Great dependable machine that brews a decent cup once you figure out the right amount of grounds to put in.
Positive Product Points
- brews fairly quickly - good temperature - plenty of features (timed brew, small batch brew, clean feature) - very rugged design. Still strong after 200+ cups poured and brewed. - easily cleaned
Negative Product Points
- strength of coffee is a bit weak. I find I need to put a little more ground (but not that much) to get the taste I like - the basket lid drips condensation to the back of the machine over the electrical cord (which is protected by design thankfully!)
Detailed Commentary
After reading all the reviews here on CoffeeGeek, I decided to get this machine after returning the similarly priced Krups FMF4. While I was skeptical that it was going to make a better cup than the Krups, I was looking for a better quality product to use daily in my house.
Now 3 months later and hundreds of cups poured and brewed, the Brew Central is still going strong!
I find that brewing with the small batch feature turned on makes a better cup overall compared to the normal brew. It also makes the temperature hotter which I like. My only real complaint is that the coffee is a bit weak if you're going with a 6 water : 4 tbsp ground ratio. At 12 water : 9 tbsp the coffee is much better, but can stand to have a little more ground or drip time.
No real complaints with this product. For the price, it's very solid and dependable. Coffee tastes great once you figure out the right ratios for yourself.
