Moccamaster KBTS

If your day doesn’t start without your morning coffee, if the flavor of your coffee is important, if you’re sick of generic black plastic sitting on your kitchen counter then that’s reasons enough for the Mocamaster. I can’t say enough good about it. It’s obvious as you unbox it that it’s manufactured with pride. It’s a good looking coffee maker, simple design easy to clean, doesn’t take up much room on kitchen counter. It takes between 6-7 minutes to brew eight cups, its max capacity. Coffee is consistently delicious, uses less coffee than other brands and makes a nice strong brew. The carafe keeps coffee hot for 2.5 hours. Everyone I’ve served coffee to from this brewer comments on how good the coffee is. I love my Mocamaster, wish I’d have heard about this brand thirty years ago. If you’re in the market, just order one, it’s really really really good.

The Technivorm Moccamaster is a marvel. And, believe me, I did enough research beforehand to assure myself that such a description was probably true, just on account of the price. Woo! I have never paid so much for a coffeemaker! I have, however, owned 8 of them in 30 years. That's just not right. What I knew going in was that none of the 8 coffeemakers I have owned measured up to this one --some because the technology/market demand wasn't "there" yet and others because they just aren't as good, even though they had major brand recognition and lots of rave reviews and some even worked pretty well. The most important thing I have learned during all my years of coffeeholism is something I learned doing this research: The water that brews your coffee has to be between 195-205 degrees; otherwise, there's virtually no possibility that the flavor can be extracted from the ground beans. I guess grinding the coffee beans right before you brew counts for a lot, too, but I was unaware that it made that much difference, so i have no frame of reference in that regard.. The water temperature thing is BIG, though. This machine is ultra-simple in looks, a very sleek, almost retro, look --clean lines, beautiful stainless steel carafe. Some have said that this carafe doesn't keep coffee hot, but I'm afraid I make what I need and serve it --it only takes 5-8 minutes (!) to make an entire pot, so keeping it hot is not an important issue in my opinion. There has also been criticism that the coffee doesn't pour easily because of the shape of the carafe's spout. Okay. If that's all you can find, then ...whatev. ;o] I was so... in awe, sort of, at ordering such an expensive coffeemaker. Okay, so I have money issues - who doesn't? Besides, you can read and research any item all you want, but you don't really know, until you have the thing in hand, whether it lives up to the reviews and claims. When we received it, it was almost like opening sunken treasure; and making our first pot was done in respectful silence. (see "money issues" above). :o) We were stunned. WHAT. A. GOOD. CUP. OF. COFFEE. The same coffee we thought must have been ground wrong or mixed wrong or something, it was so bad in our Capresso, turned out PERfectly in the Technivorm.. Hallelujah! There's still hope for getting great coffee from a home coffeemaker! What's funny is that, really examining the machine one day, I realized that it is REALLY simple-looking --not just in design but in concept. It looks as if someone was having their 39th bad cup of coffee and they threw up their hands and said, "Oh, HELLZbellz, *I* could make a better coffeemaker!" and then they just did --with the same uninformed but very enthusiastic fervor they made go-karts when they were kids. But, most definitely, this is not to say that it's not a sophisticated machine. OHhhh, no --they certainly know what they're doing, and the Moccamaster is obviously worth every penny. It's a simple and yet sophisticated design and, most importantly, it absolutely works like a dream. Technivorm's rave reviews are warranted, in my opinion, and I feel very comfortable giving it one myself. I'm sorry that, apparently, there's not as good a machine made in America; but the Netherlands is not a bad second choice! If you're determined to finally have a GREAT cup of coffee, EVERY time you make one, and, quite likely, use less coffee in the process, then this is your new machine. We've saved a lot of money on coffee already --it wasn't that the coffee was ground wrong, and we didn't have to use *more* to get the flavor we wanted; it was just that the brewing water wasn't hot enough and it took 12+ minutes to brew! Solution? Technivorm Mocca Master. We LOVE this thing, and I bet you will, too.

Most importantly, this brewer makes a delicious cup of coffee in a hurry. It's very simple, both in making the coffee and cleaning up after. The plastic parts are light but not flimsy, and the whole impression is one of well-made quality. I bought this to replace a "full featured" coffee maker where the only feature I used was auto shutoff, which works perfectly on the Technivorm. It's fast enough that in my opinion, there's no need for a timer. The best part of this machine is the carafe. It easily keeps the coffee hot enough for my second cup. The outside doesn't get hot, so you can set it anywhere. It pours slowly but doesn't ever drip, and it's easy to clean (your hand won't fit inside - I use a bottle brush). My only "complaint" is that if you let it air dry, the stainless shows water spots.

Every few years we try a new coffee maker. Basic drip, Nespresso, and now Moccamaster. It is a basic pour over method, but sturdier and better for 2 people. I think the higher temperature makes better coffee than the traditional American drip coffeemaker. The pot is nice and the set up is quick. Easy to clean too. Maybe the heating mechanism is just an expensive part, but the machine seems a little overpriced compared to mid range, more advanced espresso makers. I got mine at the "used" price so I felt ok about it, but the full price seems high for this basic machine.

