Mr.Coffee Holder for Filter Basket

Junk cannot even begin to describe this product! I should have known but the price was too good to pass up, so I ordered 2, to justify paying $10 for shipping. When I opened the package, the clip had come off the handles and the cup feels like a thick plastic rather than the original metal that came with the machine. Not to mention the part was clearly not made for my machine, so now I can't use it even if I wanted to. Bottom line, don't cheap out!

does not fit my machine it sounded like it would in the the way they wrote about in when selling it on your site

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Bialetti Moka Express 9-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker

This unit is a great little device for making strong coffee (somewhere between espresso and regular coffee, closer to the espresso side) in an elegant way, and it's designed to last a long time.

The coffee produced is extracted using steam that is generated when the bottom part of the pot gets heated from placing the unit on a stove top. You have to experiment to find the right low-to-medium heat to get the best results. Too low and it will not boil, but you probably want it just above that and not too hot. I have found a setting where it will boil in 5 mins, and then the coffee comes up in 1 minute or less. So, a total of 6 minutes, which is not bad at all. As mentioned, what's produced is close to what we call "espresso" in the US, but it is not the same thing. It is not as strong and with not quite the same taste as full-blown espresso created using an automatic or semi-automatic espresso maker. It's much stronger and more flavorful than regular coffee, though. I used the same Intelligentsia Coffee House Blend (a great coffee) through my French press and then the Moka pot, and the taste difference was eye-opening. Apparently, these stove-top coffee makers are the norm in Italy, and practically everybody has one.

If you enjoy taking your time making your coffee, this is a beautiful unit that creates great coffee (and apparently it gets better over time, as the coffee oils seep into the aluminum). And as mentioned, it's actually not that slow. It's a nice "coffee ritual." It's made in Italy. It only has three parts, which are easy to clean and look virtually impossible to break, so it will last.

The only potential downsides are:

(a) you need coffee ground to the correct size. Either you should get pre-ground Illy Coffee or else you should get a good grinder that can grind to just above espresso fineness. When using whole bean coffee, our old blade grinder does not work well at all with this (sometimes it's acceptable, sometimes hardly any coffee comes out), but we have a Vario on the way, so all is good... But it is a given that a grinder is extremely important regardless of what method of coffee brewing you use. So -get a good grinder!

(b) you can only make the same amount of coffee each time. For example, we have the version that says 6 on the side (6 cup?) and it makes just enough for my wife and myself. (It doesn't actually make 6 cups, as far as I can tell -it's more like 2 cups for us). That is, you cannot just put in less ground coffee and less water to make less coffee. If you do that, the mechanics of the steam don't work and you won't get proper coffee as a result. So, make sure you get the correct size for your use.

This thing is so cheap and well-made that anyone who loves coffee should have one around to try out or for occasional use. Ours will get regular use, alternating with our French press. I was very happy to find this.

The Bialetti Moka Express 3-Cup Coffeemaker is fantastic. I enjoy it immensely. Word of warning, don't forget to put water in it before placing on the stove! And if you have a gas stove with an open flame, do not use a flame that exceeds the size of the coffeemaker. The handle will melt.

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Too many words would ruin the simplicity and elegance. It simply makes delicious espresso, quickly and with a minimum of effort. Cleans up in about 2 minutes...I take mine camping.

The "cup" ratings are for small, traditional sized espresso cups. If you like to pour a mug full of espresso, then divide the cup rating by 4 to arrive at an approximate size for your "machine". My nine cup maker gives me 2 full sized mugs of rich coffee. For you "crema" people...there is none.

It is inexpensive, relative to plug in type machines, so it is as nearly a risk free purchase as you can make. Enjoy.

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Been using these stovetop espresso maker's for 20 years. I was shocked to take my latest one out of it's box and discovered it has all the substance of aluminum paper. I have older ones to compare it to. Not just insubstantial metal, but the quality of the threading between the top and the bottom you can hear crackly sound of bad metal and poor tolerances. How sad to see a classic so undermined by cost cutting.

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I am a certifiable coffee nut (or snob, if you wish!) The Bialetti 9-cup Moka express makes the best coffee I've ever had. I frequent local coffee houses as well as chains, have had my own 'automatic' espresso maker, used coffee presses, coffee makers, and percolators. My last automatic espresso maker gave up the ghost about 2 months ago (my 3rd one in 4 years, expensive, but not as expensive as stopping at DazBog or Starbucks every morning.) I decided that there had to be a better way I had already switched to a stove top milk steamer and decided to look for something I could use in the same manner. I decided that I really had nothing to lose by trying this one. The price is excellent, the reviews are stellar, and if it turned out to be a pain to use, I could save it for camping trips and such.

