10 отзывов на Cuisinart CHW-16 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker & Hot Water System

1. Оценка 5 из 5

   BTREW Industries – 12 апреля, 2023

   I consider myself a coffee snob, but I also value convenience and ease-of-use. I love French press, Clover, and other gourmet forms of coffee making, but at home you can’t beat a good drip machine. My previous Melitta maker was excellent, but it finally kicked the bucket so the search began for a countertop replacement. I love this Cuisinart CHW-12, and here’s why:COFFEE MAKER — This machine does a great job of brewing and that’s really what it’s all about, right? The CHW-12 uses the #4 cone-type filter which I think brews better than the basket type filters. There is also a reusable gold-tone filter included. I prefer the disposable #4 paper filters (I use the Melitta unbleached) since it’s easier to clean up and I just throw the whole filter and grounds in my compost bin. The CHW-12 appears to use the same brewing system as the Cuisinart 1200 series which is highly rated and well-respected. To my pleasant surprise, this Cuisinart brews a pot of coffee just as fast as my old Melitta «Fast Brew» maker. And, the «M» (for Medium) carafe temp setting keeps the coffee at about 180-degrees. That’s a tad hotter than most makers, and is noticeably hotter than the Cuisinart 1200. I expected to be using the «H» (Hot) setting, but have not really needed to since «M» is hot enough. Compared to other makers I’ve used, this Cuisinart has less splash and spill-over in the brewing basket. That means fewer grounds and coffee get splashed out of the basket which makes cleaning up easier. The pause-and-serve feature also works better than most, with fewer drips. The carafe is about average with a good-fitting lid and easy, drip-free pouring. There is a small lip all around the neck of the carafe which means you have to tilt the carafe a bit further to pour — this could be viewed as a «safety feature» depending on how you look at it, and it takes some getting used to.HOT WATER DISPENSER — A great feature for my wife who makes tea, single-cup «manual» coffee, and occasional instant oatmeal. The hot water dispenser heats up very quickly — about 3 minutes from cold, and only about a minute if it has been turned on within that last few hours. That’s about twice as fast as a typical stove-top tea kettle and faster than most electric tea kettles. The water dispenses at about 190 degrees and it keeps the water very hot even an hour or so after it’s been turned off. There is a light to tell you when the water is hot and ready, and the light stays lit after you turn off the water dispenser to warn you that it’s still hot. The dispensing mechanism seems well-designed and doesn’t drip at all. The base plate is removable for tall mugs, and can be taken apart for cleaning. You can easily dispense 2-3 mugs full of hot water before having to refill the reservoir. If you refill the reservoir when the «add water» light comes on, then the added water takes less than a minute to heat up. I just get in the habit of adding every time I dispense hot water or every time I turn on the machine. There is no water-level window for the hot water reservoir so you have to go off of the «Max» markings on the filler door. A reservoir window would have been much better. The box and the manual make no mention of how much energy is used to keep the water hot, nor is there any mention of how long you can safely keep it on. I’ve had it on for days with no ill effect, but I’d recommend just turning it off when you don’t need it.MAIN UNIT — Beware, this thing is tall and won’t fit under most cabinets. This was almost a deal-breaker, but I found a nice spot for it on my chef’s island. The main unit is sturdy and the stainless steel trim looks nice. There is a water-level window for the coffee maker, but (surprisingly) no window for the hot water dispenser. That’s too bad, since a window on that side would have been nice. The top water filler doors open up wide for easy pouring but they swing back a bit too, so you may have to pull it away from the wall when filling. There is a «Clean» indicator and Clean mode button for flushing with a water/vinegar solution. I use filtered water exclusively in my machines, so this coffee maker should go for years before needing any kind of flush. Both the coffee maker and the hot water dispenser have built-in water filters so there should be reduced scale and other build-up. The filters are very simple fabric pouches filled with activated charcoal, so my guess is that they are mainly for flavor and not really to guard against scale, minerals, deposits, etc. The unit sits very stable and has rubber feet on the bottom. There is no power cord storage, unfortunately, and the power cord is short — only about 4 feet.CONTROLS — Like most coffee makers these days, the clock is small and hard to read. But the blue backlight is nice and the display is better than many other similar makers, including Cuisinart’s 1200. The controls are straightforward and I especially like the main control dial which is very intuitive. The controls are all plastic but they have a good feel to them and are easy to use. You can program the auto-off time (0-4 hours) and you can start the brewing in any mode. There is a 1-4 cup setting which supposedly slows down the brewing process to better extract flavor. I have noticed no difference in the amount of time it takes to brew or the overall carafe temperature using the 1-4 cup setting, so there must be something going on behind the scenes. The blue backlight on the clock looks good, but it’s the exact same color as all the other indicator lights so it’s not always easy to tell what’s going on with a quick glance. For example, you have to pay attention to tell if the hot water is ready (little blue light) or if you’re in 1-4 cup mode (virtually identical little blue light). Also, a larger clock window would have greatly improved legibility.OVERALL — Great coffee flavor using the preferred cone-type filters, fast brewing time, hotter than most water temperature (a good thing), adjustable carafe temperature, and the added bonus of a hot water dispenser (that heats up very quickly). And you also get a reusable gold-tone filter. My only gripes are the tall main unit which doesn’t fit under cabinets, and the lack of a hot water dispenser reservoir window.UPDATE AFTER 8 MONTHS OF USE: We finally remodeled our kitchen and installed standard-hight wall cabinets (15″ from countertop to cabinet bottom). That means this Cuisinart coffeemaker just barely fits under the cabinets — but if fits! The lettering on the on/off buttons is worn but other than that it’s still in like-new condition and works perfectly. Oddly enough, the lettering on the on/off button for the hot water dispenser — which we use much less frequently — wore off first. The coffeemaker on/off button — which we use all the time — looks better but is starting to wear off as well. After 8 months of roughly 4-times-a-week coffeemaker use, there is no loss in performance, no noticeable scaling or staining anywhere, and the machine has not lit the «Clean» indicator light yet. Still very pleased overall, although I would suggest to Cuisinart that they improve their button lettering.

