Zojirushi ECBD15 Fresh Brew Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker

February 11, 2010 by stuart
Filed under EC-BD15BA

Comments

593 Comments on "Zojirushi ECBD15 Fresh Brew Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker"

R. Smith on Sat, 13th Feb 2010 12:00 am

Works great!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
We just received this coffee maker, and so far so good. Coffee is HOT and tasty right out of the gate and stays that way for several hours. No issues so far with spilling over, watery coffee, or issues with the on and off as mentioned in other reviews. Yes, we have to trim down the filters, but it takes two seconds! Great coffee maker!

Edward G. Folks on Sun, 14th Feb 2010 12:00 am

Zojirushi EC-BD15 Coffee Maker — Outstanding
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After surveying the coffee makers with similar features I found that the EC-BD15 lives up to all expectations, outstanding quality and performance, I would highly recommend.

D. Burke on Sun, 14th Feb 2010 12:00 am

coffee maker
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I love fresh coffee, all day long. This compact coffee maker does the job. It is simple and makes great coffee.

S on Tue, 16th Feb 2010 12:00 am

Makes great coffee and brews quickly-but do not brew with the lid in place
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I’d had my eye on this coffee pot for awhile before I purchased it. It brews excellent coffee! The basket separates easily from the base for quick cleaning and the carafe keeps coffee hot through the day without the burnt taste. The only thing I am dissatisfied with is the fact that it overflows easily while brewing (about half the time), especially if a gold cone filter is used. It overflows if paper filters(it takes #4 cone filters)are used as well. It seems to push hot water through much faster than the design of the lid can handle. I only brew without the lid in place now. Not a big deal, but we are supposed to be able to brew through the lid. Yes-I am sure to remove the cap for the lid. It really does brew excellent tasting coffee though.

J. P. Pierce on Wed, 17th Feb 2010 12:00 am

Our coffee often ends up all over the counter.
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
It does it often enough that we cannot use the automatic settings, and have to stand over it to make sure that it’s flowing into the carafe, repeatedly checking water level, and trying to figure out if it’s actually going into the carafe. This is an absolute PAIN, and we might as well be making coffee the old fashioned way, pouring hot water into a cone manually (which by the way, makes absolutely better coffee). We tried different coffee grounds, making sure everything is absolutely clean and it still does it! I want to love the coffee maker as so many other people do, but there are just too many problems…the coffee tastes great…when it’s not running all over the counter.

Melvin Wood on Wed, 17th Feb 2010 12:00 am

Zojirushi EC-BD15 Better than advertised
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have had this product 3 months now and could not be happier. It is very simple and easy to operate and clean. I disconnect the coffee maker after making coffee and store it under the counter in a cabinet. The coffee tastes delicious and most important, stays very hot in the carafe for hours. The last cup tastes as good as the first cup because of the carafe. Cleaning is simple and effortless. The temperature of the coffee is 165 degrees upon finished brewing. The complete process of online purchase through Amazon and delivery was flawless. Directions are easy to read. Setup and brewing were perfect the first time. I highly recommend this product and Amazon.

Darkrock on Fri, 19th Feb 2010 12:00 am

Best value coffee maker on the planet!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Best value coffee maker on the planet. Excellent design – not idiot proof but close. Use a #4 filter and fold it at the bottom seam twice and on the edge once. Perfect fit! Rinse carafe with warm water and screw on lid tight. Fill reservoir with cold clean water and required coffee in basket. Note the placement of carafe and make sure it is centered correctly and tap the start button. 5 minutes later and a bit of steam noise signals it is done. Take that carafe anywhere and the flavor and heat is retained for hours. An excellent coffee brewer!

K. A. Mccoy on Sun, 21st Feb 2010 12:00 am

Not Recommended…
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I was determined that this was the coffee maker that I had to have. I read alot of reviews and researched. I was very excited to finally get my Zoji. I was so disappointed when I found out that more than 50% of the times I used it, the coffee ended up all over my counter top instead of in the carafe. This is a very “picky” machine. The instructions say to use a #4 filter, but it really required a #3 which are nowhere to be found. If you use the #4 you have to fold it just so and sometimes it will still cause it to overflow. Not to mention that the holes need to be lined up perfectly or this will also cause it to overflow. I felt that it was way to much work and worry. It is disappointing to wake up in the morning to the smell of yummy coffe but to find it all over your counter instead of in the carafe. Very disappointed in this machine. I took mine back and got the Cuisineart Grind and Brew. I LOVE IT!! There is nothing like fresh ground coffee…and guess what…it actually brews it right in the carafe instead of all over my countertops.

Robert C. Johnson on Mon, 22nd Feb 2010 12:00 am

Great Coffee Maker
Rating:4 out of 5 stars

The Zojirushi EC-BD15 Fresh Brew Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker has been the best I’ve had in years. After some pretty disappointing coffee makers, this one has been easy to use and kept the coffee pretty hot. It’s thermal carafe isn’t of the quality of my old Black and Decker, so I wouldn’t want to leave the coffee very long without drinking, but it is light and easy to use. I would recommend it to anyone.

S. C. Fairbanks on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 12:00 am

Good coffee maker for the price
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
We’ve used this for more than a month and are quite satisfied with the quality of coffee brewed. The timer is very easy to set, which is not always the case with other makers, and the thermal carafe keeps the coffee hot for more than enough time. But like other brands of thermal carafes we have had (Braun, especially) it pours slowly and dribbly, unlike a non-carafe pot. That’s one drawback, and another for this machine is the rather ridiculous necessity of having to cut the top quarter inch off a number 4 filter. That has to be done to enable the spray head to return to its proper position after you close the lid; otherwise the spray head will mash down the filter when it returns, preventing proper brewing. Anyone considering purchasing this maker should first measure the distance between their counter top and cupboards. This machine is too tall for us to be able to place beneath the cupboards.

Samilo on Thu, 25th Feb 2010 12:00 am

Decent engineering but excellent coffee
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
If I were handed a cup of coffee brewed from this machine, I would have given it five stars. The quality and temperature of the coffee are excellent. On to the machine itself:

The good:

1) Easy to clean

2) The carafe is very high quality; you can tell years of experience have gone into its design. Don’t change a thing here!

The not-so-good:

1) The plastic used to manufacture the body of the coffee maker leaves lots to be desired. Had the manufacturer chose to use the same plastic that the carafe handle and lid were made of, this machine would look it’s price.

2) As stated by another user, USE ROOM TEMPERATURE WATER. This makes a big difference in taste, as the brew temperature does appear to be low if chilled water is used. An added benefit of doing this is the outside of the coffee maker does not sweat from the cold water — the body of the water cavity is not insulated.

3) The “pour stop” mechanism is poorly designed. I have to push it up by hand as I insert the carafe to avoid putting too much lateral strain on the nipple.

Retired and Loving It on Fri, 26th Feb 2010 12:00 am

Zojirushi Thermal
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
We have used thermal carafe coffee makers for some years and when our old one *another brand* finally died we couldn’t find a same-brand replacement. After researching, decided our best bet was the Zojirushi. Produces great coffee; however, the brew mechinism into the coffee carafe is somewhat “QUIRKY” and we have experienced three or four run-overs – spilling onto the counter.

For this reason, we would rate this model EC-BD15 a 8 out of 10. We do like the fact that it is a 10 cup – one of the few on the market that we found.

Have always had great luck with Amazon products. Amazon, keep up the good work.

J. Swain on Sat, 27th Feb 2010 12:00 am

Excellent all-around coffee maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
We were not familiar with this brand, but wanted a high quality thermal coffee maker with a black/stainless finish, and this looked like the best choice. So far, we’re very pleased with it. It’s simple to use, well made, coffee tastes great, nice looking, and reasonably priced. Only drawback might be the sight glass being on the side vs. the front, but that’s a minor inconvenience, depending on how much counter space one has.

D. Quesenberry on Sat, 27th Feb 2010 12:00 am

Cheaply made
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
Typical made in China with cheap plastic. I guess it brews OK, buy can’t imagine it lasting long.

Luke Huang on Mon, 1st Mar 2010 12:00 am

Don’t buy Zojirushi that’s made in China, buy it only made in Japan!!!
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
Listen to me, friends. I am from Taiwan; most (99%) of the Taiwanese love Japanese brands and products. When talking about cooking, baking or brewing, Tiger and Zojirushi are better choices than Panasonic, Toshiba or other brand.

When seeing Zojirushi EC-BD15, my wife and I were over joyed. It’s Japanese famous brand! Plus the reviews gave high recommendations to it, how can we get wrong? So we gladly bought a brand new one from Amazon 2 monthes ago, and when the package arrived, we made our first test brew after clean it…It was a pain! Here are some cons:

1. The lid of the carafe is thin; it’s not easy to be opened or sealed, and its edge could scratch your palm.

2. The inner part of the carafe looks cheap and poor quality (a super large mark of conjunction seems like a medical school student did his first operation)…I guess the reason is because it was made in China. If it was made in Japan, trust me, you will very hardly notice the the conjunction.

3. I can tolerate above 2 points. However, the worst part is the temperature! One of the review said that whether you use a ice cold water or a regular temperature water, you were going to get 185 degree coffe. It is NOT true, at least my made-in-China Zojirushi doesn’t. I didn’t measure the temperature; however, if you pour the coffee into the cup and leave it for just 2 minutes, you can drink it all within 2 seconds. That means, it becomes warm, not hot at all. If it really is 185 degree, you can leave it in a room temperature for 5 minutes and still can burn your lips. (My new Cuisinart DTC-975 is the winner! Almost the same price, but it is just better.)

After trying the coffe maker for 2 weeks, we returned it to Amazon (and they deducted about $9 for shipping…) with great disappointment. If you are satisfied with a quality of $40 Mr. Cofe w/ stainless carafe from Walmart, you will be ok to keep this zojirushi. However, if you want a real good coffee to start your day right during breakfast, don’t use this machine, unless it’s made in Japan.

Trust me, read some of the 3 or 2 stars reviews for references. I think some people are paid to give over-praised reviews…that’s my opinion. I have been drinking coffee more than 20 years, I know what is good coffee.

spyre98 on Mon, 1st Mar 2010 12:00 am

I don’t understand all the positive reviews!
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
We purchased this coffee maker after the large number of 5 and 4 star reviews on this site. After using it, I wonder if I received a defective product, or perhaps my expectations are not what they should be. Backstory: had a Cuisinart 4 cup coffee maker which we loved (in terms of coffee taste) but started to leak, so we purchased this one. Here are my thoughts based on comparing the two products:

Pros:

-Makes coffee fast

-Timer function

-Compact design

Cons:

-Coffee taste: our Cuisinart tasted much better. I thought perhaps this was because we were using coffee which had been ground a couple of weeks prior, so we had new coffee grounded fresh, and still it tasted tinny and weak. My theory is that the coffee maker perhaps just doesn’t heat the water enough to get the full flavor of the grinds.

-Design: poor design. I understand that this may be one of the better designs for a non-hotplate coffee maker (the coffee did stay warm in the carafe), but the lid contraption is difficult to use – you have to unscrew it halfway to open it, but then it feels loose, and the carafe still only trickles out coffee. Also all the buttons are squished together and the same size so it’s very easy to press the wrong one. Lastly, the side panel has a water gauge to tell you how many cups you’ve poured, except ours doesn’t appear to move for only 2 cups (when you pour in more than 2 cups, it immediately jumps up to around the 3 cup mark). Very, very difficult to measure how much you’re pouring in so we ended up just using a mug and estimating which worked okay.

I hope I got a defective model (I returned it just yesterday to Amazon) because I would hate to think that I could no longer trust the numerous reviews I’ve relied on at Amazon.

E. Torp on Wed, 3rd Mar 2010 12:00 am

Coffe Lover
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Loved this coffeemaker! Easy to work, makes a delicious cup of coffee, and keeps it hot without any difference in flavor. What more can anyone ask for?

Alexander T. Gaggs on Wed, 3rd Mar 2010 12:00 am

Simple and perfect
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Great coffee maker! Very simple in design, but simpler is better in this case. It also ships very fast even with the free shipping. If you’re looking for a coffee maker that makes perfect coffee buy this one! The carafe keeps the coffee hot for hours without that bad taste you get from a warmer plate. Buy it!

David A. Brown on Wed, 3rd Mar 2010 12:00 am

hot coffee hot
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I dunno who needs to scrutinize every little detail, but this thing does what it’s supposed to do. I have had it for a month now, and everything works as advertised.

Coffee stays ‘steaming’ hot in the thermos for a couple of hours. Set the timer in the morning and this coffeemaker never has to infringe on your morning routine.

My girl gets up at 5:30 a.m. and coffee is ready, hot, and waiting for her. She has a cup or two, and when I get outta’ bed a few hours later, coffee that is still in the thermos is STILL hot!

Any little detail people complain about, ie. pour speed, or plastic heat-catching cap (for top) causing brewing problems, etc. : deal with it! These are not inconveniences, these are ‘darwin-istic’ features, ifyaknowwutimean!

Good product for us.

Cotterwater on Fri, 5th Mar 2010 12:00 am

Cotterwater
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I like this coffee maker a lot. The carafe will keep the coffee hot for a few hours, so you don’t get the burned flavor that coffee makers with heating elements do. It is made with quality materials (stainless steel), love stainless steel on my appliances.

Deborah A. Beatty-rinnier on Fri, 5th Mar 2010 12:00 am

NanaDeb
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Love this item! No more wasted coffee!! Serve yourself or your guest by sitting the carafe right on the table. Coffee stays hot for hours.

Easy to make and pour. Water level is very easy to read even without my glasses. It is also attractive on the counter top. Settings are easy to follow and clean up is a breeze. Very happy with this purchase.

Bill S. on Fri, 5th Mar 2010 12:00 am

Best Coffee Maker I’ve Owned
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ll keep this short. I like this coffee maker because: the carafe keeps the coffee warm most of the day and what’s left over can be heated in the microwave the next day and still tastes quite good. Works perfectly, doesn’t drip, good overall quality. Happy to own this machine!

Dee Garza on Sat, 6th Mar 2010 12:00 am

A good coffee maker from a very good company.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This elegant appliance, with it’s graceful, tall lines, makes great coffee. A thermal carafe is what were were looking for when we bought this for the office last summer. My boss and I are both really picky about the taste of coffee, and we both like it. And I’m glad we chose this brand, because I have had one of their hot water things for 10 years and it is still doing its job perfectly.