1. It is very easy to use. Fill water to the line, place basket in, fill with coffee (use a medium-fine grind, freshly ground, pack lightly with fingers don't over pack.) screw on top, place on med-low heat (at least on my stove top I use 3.) The coffee may be even better if I was more patient, but 3 gets the job done and the coffee tastes fabulous.) Take off the heat as it finishes percolating into the pot.

2. The 9 cup seems very sturdy. I find it makes the right amount for 3 people to get properly buzzed on coffee. I've had no problems with the handle or any part of the moka maker. I like the fact that the safety release valve is very easy to check each time a rinse the pot.

3. The coffee tastes so good that my nine year old took a sip and said "IT TASTES LIKE IT SMELLS! This isn't bitter mom!"

DeLonghi Compact Automatic Cappuccino, Latte and Espresso Machine, Silver

I don't actually own this product myself, but I have a friend that does and I've used it on occasion. I look forward to going to their house just to brew myself a cup of coffee! This coffee maker is quite compact in size. It takes beans and ground. And the best part, no coffee filter required!

Pros: It is very easy to use. The first thing it does when you turn it on(and off) is it rinses the filters. After that, the screen shows you options to personalize the taste either: extra mild, mild, strong, extra strong or standard, as well as the amount you want which are: espresso, long, extra long or standard. There is also a dedicated button for cappuccino and hot water only. Coffee that is used during the brew is discarded into a pull-out tray in a disc shape form, making it easy to throw away. It notifies you when water is low, when coffee beans are low, and when the discard tray is full.

Cons: When I was asked, I thought this fancy machine was around $300, but noooope, I was wrong. It can be loud at first, especially for those early morning brews. Sometimes the coffee maker will say there are no coffee beans, when there are, so moving the beans closer to the grinder is required.

All in all, the brews are great, but I'll own one myself when I win the lottery.

Although it was a refurb I thought it would last longer. Beans wouldnt go into grinder without help, one side of the cup warmer got so hot you couldnt touch it. I was able to return for full refund but very disappointed in the quality of the machine as I have had another Delonghi that is 4 years old and still pretty darn reliable.

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Emerson Combination Machine

Wow! I am a student, so money is not too abundant; however, my wife and I love coffee and dig good espresso, but don't like paying $4+ for a latte. When I saw this combo unit I was skeptical that I could make a good espresso. Machines that friends have are $500+. However, it does a great job.

Pros:

1. Coffee has an automatic brew timer.

2. Good sized water reservoir, especially if you are making a load of espressos.

3. Has a frother. The frothing wand could be longer.

4. The PRICE is the best out there for a good beginner espresso machine. I've had cheaper ones that break easily and do not produce a good espresso WITH crema.

5. Simple operation. You'll read some reviews about the instructions, but come on-it's not rocket science...it's coffee. Water in the water reserve. Check. Grounds in the mesh filter (no more paper-yah!). Check. Push the on button. Check = Coffee. For espresso: Water in reservoir. Push espresso on button. Make sure that you are set for the cup and not steam (pictures). Pump should be off. Put empty portafilter in machine and turn the pump on when green indicator light is on. Run water through for 5 seconds and then turn the pump off. Remove portafilter and put finely ground beans in. Lock portafilter into machine. Turn on the pump. Here is the confusing part: How long do I run the machine for? The manufacturer does not say. I run it until the brown crema gets too light (yeah, subjective-I know). Turn the pump off and turn the machine to steam production. Wait until the green indicator light turns on and then turn the dial ever-so-slowly to flush out water in the line. Then bring your milk to the frothing wand (that you have perfectly placed the rubber tip onto according to my advice below) and turn the steam on ever-so-slowly. When the green light turns off, it's still ok to keep running the steam (if you check, sculding hot steam is still coming from the machine) unless you go way too long. You should be able to steam and foam with this machine in one pass (I started out requiring two warm ups of the steam boiler to get this right, but I guess I really wasn't getting it right-it should take you one pass).

6. Looks attractive.

7. 15 bars of pressure is competitive with very expensive machines.