2. Оценка 5 из 5

   Nico – 12 апреля, 2023

   I got this product for my mom. She had been using the same old Krups coffee maker for the past 7 years. It made great coffee but it was painfully slow. Took around 30 minutes to make 7 cups of coffee. But whenever I mentioned a new coffee maker, she insisted she did not need one.Well, it was clear to me that she DID, but she just did not want ME to pay for it. Well, when turning on the tv in the morning, it was on a commercial. Conveniently, this same coffee maker was being talked about. I heard things like «12 cups» and «hot water reservoir for quick brewing». All I needed to hear was «Quick» and I was sold. Bought it and told her nothing of it.Lets get a few things clear. It has a 12 cup programmable coffee maker. And it ALSO has a hot water system. They are two separate things. The 12 cup coffee maker side does not keep heated water, which I was surprised to learn. The «hot water system» belongs to the section on the right, which is a separate 7 cup reservoir that does heat water. That is a 19 cup system!BUT!, the fact that the coffeemaker side is not heated, really makes no difference. This coffeemaker has a brilliantly designed brewer that drips the hot water through the coffee. It is almost like a showerhead. This results in very fast brewing. I can put 12 cups of tap water that is barely even lukewarm, and press brew and have a full pot in less than 15 minutes. It also has something that is pretty cool, it lets you choose how hot you want the coffee, Low, Medium, High. It has easily programmable timers that let you set it up so you can have a full pot of hot coffee when you wake up; likewise it also has a setting on what time (or how long after it is done brewing) to turn off the heating plate that keeps it warm. You can set the coffeemaker to make individual cups, or four cups of coffee at a time with the flip of a switch. I was wary of this one thinking that it was saying you could only make four cups max at a time, but I felt that would be illogical and I am over thinking. If you wan 8 cups, pour in 8 cups of water, and flip that «1 cup» or «4 cups» switch to off, and it will use all the water in the reservoir, just like most coffeemakers. This maker uses #4 paper filters. the ones shaped like a cone. It also comes with a filter/basket that would work perfectly, but you would have to clean it after every use. It also has an alarm that lets you know when it is done brewing, it is fairly subtle, but it is noticeable, about as loud as a microwave, but not so high pitched.Now to the hot water system. This thing is a pretty nice feature to have. It gives you hot water on demand. It even has a little safety switch that is no trouble to slide left and right. This means that kids have less of a chance of playing around and getting burned. It is a 7 cup reservoir! If you put tap water that is a very normal temperature, it will take about five minutes to heat up completely. Winter is coming, time to break out that hot chocolate mix, rather than heating up the entire mug in the microwave to get the water warm and inevitably getting the mug too hot to handle, use the Hot Water System. Same for tea. BUT… the best use for this Hot Water System, is Cup Noodles/Ramen Noodles. It was the single greatest discovery I have made, the answer was right in front of me the whole time.After my mom received this, she said the typical «you shouldn’t have done this» but was grateful nevertheless. It was not until after her first work week that she came to me and said «I love my new coffee maker» I told her I was glad that she liked it. It was then she told me that I was right, she said «you were right, I did need a new one, I had no idea that in needed it until I actually had it» That right there MADE MY DAY.Heres the deal.1. The «hot water system» does not refer to the 12 cup system that brews the coffee into the carafe. But, it coffeemaker itself is very fast and makes a full 12 cups in under 15 minutes.2. It has a bunch of useful features that allow you to set when the maker turns on and how long to keep your brewed coffee warm. It also gives you choices on how hot to make the coffee. There is an alarm that lets you know when it is done.3. It comes with a basket filter, but you can use #4 Cone style paper filters.4. The hot water system holds an additional 7 cups itself. It dispenses piping hot water that is perfect for tea or hot chocolate and all your other hot water needs. BUT, the best use for this Hot Water System is for Cup Noodles/Ramen Noodles.5. The Hot Water System has a safety switch, so that it might prevent children from burning themselves. The switch is easy to slide, large, and would not be a problem for a semiconscious individual fumbling around for that coffee. The switch is easy to miss because it looks like part of the button you press to dispense hot water. Many would probably overlook it unless they are told about it. But if a kid DID figure it out, they could easily disable it and dispense the hot water.This is a great product, if you are looking for a new coffeemaker (and you are smart enough to not buy a Keurig), your search has ended. This is THE ONE. And even if you don’t think you need it, there is a chance you might.