I wanted a coffee brewing machine with less plastic. I like the way it is arranged and enjoy watching the brew water raining down. It works swiftly, and the metal coffee pot is great to keep the coffee hot for at least a couple hours. But there are many plastic parts here - some of these parts could be glass or metal, such as the water tank and lids. It should either cost less with these materials, or include with better parts in the build at the cost listed. It does make a good brew of coffee quickly, so I give it the OK rating. I'm not returning it, but I would not tell you to quit looking. If the cost is your price range for an accessory device, or you really like coffee and you want to try it out, then go ahead. -----Pros: Speed, operation design, metal pot, visibility, simplicity. -----Cons: Over-priced, poor affordability, plastic parts, no shut-off when empty. ----either: lower capacity, unusual filter type

Very fast brewing. Powerful. Elegant, beautiful kinetic sculpture on the counter. The urn keeps the coffee hot. Easy to clean after use. This replaced a Bonavita which started leaking after a decade or so. (No complaints about that machine. This is just better.) If you are upgrading from another coffee maker, start with the same grind, weight and volume of water. Adjust as needed. I went down a rabbit hole of arithmetic based on the instruction manual and ended up with bad, weak coffee the first time. Using the previous proportions got the flavor back and a small adjustment to the grind - medium but slightly more coarse - perfected the flavor. A 'cup' for this machine is 4 oz. A single serving for me is 3 (12 oz) - in between the 2 and 4 graduations. You don't have to use the even numbers! I upgraded the Moccamaster with a Designandgrace gold titanium filter which adds body and flavor. I have reviewed that item as well. Note that I use decaf beans exclusively which behave somewhat differently than regular. Experiment with small adjustments.

I have wanted a Moccamaster for ten years. However, the price and the size put me off until recently. I’ve gone through 3 Bonavita coffee makers in the past 9 years. Bonavita coffee makers work great until they don’t and the warranty and customer service are terrible. I was ready to try something new, something that would last. So I decided to finally get a Moccamaster after finding out they have a smaller model, the KBTS. It’s about the same size as the Bonavita but is a quality build and has a 5-year warranty. The Moccamasters are handmade in the Netherlands. They are meant to be the coffee maker you keep for a lifetime. If it breaks after the warranty, you can send it in for repairs to their US location in Portland, Oregon, for $59. They sell all of the parts on their website. I love a company that stands behind its products and repairs them instead of sending them to a landfill. So how does it brew? It makes delicious coffee. However, this coffee maker may not be for everyone. If you love great coffee and are willing to spend a bit of time dialing it in, you will love it. Think of it like an automatic pour-over. The Moccamaster coffee makers are known for being able to get the water hot enough (196-205ºF) to properly brew coffee. They are SCA certified meaning they meet stringent qualifications based on proper water temperature, brewing time, and ability to brew within the SCA Golden Cup recommendations. The Moccamaster works best with a medium-coarse grind, something similar to what you would use with a Chemex. If you have a burr grinder, you may need to adjust your settings. If you get your coffee ground for you, ask for a pour-over grind instead of one for drip coffee. If you buy pre-ground coffee, it will likely not work as well. If you are spending the money on this fine appliance, it’s worth getting good coffee beans and a burr grinder. The first pot we brewed was a little weak. We like a stronger ratio than what is recommended. They recommend 1:16, we like 1:15. The second pot was a little bitter. We were still using the grind setting for the Bonavita which was finer. We have a Baratza Encore coffee grinder, so we set it to 19 instead of 17. When we made it slightly more coarse, it was perfect! You may have to play with this a few times until you get exactly what you want. (By the way, the Baratza grinders are also well made and meant to be repaired instead of thrown out. Another quality company!) The stainless steel carafe has a pour-through lid. This helps the coffee stay hot but allows you to pour the coffee without removing the lid. It also comes with a second travel lid that you can use if you want it to stay hot past one hour or are taking it with you. Even though the carafe does not have a specific pour spout, that hasn’t been an issue. It pours evenly without a drop spilled. The opening to the carafe is small, so you will need a bottle brush to properly clean it. None of the pieces are dishwasher safe, so you will need to hand wash everything. As I mentioned, this is not for everyone. However, if you are a coffee enthusiast who wants something straightforward and well-made, the Moccamaster may be your next and best purchase. I am glad that there are companies out there still making quality products that they stand behind. It’s rare. You get what you pay for. There’s a great video on YouTube showing a tour of the factory. If you want to see how they’re made and by whom, you’ll see why they are worth the price. I figure I’ve spent almost $600 on 3 different Bonavita coffee makers that break after a few years or a few weeks, like my last one. Spending $300 on something that will last and is repairable is a bargain.

Leaks! I have used the Technivorm-Moccamaster KBTS 8-cup about 10 times and it has leaked every time. I tried to tighten the bottom screws, but this did not help the slow puddle that forms underneath the Moccamaster every time. I do not overfill, I only fill it to 6 cups and the machine drips from the bottom left corner pad (right under the on / off switch). It's an electrical accident waiting to happen. The one star rating is for having to deal with returning this machine (and all its associated parts) to Amazon after paying ~$300. I will admit, this machine will make a good pot of coffee. I normally make coffee every morning using a 1-cup ceramic filter, grounded beans, and I pour very hot water over grounds to make a very strong cup. We bought this machine to make excellent coffee when guests are over so I don't have to make one or two cups at a time. However, the Technivorm-Moccamaster is not a typical coffee machine, and I would not recommend this for someone looking for a conventional coffee machine like the Cuisinart or Breville. The Moccamaster is designed to be simple and there are many pieces that fit together (its a like a child's puzzle toy). While I understand and appreciate the virtues of this design, it takes getting use to this feature. There is one design problem for this model. If you want to park the carafe under the brew basket with the carafe closed (to keep the coffee hot), you will need to remove the "brew-thru-lid," replace it with the thermal carafe travel lid, and remove the bottom pad because it does not fit underneath the brew basket. The picture shows the carafe on the pad, but without the carafe's travel lid (hence, coffee will get cold). Also, the pad doesn't snap to the machine, it kind of hooks on in a loose way. For ~$300, I think about taking these extra steps on a sleepy morning and I feel that I did not get my money's worth. I would rather make coffee using a ~$20 ceramic filter and make a really good cup of coffee. Furthermore, my ceramic filter won't leak, and I don't run the risk of being electrocuted.