Yes, the filter holder is a tad small, but remember the instructions on the filter box tell us to bend the filter at both seams. That makes it a better fit. I am so glad we chose this one. It is serving us well.

yamut on Sat, 6th Mar 2010 12:00 am

Not great
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
This replaced a capresso coffee maker I’d owned for 10 years. I loved my cappresso, but am not about to drop $200+ on a new coffee maker (yet).

Cons:

I think I was spoiled by the ergonomics of the capresso, and here are some of my gripes:

1) The water fill meter needs more than 2 cups in the reservoir before it starts to bubble up to give you an accurate view of how much water you’ve put in.

2) replacing the filter requires you to swivel the water spout in and out of the way.

3) #4 paper filters don’t fit exactly – i just think you’re being really anal retentive if you feel like you need to cut down your filters.

4) the carafe has a lot of flimsy pieces that I’m sure will break or get lost before too long.

5) the carafe doesn’t do a good job of pouring the coffee out at a good rate.

6) I make 4 cups at a time – coffee could be hotter, but i can’ complain, because the cappresso didn’t really make the coffee hot either.

7) I am annoyed that the carafe drips

it’s awkward pouring water into the reservoir

Pros:

1) Everything’s pretty compact and tidy – less moving parts means less of the potential for mess with coffee grinds.

2) easy to clean.

3) controls are easy to use.

Robert F. Berning on Sat, 6th Mar 2010 12:00 am

Best Coffee Maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a well thought out product. It’s fast keep coffee hot for hours and makes the best tasting coffee. We have a couple three other coffee makers and this pot makes the best coffee by far. My Wife and I have been called coffee snobs more than once, in fact we still buy our coffee from a roaster in Dallas even after moving to Nevada! If you want a really great Coffee maker this is the machine. Mind you, it’s not fool proof but then nothing is.

J. R. Northrup on Mon, 8th Mar 2010 12:00 am

Worth the money
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
We were fed up with the Cuisinart we had been using for almost two years. Searched various products using Consumer Reports. This is one of the highest rated-and we can see why. It is very stylish and, the controls are easy to use. We’re extremely pleased. The thermal pot keeps the coffee warm without having it sitting on the unit.

Earl F. Hale on Mon, 8th Mar 2010 12:00 am

Fresh Brew at 6am
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I like the Zojrushi. The programming is easy and it’s really nice to wake up to fresh brewed coffee. But the really nice aspect is the carafe. This is a big improvement over it predecessor, a Braun 12 cup which would invaribly burn the coffee if left on the hotplate. The Zojirushi is not perfect as the coffee is too cool for my liking after an hour or so but 30 seconds in the microwave takes care of that. The one other sort of negative characteristic is that it is difficult to get the carafe back into the unit. The carafe is just a milimeter or two too tall and so some force is needed to put it back in the unit, and I have to hold the unit so that it doesn’t just move away as I insert the carafe. But overall, a very good carafe coffee maker.

blueazulli on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 12:00 am

What a Nusiance
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
spout too narrow takes forever to pour, coffee filters do not fit properly so folds over often, if you remove pot before it is ready it spills over and continues to spill when you replace the pot. the coffee it makes is decent but the constant clean-ups and the forever pour (don’t try to make it go faster, it’ll just flow over the sides) are not worth it. i wish i had never bought.

city dweller on Thu, 11th Mar 2010 12:00 am

Significant design flaws.
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Have had my Zojirushi coffeemaker for a couple of weeks and there are some significant design flaws. Most problematic is the temperature: the coffee is only warm and becomes room temp with the addition of a little cream – warming the carafe prior to use helps only a little bit and is a hassle. Second, coffee filters do not fit very well – #4 filters are a hair too big and i have to trim them to get a good fit.Thirdly, the carafe must be fully closed to fit into position – thus, everytime a pour is made you have to carefully close the top of the carafe. And finally, the clock is located on the right side and this limits visibility – most coffeemakers locate the clock centrally. Though I love zojirushi products, I regret this purchase.

lloyd frohreich on Fri, 12th Mar 2010 12:00 am

Don’t Buy
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I strongly recommend you do not buy the Zojirushi ED-BD15BA Coffee Maker. I bought one over a year ago and it has stopped working. I called the company and they said there is nothing they could do for me. A coffee maker that fails in a little over one year appears to be a product with planned obsolescence and escapes the one year warranty.

Donna Gillbee on Fri, 12th Mar 2010 12:00 am

Perfect Coffee Maker and Carafe in one
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have always used Carafe’s so after my last one cracked I was looking for a new one and I found it. I have made coffee in this many times and the coffee comes out perfect everytime. I put warm water in it to start with and rinse the carafe with hot water so it will get a good start on being hot. I bought the Medelco #4 Cone Permanent Coffee Filter to go with this pot and it fits perfectly, my #4 paper cone filters also fit this.

The filter/coffee holder comes off on this pot so it is very easy to clean and it is also very easy to use. This pot looks very nice and goes great with my stainless steel appliances so I don’t have to find a cabinet for it, I can just leave it out on the counter.

Not sure why all the negative reviews but I LOVE this coffee pot!

A. Huskey on Sun, 14th Mar 2010 12:00 am

Zojirushi EC-BD15 Died after 28 months
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
This is an excellent coffee maker, so much so that we are about to order another. Thats because, our first just died, and although the timer and clock work fine, it will no longer brew. I hope that our next will last a bit longer, but at least we will have a second carafe that is compatible. This coffee maker does make excellent coffee and that is the primary reason that we are getting another.

Coffee Man on Mon, 15th Mar 2010 12:00 am

Horrible Luke Warm Coffee
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Terrible coffee maker! Coffee is luke warm within an hour of brewing. Get the Cuisinart [...]instead. Coffee is still HOT in the Cuisinart 6 hours after brewing.

D. K. Brown on Tue, 16th Mar 2010 12:00 am

Nearly Perfect For My Taste
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
(I would’ve given it 4.5)

The Zoji had some negative remarks that worried me, but now that I have it I really don’t understand most of the prevoius negative reviews.

The Zoji makes coffee VERY nearly as good as the commercial Bunn I returned after

x-mas – It made FABULOUS coffee but was ugly and had to stay on all the time. This is nearly as good, costs about 50 bucks less, no wasted electricity, and no eminent danger of having 12 cups of 200 degree water on the counter at all times with a 2.5 year old boy around the house.

excellent coffee, that lasts, at home, for under 100 bucks, easily, and prettily!

Molly Lemeris on Wed, 17th Mar 2010 12:00 am

awful coffee maker!
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
After researching and reading customer reviews, we bought this coffee maker. It was awful!! The coffee was never hot so it certainly didn’t stay hot as advertised. It look sleek and cool on our counter but never lived up to any of it’s hype. Don’t buy it.

Chica-go-panic on Fri, 19th Mar 2010 12:00 am

It Does the job.
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I wanted to take the time to write a short review on this coffee machine. I was hesitant at first, buying a Japanese coffemaker, especially being Italian, but it seemed that if I wanted a quality thermal carafe at a decent price this was the product to buy. I’ve had it for a month and I must say along with the gold filter I bought with it, it is making a very good cup of coffee. Currently I’m brewing the Whole Foods Rainforest Blend. The coffee stays hot for at least 3 hours and stays warm for the whole day. It defineitely keeps the coffee fresh much longer than conventional carafes. I also like it because it’s very fast, so in case I don’t want to program it, I can still have my coffee ready within 2 or 3 minutes.

The only thing I would change about it is that I would still have a warming plate at the base of the machine or a separate warming plate to plug in at the table. Otherwise it does the job it’s supposed to do, which is a lot more than I can say for most products nowadays.

S. Adams on Sun, 21st Mar 2010 12:00 am

Adore this coffee pot!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have had this just over a week now, and I love it, I tell everyone about it! This makes the hottest coffee I have ever had. Being a fresh cream user, getting hot coffee even after adding the cream…well it’s exciting for me! The carafe doesnt get hot on the outside, so you can move the carafe to your desk or where ever once your coffee is ready to go.

I had read through the reviews before deciding on a pot, and took the advice of some others once I got this. Using room temp/warmer tap water rather then cold water will get you hotter coffee. The flavor of the coffee is fantastic, I love that it doesnt get the “burnt” taste. I m not the kind to wake up and drink a pot or two of coffee. I make it and drink it through out the day, this coffee is just as fresh, and hot…HOURS later. I love that I can have the same hot fresh coffee at 8am and also at noon…..or 3pm if I like!

Great coffee pot, I cant tell you how happy I am with this coffee pot, but hopefully my review gives you an idea. I cant imagine getting this and not being thrilled!

James R. Freeman on Mon, 22nd Mar 2010 12:00 am

A fine coffee maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Just a brief review, as this machine has been extensively covered by others.

We have been using this machine for about a year without much problem. The machine is easy to use, quick and produces fine coffee (or hot water, for that matter). I very much appreciate that the carafe works well, and keeps the coffee hot for a few hours, in our situation. I use a # 4 filter, which works fine. Yes, it’s a little large, but scrunching the filter down works fine.

The brewer looks fine, but the body of the machine is plastic. Cleaning the machine is no problem. I have had the machine overflow a few times – this seems to be due to the grind being too fine, clogging up the works. The lid can be tightened too much, making it difficult to loosen. The fix is to not tighten the lid so far.

I would certainly consider buying this machine again.

elwaz on Tue, 23rd Mar 2010 12:00 am

garbage
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Unbelievable that this thing received so many good reviews. What a horribly designed piece of garbage. Shabby, ill-fitting, wobbly plastic construction. MADE IN CHINA. Standard filters don’t even fit into the receiver. We had the cut off the top off of the filter just so it could fit. How is that making my life more convenient? In two days of use, it has over-flowed twice. Each time it had been set up by a different person. Both times it made a horrible mess. Just threw the entire thing into the trash in disgust.

J. R. Bruce on Wed, 24th Mar 2010 12:00 am

Everything but those last 2 cups
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
#1 – Stylish, looks GREAT on the counter.

#2 – Coffee tastes GREAT. I read many of those other reviews, which help, yet had never experienced why a thermal carafe tastes better than a warming plate, which must indeed over-cook the coffee.

#3 – Easy to use, fill with water and clean. And not much to worry about breaking, chipping or cracking. NO glass!

#4 – Yes, the coffee indeed stays hot for a long time.

#5 – It brews faster than our old coffee makers.

Just wish it held 12, rather than 10 cups. Overlooked that detail when researching and have had to re-train myself on quantities.

Normand J. Lemenager on Thu, 25th Mar 2010 12:00 am

Zojirushi Coffee Maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars

This is what I was looking for! Brews an excellent cup of coffee and is very stylish. Completely satisfied!!! Thermal carafe keeps coffee hot for hours.

T. Rikard on Thu, 25th Mar 2010 12:00 am

Great easy coffee pot.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a great coffee pot that keep the coffe hot for hours. I temped a half pot after 3 hours and it was still 165 degrees. coffee during brewing is 185 to 190 depending on the temp of the water you put in. Only thing I have a problem with is if you tighten the lid all the way on while it cold the lid gets stuck and you need a rag to loosen the top. (Because of the heat causing expantion) However, if you unscrew the lid a little before brewwing this doesnt happpen.

Over all I would highly recomend this coffee maker.

J. Mcdaniels on Thu, 25th Mar 2010 12:00 am

Continues to Brew Great Coffee after 4 years and Pug proof – almost.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I haven’t had any problems with this machine in all the years I have owned it. Two weeks after I purchased it, my pug pushed a chair over to the kitchen counter, climbed onto the chair and then the counter and while scavenging through the dirty dishes from the night before, knocked my new coffeemaker onto the floor. The lid broke off the coffeemaker itself but will still sit on it. The liner in the carafe is stainless steel, so it wasn’t damaged like a glass one would have been. Even after this punishment, the coffeemaker continued to work and still does to this day. I haven’t even cleaned it other than throwing all the removable parts into the dishwasher. If you are looking for a coffeemaker that makes great coffee, doesn’t need a lot of maintenance and lasts for years, this is it. If this one does fail, I hope that they are still making it, because I will buy it again. I have recently decided to replace the lid on it. This is the one you’re looking for.

Scott McCormick on Sat, 27th Mar 2010 12:00 am

Great little coffee maker, especially for the money
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
If you’re looking for a dependable, no-frills thermal coffee maker, this one is perfect. It keeps coffee hot for hours, it’s very easy to use and clean, and it doesn’t make an annoying sound when you’re coffee’s done. (It doesn’t make any sound, which we prefer, but you may not.) One tip: For best results, use lukewarm water.

Magoo on Sun, 28th Mar 2010 12:00 am

So Far, a terrific maker for the $.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have had this coffee maker for about a month now and have enjoyed terrific ‘everyday’ coffee since. The coffee brews quickly to a perfect temperature, stays hot in the carafe for a reasonably long time and produces great flavor for a reasonably priced maker. It is taller than most pots but knew that at time of purchase and has not been a problem for me, and since I keep it in a corner the controls on the side work for me also. The pour spout is great-NO DRIPS! (which is a problem with a lot of other carafes). The paper cone filters do fit a little awkward but have not caused any problems with the brewing. I would highly recommend this coffee maker.

Added note: Kudos to Amazon for handling a glitch they had with my order and upgrading my shipping so that I still got the order quickly. Good business = happy customer.

Saundra S. Osborne on Mon, 29th Mar 2010 12:00 am

Great find!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Love the coffee maker. It makes a great cup of brew and keeps it warm for several hours. Easy to clean, nice appearance and I hope I never have to replace it!

BarbatRockingB on Wed, 31st Mar 2010 12:00 am

Fast!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
We purchased this product after we talked with someone else who already owned one. We have only had it for one month, but so far are very pleased. It makes coffee in record time, and the coffee stays fresh since it is stored in a thermal carafe rather than continuing to “cook.” It is very easy to program — no directions needed! Only complaint would be that the carafe must be unscrewed to pour the coffee; this seems slightly inconvenient, Since heat from the coffee causes the carafe lid to swell slightly, care must be taken that it is not tightened before making coffee; otherwise it can be difficult to open.

Overall we think this coffee maker is great.

D. Edwards on Thu, 1st Apr 2010 12:00 am

Good coffee, but some design flaws.
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I purchased this coffeemaker based on all the good reviews it received on the Web.

PROS: The coffee comes out well and stays quite hot for hours.

CONS: The lid can be very hard to get off especially after the heat from making the coffee has caused it to expand. In addition the thinness of the lid contributes to this problem. Users must also be cautious not to turn the lid too far otherwise the coffee leaks out and can burn your fingers. Lastly, the instructions claim it takes #4 cone filter–they are too large and have to be scrunched down. It probably takes #3′s but they don’t sell then in the U.S.