3. Оценка 5 из 5

   frankfromnjfrankfromnj – 12 апреля, 2023

   I looked at a LOT of different coffee makers before deciding on this model. Buying a coffee maker has to be one of the hardest things to buy. The problems come in because everyone has a different take on what coffee is supposed to taste like and unfortunately many of them are dead wrong. The most important thing for anyone that really enjoys coffee the way it is supposed to be made is that the water heats up to a sufficient temperature (greater than 190 degrees). This allows for the best flavor to be extracted from the coffee ground without that bitter taste that you get when the temperature is too low. Since most people don’t know that you don’t find that information in most reviews. I found that information in the good reviews for this product and it had an overall rating of 4.5 at the time that I purchased it but I was a bit concerned with some of the bad reviews. They pointed to things like the carafe leaking, the hot water dispenser side leaking or not functioning correctly, bad tasting water, etc. Well, I’m happy to report that I have not seen any of these problems.Pros1) Hot water dispenser heats water to 185 degrees. This is perfect for anything you might want to use it for.2) The coffee maker side heats the water to about 200 degrees. This is GREAT for making a really good cup of coffee.3) The coffee temperature allows the coffee too stay warm even after I add half & half.4) The lid on the carafe is NOT hinged which means that it doesn’t flop around when you’re pouring and it doesn’t have a flimsy hinge to break.5) The hot water dispenser side is HUGE, much larger than it looks in the pictures. That is why I’ve uploaded some pictures with mugs sitting on it and my tape measure showing the actual size. It fits both very wide and very tall mugs.6) The auto-off setting is adjustable from 1-4 hours. This is great for my mom who likes to brew a pot and drink it all morning.7) The indicator lights on the hot water side that let you know when the water is ready and when you need to add water are great.8) Indicator light lets you know when it is time to clean the unit.Cons1) I’m not really sure how much safer the safety lock is on the hot water side. Anyone that can reach the lever can EASILY slide that safety lock to the left.2) This is a small nitpick but pointing out small things like this show how much I really like this coffee maker. In order to set the clock you switch the switch to Clock and then hold down the HR button until the time starts blinking. What else am I going to do while I have the switch set to Clock? Why do I have to hold down that button too? The only reason this actually bugs me is because if you hold it down a split second too long it will begin to change the hour. So if you only wanted to change the minute it can be annoying.3) This is only a con at first. The first time you pour water into the coffee side the angle of where you have to pour it makes you feel like you’re going to spill it. Not to worry though. The design of the carafe and the fact that the flipped up lid will catch the water if you go to far make it really easy. Just don’t hesitate and you’ll find that it is as easy as pie to pour the water in.Finally, this thing makes a GREAT TASTING cup of coffee. I can’t believe I finally have a drip coffee maker that I enjoy using. Prior to this any time I wanted a good cup of coffee I would break out my French Press.Feel free to let me know if you have any questions. I’ll be glad to check it out and get back to you.

4. Оценка 5 из 5

   sscrib – 12 апреля, 2023

   I bought this coffeemaker for my wife as a Christmas present (2011). We love it a lot. It makes great, HOT coffee, and the hot water system works perfectly. If you are like me, you are reading these comments in order to learn whether or not you should buy this product. With that in mind, let me give you a few things to consider:The Not So Good1. Plastic taste — A number of folks have complained about a plasticy taste, especially on the hot water side, and I can verify that we have experienced a little of that, but only on the coffee side. It took us about 3-4 pots of coffee before the plastic aftertaste went away, and we haven’t tasted it since. We have never tasted it on the hot water side. It’s possible that the people who keep tasting it truly have models