8. Has a removable drip tray under the espresso machine.

Cons:

1. Only makes 10 cups of coffee.

2. The frothing tip is rubber and sits over a single-walled metal wand. The wand gets very hot, which can burn the milk (so I am told by "experts"-can't tell the difference except for the dried milk that requires a quick and easy rub with a wet rag for clean-up). Nonetheless, the metal part does not have a side spout, which is needed for microfoam production. So, if you want microfoam, you have to place the rubber tip over the wand ever-so-perfectly. Looking inside the rubber tip, there is a groove along the inner cylinder. If the metal tip is just a little higher than this inner cylinder groove exit, then you can actually produce microfoam with this machine and do it quickly-complicated? Sorry. You'll understand when you make a dozen lattes and can't understand what you're doing wrong and then start to experiment.

3.If you get leakage out of the portafilter (the part where ground espresso goes) then you are probably not tamping the grounds down hard enough (requires ~30 lbs of pressure) OR have grounds in the groove. The machine is sensitive in this regard. Also, make sure you do not remove the portafilter until the pressure dissipates (just leave it off for a few minutes) otherwise when you unlock the portafilter grounds are shot into the groove and makes a small mess.

4. There is not a carafe temperature control knob.

5. There are no temperature gauges to tell you what the operating water temperature is (good to know for perfect espresso).

6. Portafilter is fairly small, so making double shot espressos is hard.

Tips:

1. Get coffee flavoring-vanilla, hazelnut, caramel, mocha-whatever you prefer and put 1/2 a shot glass amount into each latte. It really changes everything.

2. Tamp a little ground cinnamon onto the final product for a little extra. It adds flavor and a good smell.

I hope this helps. I do not usually write reviews, but this machine is very impressive for the price, so I wanted to help you out by giving more details.

Follow-up 2/14/10: Unfortunately, the Emerson boiler broke just a few months after purchase. I was still able to produce coffee, but could not make espressos. I contacted the manufacturer and they gave me a return number. I packaged everything up and mailed the entire unit to Emerson's repair department. I didn't have all of the required documentation of purchase, but they did not hassle me. The representative was very polite and effective. She understood the problem and just told me to send it back with a note on the defect. About a week or two later, a brand new Emerson arrived on my doorstep. Haven't had any problems since. Great customer service. The only complaint I could muster if forced to was that I had to eat the shipping cost to Emerson for the unit (~$20); however, they have a $15 charge for all returned products for mailing back to your home. They waived this fee without me even asking about it!

Okay, so the instructions are less than clear. Do yourself a favor, throw away the brown 'quick start' sheet that came in the box.

Using the instructions in the book, I had this baby up and brewing in no time. I wish the steamer arm were a little longer to reach deeper into my frothing pitcher, but c'est la vie.

I looked around all over for a reasonably priced espresso machine for a beginner, and I'm glad I picked this one. It brews well both on the drip side and the espresso side. The steamer works great, everything cleans up easily and it just looks cool sitting on my counter!

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Update1/2011

Would definitely not buy this machine again. The "start" button broke off inside so now I have to stick a pencil tip in the hole to turn the dang thing on. Again, it makes a decent cup of coffee but it's very poorly made. Pass on this machine. Spend the $ on something more substantial.

Update3/2010

A year on and I have to revise my review. It does make a decent cup of coffee on the drip side, but in retrospect I wish I had invested in a nicer machine. This one is fine for awhile, but like other inexpensive coffee makers, it doesn't hold up.

The most annoying thing about this is the reusable filter basket. It's a white mesh (not gold tone) filter that has fallen apart. I cannot find a replacement and the other reusable filters I've tried simply don't fit in this machine. The filter is oval shaped and other cone and basket replacements are round.

I've also had issues with the coffee not going into the pot...waking up to find coffee all over the kitchen counter. It doesn't happen every time, but it's still annoying. After a year, I still can't figure out why this happens. The overflow issue has also caused the heating plate to rust, which is exactly why I had to replace my last coffee maker. :(

I have only used the expresso side once or twice, but I'm not really impressed with it either.

Bottom line...I'd pass on this one and invest in something nicer.

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my wife and i bought this thinking it was a great deal. after the third time using the espresso side, we noticed the frother was not producing steam. in fact the steam was being released INSIDE the unit. after that the coffee heater would stay on as long as the unit was plugged in! this could have burnt down our house had we not caught it! Be warned, this product is dangerous!