Morris Burns on Fri, 2nd Apr 2010 12:00 am

great coffee maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is our second of these. The first lasted several years of use three or four times a day. Keeps the coffee hot for two or three hours.

56Novi on Sun, 4th Apr 2010 12:00 am

So far so good!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a quality piece at a bargain price. This large, coffee drinking family of ours is impressed with our new coffee maker and I’m guessing Zojirushi will soon be known as the Toyota of the coffee maker industry.

I must add that we purchased this product at Amazon, and as usual, we were pleased with the service. Very unfortunately, we’re disappointed in Amazon for perhaps becoming a politically correct censor of sorts, by removing a company from their service who makes and sells a dvd called “The Secret of Oz”. The information on this dvd is vital for people who wish to live in a free and prosperous nation. I give this video five stars and recommend that every American buy it wherever you can find it for sale. We have frequent screenings of this video at our house as we serve coffee from our new Zojirushi coffee maker. Read reviews of “The Secret of OZ” on Amazon right now. Thanks.

Mike M on Sun, 4th Apr 2010 12:00 am

“Adequate” and that’s about it…
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I read some complaints about the lid and it being “frustrating’ to open. I do not find that to be the case, but is is difficult to see the open position in the early morning light.

The bigger issues in my opinion are:

1) If you forget to put the lid on the carafe when brewing (which is not difficult – I’ve done it a couple times now) you get a huge mess!!

2) The stainless steel carafe acts as a heat sink, basically cooling down the coffee rather than keeping it hot! This is not an issue unique to Zojirushi. I suggest going with a coffee maker that has a plastic insullated carafe which is far superior.

I do not typically write product reviews but felt compelled based on my disappointment of a coffee maker at this price level.

S. Heuser on Tue, 6th Apr 2010 12:00 am

No indication when done!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I Bought this coffee maker based on a recent Consumer R*port review. It seems to work okay but it doesn’t beep when its done brewing. – not a big deal but just a little nit. Otherwise it does a good job of brewing my coffee. The last one I had I think heated the water to high and over-brewed the coffee.

Susan Rust on Wed, 7th Apr 2010 12:00 am

Confused by Rave Reviews
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
After reading such rave reviews, I ordered this coffeemaker which was not a great piece of equipment. My current coffeemaker is a Melitta and I felt that it made lukewarm coffee at 175 degrees. Starbucks has me spoiled with near-scalding temperatures. I purchased this Zojirushi primarily on the feedback from one reviewer about the 195 degree temperature output. So I did my own testing upon receipt and after using water both room and tap temperature water, I found that it was no different than my Melitta. I also found the tall height a bit cumbersome and the overall feel of the product chintzy. Lots of plastic, very lightweight construction. I also over-poured water into the reservoir for the first test and had a lovely mess all over my kitchen. The water reservoir literally has a hole in the chamber so excess water pours directly out of it onto the counter. So for really hot coffee, I think the best I’ve noticed is from Mr. Coffee. So I’m back to pre-heating my thermos cup and cream to get really hot coffee. Thanks Amazon for the speedy credit and easy return.

GG on Thu, 8th Apr 2010 12:00 am

zojirushi ec-bd15 fresh brew thermal carafe coffee maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I am very pleased with the purchase. I love the thermal carafe. My husband and arise at different times and I dislike the tast of stale,burnt coffee. The thermal carafe keeps it tasting fresh for housrs. This is a good value.

K. barden on Thu, 8th Apr 2010 12:00 am

hot coffee
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
since my husband and I get up in the morning at different times, we were looking for a way to keep coffee hot without sitting there and getting burnt tasting. This system works great. The coffee stays hot for at least two hours and still tastes fresh. Highly recommended!

Bob Thorson on Thu, 8th Apr 2010 12:00 am

Only an OK coffee maker
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
Although I have had it about a year I was sorry I bought it from day one. The lid is a pain to get off, literally. You can screw it on ever so slightly but after the coffee is brewed, and a bit of heat and pressure build up or something and it gets to be where you can hardly unscrew the thing and the edges are somewhat sharp. The coffee has always tasted bland and really not quite hot enough for me. I have to nuke my cup just to get it at the right temperature. I am ready to buy a new coffee maker and it will not be one of these. I don’t know where all these glowing reviews came from but they must be stockholders or something.

K. Formo on Fri, 9th Apr 2010 12:00 am

Very satisified
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this coffee pot after trying a few others such as a bun. I love the convenience of setting the auto start for fresh coffee in the morning. The thermos keeps it hot all day. I changed to this one because we make more than one pot consecutively and with a bun that is impossible because of the time it takes to recharge-heat the water. Love the sleek look of the maker and it makes great coffee.

N8N on Sat, 10th Apr 2010 12:00 am

great coffee maker
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Bought this coffee maker to replace a Mr. Coffee thermal coffee maker that has a carafe lid that will no longer pour. I find that the Zojirushi is a little more fussy to set up – it requires you to move the arm out of the way to put in coffee and filters – but it also has a water level indicator that is actually readable, and more importantly, simply makes better coffee. Also I checked online before spending this much $$$ on a coffee maker, replacement parts are available online for the Zojirushi, while Mr. Coffee doesn’t answer their email. As others have mentioned, it is a little plasticky and at least on mine, everything doesn’t line up just so (I can’t adjust the carafe to be centered under the basket, may need to shim some things) but it’s only an annoyance, everything still appears to function fine.

I tried leaving some coffee in the thermal carafe, it seems to stay hot for a good long time. Was over 100 degrees after a full day at work, and that was after I’d taken a couple cups out in the AM when it brewed. So it appears to work fairly well. You wouldn’t want to drink the coffee that’d been sitting all day without reheating, but then again, you don’t have to reheat coffee that’s only an hour or two old.

All in all, it’d be nice if there were a coffee maker out there that addressed some of my complaints about the Zojirushi, but I’m not aware of one. So if I needed another coffee maker today, I’d probably buy another one of these.

T. Mitchell on Sun, 11th Apr 2010 12:00 am

It’s Great
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
We’ve had this “Zoj” for a week now. I don’t know what the fuss is about. It brews hot coffee. It stays hot for about two hours, but by then the coffee is usually gone! I think some folks need to read the instructions.

osocrates on Tue, 13th Apr 2010 12:00 am

Hot and Cold
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Plus: makes good coffee fast and hot. Con: the “thermal” carafe is a failure. It won’t even keep the coffee hot for an hour.

Pleased Momma on Tue, 13th Apr 2010 12:00 am

Got a lemon
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
The coffee maker would not turn on and started to leak when we first put water in the tank.

J. B. Frazier on Thu, 15th Apr 2010 12:00 am

Zojirushi EC-BD15 Stainless Steel Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I purchased my first Zojirushi coffee maker from Amazon in April 2008. After receiving it, it worked great, but for only two weeks and then the heating element just stopped. I contacted the business that sent it to me from Amazon and was advised to contact the company directly. I was sent a replacement within a month and I enjoyed the replacement unit from May 2008 until now, December 2009. Again, the same as the first unit, the heating element just stopped working. It’s very frustrating because I love the thermal carafe in that it keeps the coffee hot for hours and I don’t have to worry about a “hot plate” that the pot sits on to keep the coffee hot. For the expense of this coffee maker to last for only 19 months, I could have bought two to three cheaper brands and they would have lasted two to three times longer than this brand. I’m very disappointed. Save your money-avoid on this one!

Meshugenah Mitzvah on Fri, 16th Apr 2010 12:00 am

disappointed for several reasons
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I bought this coffeemaker to replace the carafe-style capresso coffeemaker that stopped working after 13 years. I read a lot of good reviews, so am quite disappointed. First, as people noted, the lid is difficult to operate. There are open & close indicators that are presumably supposed to align with a little raised dot on the spout, however, all of these are the same color (black) and difficult to see. If the lid is closed too tightly, it is nearly impossible to open. If the lid is closed a little, the coffee pours in unpredictable ribbons and only some ends up in the cup – the rest gets deposited on the counter, table, desk, or wherever you cup is sitting. In addition, the carafe itself, does not keep the coffee warm for nearly as long as our old capresso carafe does. As a result, we end up pouring the coffee into the old capresso carafe, which did not have these problems, as soon the coffee is done.

Which brings me to another point. This coffeemaker is unbelievably noisy during the process. So noisy that the first few times we made coffee in it, the dogs all started barking! If there are any bedrooms with open doors and sleeping people in them, the people will be awakened by this coffeemaker. I suppose that could be a good thing in a tv commercial, but in reality, it’s rather rude. Oh, and the noise doesn’t last for just a minute or two, either. This is a very, very slow brewing coffeemaker.

On the latter note, I have to say that for the first four weeks we owned this coffeemaker, because it is so slow brewing, it was nice to have the floating red level on the side to tell us how much water remained in the reservoir. However, that stopped working after 4-5 weeks, a very short time for an $80 machine.

All in all, I would not recommend this coffeemaker.

Meshugenah Mitzvah on Fri, 16th Apr 2010 12:00 am

All in all, I would not recommend this coffeemaker.

Michael L. Rice on Sat, 17th Apr 2010 12:00 am

I think it is Great!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I did a lot of research while looking for a new coffee pot. I was very concerned about this product because of the reviews I had read. It seems that somebody has something bad to say about all of the coffee brewers. We liked Zojirushi EC-BD15 that we bought a second unit for our condo. I don’t think you can go wrong.

SW on Sun, 18th Apr 2010 12:00 am

Worst Coffee Maker Ever!
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
This one’s going back. I wish I had read the negative reviews instead of the glowing 4-star reviews. There is nothing RIGHT about this machine. It leaks coffee all over the counter unless the carafe is in perfect alignment with the valve. The recommended #4 coffee filters don’t fit correctly (what were they thinking?). The carafe cap has sharp edges and is difficult to work. It’s tall and gawky and the looks and feels cheap (sounds like my high school girlfriend). I don’t know whether to send it back or just take it out to the back yard and just shoot it.

Adonis_7 on Sun, 18th Apr 2010 12:00 am

I resisted Zogirushi, at first, but gratefully relented. To boot, it is a green-machine!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I love this coffee maker. I have been throwing out burnt coffee, for a long time. When I visited my aunt, she had a coffee maker with a thermal carafe. I began shopping. Snob that I am, I began my search with the brands I ‘knew’ were good; Braun, Krupps, Cuisinart. Based on recommendations, I bought the Cuisinart. When I went for a cup, about an hour after brewing it, the coffee was cold. I sent it back. I resisted Zogirushi, because I had never heard of the brand. I tried another top name brand, and was again unsatisfied. (One might wonder why I didn’t merely get the brand my aunt has: no longer available.)

So, I surrendered to the Zogirushi. I was eager to try it, as soon as it arrived, due to all the positive reviews, both on Amazon AND Consumer Reports. I opened it up, and began cleaning the parts…….but, I couldn’t get the screw cap off! Curious and open-minded, I spent around 20 minutes variably trying to open it or figure out how if that was supposed to be that way, to use it. I finally decided that if I WAS supposed to use it without taking off the cap, then I didn’t want it — how could you clean it?!?!

Against my need for immediate gratification, I returned the coffee maker, but decided to give it one more chance. I am so glad I did. This coffee maker makes wonderful coffee, wetting the grounds just enough; it takes up less room on my counter than any other I have used (Cuisinart, Krupps, Braun, Melitta, etc); the only heating element is that used to heat the water; it shuts off automatically after the coffee is brewed; AND THE COFFEE IS STILL STEAMY AFTER 2 HOURS!!! I love this coffee maker!

John Farr on Tue, 20th Apr 2010 12:00 am

Excellent Coffee maker!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Makes the best coffee, keeps it hot for hours – without that bitter boiled taste. Well worth it! Only 10 cup capacity. Uses cone shaped filters.

C. Reamensnyder on Tue, 20th Apr 2010 12:00 am

Excellent
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I purchased this as a gift for a coffee connoisseur friend of mine. He claims he couldn’t be happier with it and completely recommends it to everyone. Coming from a bitch like him, that means a lot!

Nick Wilson on Wed, 21st Apr 2010 12:00 am

Cheaply made and poor design
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
The bad:

. The pad the thermos sits on is thin plastic and is already cracked.

. It has this movable plastic spout for delivering the hot water to the coffee which is bound to break.

. The shiny thin black plastic scratches easily

The good:

. Makes good coffee

. Clock and timer very easy to setup

. Thermos is light and seems to insulate well

Overall it seems very cheaply made and I doubt it will last as long as my precious Krups had.

Sailor Bill on Thu, 22nd Apr 2010 12:00 am

So far, so very good
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I read many reviews on Amazon before deciding on the Zojirushi. I have had none of the problems others have reported. It seem pretty much idiot proof, although the directions could be a little better: when it says the brewer should be “on” to set the clock, it does not mean push the on button, as that turns on the heating element. It need only be plugged in. Being very energy conscious (it helps that I am an engineer), I really like the energy savings that the insulated carafe provides, and being a coffee lover (black, dark roast), I love that my coffee is never burnt and bitter (unlike some reviewers who got lemons). I had a bunch of #2 size filters left over from my late Melita, and I can use them since I only brew 4 cups.

BTW, I let my Consumer Reports subscription go, since I find much more useful reviews on Amazon.

Allen W. Wood on Fri, 23rd Apr 2010 12:00 am

Carafe defective
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
RW: Never made particularly good coffee, and it was hard to get matching filters and other parts.

But the last straw was that the carafe came apart; the base detached, and the warranty had run out.

So we paid quite a bit of money for a coffee maker that lasted only a year and a half.

Not worth your money. Not up to Zojirushi’s usual standards — rice maker, for example, has been outstanding.

Dave & Chris on Sun, 25th Apr 2010 12:00 am

Luke Warm in 30 minutes
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Bought this machine about 9 months ago. If you like HOT coffee, please hit backspace and keep shopping. This thing gets 5 stars for looks and ease of set-up. It gets 3 stars for quality of taste and one star for temperature. Coffee comes out a bit weak and you have to add additional scoops to compensate. I don’t think the brew cycle gets hot enough to extract all the flavor from the grounds. My wife has to microwave cups of coffee if she pours it any later than 30 minutes after brew cycle. Thinking of going back to a standard coffee maker and pouring it into my Stanley thermos, now that thermos keeps stuff hot for a couple hours. This carafe, not so much, 30 minutes top, luke warm after that.

Robert Snow on Mon, 26th Apr 2010 12:00 am

great while it lasted
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
this coffee maker made an outstanding cup of coffee and kept it hot for a long time (hours). Too bad it died after eight weeks. Just stopped brewing.