that have a problem, but it’s also possible that they just imagine they are tasting it. Either way, at least for us, whatever plastic taste was there before seems to be gone now.2. Hard to fill the coffee reservoir — It is true that the hole you pour water through to fill the coffee side is poorly positioned and quite small. Some folks use a funnel, others rotate around to the side of the coffeemaker to improve their pouring angle. Me? I just pour carefully. I have not spilled any water (yet). My biggest issue is that I find the last 1/2 cup of water difficult to get out of the carafe. If I try to pour 8 cups of water into the reservoir I can get the first 7 1/2 out easily, but that last little bit is tough. To compensate I just fill the carafe with a cup or so more water than what I intend to pour into the reservoir — say, 9+ cups if I want to brew 8 — and then discard whatever extra water is left in the carafe. Problem solved.3. Slight residue from coffee grounds — We use the bundled reusable coffee filter. We have found that it leaves a very fine residue from the coffee grounds at the bottom of our coffee, which isn’t a big deal, but is at least something worth mentioning in case that sort of thing bothers you.4. Coffee brewing time — The coffeemaker is not slow, but it certainly is not fast. Reading some reviews led me to think this thing made really fast coffee, which just is not the case. I would say it’s average, which really isn’t bad, per se, but you should temper your expectations. A Bunn this is not.The Good1. Great coffee — Isn’t this why you buy a coffeemaker? This unit makes really good coffee, period. It is VERY hot. I mean, you can put cold milk/creamer in your coffee and it’ll still be hot when you’re through, especially if you select the hottest carafe heat setting (a nice touch, I might add). A coffeemaker should make good coffee, and this one does not disappoint.2. Speedy hot water system — I was very impressed with how fast the hot water system heated the water. Once again, after reading some reviews you would think this thing took forever. It doesn’t. In just a few minutes it does its job as advertised. It’s certainly faster than heating up a pot on the stove, although it only heats one serving or so at a time. But the reheats in between each serving take less time than the initial heating of the first serving, a real plus if you plan on making more than one hot drink at a time. But keep in mind that this hot water system is not intended to completely replace a kettle if you intend to fix a lot of tea or hot cocoa at one time. If you are making hot drinks for more than 2-3 people at a time, it might be faster to heat a lot of water on your stove rather than waiting for multiple reheats. As long as you keep this in mind I don’t think you will be at all disappointed with the hot water system. It really does work well.3. Simultaneous dual function — I got the impression from previous reviewers that you could not make coffee and hot water at the same time. This is not true. My unit will brew coffee on one side and heat up water on the other side simultaneously. Perhaps Cuisinart updated this model to add this function, or perhaps the previous reviewers were simply wrong. All I know is that mine does both at the same time and they both perfectly.I disagree with some of the reviewers who complained about other various issues with this coffeemaker. The hot water drain plug on the bottom of the unit is positioned exactly where it should be, and is simple enough to use. If you are using simple tap water for the hot water system it’ll work just fine. The five beeps that indicate that the coffee is finished brewing are not too loud, nor intrusive. My microwave makes more noise when it beeps. The hot water reservoir should be drained occasionally (since you canot dispense all the water you put in), but this isn’t as big of a deal as previous reviewers make it out to be. This takes about 10 seconds of your week. The electrical cord is a little short, but do people expect it to be 10 feet long? In the end, just like with any product being reviewed by hundreds of people, every possible flaw will be brought to light. But all in all I think this is a great product that is worth the money (assuming you buy it on sale — the retail price on this thing is outrageous; I got it for $85). I highly recommend it.

