, but it's something that you get used to quickly (the angled insertion motion is not that different from most coffee machines anyway -just a bit exaggerated). i suspect another solution would be simply putting a non-slip pad under the machine.

at the end of the day, is it worth the money? ... did i mention it looks nice? :)

If you're like me, even when you don't buy from Amazon you include its reviews when buying a product, and in the process, you're often left wondering what and who to believe with a product that has mixed reviews and a big discount. I don't usually write reviews, but given the doubts I had before this purchase due the negative reviews, I thought I'd help others out and set the record straight.

Cutting to the chase, this is a great coffee maker, especially for the price. With all due respect, I cannot for the life of me figure out how people have any issue with this machine. Learning curve? Are you kidding me? Slip the carafe in, push the on button. If you can figure out how to plug it in, you can figure out how to use it. There are several aspects to its design that keep coffee from ending up on your counter. It won't fit in place unless the lid is lined up the right way and if it doesn't fit in right, coffee doesn't flow.

Does it take a moment or two to figure out the alignment, or maybe a quick read of the manual if it's not immediately obvious to you? Sure. Probably. It's not like any other coffee makers you or I have used. But some of the reviews made me think I'd be living through countless messes before getting the hang of it. I found the design to be very consumer centric (the politically correct way of saying idiot proof)

One reason I wanted to write this review is that years ago I purchased a vacuum coffee maker that originally sold for a $200 but was being given away by Starbucks for under $50. I was convinced there had to be something wrong with it given the huge discount, but they told me that it was just too "complicated" for some people and they didn't get it (makes coffee much differently than drip). Same deal. Best maker I owned but enough people returned it that it was discontinued. Never had a single issue with it until it gave out after 4 years.

I can't comment on defective units or longevity, but I can tell you the design is sound, the coffee is great (I too notice I don't need to use as much coffee for a great, strong brew, which means also a less bitter one), the unit looks great, the thermal carafe keeps the coffee hot, and I like the uniqueness of the design aesthetically and mechanically.

Snap this puppy up while you still have the chance, ESPECIALLY when its at the $60 Friday sale price.

Buy Capresso 490.05 ST600 Stainless Thermal Coffeemaker Now

The coffee maker is impressive to look at but the size of the machine, compared to the amount of coffee made, is disproportionate on a crowded counter top. It makes good coffee and keeps it warm. The coffee filter holder can be fiddly to place unless you get it just right, but the fact that the coffee dribbles down the front of the machine every time, requiring it be placed on a pad, is a real pain. The front needs cleaning every time, no matter how good you connect the jug with the machine. I'm concerned that the coffee running down the front of the machine will eventually cause damage to the seam between the stainless steel casing and the plastic bottom? I don't know if I have a lemon or they are all like that? *******4-month review***** My concerns came true. The dribbling coffee and condensation has damaged the seam at the bottom and the auto shut-off switch now gets stuck in when I remove the jug, so this makes dribbling a bigger problem. I would not but this again.

Read Best Reviews of Capresso 490.05 ST600 Stainless Thermal Coffeemaker Here

We bought this over a month ago and we absolutely love the coffee it makes. Seeing the other reviews about problems with dripping and cleaning -we really haven't experienced those problems. Yes, the coffee holder needs to be put in "just so", but the benefits of the great coffee far outweigh any minor quirks it has. I highly recommend it and think most people will be pleased.

Want Capresso 490.05 ST600 Stainless Thermal Coffeemaker Discount?

Before I purchased my Capresso ST600 from Amazon, I read all of the reviews so that I would be informed about the pros and cons and alert to potential problems. Also, as is often the case, a negative review was offset by a positive review providing the "solution" to the negative review's problem with the machine. Frankly, I WANTED this machine because of its unique style AND Amazon had a great deal on it the day I made the plunge.

The first thing I did after the machine arrived was to thoroughly read the brief, but informative, manual and follow the instructions. Since I have a filtered water system, I don't have to bother with the included unimpressive filter system that comes with the machine. I would only use it in an unforeseeable emergency. It's a nice thought, but totally unnecessary for serious coffee drinkers who always use filtered water and, thus, have their own system. If I had to buy water filter replacements all the time, I wouldn't bother with this machine.

Then, I made my first pot of coffee. Good first attempt. As with all new devices, I consider that there is a learning curve to get to the cup of coffee that I want from the device. Second pot, oops! I found coffee all over my counter-top. So, what did I do wrong? Well, I had the machine on a pad that was smooth and slippery and the bottom of the carafe was slightly wet because I had just rinsed it out. So, the carafe slipped away from the machine and created the mess.

Believe me, it hasn't happened a second time! I got it! The machine is sensitive and protective. I need to work with it to get the results I want. I placed the machine directly on the counter (which can also be slippery when wet) and have fared well so far. I stay with the machine briefly to make sure it's properly connected. One "rushed" day, I propped a heavier item against it as my watch-dog to keep it from slipping away.

My long-term solution is to find a good non-slip pad for my 'sensitive' machine so I don't have to babysit it as it starts up. Also, one reader provided a different approach -inserting the carafe lip into the slot at a 45 degree angle.

Is this learning curve worth it? The coffee is great! The design lightens my spirit when I see it first thing in the morning. I bought something beautiful and non-ordinary for myself, and, with patient understanding, it provides me with the aroma and taste of great, hot coffee. The carafe in its own right is terrific and once I learned its signaling clicks. The non-drip spout is a bonus and it keeps my coffee hot all morning long! Worth far more than the $80 amazon deal I paid for this beauty.