D. Oshiro on Wed, 28th Apr 2010 12:00 am

I love my new Zojirushi coffee maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this Zojirushi for my company’s lunch room. And so far everyone seems to love it. No burnt coffee just nice smooth hot coffee every time. Also brewing time is fast, good for those on short breaks, and clean up is easy.

Sharon Barre on Thu, 29th Apr 2010 12:00 am

Zojirushi EC-BD15 Fresh Brew Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
We’ve been using the Zoji for about three weeks now and have no complaints at all. We bought it to replace a DeLongi we’ve had since 2006. It no longer made good coffee and took about 30 minutes to complete the brewing cycle. The Zoji brews a great cup of coffee and quickly! The lid being difficult to remove is not a problem, just don’t close it too tightly. The thermal carafe does keep the coffee hot for 3 or more hours. I read several reviews about this product prior to making the purchase, most were good. Thus far, I have not had any of the problems others have reportedly had. So far so good. Zojirushi EC-BD15 Fresh Brew Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker

C. Hartje on Thu, 29th Apr 2010 12:00 am

A wonderful coffee maker – some tips on using
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I am really happy with the way that this coffee pot keeps my coffee warm. After using it I wanted to pass along some tips to making it a good experience.

1) I purchased the Melitta Cone Coffee Filters, Natural Brown, No. 4. These are a bit too tall for the container, so I just cut 1/2″ off the top (wide end), in bulk, when I open the box. It takes about 30 seconds for the whole box.

2) I could not find a gold-plated coffee filter that really fit right, but that is okay, because using the resized paper filter (see above) is a much easier cleanup than emptying a permanent filter after using the coffee maker.

3) To keep the coffee as warm as possible I try to rinse out the pot with warm water right before making the coffee.

4) I slightly dampen the paper filters, and make sure to press them to the sides of the filter holder – before putting in the grounds. This is done to prevent a spill, because if the head that drips down the hot water doesn’t clear the top of the filter when it is all closed, you will then have a giant mess on your kitchen counter top. The filter can fold over, and then the coffee doesn’t drain into the pot correctly.

While the above seem to be a bit of a chore, the results, when done correctly, are really nice. I like not having a hot plate keeping a glass coffee pot warm, and being able to move the serving container to the table.

J. Talmage on Fri, 30th Apr 2010 12:00 am

Finishing touches for a great coffee maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a great value in a drip coffee maker. I have owned mine for several years and have no complaints about it whatsoever. I have found two things that complete this. One I discovered in another review of this product, and that is to heat the carafe with hot water prior to making the coffee and further to use hot water (out of the faucet) to make the coffee. This makes for hot coffee that retains its heat long enough to enjoy the coffee. The second finishing touch is to use a permanent mesh coffee filter rather than a paper filter. The one that fits this coffee maker is the Medelco #4 Cone Permanent Coffee Filter . True, you get a few particles in the coffee, but one has to look hard to notice. The plus side of this is that the coffee retains the oils in the ground beans rather than their being absorbed by a paper filter, and this begins to approximate coffee made in the french press coffee maker. With those two finishing touches, I drink excellent coffee that is adequately hot for over two hours every morning (and sometimes at night).

Nicole Liette Terrell on Sat, 1st May 2010 12:00 am

Great Coffee Maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve had zero problems with this coffee maker. I love the thermus and it’s a big plus that the coffee never tastes burned and stays warm for a long time. Coffee tastes excellent as well. Great machine, worth the money!

Shelly Kozel on Sun, 2nd May 2010 12:00 am

Good cup of coffee but-
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Positive- Makes a good cup of coffee. As long as you put the plastic plug in the hole in the top, it stays hot for hours.

Negative-After brewing the screw on lid is difficult to loosen. Need a paper towel or napkin to grap edge to open. The #4 filters don’t fit great..you must fold a little. If you forget to put the plastic disk / with plug, it cools faster & when you pour it comes out the spout & thru the hole in the top.

All & all, worth the price & the annoyances are livable.

T. Lutrick on Mon, 3rd May 2010 12:00 am

Solid Brewer keeps coffee hot for hours. We love it!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
We were a little skeptical. There are so many crap coffee pots out there. I know, as we have gone through 4 of them in the last 8 years. Some may say we got our money out in two years, but our first Braun coffee pot lasted 15 of the 23 years that my wife and I have been married. We think and hope we’ve found it. So far we love this pot.

We have never had a Thermal Carafe design and were skeptical about how long the coffee would stay hot. Just like the other reviews tell you, brew it, and it stays hot for hours. Now once you pour, you let air in and the time it stays hot starts to diminish. Just cools faster that’s all, it’s not like it goes stone cold.

We have noticed a taste improvement as the coffee doesn’t sit under a heat plate cooking the flavor out. Plus since the carafe is portable we take it out beside the pool in the mornings. Very nice not having to go back inside for a refill. Besides, that heat plate idea should have gone out with the 80′s right? Let’s see…energy wasteful, fire hazard potential, burns the coffee as it cooks, duh!!! Even if you have half a brain, you should be able to follow this logic. And even if you don’t trust the crazy name (or maybe you find the name to be iconic with classic eastern European engineering or something)…whatever. The thermal carafe rocks!!

Be careful that you empty out the previous day’s coffee or it will overflow, duh right? Well you can’t see through the pot, so that common mistake has happened a couple of times. what a mess.

Though not a complaint, but that swing arm design for the sprayer for the hot water onto the grounds is a bit annoying. I wonder if that thing will stand the test of time. I’m trying to be careful.

Otherwise, buying this pot is a good investment for the price, and BTW I don’t work for the company. I’m simply a Telecom Guy that likes a good reliable cup of coffee for a fair price, and though I can’t pronounce the name Zojirushi, it does everything as promised.

PS – Stay away from those high priced coffee makers. That’s just people with more money than sense. I wish they would spend it helping people or the planet rather than encouraging such wasteful behavior. Oh well, off my soap box and back to my solar panel project.

Enjoy you’re joe, I am.

GatorMan

C. Powers on Mon, 3rd May 2010 12:00 am

Fresh Java
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
An excellent product and operating design. Took one star away because if one adds a bit too much water it comes out the back.

Stephen G. Bernard on Wed, 5th May 2010 12:00 am

Works very well
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I bought this coffee maker for my aunt who does not liek to buy things on the Internet.

I’m not a coffee drinker so these are her comments.

She likes this but really would like a see through carafe instead of stainless steel.

She likes the way it works and makes coffee and she thinks the coffee is plenty hot enough. She doesn’t like how it’s hard to see how much water is in it to make coffee with.

The line is hard for her to see, she’s in her 80′s. I’m considerably younger and it is a bit hard to see. Other than that she likes it.

cmajor9th on Wed, 5th May 2010 12:00 am

Great Product – Fix for slow water level indicator
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Now having owned the EC-BD15 for about 3 years, it still rates as my favorite. Never had any failure, and love that the carafe that doesn’t burn coffee like makers with heated pads. I have no issue getting standard filters in place for use.

The one quibble: over time the water level indicator on the side starts to get slow to respond when pouring in water: the small red ball float drifts very slowly up to show the water flow, making it easy to overfill beyond your desired level unless you pour the water in very slowly. The cause of this issue: a tiny hole inside the water reservoir allows water to pass from the reservoir to the tube that holds the level indicator float ball. That tiny hole can get nearly blocked by even a small spec of accumulated water impurity or scaling, so the level indicator tube does not fill as quickly as it should as water is poured in.

My solution: attached a small dental right-angle “brush pick” at the end of a chopstick. Once every 3 or 4 months, use this homemade tool to clean out the level indicator tube water pass-through hole inside the reservoir, so the level indicator works like new.

D. Brazdziunas on Thu, 6th May 2010 12:00 am

Great til it breaks!
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Bought this coffeemaker based on having great review and thermal carafe. Have loved it up til yesterday when it completely stopped working. I pushed the on button and the light came on but the coffee did not brew, nor did it make any sound. Yes, there was water in the reservoir etc.

Called the manufacturer and will send it in for repair. Honestly, this is only six months old. Would not recommend buying it.

D. Sardone on Fri, 7th May 2010 12:00 am

disappointed
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
The coffeemaker was defective, BUT, even if it hadn’t been, I was totally unimpressed with the quality. I’m not sure where they get off charging so much for this thing…it’s actually not even as well made as a Proctor-Silex or other more popular, less expensive brand.

Kimberly Leane on Sat, 8th May 2010 12:00 am

Looks sleek and makes a good cup of coffee
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Overall this coffee maker is great. It looks nice and works just fine. For being so expensive, I was surprised how flimsy the lid plastic feels. I thought the coffee would come out even hotter, but it does keep the coffee nicely hot for a few hours. My lid doesn’t easily close without me manually moving the water spigot over to the coffee filter side, but I don’t mind so much. It pours slower than I anticipated, but who is in that much of a hurry? And I did buy #4 filters and they work fine. I just push them down and spread the bottom to conform to the shape of the plastic cone, and it is fine. No need to use scissors to trim the tops of the disposable filters. If you can get a good price for this machine (which is what I did), it is very worth it!

Larry Taylor on Sun, 9th May 2010 12:00 am

hot n quick
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
great coffee maker, makes full pot in eight minutes.Coffee carafe keeps it hot three and half to four hours.Put good coffee in and get good coffee out.

johnbob on Sun, 9th May 2010 12:00 am

Very pleased!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This coffee maker has been without a doubt, the best purchase I have made in quite some time. It has a wonderful flavor. It brews quick and accurately. It is easy to clean, (invest in a handled whisk for the carafe). No worrying about a hot plate. Functional clock and timers. And I repeat terrific flavor. I am extremely pleased, I have been searching for years for a coffee maker like this. I have wasted a lot of money on makers that can’t begin to compete.

Rosi on Sun, 9th May 2010 12:00 am

love this coffee pot!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is the best coffee pot I have ever had. It’s simple to use, keeps the coffee very hot and takes up little space on my counter. I would recommend it.

Adam Gerard on Mon, 10th May 2010 12:00 am

Brews excellent coffee and keeps it hot for hours.
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
We selected this coffee maker for two reasons:

1) Consumer Reports said that, when brewing, their tests showed it heated water to the appropriate brewing temperature.

2) It has a carafe instead of a heating plate.

And I have not been disappointed. The machine brews an excellent pot of coffee every morning. And then keeps it hot for hours. This is perfect for a household like mine where one of us frequently gets up early and the other might not need to get out of bed for a few hours. The coffee stays hot for at least four hours and is never burned because there is no hot plate on this machine.

I only have two cons:

1) Because of the metal items on this device, I expected it to be less plasticy and feel more sturdy than other coffee makers I have bought. That’s not really the case. It feels flimsy like most coffee makers. But in the end, that apparently doesn’t matter.

2) We had a week where the pot kept over-flowing and spilling out on to the kitchen counter while brewing. Turns out this happens if you twist the carafe lid too tight. Now we know and haven’t had that problem since.

Also, I ended up buying this Permanent Gold Cone Coffee Filter and it fits perfectly in to the basket, saving the waste of hundreds of paper cones.

Laurie Pottmeyer on Mon, 10th May 2010 12:00 am

Lame, lame, lame.
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I think this machine is lame. It is not solid what-so-ever. The carafe is a joke – as my coffee is luke warm within two hours. A small piece of plastic (the “lid”) you have to put on after brewing just does not cut it. The review that mentions it does not really take a “4″ filter is right on…you have to be carful the hot water spout (not sure what that is called) is over the ground beans and does not get hung up on the “4″ filter paper….or you have a mess on your hands. Maybe I got a lemon – but the water also does not saturate the beans, leaving part of them actually dry after the brewing cycle. Weak coffee and a waste of beans!

This machine is NOT worth anywhere near the $80 – $90 price tag. I would rather have a $30 Target special Mr. Coffee at this point…no joke.

J. Robinson on Tue, 11th May 2010 12:00 am

Coffee all over the counter!
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I have had this coffee maker for about 2 years. It is loud but makes good coffee under normal conditions. The problem comes when you inevitably forget to put the lid back on after pouring the water in from the carafe and press the brew button. When this happens you come back to coffee and grounds all over the counter and floor. While it might sound easy enough to just remember to put the lid on, over the past 2 years this has happened to me at least 10 times. If you have a great memory then this may work well for you. Personally, I am going to buy another coffee maker that doesn’t stress me out. Drinking coffee is supposed to be an enjoying experience and this coffee maker has ruined that experience for me for the last time.

S. Hooper on Tue, 11th May 2010 12:00 am

5 years just passed
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
One of the best coffee makers we have owned. Brews hot and fast. Holds the heat. Lasted about 5 years and looking to buy the same model again. Not often you can say that about a small appliance.

M. Hertzler on Wed, 12th May 2010 12:00 am

Good but LOUD!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I loved this coffee maker from the moment it popped up in my search. When it arrived, I unpacked it and checked for all those problems people reviewed it said that it had. I was easily able to figure out the top, brew coffee without spilling it, and fit the cone filters into the top with no problem. So I am not what the fuss is about.

The coffee is great, we even find that we are using less coffee in the maker as we were with the Black and Decker and Mr Coffees before this one. It brews quickly and stays hot for hours.

However, this thing is loud! From the moment it starts brewing, it almost sighs and does these deep, heavy exhales that are all at once scary and relaxing. The gurgling is constant and gets even worse toward the end. I am not saying that we can hear it upstairs in the bedroom, but if we ever have an overnight guest on the couch, we won’t be setting the timer.

D Williams on Fri, 14th May 2010 12:00 am

Water Gage Broke after 2 months
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I purchased this item last June and by August the water gage had broken. Without the water cage there is no way to determine who much water you put in and consequently how much coffee to add. So, the coffee comes out terrible. The water gage (which is a little red ball in a tube) brakes so easily I can’t imagine this hasn’t happened to many others who bought this. We followed the manufacturers instructions on how to fix the water gage and that didn’t help. When I emailed the company, all they would suggest was packing it up and shipping it to them in Californa-what a hassle. I have had many coffee makers over the years and most have lasted for many years. This is the most expensive coffee maker I ever purchased and it broke after a few months. Before it broke the coffee was decent, albeit kind of weak, and the thermal carafe never kept it very hot and it spilled very easily when you try to pour the coffee. I would not recommend this product. Thank goodness for Amazon which took the item back. Their customer service is great. I found a $29.00 Black and Decker instead.