5. Оценка 5 из 5

   Steven – 12 апреля, 2023

   We have purchased several of these and love the setup, coffee pot with hot water. A busy house typically making a couple pots of coffee and several cups of tea. One was replaced as it no longer turned on and the other started to leak (hot water).

6. Оценка 5 из 5

   AmarrasMom – 12 апреля, 2023

   My Hamilton Beach Brew Station crapped out on me (the electrical has issues… ugh!) so I ordered this Cuisinart with the Hot Water System and it is incredible! I am totally in love and will never buy another brand of coffee maker again!I have been drinking a wonderful brand of coffee  illy Caffe Scuro Drip Grind (Dark Roast, Brown Band), 8.8-Ounce Tins (Pack of 2)  for years but I never truly tasted it until now! This coffee maker brews so perfectly! The coffee tastes even better than it has all these years (and trust me, it’s great coffee!). Now, the coffee is soooooooooooo smooth and I even found that I don’t have to use as much sugar and creamer.The water sprinkling system over the grounds is superb and when I went to empty the grounds to make more (it was sooooo good I had to make more!), there was no dripping water from the filter basket. Another reviewer said that he/she thinks that the cone shaped filter baskets work more efficiently and I must say that I absolutely agree!The hot water system works like a dream! During winter I really enjoy drinking tea and making instant soups and such, now I’m so glad I got this coffee maker with hot water system because I can now enjoy all of those winter favorites without the fuss of microwaving or boiling water and such! I also love that the hot water system has a separate water tank with separate power functions and it also includes a child safety lock, so your little ones won’t accidentally burn themselves.I also love that this comes with a 3 year warranty — considering that I just had to throw away my second Hamilton Beach because the first one stopped brewing completely and the second one would shut off and the power and display lights would suddenly turn off. Then anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours later it would turn back on and I would have to do the coffee dance while it brewed in hopes that it would at least finish brewing one cup before crapping out again. Having a 3 year warranty makes me feel so much better about buying a new coffee maker.Another great feature of this machine is that it alerts you when you need to clean the system, which will prolong the use of your coffee maker. This will help me to stay on top of cleaning it rather than putting it off til later!If you aren’t sure whether to go with this coffee maker, let me make the decision for you! It’s truly A-MAZE-ING!!!December 12, 2011:It has now been just over a year since purchasing this machine and I’m still absolutely in love with it!!! Here are a few things I’d like to add to my original review:This machine includes a permanent filter which comes in really handy when you run out of paper filters and can’t get to the store right away.This machine includes directions for cleaning the system using vinegar and water. Most machines I’ve used in the past tell you to purchase some kind of expensive cleaner but not this one. I love that they recommend using plain ol’ vinegar!I also love the hot plate temperature dial. I use refrigerated creamer in my coffee and I like to drink it right away so I set the hot plate on medium. If you don’t use creamer then you can put the hot plate on low so it won’t be too hot to drink right away. Or if you use a lot of creamer or don’t plan on drinking it immediately, you can set it on high.If the machine turns off using the auto-off feature and you haven’t finished all of your coffee all you have to do is turn it back on. My old machine required you to press and hold the «on» button for 3 seconds and then it was supposed to turn back on. Most of the time, however, it would beep at me to tell me that there was no water in the tank and then it would turn back off. This machine simply turns back on without having to do anything special to make it work properly.The separate hot water system has been really handy since having my baby (born in June 2011). He is breastfed and my husband bottle feeds him sometimes. So he thaws the milk under cool running water and then puts the milk storage bag into a coffee cup and pours hot water from the hot water tank into the cup and lets it sit for a few minutes. If he uses the faucet to heat up the milk, he has to pour out the hot water and replace it a few times because it cools down too quickly to warm the milk.The hot water system has also been really nice while family members are visiting. My mother-in-law drinks hot tea every morning and she normally uses a tea kettle but she is incredibly impressed with my new coffee maker and hot water system — and we all know how nice it is to impress our mother-in-law!!!!All-in-all, this machine is still a dream come true! I would buy this machine over and over and over again!