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I rarely complain about products breaking because lets face it, manufacturers don't make things to last these days. This machine is however not even worth the money! Yes, it makes a decent espresso....for a year. Don't expect anything more. We received one as a wedding gift, and liked it so much that after a year when one of the buttons stopped working, we decided to get another one because we liked it so much and figured it was just a fluke. NOPE. The second one didn't even last a full year. Not wasting my time with this brand ever again.

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Medelco 12 Cup Basket Universal Permanent Coffee Filter

There is nothing wrong with the filter, other than you can get these for about $3.99 other places) except that it is WAY TOO SMALL for the Bun Coffee Machine that they recommended it for. I have to fill in with a paper filter so it defeats the whole purpose of having a permanent filter. Even with the paper the filter overflows coffee grounds. There needs to be a LARGER filter to fit this machine.

I purchased this filter to replace another Medelco 8-12 cup filter that I was using in our Bunn 10 cup coffeemaker. It works as well as the old one, but it overflows easily when using more than 6 tablespoons of coffee or 6 cups. It is a well made filter and works great with only using it for 6 cups. This might not be an issue with slower coffeemakers, however. I wish it were a little taller.

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I bought a new Black & Decker Drip coffee maker. The Amazon site said many people bought this permanenet filter basket with it,,So I order it. BUT its not the right size. The basket is too small and I'm not spending $5 on Postage to send back a $10 filter.

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The finest grounds do get through this thing, so you do have more sludge at the bottom of the mug than with a paper filter. *I* haven't noticed any difference in taste, nor has the female of the species. Great price! Get one and do the environment a good turn!

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This basket filter cleans easily and its construction seems good quality. But its height is not sufficient to use in my recently-purchased Bunn coffeemaker if you want to make more than four cups of coffee, that is. So really, I can only use it for making 2-4 cups of coffee, unless I want coffee grounds in my cup of java. It could NEVER accommodate a larger quantity such as its title states 8-12 cups due to the efficient circular coffeemaker water spray onto the grounds. This basket filter was advertized on the internet page with the Bunn coffeemaker, more than suggesting that it was the perfect partner for my Bunn machine. It works, yes, but only partially. When my new Bunn coffeemaker arrived in the mail, I read the Bunn statements regarding filters. Bunn includes a few free white PAPER filters with its coffeemaker and the instructions announce that I should purchase ONLY these "made-for-Bunn" paper filters, as they are higher than a normal paper filter. This is an annoyance, but in no way reflects upon the quality of the Medelco basket filter.

Mr. Coffee Coffeemaker Cleaner - For All Automatic Drip Units

We live in the Central Texas area and have very hard water that will cause excessive lime and scale build-up over time. This is tough on coffee makers and will cause them to shut off before the brewing cycle is complete and will significantly reduce the lifespan of most units. I have tried BrewRite cleaner which has virtually no effect, have had marginal success with CLR by running it through the brewing cycle several times. But Mr. Coffee cleaner worked on the first try. No more interrupted cycles! Got my first pack given to me and now I am on the hunt for more! Highly recommended for internal cleaning of the brewing mechanism.

I've used Brewrite coffee pot cleaner on my stainless steal carafe and the residue film just slips off. This product didn't touch it when used as directed. I had to soak the carafe overnight with another dose of the stuff and still had to use a steel wool pad to get it clean. I'm still looking for something like Brewrite! :(

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I used this product as directed and found that it was a waste of money. It didn't clean the pot or internal parts of the coffee maker that I wanted to clean.

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This is exactly what I was looking for. For months I had used vinegar to clean my coffee maker. Worst. Experience. Ever. This cleans the maker without the smell and awful, awful taste.

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I really like this product but it is hard to find and I live in a major metropolitan area. Rather than drive all over trying to find it, now ordering it online. It makes my coffee noticeably taste better and the brew cycle is faster after using the cleaner. I've tried other cleaners, but prefer this one. If you wait until your coffee maker is totally filthy and disgusting, not sure this will clean it. I use the cleaner every other month, brew coffee daily, decanter and filter go through the dishwasher daily.

Norpro 551 Gold Cone No. 4 Coffee Filter

I use this product only when I want to avoid the mess of a filter. I am not always happy with using it as I think if ground very fine it tends to fliter through and then the coffee has a thick taste at the bottom. I usually have to throw out the last quarter cup or so as it tastes strong and thick. It does however save time when making a quick cup. Also if you take out the filter as soon as it is finished perking it doesn't tend to bleed into the caraf as much.