Thomas E. Sarver on Sat, 15th May 2010 12:00 am

Highly Recommended
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After our previous coffee maker gave up the ghost after 15 years, we went on a search for a replacement. Our requirement for the next coffee maker was that it came with a thermos pot to keep the coffee hot. After reading reviews of several makers & the reviews here, we settled on purchasing this maker. We now have been using this maker about a month now and we use it every day. And I cannot find 1 bad thing to write about this maker. We have not had any problems with the coffee running out of the pot as has been reported here, it brews the coffee at a very good temperature (nice & hot) & keeps the coffee hot for over 5 hours. Don’y know if it will keep it hotter longer or not, as after 5 hours, the pot is empty & the last cup was just as hot as the 1st cup poured.

I would highly recommend this maker to anyone looking to replace their old one.

Get Bluesified on Mon, 17th May 2010 12:00 am

Great Machine
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I was surprised at the improvement in the taste of the same bag of coffee from the new machine vs. the old one.

It is a good looking machine and simply functions as you’d expect. It was more than others in this category, but seems to be good price/performance ratio.

Very minor comments/complaints:

1. The carafe is a bit thinner than our old Cusinart (worst performer ever), so it doesn’t keep coffee hot too long

2. The red LED lights are a dated look (I would have expected black) and stands out at night when lights are off

3. There is a removable cap that plugs the top cover — it is the same diameter as our sink drain and easy to lose track of (especially with 2 and 4-year boys). Since the cap is a two-piece design, it is possible to brew a pot with the cap in place, which will result in coffee all over the counter!

I sure would love an all-steel constuction machine at the $100 price point that works this good…

A. Gorenz on Tue, 18th May 2010 12:00 am

Zojirushi EC-BD15
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
The coffee maker looked very nice and was very quiet during operation. However, I was unhappy with the thermal carafe. It did not keep the coffee very hot. The bottom of the carafe seemed very thin and not insulated. Also, the lid was difficult to open. We had a coffee maker before with a thermal carafe that had a push button for pouring, was much easier to pour from. I ended up returning the coffee maker and purchased a different brand.

Kathy Madsen on Wed, 19th May 2010 12:00 am

Can’t stop the dripping
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
My husband and I are coffee lovers. I took a lot of time and researched coffee makers. This one seemed like the best one out there. But, we are not able to pause and serve because it doesn’t stop, the coffee keeps coming. And even after it is finished and we pull the carafe away, it drips. And I think the filter basket is cumbersome and takes a little while to get it properly seated. I am returning it and ordering something else.

F. Potts on Thu, 20th May 2010 12:00 am

Excellent Cup of Coffee!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
My Bunn quit and I searched patiently for a replacement that did not use a warmer. The Zoji brews an excellent cup of coffee- I mean excellent! No bitterness and if you close the carafe, it stays warm for hours with no bitterness creeping in.

Yashimabet Baronian on Thu, 20th May 2010 12:00 am

A Coffee Powerhouse!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this machine after deciding I was tired of the bitter tasting bean juice produced by my hotplate machine. I read many reviews, and finally settled on this coffeemaker by Jojirushi (a company I was not previously familiar with). It definitely lives up to its overwhelmingly good reviews. It produces wonderfully flavored (I like it on the strong side), perfectly hot coffee in a matter of minutes, and the carafe keeps it hot for hours.

The #4 filters stick up a little over the filter tray, but this is negligible, and hasn’t created any problems. I plan on getting a metal filter soon anyway. The water spout must be swung out of the way to put your grounds in, but is pushed back in place automatically when you close the lid, so it’s practically fool proof. I’ve read complaints about the lid, but personally find it to be very easy to open and close, and have had no problems whatsoever.

In short, I love my Jojirushi, and give it my highest reccommendation!!!

Martha Walden on Fri, 21st May 2010 12:00 am

Great Coffee Maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve had this coffee maker for about six weeks and absolutely love it. It’s very stylish and looks great on my counter top. The thermal carafe keeps the coffee fresh and hot for a number of hours. The water tank is easily accessible and water level easy to read. Programming is very simple and fast. I use a No. 4 Melitta filter and cut about 1/4-inch off the top so that the filter fits perfectly in the basket. Overall a great coffee maker.

Paratrooper on Fri, 21st May 2010 12:00 am

Busy Coffee Maker
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
The product looks great and works fairly well. If you plan to drink the coffee right away that’s OK; otherwise be sure to pre-heat the carafe by filling it with hot water and letting it warm up for at least 10 minutes. If you don’t do that, the coffee gets cool.

The coffee maker is complicated to get ready. First you lift the top. Then you swing the hot-water arm out of the way. Next you pull out the coffee basket and fit it with a #4 conical filter. If you take the coffee basket out to fill it, be careful that it doesn’t tip over and spill the coffee. It’s also a bit tricky to fill the coffee basket while it’s in the machine.

After the coffee is in the machine, or before you put it in, you must fill the machine with water. When those chores are done, be sure to swing the spout into position and close the lid. Pour the hot water out of the carafe: you put it in to warm up, remember? Then place the carafe under the bottom of the coffee basket and press “On”. The noise is similar to a takeoff in an F-18. If you set the coffee machine at the right time, you won’t need an alarm clock in the morning, but you will have cold coffee since you won’t have warmed up the carafe.

The coffee is good, thank God, after all that.

M. Abboud on Sun, 23rd May 2010 12:00 am

Best Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker, Ever
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’m a big coffee drinker (the fact that there are three coffee machines in my kitchen right now probably is a clear representation). I’ve owned three different thermal carafe style coffee makers and there was always a short coming. One would keep the coffee hot for many hours but you had to watch the coffee maker when it first started because if you did not align the carafe perfect, it would make a mess. The other coffee machine would make a decent cup of coffee but be luke warm in about an hour.

I was pretty skeptical about non-commercial grade carafe coffee makers but I figured for around $80 I’d give it a chance, and all I can say is WOW! All the other shortcomings of the machines I had in the past were overcame with this unit. The carafe was easy to line up (been using it for about a month and never made a mess), the coffee stays hot for hours (after 8 hours in the carafe the coffee was still warm (~180F when brewed, 8 hours later, ~140F). Also, unlike all the other carafes I have used, it was incredibly easy to pour from. Most other carafes have a spring assisted plunger that seals the carafe. You had to hold a button down to pour from it. This would open the plunger up enough so you would get a trickle flow out. I would get so frustrated I would take the lid completely off. The Zojirushi using a very simple design. You turn the lid 180 degrees to pour out and turn back to keep sealed. Very simple but by far the best design.

Also, ignore previous complaints about the filter basket being too small. It fits #4 cone paper filter just fine and the Cuisinart GTF Gold Tone Filter works perfectly with it.

If you love to brew a large pot of coffee so you have a bottomless cup a coffee throughout the morning without having to drink burnt or mud by the afternoon, this is the coffee machine for you. Do not be dis-swayed by the name.

David A. Franklin on Tue, 25th May 2010 12:00 am

Great Coffee!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have had other automatic coffee makers and while they all do the same thing, this one does it faster and gives you a better tasting cup of coffee. A lot of the taste has to do with the brand of coffee you start with, and I love to use Community Coffee, New Orleans blend.

If you really love coffee, this maker is a must!

Caroljean M. Collins on Wed, 26th May 2010 12:00 am

terrific
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
easiest coffee pot to use. No bells and whistles but that’s exactly what I needed.

M. Ausburn on Fri, 28th May 2010 12:00 am

arrived defective
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I never had a chance to try out this coffee maker. The water leaked out through the level indicator the first time it was added. From my own experience and after reading many of the reviews, it seems to be a crapshoot that this machine will work at all.

Richard Ferguson on Sat, 29th May 2010 12:00 am

sucks
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
this coffee maker is very tricky to use. if you do not have the carafe in the correct position there will be coffee everywhere

al10112022 on Sat, 29th May 2010 12:00 am

Zojirushi EC-BD15 Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Bought this about a month ago to replace a Cuisinart Thermal makeer that lasted me several years (5 or so). So far, so good. No real problems to report. A few things to note however that most people have already commented on:

1) The brew basket shape is funky. You can fit a size #4 paper filter, but it’s hard unless you wet it a little first. Most makers I’ve used, the filter fits in no problem. Not sure why they designed the basket like that, it just doesn’t make any sense. My Braun #4 gold filter won’t fit, but I think the Melitta one will, although I haven’t tried it?

2) Most of the main piece is made of pretty thin plastic. I know most things are plastic, but this plastic seems extra thin for some reason? Maybe it’s “special” plastic to make it lighter. yeah.. This doesn’t really seem to affect anything however, unless you were a mountain man or something and really hard on your stuff. It might not last if that were the case.

3) I like the carafe better than my Cuisinart one. This one is stainless inside the carafe, the Cuisinart had like a “thermos” interior and had to be cleaned quite regularly because the shiny thermos coating would start to look nasty (cloudy). This one won’t seem to have that problem.

4) Brewing temperature seems fine. Not as hot as I was expecting based on some other reviews, but hot enough for me I guess. Maybe I’ll try it with room temp water, my water is a little colder than that.

5) Coffee tastes fine. I’m not a huge Connoisseur, but I do like my coffee in the morning and I like it from freshly ground beans, so I am a pretty picky that way.

6) For the price, so far I’d say it’s worth it as long as it lasts me a few years. It’s more than I’ve ever paid for a maker, but I wanted one with good reviews and thermal carafe, this one fits the bill!

A. Chase on Sun, 30th May 2010 12:00 am

Good Coffee Maker has major defect
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I was really disappointed. I thought this had to be a great product because i have an incredible breadmaker from the same company. But there is a really rediculous design flaw. I read the reviews before I bought it and thought, how bad can this flaw be? It’s bad! When you brew a pot of coffee you MUST remember to remove the little cap on the coffee pot. This is what happens when you forget: you put the coffee in the filter, add water, turn on the coffeemaker, come back in a few minutes and coffee has flooded your counter and floor. You can only put the little cap on the pot AFTER you brew the coffee to keep it warm. This is such a dumb design. I forget every few days. The only thing I can do is to remember to clean out the pot the night before and remove the cap. That way when I’m sleepy in the morning I won’t forget. I am also considering putting a note for myself on the coffeemaker as a reminder. Other than the design flaw, it makes really good coffee that stays warm for hours.

MadDev on Tue, 1st Jun 2010 12:00 am

Decent coffee maker for the price
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Zojirushi EC-BD15 Fresh Brew Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker:

Purchased this coffee maker about a month ago to replace a similar Cuisinart product. Here are our findings.

Having compared both the Zojirushi and Cuisinart they both get the job done in terms of the task of coffee making. I am no coffee aficionado, but the taste difference in the coffee is negligible to me.

Overall, the compare similarly. However…

- while form factor of the Zojirushi is a bit smaller and more elegant

- the Cuisinart with glass lined carafe keeps coffee “hotter” longer.

- Moreover the Cuisinart also has a alarm the notifies you when the brew cycle is done.

- Both are the same to program

Margaux Paschke on Wed, 2nd Jun 2010 12:00 am

TOO MUCH WORK
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I owned a Krups coffee maker for 10+ year and when it finally died I mourned its loss, horrified that I would have to find a replacement. After reading several reviews, I decided to go with a brand I never heard of before but had earned lots of praise. The concept of this coffee machine is a coffee lovers dream – coffee brewed at a high temperature and kept warm for hours without any of that “burned” taste.

I received this as a gift and I waited anxiously for its arrival. I need my coffee in the morning and tea wasn’t cutting it. Once arrived, I eagerly read all the instructions and went to set it up. First problem, it would not fit under the kitchen cabinets. It is much taller then the normal coffee makers so make sure to check the exact measurements before buying. I rearranged my kitchen to find a place for it. I really wanted a cup of coffee! Second problem, the plug is short (maybe 14″) compared to others and the outlet was too far away. I looked at the system again for a final decision. The thermal carafe requires a few steps for proper use. You need to keep the cap off during brewing but don’t forget to add once brewed to keep the heat in and since it is loose, I sense problems when pouring. Twisting the top of the carafe from open to close required minimal effort but I would NOT recommend it to older people or those with arthritis.

After much contemplation, I returned the coffee maker and will search again for a great coffee maker. All recommendations welcomed. I had such high hopes for this machine and I am sure it will provide a perfect brew as long as you meet the height and outlet requirements that this coffee maker requires – and you don’t mind a little extra work to get your coffee out of the thermal carafe.

MsBehavin on Wed, 2nd Jun 2010 12:00 am

New Coffee Pot
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
The coffee maker is nice to look at, it brews the coffee so that it is hot, but the pot doesn’t hold the heat as good as I think it should. The top is very difficult to open and the little nubs on it (which I assume are there so you can get a grip on it) actually hurt my hand. The brew is good. It is an ok coffeemaker.

Dorothy Joanne Pace on Fri, 4th Jun 2010 12:00 am

Design flaws
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This is a very interesting design. It is basically a thermos. Water is pumped through a coffee filter into a thermos; the heating element immediately turns off when brew is completed. You cap the thermos and the coffee stays hot to very warm for many hours. You can set the carafe anywhere on the counter because it is cool to the touch. You don’t have to reset it in the machine. This is convenient.

I like fresh coffee – not coffee that has stewed on a warming element for hours and this product provides that fresh taste.

There was two areas the designers should look at: 1) the filter basket uses a #4 paper filter. The paper filter sticks up about 1/8 inch above the top of the basket. When you add 10 scoops of coffee there really is not enough room. The filter basket should be larger. You have to shake and work with the the filter to settle it into the basket. This can cause the water hose arm to drag on the filter. It has never not worked but is something you have to deal with each time you make coffee.

#2 the screw down cap works like a vacuum suction. To keep the coffee warm you have to tighten the cap and when you are ready to pour the coffee you loosen the cap. The tighter the cap the harder it is to loosen. But if you don’t tighten it down the coffee loses heat.

I looked several months for a new coffee maker and so far am pleased with the product. I do not know of a coffee maker I would rather have at this time.

rico567 on Fri, 4th Jun 2010 12:00 am

Four years; still happy
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
We ordered the Zojirushi EC-BD15 coffeemaker in 2005. We brew at least one pot a day; when relatives are visiting, two or even three. We bought this pot because our daughter had it, and we were impressed. Since we’ve had ours, my sister was impressed enough that she bought one. It’s reliable, easily cleaned (we use only the gold-tone metal filter, as we want ALL our coffee goodness), and, as has been mentioned in more thorough reviews than this, delivers the proper heat to the brew (around 200F) if you use room-temperature water, which we do. Zojirushi excels at this type of coffeemaker (with thermal carafe) because insulated containers was their original business. As far as I know, the “Zo” is also the only coffeemaker that insulates the basket containing the coffee filter. As far as we can tell, it’s working just as well today as it did new, and it’s almost 5 years old. If it quit working today, we would just buy another one. I can unhesitatingly recommend this coffeemaker.

