The Krups Moka Brew coffee maker does what it says it will do, but I wish I had bought a Technivorm.
Positive Product Points
Great looking! Coffee temperature is hot.
Negative Product Points
Took a week to get comfortable with the set up. Cleaning more involved.
Detailed Commentary
Other reviewers have commented how complicated it is just to make coffee, but I found that within a week I was able to use the machine without difficulty. Cleaning all the parts IS more complicated than a drip machine. Getting the used filter out is best done by banging the holder on the side of the garbage/composting can - noisy at 5 am! Pouring the water into the boiler takes practice but can be learned easily enough. The setup and use certainly should not scare you away from this coffee maker. I grind the coffee on medium in my burr grinder as recommended in other reviews and that works well.
The machine seems to be built well. There are some gaskets that will have to be replaced at some time and hopefully they will be available when needed. The look is certainly different - I like it! Somewhat futuristic and always gets a comment. Melitta Disc Coffee Filters work just as well for me as the filters that came with the machine and are right at my local grocery store. Because it's pressurized you can't get a cup while it's brewing, but since I get my coffee going then take a shower, it's never been an issue for me. Brewing doesn't really take long, about 8 min or so. I use filtered water to keep the heating elements clean. The heating elements are exposed so you can easily monitor when to clean.
The coffee itself is hot (I measured 202 deg F), murky with fine sediment. Aroma is good, but doesn't hang around long. The taste is indeed different than drip with fuller body and more of a roasted flavor comes through. More like a French press in some ways. I do notice the sediment mouth feel just a little bit. I must admit, the taste and texture of this coffee is not really to my liking. It would be great once in a while, as a treat or for something different, just not daily. I prefer the cleaner taste and the smoother body of drip. This is a personal preference and you will have different likes for your coffee. On the weekend, I can't drink more than 3 cups of this coffee otherwise I get the shakes and I didn't have that problem with drip coffee.
If you like this kind of coffee, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this coffee maker to you. If you've never tasted this kind of coffee, you may be surprised - good or bad. Since this is my only coffee maker, I will continue to use it. But I will be replacing it at some point.
Buying Experience
Amazon.com is always easy.
Three Month Followup
I have stopped using the Krups Moka Brew and switched back to a regular drip coffee machine. Top reason for switching is the taste of the coffee, as mentioned in the Detailed Commentary. The other reason, which I wouldn't have thought of as important 3 months ago, is the time and difficulty of cleaning the filter basket out. The coffee grinds get stuck in the corners and are hard to get out. I stopped making coffee in the morning before work just because of the involved cleaning. I will keep the Krups Moka Brew for the occasional weekend brew but not often.
