Dual Coffee Maker

Dual Coffee Maker Reviews

Review Date: August 29, 2009, bezoarrn from reviews Absolutely the best in class for it's price
I am a coffee snob, let's get that out of the way right up front. I am very particular about what coffee I drink and in which machine it is prepared. I would rather go without than drink a substandard cup. PERIOD. With that in mind, I was more than pleased with the results from this coffee machine. It's not the absolute ideal coffee maker - but look at the price. I have tried other brands in this price range and am by far more pleased with the Cloer than I ever expected. And to think I almost didn't order it based on the negative reviews I've read. You have to take certain things into account with each appliance you buy and play by their rules, not yours. Plus in most cases, it comes down to the ingredients you start with. Even the most expensive coffee makers will give you a horrible cup of coffee if you use subpar ingredients.

Let's get the negatives out of the way first, because if you can't deal with these, then there's no need to continue reading.

The CONS:

1. Structure. It's made from a combination of stainless steel and plastic. That means it is somewhat fragile in certain areas. The "pole" between the pot and the water reservoir is a bit flimsy, so when closing the coffee basket, I do so carefully by supporting the pole from behind with my free hand. Everything fits tight (which is a good thing), so just take your time. You can't come at this machine like King Kong and expect it to last more than a few months. I can deal with that.

2. The thermal carafe. It must be lined up exactly with the drip spout or brewing coffee will spill onto the counter. This isn't a true negative for me, because I can be see and feel the "fit" when it happens. There is no guess work at all. I cannot understand why so many people have said this is a big problem for them. Unless you fling the pot at the coffee basket and walk away, it's a perfect, noticeable fit.

3. Number of cups made. It's called a 10-cup coffee maker when in American terms, it is actually an 8 cup pot. It's made in Germany where the cup size is smaller, thus yielding 2 extra cups. If you absolutely MUST have an American standard 10 cup maker - don't get this one. As far as I'm concerned, if I need more coffee, I make more coffee. Simple.

4. Keeping the coffee warm. You have to make at least 4 cups of coffee at a time to keep it hot in the thermal carafe for any length of time. This is not a mystery. The manual warns you right up front about this. It's a matter of physics. Since there is no heater plate (thank goodness) you must make a minimum amount of hot coffee to warm the carafe to the point where it will keep the leftover coffee warm. That takes more than 4 cups. If you aren't going to make that much, simply preheat the carafe by filling it and emptying it with hot water from the tap a few times. Simple solution.

The PROS - These are the points that made me give this appliance 5 stars:

1. Coffee temperature. The coffee is HOT. Really hot. Initially people complained about the water not getting hot enough, so Cloer included a small, cone-shaped brass insert in a tiny plastic pouch that you can insert into the base of the heater tower to really ramp up the temperature of the water. They warn you to try it first without the insert because once in, in does not come out. My friend liked his without the insert (which he did not know existed - must have accidently thrown it out in the packing) but I inserted it and the coffee temp is near scalding when it first comes out. Add cream and it is still very hot - perfection!

2. There are 12 water holes in the water nozzle so all of your coffee gets drenched with hot water. It takes only a couple of minutes to brew 6 cups. I can't stand it when I see that a coffee maker has only partially moistened my freshly ground, expensive blends! What a waste, and what horrible results. And I hate waiting around for the brewing to finish.

3. The water reservoir tower. I could right a book about this alone. Not only does it come off and lock back in place easily, it is right up front in your face, so there's not tinkering around the back or side of the unit to get at it. The top opens WIDE to allow you to pour in the water without spilling a drop. The viewing window that shows how much water you are adding is equally huge, and this one actually fills as you pour without the delay that can cause you to over fill as seen in so many other brands - a pet peeve of mine! I personally like the red light that illuminates the water tower when on - no doubt then if you've turned it on or not! Plus there is the reminder to descale on the inside of the lid that you will see every time you brew a pot, plus there is supposed to be a reminder light that comes on when it is time to do so.

4. The thermal carafe. It is thick walled, so it keeps your coffee hot for hours. I forgot a pot the other day and checked it after about 8 hours. It was lukewarm and not really drinkable unless you like your coffee that way, but it was not not cold. That says a lot about the insulation - 8 hours later. The lid is genius. This is the first carafe lid that WILL NOT fall off, guaranteed. It screws down onto the carafe with only a slight turn, but it is stiff at first. The arrow directions are plain and easy to understand. The spout is closed, opened by pressing down on a lever. Simple, genius, reliable, totally sealed. No drips.

5. The design. I think it is very modern, European, and elegant, like nothing I've seen in the US before. It goes well with the rest of my stainless/black appliances. There is not warmer plate, so there is no burnt coffee and no worrying about whether or not I turned it off before leaving the house. The features are simple and few: on, set clock, and timer. They all work perfectly, so what more do you need?

6. Taste. The most important factor. Because the water gets so hot and the coffee brews so quickly, the taste is near perfection. Not perfection - again at this price range - but nearly there. A lot depends on the coffee you choose (various blends of high quality), the grinder you use (burr) and it's setting (a very fine, near turkish setting), the filter you choose (a permanent gold filter) and the water you add (purified only), but that is true of any coffee maker. All variables the same, this machine extracts the oils and essences that I crave in coffee, the bite, the acid, the tang, the tingling on my tongue, and delivers them in my version of coffee heaven. No more of the muddy, watery, flat, stale, or blah dishwater brews of the Mr. Coffee et al. genre. And all for about $100. SOLD!

If you've read this far, you should give it a try. After all, you can return it to Amazon if it does not meet your standards.

I might just try their toaster or waffle iron next. That will go great with my coffee.

Review Date: September 15, 2009, Deborah Macdonald from Rockland, MA reviews Great
After searching months for a coffee maker that makes HOT coffee I decided to try this one. It is awesome and as a plus you can get into the thermal pot and clean it. A lot of thermal pots have such a small opeaning it's not possible to clean well.

Review Date: September 26, 2008, Claudia Brandt from reviews Looks nice, coffee is great when it works right
We've had this coffeemaker for several weeks. In the beginning, we were thrilled with it - the coffee tasted so much better than from the previous basket-style coffeemaker we had, and it's really nice to look at. Now, however, it's developed a habit of dripping the coffee next to - instead of into - the coffee pot. So rather than waking up to a nice hot cup of coffee, we get treated to a cleaning session in the morning. Today my husband and I decided to give up and use the old machine until we can get a replacement or a new machine altogether, since we both made sure last night the pot was placed properly and it still flooded the counter. It's too bad, because when it did work, it was great. We'll see how the warranty pans out. (May update the review later.)
October 7, 2008: We figured out what's wrong with it. The lid's the culprit. If you make sure there're no coffee grounds clogging the lid, it'll work fine.
About its features: It's a sleek-looking yet pretty simple coffeemaker. Apart from the timer function, there are no settings you can adjust (brew strength, small pot or anything). But the coffee it produces is great, and it doesn't take too long to brew, either. I wouldn't buy it again, though. Too fiddly.