Black & Decker DCM2500B SmartBrew Coffeemaker
by Black & Decker
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List Price: Our Price: $30.46 You Save: $9.53 (24%) Availability: Usually ships in 2-3 business days Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Black & Decker DCM2500B SmartBrew Coffeemaker
Customer Review: Back for another one! Stop Shopping and Buy This One!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Yes, as the title to this review says, I just ordered another of the DCM2500B Smart Brew coffee makers for our home. Not that we need two of them, this one is a replacement for the same unit that finally burnt out after 3 years of daily use, sometimes two and three times a day! To be honest, I'm not so sure it burnt out from overuse either. I'm thinking it was an over-voltage power condition we were having since we moved in.
I have monitored the voltage coming into our house and it has varied anywhere between 109 volts on the low end to 133 volts on the high end! (Too high voltage will fry about anything, electronic or not!) On top of that, every time our heat pump or anything with a large motor - yes, even the vacuum cleaner! - the lights would dip. Letters to the utility company only yielded canned responses that "everything is normal and within tolerance." Uh, OK, if you say so! It took another house being built nearby to get a new, larger transformer installed on the pole. Funny that the new transformer is rated at more than double the one that was up there! Hummmmm...
Now, things seem to be pretty stable. No more dips and steady 120 volts. Unfortunately, too late to save our trusty coffee maker! Grrrrrrr... Anyway, I'm sure with the steady power at correct voltage, we will have this new coffee maker last a long, long time. (Although I'm tempted to buy a third and stow it away in case B&D stops making it just because it's so good!)
Regarding this coffee maker, it is STILL the best, low priced, coffee maker I've ever found. And as a matter of fact, it's probably the best coffee maker at any price! It's not flashy. There are no gizmos, sexy clocks, multi-colored blinking lights or bleeping beepers. It simply works and makes a GOOD cup of coffee...every time! Set the auto function and bam, it works. Operator error not withstanding. Doh!
Not only will it make great coffee, simply operating it is a pleasure. The top opens nice and wide so it's easy to fill. The basket is big and aligns right up when you drop it in. But, THE most important thing is, THE POT DOES NOT DRIP!! Read it again! This pot does not drip, dribble, or leak! It's got a pointed spout and as long as you don't pour so fast as to overwhelm the spout, you get a nice cup of coffee with no mess on the counter and no "after burn" as so many pots leak coffee down onto the heater/burner after the pour. This pot will NOT disappoint you.
Stop shopping and buy this one now. White or black. It's the best. Black & Decker, PLEASE don't ever stop making this model!
Customer Review: Bad, bad coffeemaker!
Summary: 1 Stars
I bought this unit based on several positive reviews. This machine made terrible coffee; the water never got hot enough to pull any flavor from the beans. My boxes and packing material were thrown away and I could not make any returns to the vendor or Black and Decker so I threw the machine away as well...Buy the Cuisinart DC 1200 and be done with it...Customer Review: Basic Coffee make with a basic price
Summary: 4 Stars
For the price it is a great coffee maker. I do use it every day, may be even twice. Use a timer as well.
Quality is OK
Quality of Coffee is sutisfactory
Customer Review: Basic.
Summary: 3 Stars
Good:
-Inexpensive.
-Easy to clean.
-Nice pour to carafe.
-Simple timer.
Bad:
-Brew temperature could be higher.
-Strong plastic odor for first ten cycles (even after initial cleaning).
-Non-durable design of lid attachment.
-Poor external visibility of water chamber level.
You get what you pay for with this model. Chief complaint is the coffee temperature; I really don't think it's fully brewing the coffee. Nonetheless, you end up with a decent cup in the end. This unit is best for an office or dorm room. For an everyday machine for more than one coffee drinker, I'd research more advanced models.
UPDATE (11/15/10): The plastic hole in the carafe lid kept melting away. Deciding that I had enough of drinking plastic residue, I called Applica, the parent company of Black & Decker, and they happily shipped me an upgraded model, the DCM3200B. It's a bulkier unit, but there are a number of benefits to be had:
-illuminated reservoir window for easy-to-read fill level
-brew strength selector
-reservoir filter basket with disposable water filter
No apparent lid melting and no strong plastic odor with this model. Downside is the DCM3200B has a one-year warranty as opposed to the DCM2500B's two-year. Cheers to Applica for speedily taking care of the problem.
Customer Review: Be Afraid, be very afraid
Summary: 1 Stars
There is a lesson in everything in life. The lesson here is don't buy a coffee maker from the power tool people. Used the coffeepot once, filled again for next morning, and every drop of water leaked out. - Where? From the screw holes in the bottom like others have reported. Believe the reviews, pass on this one.
P.S. Don't buy power tools from Mr. Coffee either.