7. Оценка 5 из 5

   Sourcing Jim – 12 апреля, 2023

   It’s narrower than my last coffee maker/hot water pot. When I’m not using it for hot water, that feature can be folded away.

8. Оценка 5 из 5

   Joe Osçurö – 12 апреля, 2023

   6 Month Update: It works perfectly as new and I have found no issues whatsoever. My original review below stands as originally written. If I have any problems in the future I will note them here.Since I don’t lend a lot of credence to reviews written by those who have just opened their shiny new item and are gushing with naive enthusiasm I will make my initial review quite brief at this time. I promise to follow up with a more comprehensive review in about 6 months.The reason for my purchase of this item is that my lovely wife and I drink coffee in the mornings and also I drink quite a bit of hot tea later in the day. Instead of turning on the microwave every time I need more hot water I thought this unit would satisfy both requirements nicely. And indeed so far it is succeeding nicely.I was concerned that the hot water dispenser would consume a lot of energy, but in fact it does not. Reason: While that side holds over a quart of water it only actually heats about 15oz at a time. Great idea! It takes about a minute longer to heat each batch of water than my microwave, but as soon as you dispense the hot water it immediately begins heating another batch. It might not be the best for those who want a larger amount of hot water at one time, but it works very well for my purposes. Just FYI.There are several small but thoughtful items that makes this unit a good value in my opinion not the least of which it is actually two units in one. For example:1) The #4 cone style filter that comes with this unit brews a superior cup of coffee in my opinion and better utilizes the coffee in a more even way. The fine wire mesh filter that comes with the unit sells for about $8 alone and means you never have to buy another paper filter. And you get a better yield for your coffee dollar. Its my opinion but not only mine. 2) There is a small silver button looking device under where the carafe is placed that is the actual heating element. This provides a much more accurate way of keeping the coffee at the desired temperature. When you press the «1 — 4 cups» button on the front of the machine a blue light comes on.This function keeps the brewed coffee in the carafe at a lower and more desirable temperature when brewing smaller portions. It keeps the fresh brewed coffee from getting that burned stale taste that results from being heated for too long at too high a temperature. Just trivia those who care about keeping the flavor of the coffee good longer.2) The coffee maker can be set to automatically turn off after a certain period of time after the coffee is brewed.*** UPDATE of 10/25/12 ***This unit has turned out to be so practical that I have purchased a second one for my mother. For anyone who drinks hot tea or other drinks requiring preheated water, the water heating part of this unit is really useful. It heats ~15oz of water at a time and holds nearly another quart in reserve that automatically feeds into the heating area as you drain the first 15oz. I only wish it made some sort of sound to alert me once the water is hot. It only takes about 3 minutes to heat the water by the way.*** UPDATE OF 04/07/14I have been using this unit — both sides — several times a day since new. It seems there is a problem with the hot water tank leaking. It leaks into the coffee reservoir. Which isn’t so bad I suppose. After all it is a small leak, but seems to want to get bigger. Also it doesn’t leak if I don’t fill the tank to the full line. Otherwise it is still working well. I would definitely purchase again.

