dcrehr Senior Member Joined: 14 Feb 2002 Posts: 4 Location: Los Angeles Expertise: Intermediate
Posted Fri May 7, 2004, 6:23am Subject: Re: Brew N Go Budget Coffee Maker
I used a Cup-at-a-time for a year or so. The reason I finally gave it up was that it is impossible to clean. Most other drippers are only "nearly" impossible to clean, but this went over the line. It did make good coffee, though.
Posted Sun May 16, 2004, 8:51pm Subject: Re: Brew N Go Budget Coffee Maker
I used the Cup-at-a-Time (white) in my office for a couple years and regularly had the Bloom Of Fresh Roasted Coffee cascade into the reservoir requiring a through cleaning. Yes, it does reach suitable temps and makes an excellent cup of brew. I just got tired of the constant cleanup. Ironically, I used the exact method Mark described to interrupt the flow and allow the bloom to settle, but each time I would forget, the inevitable mess would result. I switched to a Melitta #2 cone on a mug and a kettle for the water to pour over it. I still have the B&D on a shelf and will likely use it for travel soon.
"Give a man fresh-roasted coffee and he'll drink like a king for a day. Teach a man to roast and he will drink like a king for a lifetime."
Larnach Senior Member Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 2 Location: Winnipeg Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: DeLonghi Bar 140 Grinder: Starbucks Drip: Gevalia 4-cup (great!)
Posted Sun Oct 31, 2004, 8:03pm Subject: Re: Brew N Go Budget Coffee Maker
Like you, I use mine at work to avoid the "urn." I've had it for two years and it's been great. Two tablespoons, 3-4 minutes, and a very good cup of coffee. As for #1 filters, who needs 'em? Number 2's work just fine if you fold them an extra quarter-inch, you can get them anywhere, and they cost a fraction of price.
Posted Mon Dec 13, 2004, 12:47am Subject: Re: Brew N Go Budget Coffee Maker
I don't own either of these, but just a suggestion on a possible fix to the spillover problem -
Is there some way to jam or glue something in place to partially block the water entering the "showerhead"? This might slow the water flow enough to prevent the overflow problem.
Posted Thu Feb 10, 2005, 7:15pm Subject: Re: Brew N Go Budget Coffee Maker
The problem with overflow is due to the brewing funnel's small size relative to the amount of water the reservoir will hold.
As the old expression goes, "if you can't raise the bridge, lower the river". My solution is to brew a smaller cup, 8-10 oz. instead of the 15-16 oz. of water the reservoir holds. I use a paper filter and a medium grind.
Sometimes there's a few grounds stuck to the showerhead, but never a spillover into the water tank.
aziz Senior Member Joined: 17 Mar 2005 Posts: 1 Location: Toronto Expertise: Just starting
Posted Thu Mar 17, 2005, 5:30pm Subject: Re: Brew N Go Budget Coffee Maker
Great review!
I've had the Cup-at-a-time model for almost two years now, and I think it works pretty well. I didn't like the permanent filter that came with the machine, so I switched to Melitta #1 filters which were much better. The permanent filter, I found, let in too much oil (you could see it floating on the surface of the brewed liquid) and it also let a few grinds pass into the cup. The paper filters solved both of these problems.
Canadian Tire carries the Melitta #1 filters, and that's my primary source for them. Someone once suggested that I trim #2 filters if I can't find the #1's, but since Cdn. Tire always seems to have them in stock, I haven't had to do this.
Overflow hasn't been a problem for me, but then I realized that perhaps I wasn't adding enough coffee. My method is probably not the best, but I use one of those plastic picnic disposable eating spoons for scooping ground coffee. (I reuse the spoon, for those wondering...) I don't know what volume this works out to, but I find that 2 to 2.5 heaping spoonfulls is enough. I think tomorrow, I will use a proper tablespoon to experiment.
One of the negative aspects of the Cup-at-a-time model is its expected mug-size - way too small. I only have one mug at home that will fit under the spout which makes it a problem if I want to use a travel mug. If I ever need to buy another single cup machine, it will most likely be the Brew-and-Go.
As an aside, I'm amazed at how little these products sold for. Considering the Canadian Tire-bought model was $10, I can't imagine how much the importer paid for this... maybe $5, $6 per unit, and they probably sold it to Canadian Tire for $9 or $9.50. Out of that $5 or $6, the manufacturer probably got $1.50 per unit if they were lucky... and the production costs for the box and shipping the thing from Asia eats up a chunk. Looking at the box, I bet it cost as much, if not more to produce than the machine itself.
I think the model usually retails for $20 Cdn; Mark Prince must have picked it up during a sale. In fact, I too bought my Cup-at-a-time during a similar sale - for $10 Cdn. For any Canadians interested, these sales (for the Cup-at-a-time model) come around very often at Canadian Tire, so don't buy it for $20 Cdn - unless you're in a rush.
Incidentally, I've seen other "bargin models" spring up since I bought mine - I believe Toastmaster has one. Has anyone tried similar models? How do they compare to the B&D ones?
jandrews Senior Member Joined: 6 Jul 2005 Posts: 1 Location: Grapevine, TX Expertise: I live coffee
Posted Wed Jul 6, 2005, 2:40pm Subject: Re: Brew N Go Budget Coffee Maker
I've used the larger Brew-N-Go for 8 years non-stop (that is, several times per day) and without anything more than an occasional rinse. I love it.
One weak feature is that you must be very careful how you put the basket in. It's possible to have it look seated, but it's actually cocked slightly, covering the exit hole. This will cause the basket to overflow during brewing.
maynard_g Senior Member Joined: 18 Jan 2005 Posts: 37 Location: Pacific Northwest Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: VBM Domobar Grinder: La San Marco SM90 Drip: TechniVorm Roaster: Sunbeam gas grill
Posted Wed Oct 26, 2005, 11:49pm Subject: Re: Brew N Go Budget Coffee Maker
I read this review about six months ago I think, and finally came across a Brew N' GO at a thrift store this past week for $2.00 (US)! It looks almost new. This one looks different than the models reviewed. It is a DCM16. I took out the plastic screen filter and also use #2 papers by cutting about a 1/2" off the top and folding one side by 1/3". Works great...no bloom. That 800 watt thermocoil is impressive, and generates a very steady (although quick) brew cycle. I highly enjoy using it at my desk here at work. It's very therapeutic.
Posted Thu Nov 17, 2005, 4:27pm Subject: Re: Brew N Go Budget Coffee Maker
I agree great review. This is one of the really great cheap coffee brewers that can make one cup at a time, you would be very hard pressed to make better drip coffee with it setup for 12 oz or less. I purchased mine for $1.00 at a thrift store, it looked well used. After some tweaking mine can produce one 10 - 12 oz cup as good as any auto drip brewer. I added one extra hole to the dispersion screen in the rear right corner and resized the drip hole hole under the filter basket until the brew time is 4 - 4.5 minutes with my with home roasted beans. I prefer the filter basket that came with the brewer, mine is setup for 12 - 15 grams of ground coffee any more and the bloom can cause problems. I have checked the temp, it is 195 - 200 on this unit. I use this several times a week in the mornings when in a hurry. This is a great buy if you can find a used one for almost nothing.
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