A capable brewer, with a good serving temperature and simple operation.
Negative Product Points
Quality of carafe is poor, and the less coffee you make at once, the worse the taste is.
Detailed Commentary
Having been rather disappointed with a similarly equipped Krups model, I turned to the Braun based on reputation and previous experience, and I'm quite pleased with its overall performance.
As with most drip machines, the basic operations are quite simple, and after a quick check of the manual, the digital timer makes sense too. The water reservoir is plentiful (12-cup on the KF187), and a permanent brass filter was included in the box (nice touch!). There's a setting for brewing 1-3 cups of water, which slows down the extraction process -- it actually takes longer to brew 3 cups of coffee with this setting on than it does 4 or 6. The difference in taste is marginal, though this machine excels when brewing at least 6 cups of coffee. I find that brewing 8 cups brings out the best tasting coffee.
Other comments on the results of brewing include a sometimes grainy residue passed into the bottom of your cup. Obviously, it is the coffee grinds that have "slipped through" the filter and made it into the carafe, but using a standard "fine" grind for drip coffee makers should not result in this happening.
Apart from the nice aesthetic value of the carafe, it feels rather flimsy to me. The plastic handle seems to have been stuck on the glass with some kind of blackened SillyPutty®, and whenever I wash it, it feels like it is going to come off. I've owned the unit for over a year now however, and it is still in one piece.
Overall, a very nice unit with only a couple of disappointments -- the carafe and the grind residue. The overall look is quite nice, and the taste of the brew will not disappoint. The serving temperature is near perfect to me, and the adjustable hot plate keeps things nice and hot in the middle setting. I wouldn't hesitate recommending this product to you.
Buying Experience
This unit is sold in many shops, so do shop around for the best price before purchasing. I found quite a discrepancy in pricing from department store to independent reseller.
Three Month Followup
The machine is still performing as it was three months ago. The only reason I have selected "maybe" in the Buy Again? box is because I rarely settle on one brand -- for my next machine, I will probably try another brand that has caught my eye...