9. Оценка 5 из 5

   kay – 12 апреля, 2023

   Buy it. This coffee pot with water spout is amazing. My mom drings coffee, my hubby and I drink other hot drinks so I turn it on while cooking breakfast and it heats up fast.

10. Оценка 5 из 5

    KL in AZ – 12 апреля, 2023

    I read all (or a lot of) the reviews before deciding on this machine and have been happy with it. I have had the machine for about two months. I wanted to wait and use it for a while before submitting any sort of review. I’m very satisfied. The coffee maker is easy to clean, even with user-error. (Once I added coffee when the filter and filter basket weren’t in the machine — it was really easy to clean out.) As noted by others, there is a small area to pour water into, but I haven’t had trouble hitting the mark. Since my coffee maker lives under upper cabinets, I pull it forward to add water and coffee, then push it back to brew. Hint: add water before coffee grounds in case a few drops go astray. When I pour water from my clean carafe into the water reservoir to brew a pot, I also have trouble getting the last teaspoon or so of water out of the carafe, but it’s not a problem — I just empty it in the sink before putting the carafe in position to catch the hot coffee. Coffee is hot and remains hot. I have only used the «medium» setting on the warmer. I’ve never had a programmable coffee maker before, so am really enjoying waking up to hot coffee first thing. (Although sometimes I forget to set it up the night before and make it in the morning, so I like the «impatient drinker» feature which lets you pour a cup before the whole pot is brewed too.) I have enjoyed the hot water dispenser too and am drinking more tea in the afternoon or evenings. Because a couple of people complained about their hot water smelling off (or like coffee), I have always used a small pitcher (pint-sized rubbermaid beverage container in this case) to add water to the machine. It brews a nice cup of tea which you can refresh with more hot water at any time. One note: the hot water dispenser doesn’t seem to have an automatic shut-off (like the coffee maker does). I don’t know what would happen if you left it on all day, or went to sleep and left it on. Would it eventually boil dry? Lately I just make myself one cup and then turn the heater off. The water will stay warm for quite a while and/or will reheat quickly if you want to make another cup. So, I’ve had no trouble with my hot water dispenser at all. I don’t drain mine, but do try to use it every couple of days at least. When setting up your machine, plan on reading the directions. You have to install a small water filter in each of the water reservoirs. I was surprised by some odd looking things when I opened the box.One other note: I have been washing/rinsing the carafe and filter by hand so far. I needed to replace my old coffee maker (which was a Krups — I was quite happy with it) simply because the screw which holds the handle to the glass carafe rusted through. I was unable to replace the carafe (model is no longer made) or find a screw the right size. I nearly always washed that carafe in the dishwasher, which eventually was too much for it.