GentleHeartJ on Sat, 5th Jun 2010 12:00 am

Best CoffeeMaker I’ve ever used – by far
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have used this product for a few weeks, and am very impressed with the quality, the function and the esthetics. It’s built solidly of top grade materials, with attention to details such as fit and ease of use.. It’s easy to clean – has all stainless interior – and it keeps coffee hot and fresh for hours. Auto shut-off is welcome. Finishes brewing the coffee quickly, and most importantly the coffee is delicious.

I would be very happy to give this item 10 stars…this is the only brand of coffee maker for me, now and future.

Jodie on Sun, 6th Jun 2010 12:00 am

Hot coffee
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I first purchased the cuisnart thermal 12 cup and didn’t like it. This makes good coffee, easy to clean and keeps it hot for a long time.

DeeDee on Mon, 7th Jun 2010 12:00 am

Great coffee maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I love it because it keeps the coffee warm until the last cup. The only minus would be how noisy it is when processing. But I am very happy that I purchased this.

B. Maffei on Tue, 8th Jun 2010 12:00 am

Great coffee maker
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Found this coffee maker from the magazine Real Simple. I am very happy how slim the coffee maker is, although it is a little high. I am very happy how long the coffee stays hot for. The only real down side is I do not like how slow the coffee pours out. You have to twist the top to get it flow faster and when it is hot the lid does not want to budge. Overall, very pleased with this coffee maker.

M. Tharin on Wed, 9th Jun 2010 12:00 am

UNRELIABLE
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This machine has the worst controls ever put on a coffee pot. Hard to mess up, but they did it. When looking for an ON or OFF button you will find the most prominent of six closely spaced buttons make inadvertent time changes almost a guaranteed thing, so if you want coffee ready by timer, you will be repeatedly disappointed. This setup also very tall for the genre, so be sure you can actually have it sit under a wall cabinet if that’s the spot on a counter you are looking to set it up in.

The thermal pot keeps coffee very well. It pretty much clips into its space on the base unit, but so firmly that you may need two hands. Overall a waste of good money.

SJR on Thu, 10th Jun 2010 12:00 am

Very cheaply made.
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
We took the coffee maker out of the box, followed the instructions, and ended up with water poured all over our counter.

I attempted to pour water into the reservoir more than 6 times afterwords, and every time, the water leaked out directly from the bottom of the coffee maker and onto the counter. I was afraid that we would end up electrocuted due to the water running right though the electrical parts of the machine.

Take the advice of the reviews, and avoid this model/brand.

Ended up buying a Cuisinart and am quite happy and satisfied with it.

J. Hall on Fri, 11th Jun 2010 12:00 am

Very Happy
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
We are very happy with our Zojirushi coffee pot. It does indeed reach the desired temperature for a good cup of coffee. An added benefit for me is its size. I had grown tired of big bulky coffee pots taking up space on my counter; we are very pleased with this purchase.

M. Acker on Sat, 12th Jun 2010 12:00 am

Excellent quality coffe comes out of this machine
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Simple. Zojirushi makes good coffee. It fills an insulated carafe instead of a pitcher above a hot plate. This simple innovation keeps the coffee hot without any scorching.

On the downside, I occasionally (1%) make a big mess instead of getting a pot of coffee by overfilling the filter with grounds.

Few other affordable home machines make as good a cup of coffee as this one.

Alan Mcdonald on Sun, 13th Jun 2010 12:00 am

Seems OK
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Don’t know what all the hoop-la is about the top being difficult to get off; it works fine, no problems at all. However, I have encountered difficulties switching from ‘Auto” to “ON” when I wanted to make coffee immediately. It might have been me, but I’m pretty sure it was the pot. Had to reset the time so I could make coffee immediately. All in all, it seems pretty good, but size # 4 filters are bit too big for the holder; you have to stuff them down to fit. Yes, I would buy it again.

Rural Internet Shopper on Mon, 14th Jun 2010 12:00 am

heating element broke twice
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I did a lot of research before buying this product. I wanted a carafe so we could keep the coffee warm without using extra electricity or burning the coffee. Don’t buy this one. The heating element broke within a week of use. I sent it back, got a new one, and it did the same thing. It’s not an electrical issue, the clock still worked. It just would not make coffee anymore.

staffish on Tue, 15th Jun 2010 12:00 am

Basket Overflows and Floods Counter
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
We purchased the Zojirushi Coffee Maker in June 2009. It makes good coffee but we’ve a recurring problem with the basket overflowing during the brew cycle and literally flooding the countertop. We’ve tried multiple brands of paper filters, different grinds of coffee, all to no avail. The only sure method is to babysit and turn the unit off manually when the basket is draining into the pot more slowly than hot water is going into the basket. Totally defeats the purpose of an “automatic” coffee maker. I’ve submitted a request to Zojirushi customer service to see if our unit may be defective, but I am pretty much ready to ditch it for something that actually works. Zojirushi EC-BD15 Fresh Brew Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker

C. Breed on Tue, 15th Jun 2010 12:00 am

LOVE this coffee maker!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this coffeemaker to replace my Cuisinart which would periodically back up and overflow. I wish I had done it sooner! The Zojirushi makes a very good cup of coffee. It takes long enough brewing to get full flavor and keeps the coffee hot for hours. The #4 filters work perfectly despite what is said in some of the reviews.

Charles T. Grayson on Thu, 17th Jun 2010 12:00 am

Improper Brew Temperature
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Starting with 10 cups of room temperature water, the machine initially dispensed hot water at 185 degrees, with the temperature climbing slowly throughout the cycle. However, it didn’t hit the optimal range (195-200 degrees) until the very last cup. Another commenter remarked about how routing the hot water feed through the cold water reservoir was a poor design because it tended to chill the just heated water; I guess this explains the better performance as the water level dropped. I tried heating the water to 100 degrees before pouring it into the reservoir, but this had negligible effect.

I plan on returning this unit. (Honestly, how hard can it be to heat water to the proper temperature?)

AAstaguy on Thu, 17th Jun 2010 12:00 am

Zojirushi EC-BD15 Coffee Maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Everything went perfect, ordering, shipping, and time frame.

Unit makes great coffee, easy to load, no issues, have had for nearly 2 months…..

Chop-a-holic on Fri, 18th Jun 2010 12:00 am

Was Not Disappointed-has NOT overflowed even once yet!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I purchased this coffee maker back in January ’09. I wanted to wait a while to write my review to give it a chance to “misbehave.” So far so good! In nine months, it has not overflowed – a particulary troubling problem we had all too often with our last, much more expensive Capresso coffee maker. For some reason, the Capresso would get jammed up with coffee grounds and overspill out of the top — not a pleasant sight first thing in the a.m. to see hot coffee floating all over your countertop.

This Zojirushi is great! I’m glad I bought it. It makes terrific coffee, keeps it hot, is easy to use, and I particularly like the little hole near the top of the side of the water tank which helps you to see and to not overfill it with water. And best of all, no waking up to overflows on the countertop anymore! Thumbs up Zojirushi! Thumbs down Capresso. Save yourself some money and get the Zojirushi. It’s got a few more plastic parts than the Capresso did, but it’s a heck of a lot more reliable!

Mary E. Larkin on Sat, 19th Jun 2010 12:00 am

Great product
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I am very happy with this coffee maker. I don’t have a problem with the controls on the side. I had read reviews saying the top was somewhat difficult to open and I find that to be the case. But the fact that the coffee is so hot far outweighs these issues for me. And the little top you put on when brewing is complete maintains the heat for a very long time. I also like the handle to remove the basket for the grounds. I also like that I can manually move the “water pourer” that sends the water from the reservoir to the grounds basket. This way I can assure that the paper filter does not bend over and make a big mess. I had never heard of this brand, but will look for it in the future.

R. GAISER on Sun, 20th Jun 2010 12:00 am

Good but not great. I should have shopped a bit more.
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I bought the Zojirushi coffee maker because it got decent reviews and because it was one of only a few which offered a stainless steel carafe. Well, the carafe is quite good and it keeps coffee hot for a long time. I’m less enthusiastic about the coffee maker itself which is just average in build quality. First, it’s a somewhat quirky shape and taller than most. Second, while the natural inclination is to position the unit with the carafe in front, the LED readout is actually on the side which forces you to either turn the unit sideways or always read the LED screen from an awkward direction. Also, my unit arrived with several of the LED segments inoperative so some numbers are unreadable.

I was aware of the odd shape of the brew basket from the other reviews and it really isn’t too much of a problem to use a standard No 4 cone filter. I just wet the filter and let it conform to the Zojirushi brew basket. But, why did they use this odd basket shape ? Hello? Bueller? Anyone?

Summary: It’s okay but I wouldn’t buy it again especially considering the fairly high price. There are other coffee makers with stainless steel carafes that may offer better quality at the same or even lower price. Shop around. My old Braun with SS Carafe was much better but it’s no longer available.

A. Casalino on Mon, 21st Jun 2010 12:00 am

Find another!
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I bought this coffee maker for the office. It worked well and the coffee actually tasted really good. About one month into using it, the machine croaked. It would turn on, but did not want to brew anything. After taking it apart, we found that the heating coil had stopped working. It isn’t worth sending it back to the manufacturer as you are responsible to pay shipping and handling both ways!

We should have read the reviews before purchasing.

Runner1 on Tue, 22nd Jun 2010 12:00 am

Very Good Coffee Maker Even After Over 2 Years
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I’ve had this coffee maker for over 2 years and I thought it was time to review it (since I value reviews that aren’t just initial impressions). I’ve had no problems during the time I’ve owned it. I really like this coffee maker – makes delicious coffee. The coffee is hot but not scalding, and stays hot for a long time. There really is no problem with the filter size as some have noted – a #4 filter is fine. The one drawback is that it is so tall that it does not fit under our upper cabinets (in our new house, it did in our prior house).

jking on Wed, 23rd Jun 2010 12:00 am

Only worked under a year and a half
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I bought this April 08 and remember being disappointed when I pulled it out of the box because it felt so flimsy with cheap thin plastic. I thought we would give it a try, and it did make excellent tasting coffee. Kept it hot enough for me for 2 hours (which is about the same for all the coffee makers like this). The lid was very annoying, and often could not be turned open without using a gripper, and you have to take off and put on the top piece each time you brew coffee instead of the lid being one piece. Then one day it just wouldn’t brew coffee anymore. For the price of this pot I would have thought it should have lasted longer and while I enjoyed the taste of the coffee, I don’t think I can trust the quality of this coffee maker again. There should be a section for people to write reviews 2 years later so you know if the products really keep working or not instead of people writing reviews just right out of the box.

Wallace Printz on Thu, 24th Jun 2010 12:00 am

Great coffee from a great maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this coffee maker based on my experience with the Zojirushi “fuzzy logic” rice cooker, which is awesome.

I love this coffee maker for three reasons:

1. Clear and easy-to-read water level window

2. Insulated brew basket

3. Insulated carafe

If you fold the paper #4 coffee filters along the seams as directed on the filter box, they fit just fine (otherwise they poke above the basket height and can interfere with the water arm motion). Coffee tastes great and is somewhat stronger, due to the brewing water percolating at a higher temperature (195-197 F according to my meat thermometer), than my old B&D insulated carafe maker. Thus I need to use less coffee grounds to achieve my preferred taste, saving money! All-in-all, very happy with this purchase

Ludale Palmer on Thu, 24th Jun 2010 12:00 am

Zojirushi EC-BD15 coffee maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
It is durable, easy to use. Uses less electricty to keep coffee warm by not using a warming plate. And very easy to clean and make the coffee.

Maria Duque on Fri, 25th Jun 2010 12:00 am

Better than Krups high end coffee maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars

MY husband and I absolutely love our new Zojirushi EC-BD15 Fresh Brew Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker. I owned a Krups 326-76 with Brushed Stainless Steel Thermal Carafe for over 5 years and I loved it, until one day it just stopped working. I think it may be discontinued as I couldn’t find it again. That is how I ended up with our new Zojirushi with all the same features as my old coffee maker. Not to mention all of the amazing consumer reviews. Over 440 review at average 5 stars…you can’t go wrong. Here is what you get.

- Great tastin coffee (uses a cone filter which brews in the center of the cone to get the perfect & concentrated flavor)

- Auto programming (very easy to use)

- Doesn’t leak if you get a sneak a cup (if you decide to sneak some coffee before it finishes brewing)

- Keeps coffee hot for a very long time inside the carafe

- Looks high-end with its stainless and black accents

- Very easy to clean as all parts are easy to remove and put back together (brew basket, plus holder)

- Water reservour is easy to fill (some are so slim that you spill water outside of the coffeemaker)

The only challenge I had in the beginning was that I was tightening the lid too hard and after it brewed it sealed the lid like a vaccum making it impossible to open. (Suggestion – don’t tighten too hard, even if you leave a little loose, you get the same result with no leaks and easy to open).

WE LOVE OUR COFFEE MAKER!!

N. E. Oakley on Fri, 25th Jun 2010 12:00 am

Perfectly good coffeemaker
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I awaited the arrival of my Zojirushi coffee maker with a little trepidation after reading some of the reviews. While the majority of reviews gave it either four or five stars, some were scathing and made me worry that the machine was a piece of, er, junk. If I could, I would give the unit four and a half stars. This is my experience so far (after opening the box and making two pots of coffee with it). I’ll update later as needed. First, let’s get this out of the way: the filter basket IS a little shallow. It works with a number 4 filter, but it does make you yearn for the mythical number 3 size. Now for other concerns raised by some reviewers. 1) I found that the machine makes a nice, hot (and strong enough) pot of coffee. I use a rounded scoop, which I believe to be two tablespoons, for every two cups, or a lightly rounded tablespoon per cup, of medium ground coffee, and it comes out fine. Would I like it a smidge hotter? Perhaps. I made the coffee by first pouring the hottest tap water I could get into the carafe, then closing the carafe and letting it sit while I filled the water reservoir. This I did using filtered cold water from a jug in the fridge. I find this easier than filling the carafe and using it to fill the reservoir. Since there is a window on the unit that shows you exactly the number of cups you’ve added, it is very easy to add, say, four cups or six cups to make a smaller pot. 2) The small cap that helps keep the coffee hot is pretty intuitive, though I can see how it could get lost. The thing is, while you CAN put the carafe in to brew with the cap on, to do so you would have to jam it in place. You remove it to brew and add it afterward. 3) I found that it is best to orient the machine sideways so the on/off button is readily accessed. You can put the carafe in sideways, so the handle faces forward. A quick glance (and a sort of “snick” when it falls into place) will let you know it’s aligned. So I’m not sure why some people are having coffee pouring over the counter. 4) The “showerhead” is also pretty intuitive. You move it to one side to fill the grounds in the filter basket, and you move it to the other side to fill the reservoir. AND, here’s the thing: If you don’t move it back in place yourself, the lid makes it slide into place when you close it. Simple. I’m not sure how you could brew a pot with the showerhead out of place. It seems virtually impossible to me. 5) The carafe does a great job of keeping the coffee hot, but I absolutely recommend preheating it in advance. I made the first pot in the evening around 7:00; the next morning it was still quite hot, twelve hours later (hot enough that when I poured a cup, I started to drink it even though I planned to make a fresh pot. Now: That was a virtually full pot; with less coffee in the carafe, it may not stay as hot as long. 6) I have had no problems with overtightening the carafe lid. Basically, I spin it closed and let it stay where it lands. These are my experiences and impressions so far. Once I’ve used the machine for a while, I will update if my impressions change.