I'm very happy that I purchased this product. I don't have to mess around with paper filters any more. All I do is rinse it out and make more coffee. I would most definitely purchase this product from Amazon again.

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I bought this for a Krups 12-cup model, thinking that a #4 filter would fit all models, but it's not the best fit. I really should have purchased the correct filter for my particular Krups model, however more expensive it was, than trying to save a few $$. It's usable, certainly, but I have to be sure that the filter is properly seated and the machine door is shut tight before starting the brewing cycle; I've had it pop open while filled with hot water during the brewing cycle; a not so great ocurrence. Anyway, I do like this filter, aside from the fit issues; and hope to never have to buy paper filters again. Saves 50% over what I pay for filters in a year, and a few trees in a life time of use to boot.

Ond tip, one comment: hand wash carefully, no dishwasher, these filters are delicate; there most likely will be some "sludge" in the bottom of your coffee carafe, but not any grounds; that's not a big deal for me. I'm used to grounds accumulating in my coffee when I'm out of paper filters and am forced to use paper towel.

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Black & Decker DCM2000W SmartBrew Coffeemaker

We love our coffee and it's not unusual to go through coffee makers quickly. Withen the past 4 months I have bought 2 Black & Decker coffee makers. The first one was a CM100 series. It leaked like a sieve when pouring so I decided to use it as a "back up" and get a new one. I then purchased the DCM2000 series. Quite disappointed to find the same problem. Not only does it also make a mess when pouring but because we weren't diligent wiping off the bottom after every use, the finish is coming off the hot plate.

I won't buy this brand again.

Gotta say that I think B & D have done some re-engineering on this item since these initial reviews were written, based on all the problems which I haven't experienced in the week since I've purchased this. The brew-interrupt works fine, the heating element doesn't keep working after the water has gone through, and the spout on the coffee pot itself works perfectly. Might also note that some of these reviews really refer to another model. This has no timer on it. You turn it on, you turn it off. And, at least for me, everything works perfectly.

Update 10/24/2011 coffeemaker died after only three years...back to Mr. Coffee

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Do not buy this product or any other product with the Perfect Pour Carafe. The brilliant designers at Black & Decker thought that they would improve on a centuries old design by incorporating a plastic spout on the glass carafe. The problem is that the coffee flows in between the two and on to the floor or whatever else you are pouring over. Nice work guys. One call to their Customer Service line was cut off. On the next I chose the option to leave a message and be called back--unfortunately the mailbox was full. I guess the poor product deserves poor customer service.

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Oh my god, what junk. It spits, it sputters, it belches steam like a decrepit clothes iron. The heating element ticks nonstop; I can hear its staccato ticking and clicking all the way in the living room. It's annoying as hell but more than that, it's disconcerting. Is it on the verge of shorting out? Will it catch fire, set the kitchen ablaze? Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "coffee nerves."

What's more, and this really pissed me off, the Pause-&-Serve feature works ONLY if you remove the carafe (which is supposed to activate the pause but doesn't), stick your finger in the streaming hot coffee, and manually and forcibly depress the pause button. Even then it pauses only a second, IF you're lucky. So to avoid a mess you take hold of that carafe and hurry like a madman to pour--slopping coffee all over the place--but you needn't have bothered because right away coffee's streaming down, bubbling and boiling and cooking on the burner. Without wiping up the spill you jam the carafe back in place (what else are you going to do?--it won't stop) where of course it starts to scorch and smell. Now I ask you: what do you look forward to smelling while your morning coffee is abrew? Brewing coffee by any chance? You'd be out of luck with this machine. Today it produced an odor that was like a mix of burning plastic and cat pee.

Finally, whether you pour hurriedly or with the utmost care, the crummy carafe always makes a mess. It leaked every time I tipped it to a cup. The Black & Decker DCM2000W SmartBrew Coffeemaker is so junky it would be overpriced if they gave them away.

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We chose this make and model mainly for the rating it received in Consumer Reports magazine. When we read the reviews on Amazon, we were a little worried that we made the wrong choice.

We received it and have been using it for about three weeks now and we use it every morning. It's great. It does everything a coffee maker should do and the carafe pours great. One of the best Coffee Makers we have ever purchased.