Hamilton Beach Programmable Dispensing Drip Coffee Maker (48464)

I first encountered the Hamilton Beach on a vacation, and was captivated by a machine that automatically dispensed coffee; why hadn’t anyone thought of this before? I’m also a sucker for gadgets and buttons, so I couldn’t wait for an excuse to get one.

The excuse presented itself soon after, when I broke our second Ninja pot. At $25 a pop, I was already in for $50, and number three was gonna make it $75. I didn’t like the math, and Ninja didn’t make a steel carafe. If they had, I would have stayed with it- it’s a nimble little machine that makes tasty coffee. But like printer cartridges, they soak you. And my trusty old Cuisinart finally gave up the ghost after one too many spills where I forgot to put the lid on. I kept the steel carafe, though, and I poured my coffee from the Ninja into the carafe. It stays hot and fresh longer, something no glass pot can do.

Segue to the HB. It’s pretty simple, with only a reservoir (the base unit) a “pot” (the plastic unit on top that the coffee brews into) and the filter. You fill up the reservoir (I use the pot to do this, which is easy to hold and has a pour spout that actually pours without dripping all over), grind your beans (medium to fine), stick it back together and press the button. The BOLD and 1-4 settings work well, and you can adjust the pot to stay hot for 0-4 hours (which is does because of the conductive heating plates which meet at the pot and the base). The zero hour setting is for cold coffee.

But as long as a coffee machine works and is easy enough to clean, it’s all about the taste. Here the HB also performs well; we’ve had it for a couple of weeks and the coffee is as rich and flavorful as anything that comes out of a sub-$300 machine or a French press (which I still like best). A traditional pot is easier to clean, because it’s round, but a good brush takes care of the odd shape of the pot. The HB cost $59, and I opted for the 4-year Asurion warranty for an extra $11- I’m fed up with things that go kaput, and while I don’t see that happening with this unit, it’s worth the piece of mind. The fact that it won’t break was one of the two big sells for the HB. The other was the auto-pour feature, which, while pretty neat, comes with an asterisk.*

*It’s got a bit of resistance. When I push my cup against it, the unit slides back, even though it has a couple of rubber pads, and it’s on a granite counter. Easily solved by putting it against the wall, which doesn’t impede the lid or machine in any way. But it does take a little more push than, say, a lever at a soda machine. No big deal, but some people may take umbrage at the audacity for it to push back a little. Hey, I’m the boss here, and you’re gonna give me a cup whether you’re in the mood or not, little button.

Take away: The HB is solid unit that won’t break, and it makes very good coffee that stays hot. It obviates spills and burns (smart for seniors who shake or drop things), and for less than the price of three replacement Ninja carafes, it’s a bargain, and it’s fun to get your morning going at the push of a button.

Cheers,
-Z

Update. Contacted the company and they said that part is under warranty so I will get another one.
I’m thankful for their quick response and willingness to help.
I’m still a bit anxious because the last one we had was working great for many years and I think the newer ones probably have cheaper parts and are more flimsy. It’s definitely lighter than the old one.
But I am just glad to be able to get a replacement part so quickly.

Original review:
Works well, so far. But the basket handle broke, snapped in half already and we have only had it for a few months. Simply by dumping the grinds and used filter in the trash. And just daily use making coffee. So be gentle with it.
Purchased in November but didn’t start using it until Dec. For Christmas.
Everything else seems to be okay so far. The last one we had lasted 10 years almost. Other parts eventually were broken but it was still able to be used, but barely. But this part is a cheaper plastic than the original one.
But our first one worked great for 6 years straight. Then limped along for the rest of its life.
If we’re already having broken parts after 3 months I don’t have much faith that the rest of it will last much longer. Well it definitely won’t last as long as the last one.
Luckily we saved the old basket and we took the handle off that one but it doesn’t match up. So we have to be careful when pulling the basket out. We can probably order another whole basket. But I am hoping that they might want to send me one. Because although I didn’t purchase a warranty, 3 months for a part to break kinda stinks. Much more flimsy than the last one which was the exact same model.
But it is a great coffee maker and easy to use.
You can set it to brew at a time you want.
It’s not heavy or awkward and it fits well anywhere in the kitchen.
The best thing is that it keeps the coffee warm and has a spout where you push a bar in to dispense it as opposed to having to pour. Which is great for people who have mobility issues.
The company literally replied within a day and solved my problem with the broken part and has already sent me a new basket.

This is a great coffee maker. We are big coffee drinkers so the carafe design works well for us. The coffee stays hot for a long time. The push button works well for people to grab as much or as little coffee as they need . There is less mess than a regular coffee pot. The system is very easy to clean and not as fragile as a glass pot. Would recommend.

El artículo cumple con la descripción del vendedor, el dispensador es mucho más práctico que la tradicional jarra. La cafetera es fácil de usar, muy intuitivo el panel y fácil de lavar