N. Pfefferkorn on Sat, 26th Jun 2010 12:00 am

Excellent coffee, spectacularly good value
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Bought one for my parents last year, and about to order one for myself. The only truly important fact is that this machine makes really wonderful coffee, and the carafe is great – it literally keeps coffee hot for hours. But it’s also an attractive appliance that doesn’t take up a lot of counter space (though it is tall). The machine is no frills, and while it is slightly finicky, as has been alluded to in other reviews (make sure the carafe is positioned correctly, a standard 4 filter pokes up above the basket ever so slightly), after one or two brews, you’ll never have any issues. Best of all, it’s under a hundred bucks. I go to people’s houses and drink lousy coffee out of machines that were two or even three hundred dollars. All the buttons and lights in the world don’t guarantee that your coffee is being brewed correctly. This machine brews it deliciously, keeps it hot for hours, and the operation is a simple as pour in water, add coffee, and push one button. This a really great appliance. One suggestion, as has been posited by other reviewers – fill the carafe with hot water just for a minute while you get the machine ready. Just that quick heating will significantly extend the life of the coffee after it’s brewed.

Smart Mommy on Mon, 28th Jun 2010 12:00 am

Works well, makes a good cup of coffee
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I have been using the Zojirushi for a little over one month and am pleased with my purchase. It brews quickly and efficiently, uses standard #4 cone filters, and is simple to use. The carafe keeps the coffee warm for a long time. It does not leak, unlike my Krups which leaked from day one. It fits nicely on the countertop and does not appear obtrusive due to its sleek design. Overall, I am very pleased. The only reason for the 4 stars instead of 5 is the way the top is designed. You have to pull the entire coffee maker out from under the top cabinets (if you have it placed under cabinets) in order to place the filter, coffee, and water. So, that is a minor inconvenience prohibiting a perfect rating.

B. Jennings on Tue, 29th Jun 2010 12:00 am

great coffee maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this unit based on the reviews seen here. What a great choice! Stylish and smooth, it will match most any kitchen.

While it does make “hot” coffee, it is not boiling like the coffee shop or convenience store. Even with adding hot water from the tap. The coffee will be hot enough to sip though. But the coffee will stay hot much longer and taste better than the glass carafe. A simple half turn opens the lid enough to pour. It could be possible to take the carafe with you when traveling. Just make sure it stays upright.

The “two cup feature” sounds really cool, but in reality it is more simple than it sounds. Simply stated, if you don’t want to make a full pot then pour the water in the resivour and watch the sight window for desired amount. Add coffee accordingly.

When you shut the lid, there is a small bracket under the lid that forces the shower head over the brew basket. No more trying to remember if it is over the coffee or the water.

The timer/clock is easy to figure out.

I recommend the permant filter as well. This will give a little more flavor that the paper just can’t do. All components are easy to clean using only water.

This is worth the extra money and will make good coffee every time.

Shannon E. Griffin on Tue, 29th Jun 2010 12:00 am

great coffee maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
great coffee maker. the lid is a little hard to get off, but everything else is great.

Bobbo on Thu, 1st Jul 2010 12:00 am

Most Excellent
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The Honda Accord of coffee makers. It’s very accurate in that the coffee is great every morning, it’s very easy to clean and maintain with simple no nonsense controls. Coffee stays hot in the carafe at least 2 hours (as long as I’ve kept it there.) Easy on the eyes in the kitchen, although a red model would fit in better with our countertop appliances. My old Mr. Coffee carafe had a rim around it that caught coffee when poured which then dribbled down the carafe and made a mess of things and I couldn’t keep the machine itself clean. Maybe a 12 cup model soon?

D. LORENZO on Fri, 2nd Jul 2010 12:00 am

Good hot coffee but reliability issues.
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
The first worked great. Nice, hot, good tasting coffee. But the 10′s unit on the display stop working on the 3rd day. It made it difficult to set the time. Amazon promptly sent a replacement unit. The 2nd unit had a slow leak. The first morning I found approximately 1 cup of water had leaked before it started brewing. It was very evident that it was coming from inside the unit not an accidental spill. I had high hopes for the unit from all the user reviews. It did make a good cup of coffee but I can’t put my faith in a brand that became defective within days. I will look for a different brand.

Artemis on Sat, 3rd Jul 2010 12:00 am

Look No Further! This is it!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is the best coffee maker we’ve ever owned. I waited a year to review it, just in case it had some kind of quirky problem like so many others we’ve owned.

1.) It makes coffee. (Don’t laugh.)

2.) It’s programmable, and you don’t need a degree in engineering to do it.

3.) The clock, which as an A.M. and P.M. is also easily set.

4.) Once made, the coffee remains hot for hours even if person #1 gets up hours before person #2, as long as person #1 puts the lid back on correctly.

5.) It never ever overflows during brewing thereby covering the countertop with a brown mess that soaks into everything and needs to be cleaned up BEFORE going off to work.

Someone out there may not like the way you have to measure the water and pour it in, in order to make the coffee happen, but this is not a deal breaker for most of us who live in the real world.

Get it! It is worth every penny.

G. Anderson on Sat, 3rd Jul 2010 12:00 am

great — and recommended mod
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
we bought this based on honorable mention in Cooks Illustrated drip maker review (we didn’t want to fork out big $$$$ for Technivorm … the cadillac).

skip forward three months and REALSIMPLE magazine just scored this product #1 drip coffee maker. Note the Technivorm was conspicuously absent (ie. still the best).

I found mention on this amazon comments page about suggested MODIFICATION. We followed instructions and completely AGREE.

The key issue with Zojirushi coffee maker is fact that boiling hot water headed for coffee must pass through plastic tube literally in middle of water reservoir. The primary problem with this: ideal coffee extraction temp at approx 195-205degF (ref various coffee brewing articles — Cooks Illustrated and Good Eats/Alton Brown). The trip of “hot” water from heating element — through cold water resevoir — changes temp of water delivered to coffee basket by large # (note; I never farted around with testing…).

So — with all this in mind: make visit to local hardware store (Depot or Lowes) and buy 3ft length of PEX water tubing. It will be near copper fittings and/or radiant heating materials. Pretty sure I bought 1/2″.

Then you’ll need to remove top section of coffee maker (this takes a degeee of “commitment” to grab, focus, bend, detach). Cut PEX tubing approx length so assembly will go back together and enjoy.

Note: the bottom of resevoir has steep angle so water easily drains from inside space between PEX and existing hot water supply tube.

enjoy. -GA

F. Holcomb on Sat, 3rd Jul 2010 12:00 am

Worst coffee pot I ever owned!
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
1)- The coffee was not Hot.

2)- The Water level indicator stopped working after a couple of pots of coffee were made.

3)- The Carafe lid was extremely hard to turn to open and close the top for pouring or keeping the coffee warm. It was so difficult at about 1/4 turn from fully closed that we made our hands sore and had to use a dish towel to grip the top in order to open and close it.

Nina L on Sun, 4th Jul 2010 12:00 am

An amazing product
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have had this for a little over a month, and I am extremely pleased. The insulated carafe keeps my morning coffee hot for at least 4 hours, the scheduling feature is extremely convenient, and the little lid (the one that is placed on top of the screw-on lid) is great if you want to have hot coffee for more than 4-ish hours. Everything is extremely easy to clean, attractive, and functional. I set everything up before bed, set the timer, and wake up to freshly brewed hot coffee in a super-attractive carafe that is cool to the touch on the outside. The only downside is that you cannot see how much coffee is left in the pot without opening the lid – this doesn’t bother me but it did bother my mom, who returned the one I ordered for her after I was extremely satisfied with mine. I personally think that this small detail is hardly important when you consider the fact that the reason you can’t see through the carafe is because it is made of two layers of stainless steel that are designed to keep your coffee hot for hours. I suppose if having a clear carafe is more important to you than delicious hot coffee, this is not the coffee maker for you. However, if you value deliciousness and convenience and never-burnt-but-always-warm/hot coffee, you will fall madly and passionately in love with this item.

K. Seymour on Mon, 5th Jul 2010 12:00 am

Over rated by far!
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I needed a new Coffee maker to replace the aging Cuisinart grind and brew machine, and after reading many reviews I wasn’t quite ready to plop down on a more expensive machine. This machine looked nice and sounded like It was just what I was looking for after reading the reviews here. When I got the machine home and opened the box, I was already skeptical after doing a once-over. The one big glaring problem was the sticker on the bottom stating- “Made In China”- O’great I thought. I know not everything made In China Is “C”rappy, and this Is not bad, but It’s still cheaply made.

I like the fact that this machine Is designed well and Is easy to clean but the pluses stop there. The machine DOES NOT brew coffee at 195-200*. I’ve checked It several times with a digital thermometer with cold and warm filtered water, the best you can hope for Is 185-189*. The outside Is somewhat stainless, but all the Innards are made of cheap quality plastic, except for the pot Itself which Is Steel Inside. It does no good to have a good permanent filter If It’s used In conjunction with cheap plastic Innards that collect orders, no matter how you clean them. The buttons also have a very cheap feel to them, and I would not trust this machine overnight to brew morning coffee. It will do for now, but I think I’ll get the Kitchen Aid machine next, as allot of the machine Including the brew basket are made of stainless steel. At least I got a Carafe out off this thing, but even that does not work all that well.

Okay, did further testing on this unit with my digital thermometer. What I found out Is the machine Is worse than I thought, not only does It not get to the recommended temp, but on Initial brew (when the machine first starts brewing)the temps only reached 90,109,130,181, and for the final temp a whopping 191, and this Is with water that was warmed up a little to at least try to get to 192-200. I seen another review stating that this machine was somehow picked from Cooks Illustrated to be a good machine…Okay! If you are a coffee nut like me and like good tasting coffee, this Is not the machine for you. I will never trust Amazon reviews again as the reviews are suspect! Just as the Belkin reviews were bought and paid for, I believe the same shenanigans Is going on all over Amazon! This machine Is sub-par by far and Is In no way recommended, please be wary of this machine and It’s over zealous ratings!!!! If I had to rate this machine again I’d give It only 2 stars **!

D. Barre on Tue, 6th Jul 2010 12:00 am

Great choice
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After my Cuisinart thermal carafe brewer stopped working I immersed myself in the Amazon customer reviews. I hadn’t heard of Zojirushi and was a little concerned by the negative reviews but the more I read the more I started to think that the complainers hadn’t read the instructions. After a week of pouring hot water into a #4 filter in a #6 Melitta basket (my emergency, we’ve lost power, backup) I was looking forward to getting my new brewer. First, it uses #4 filters with no modifications if you take a couple extra seconds to do it right: (1) fold the bottom and side seam over before opening the filter (apparently not everybody does as I discovered when I was discussing my brewer options with a friend), and (2) dampen the filter in the basket before adding the grounds. Second, the carafe is big, holding a full 1.5 liters of liquid and it pours with a generous, no-drip flow, IF YOU FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. Line up the dots (or back off 1/2 turn from fully closed) and everything’s cool. If you don’t do that and try pouring with the top fully closed, then the coffee will dribble out the spout and also come out the vent holes in the top which is really messy. (I experimented with water in the carafe before I made my first pot.)

The top can be hard to grip because it has a narrow rim so it can be irritating opening and closing the top 1/2 turn for each cup. I’m assuming that closing the top after pouring a cup reduces air infiltration and reduces cooling of the contents so if it really bothers you and you are going to drink the whole carafe in short order, not trying to save it for later, and you can accept slight cooling, then leave the top in the ‘pour’ position. Or keep towel nearby for better gripping. If this is your only complaint, just get over it.

Assuming the brewer lasts, and only time will tell there, this is a great brewer at a great price.

Ellen Dooley on Wed, 7th Jul 2010 12:00 am

Finally – A GREAT COFFEE MAKER!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Honestly, I had given up. The Krups died, the Cuisinart went up in flames, Mr. Coffee peed on my counter and every coffee maker I bought conspired to create a mess in my kitchen! We do not use the coffee maker but on rare occasions – company, etc. so I did not think I could have worn them out.

In an effort to get the most durable, tough, simple and dependable coffee maker, I did a ton of research. This ZOJIRushi did not disappoint and it is a miracle of simplicity and low-key design. Coffee stays hot all day and does not have some extra hot plate for no reason. With this thermal pot, it just does not need it. It’s speedy, efficient and well made. I recommend getting a metal filter – save all the paper ones!!!

Also – this is the ONLY coffee maker I have owned where you can readily view if the water has been poured in – ready for coffee – there is a CLEAR (not semi-opaque…like most models) with FLOAT!!!! It tell you exactly what amount of water you have!! Why doesn’t everyone do that??

It’s a great coffee maker – especially for the money – I would buy another one – hopefully not for a few years though! Ha!

Buy it – the box looks cheap – so it’s obvious to me that all the money is in the actual product. Nice!

K. Fletcher on Wed, 7th Jul 2010 12:00 am

Loved it, but it died after 3.5 months
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I really liked the coffee, the size, and the features. But the maker died suddenly this weekend, 3.5 months after purchase. It would not start brewing although the lights indicated power.

G. Mabery on Wed, 7th Jul 2010 12:00 am

not much there
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
after a great deal of research I decided on this coffee maker based on many of the reviews I had read. I was disappointed from the time I took it out of the box. It was so light and “felt” cheaply made, not much to it. Granted the coffee it makes is good, but I feel like the product could be priced quite a bit less. If you take the carafe away during brewing to pour a cup, you have to be real careful and fast, the hole in the top of the carafe is very small and can’t handle a large flow, the machine has overflowed on my counter several times. It is easy to take apart and clean. I haven’t used the programmable part, I’m afraid it will overflow. The carafe does keep coffee warm for some time. Overall, could be priced about 50 bucks less. Time will tell. . . .

Herman Ackerman on Fri, 9th Jul 2010 12:00 am

Good Stuff!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This is a great machine which produces HOT coffee, very quickly. One tip I learned the hard way: After setting the timer, don’t forget to remove the stopper on the carafe. If you do forget, you will find coffee all over the floor the next morning. bummer.

Martha Landon on Sat, 10th Jul 2010 12:00 am

Wow!! So far this is the best coffee maker I have ever owned!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
We are avid coffee drinkers and brew anywhere from 2 to 3 pots a day. We have owned Krups, Cuisinart,and Mr. Coffee over the past 3 years. If this coffeemaker lasts more that a year I will be very happy. I just recieved it today and have brewed two pots so far. It seems to be the simple straight forward design I have been searching for. The coffee is hot and stays hot in the carafe. I have adjusted the grounds needed slightly downward because the water is obviously hotter hitting the grounds thus brewing a stronger more flavor full cup of coffee. It has a clock that is easy to read, the numbers are in red. It is simple to program. The water reservoir has a red ball that floats up to measure how many cups of coffee you are brewing. It is quiet and it has no annoying beeper to signal the end of the brew cycle. I set the maker up to brew before I get out of bed early in the morning I hated hearing the beeping of the the Cuisinart that just died. It is a tall coffee maker but is sleeker and takes up less overally counter space than previous makers. I am pleased I read the pros and cons of Amazon purchasers. I think the pros out weigh the cons.

R. T. Herrington on Sun, 11th Jul 2010 12:00 am

My Zojirushi EC-BD15 review with temperature measurements
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I rate this coffee pot so far at 5 of 5 stars for an $89 maker. I’ve also done some testing on brew temperatures so read farther below if you are interested.

I’ve haven’t paid much attention to coffee quality until recently because I dose my coffee with French vanilla cream and drink as much as a pot of decaff per day. My old $40 coffee maker died and I had noticed that my friends Capresso MT440 always had good coffee even without French vanilla. Coffee strait out of my old drip and burner coffeemaker tasted like swill. I’m also looking to cut calories and want to drink my coffee black now and it has to taste good.

I was heavily leaning to a Capresso, but not conditioned to spend +$180 on a coffee maker right now and the Zojirushi EC-BD15 had 4 of 5 star (same as the Capresso). They both looked close in performance with the exception that my friend claims his Capresso brews above 195 degrees Fahrenheit and this is reported to be the best temperature to brew at (195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit). So to compare I’ve brewed 10 pots or so far and here is what has happened.

* Brewed water then brewed first pot of coffee using a Medelco #4 Cone Permanent Coffee Filter. Coffee tasted HORRIBLE…starting to worry now.

* Buy unbleached paper #4 filters per others recommendations and add more coffee than I did before. Ahhhh…starting to taste good. Coffee drained to fast with the Medelco filter and coffee is stronger now and tastes better.

* Measure coffee temperatures using a TrueTemp digital thermometer using hot and cold tap water:

o Cold Tap water: 66 degrees F. Pour cold tap water into carafe and then into coffeemaker. Measured water temperature in basket at cup 5 of 10 brewed was 174 F and by the final cup at around 180 F with final steam bursts bringing it to 186 when finished. Final coffee temperature in carafe immediately after brew = 165 F.

o Hot Tap water: 125 degrees F. Pour hot tap water into carafe and then into coffeemaker. Measured water temperature in basket at cup 5 of 10 brewed was 180 F and by final cup at around 186 F with final steam bursts bringing it to 190 F when finished. Final coffee temperature in carafe immediately after brew = 174 F.

* I also measured coffee temperature in the carafe after 2.5 hours post brew once…forgot to right the number down, but around 135 Fahrenheit and still hot enough to drink (don’t remember if I used a cold or hotwater tap brew).

Conclusions…coffee tastes good though maybe not best possible because my unit didn’t reached the perfect brew temps using either hot or cold (I’ve repeated cold and hot twice and results are about the same). The difference in coffee temperature between using hot or cold tap water wasn’t as big as I thought it would be based on previous complaints about this coffeemaker that it makes lukewarm coffee and using hot tap water helps. However, using hot tap water does brew the coffee at around 6 degrees Fahrenheit hotter during the entire brew cycle possibly improving taste. I’ll probably rinse my pot with hot tap water in the mornings and to get maximum temperature, but if I don’t the difference isn’t as severe as you would expect.

My final recommendation is that I’m keeping the Zojirushi EC-BD15 and may buy 2 units to have a spare carafe and backup pot for parties (plus backup unit in case the first breaks). I do wish the unit did brew at the higher temperatures so I knew I was getting the best, but as I said at the beginning for $89 bucks the coffee tastes very good and the unit works well and I’m not compelled to buy the Capresso right now. Carafe is great, brews in 5 to 6 minutes, relatively quiet, unit looks nice…no real complaints worth mentioning. If this coffeemaker was twice the price I would have to drop to 4 stars or more for not brewing above 195 F. However, for the price this is a good value in my mind!

Cynthia Neff on Tue, 13th Jul 2010 12:00 am

Previous reviews were right
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
My last thermal carafe coffemaker bit the dust after many years of meritorious service but model is no longer made. I studied everything from Consumer Reports to online studies of coffee makers and it was after reading the reviews on Amazon that I purchased this coffee maker. Like previous reviewers said, it’s a great one. Makes a perfect cup of coffee and it stays HOT in the carafe for a long while. Actually quite miraculous. Hope this helps.

S.A. on Tue, 13th Jul 2010 12:00 am

The coffeepot that saved my marriage
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The title is perhaps a bit dramatic, but this coffeepot definitely did easy some tension between us. My husband is an early riser, while I do not exactly greet the dawn with vigor. As a matter of fact, the only thing that helps me swing my legs over the side of the bed after a half hour or so struggle slapping at my snooze alarm is the thought of my first cup of morning coffee – freshly ground Kirkland blend by Starbucks. We had a Braun pot that worked fine, but got slower and slower over the years, despite repeated efforts to clear every portion of the water delivery system with vinegar, salt water, etc. etc. etc. The resulting slow brewed coffee was delicious, but you better not be in a hurry for your first cup!!

My husband – first on deck each morning – always did his best to make sure it was ready, and it has been one of the little things in life that kept our relationship strong. After decades of this routine, he started getting up earlier than ever. He would brew a small pot of coffee for himself, and then when he anticipated I would be getting up, he would do another pot. That was the theory anyway. This system did not work out very well at all. Once he had enjoyed his own coffee, he would lose the, ahem, sense of urgency for that second pot. Half the time he would be so wrapped up with his computer or the paper, he wouldn’t even notice my battle with the snooze alarm going on upstairs. I would come staggering down like an extra from “Night of the Living Dead,” arms stretched in front of me feeling for the coffee pot – and HORRORS! There would be one inch of scorched mud on the burner plate. He would then try to convince me to drink a cup of that poison while he brewed then next batch (a 15 minute process). I am not proud of this, but I believe I already mentioned that morning is not my finest hour, and as this little drama repeated itself many, many times over the course of several months, it took a toll on both of us. I wanted to fire him from his task and program the pot to set up my coffee at night (when I do some of my best work) but then he couldn’t have HIS morning coffee. I thought about buying a second pot so we could both have our coffee, and drink it too. But we have limited counter space, and it just seemed a little ridiculous.

Well, the Braun finally drew its’ last noisy gasp, and stopped delivering water altogether. I started researching pots on Amazon with the determination of a medical researcher who is close to a cure. I read review after review hoping to find anyone out there who had faced this trauma and moved through it to find peace and serenity in their morning. I knew there were lots of other folks out there who are equally fetishistic about their coffee, and I reveled in the descriptions of the strengths and weaknesses of each and every pot. I landed on the Zojirushi Fresh Brew, and the positive reviews piqued my interest. A thermal carafe that keeps the coffee hot with no burner plate to reduce it to mud! Perhaps we could go back to the one pot system that had worked so well for us for so many years after all!

I would like to report that this system has been working for us for several months now, and our morning communications are back to the status quo: a steady stream of lively morning news flashes and questions requiring deep thought from him, and a series of grunts and oofs from me. Trust me, this is a marked improvement from the daily cry of disappointment, gnashing of teeth, and then out and out war that had become the norm.

My coffee is consistently hot and ready, no scorch whatsoever. When my husband has been out of town, I have used the programming function successfully, and proved to myself beyond a doubt that if anything ever did happen to him, that I could survive on my own in this cold, cruel world.

The pot is very pretty and blessedly quiet compared to the burping and moaning of the decade-old Braun. There are a few cons to this pot for us. The thermal carafe means that you can’t see how much is inside. Having that visual reassurance from across the kitchen is important to me, as I shuffle forward. Even peering inside the dim, black hole or the act of pouring the first cup leave me disoriented and anxious, as the dark interior and heaviness of the carafe afford few clues to the security of the morning supply of my lifeblood. How much did he leave me?!? If only I could be sure it was enough! The lack of visual clues also make it hard to fill the pot with precision. Again, the deceptive weight of the pot can cause you to over or underestimate. The gauge on the side of the pot is accurate, though. So I take a couple of laps – adding more water little by little until I have gotten to the proper level. This is ok when I am doing my work at night, but does not go over big if I forget and have to perform this task in the dawn’s early light.

Another logistical problem is the fact that the screw top closes very, very tightly with almost no effort. This is a problem for those of us who awake as weak as a baby kitten, and can be reduced to tears clawing at the top of the pot trying to get that first pour. After angrily accusing my husband of cranking it down on purpose, I was forced to admit that my half-hearted efforts caused the same situation. It is just the way the pot is built.

Pouring is do-able, but requires concentration. If you want to leave the top on partway – be careful! The spout is pretty useless, and coffee flows through with uneven splashes and makes random appearances all around the cap. If you want to take the cap off altogether – well – be careful here as well! The issue with the darkness of the interior cavern and the mystifying weight of the pot can cause you to under or over estimate the quantity inside, and lead to disaster for those who do not do their best thinking before the first cup. I wish they would put a water gauge on the outside of the pot as well.

The coffee brews very, very quickly. This is a plus for the impatient, but will cost you money over the year if you like your coffee strong. My husband estimates that we have upped our coffee consumption by 25% just by virtue of the fact he has to load the basket by that much more every day compared to the quantity used by the tortured old Braun to get the same strength.

Overall, we are both satisfied with this pot, and our marriage is back on track. I have also had the Zojirushi air pots for a few years to supply hot cocoa during winter sports, and have been thrilled with their features and performance, so I would feel confident buying any product with their name.

Henry Bissonnette on Wed, 14th Jul 2010 12:00 am

Makes good coffee — keeps it hot.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
We love coffee. Right now I think we have at least five different varieties of french roast coffees and three of coffee with chicory (most from Orleans Coffee in New orleans) in our freezer. And we have tried many types of coffeemaker to prepare it. What we have found has worked best is the combination of a fine grind, a high water temperature, and a good thermal carafe that does not burn the coffee after it has been brewed. Thie Zojirushi was the top rated thermal by Consumer Reports so we thought we’d give it a try. It makes great coffee, very hot, and keeps it hot for three to four hours even in the winter. Also, because of the high temperature, You need to use less coffee. For people who disdain dark or french roasts as being too strong, take note that the darker the roast the less the caffeine — the roasting burns off the caffeine, so it’s richer tasting and you can drink more!

John B. Clark on Thu, 15th Jul 2010 12:00 am

Carafe not so hot
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
All in all the Zojirushi Fresh Brew Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker does a good job with the coffee. The devise is pretty “flimsy” e.g. lightweight compared to the looks. It brews coffee just fine, but the thin walled carafe does a very poor job at keeping the coffee hot. I use room temperature water to start with, and the coffee is hot when first made, but an hour or so later, I need to microwave the brew to reheat. For comparison, I have a JOEmo travel mug that keeps the coffee hot for 6 plus hours. My glass lined free standing carafe does a much better job at keeping the brew hot.(about 4 hours)

Final Answer…keep looking

John B. Clark on Thu, 15th Jul 2010 12:00 am

Patrick Jensen on Thu, 15th Jul 2010 12:00 am

The perfect coffee maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I love my coffee maker. It is simple to use, looks great and brews perfectly. I couldn’t be happier with my purchase. I am a bit of a coffee snob and did a lot of research before making my decision. Consumer Reports rated this machine as one of it’s top picks and I can personally confirm their choice. I’m not sure what machine the negative reviewers are using because as far as I am concerned, mine is perfect in every way.

Patrick Jensen on Thu, 15th Jul 2010 12:00 am

AmaShopper on Sat, 17th Jul 2010 12:00 am

Broke after 1 day! NO KIDDING!!
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Like many unhappy buyers of this coffee pot, I did substantial research before I bought this maker (I bought a Zojirushi Rice cooker before; and that was super). I was totally shocked to find out the timer and the power went out of order after only 1 day’s usage!! None of the buttons worked. I tweaked and tried different electrical outlets in the house without success. The carafe looks good, but the whole machine is useless nonetheless Unfortunately, the machine was bought 3 yrs ago; only I waited 3 years to use it. So the warranty expired a long time ago. What a huge disappointment!! What a waste!!

TooSassy1 on Sat, 17th Jul 2010 12:00 am

Most helpful vs negative reviews (June 2009)
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I started out by reading “most helpful positive and negative reviews for two days. Then I switched to “most recent reviews order”, thinking that surely some of the negatives had to have been addressed by the company by now; then read them again in that order. Then I ordered the machine.

Once I received the machine, I looked at all the things that had been pointed out by the naysayers and couldn’t believe how wrong “I” think they were. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist, just a person of normal intelligence to make a really nice cup of coffee. Okay, so maybe some of you aren’t awake yet. But if that’s the case, program it ahead of time when you are awake.

We found this machine to be fast, efficient, made a wonderful carafe of coffee (using less grounds), and has a beautiful/sleek design.

The screw lid is sooooo easy to get on and off. Nothing like my ex-Krups (thermal) machine. I was bitten by a dog in the muscle part of my hand between my thumb and first finger and have since decided I just can’t correctly screw ANYTHING on and off again, until now.

I didn’t have a problem with #4 filters, but just in case I was wrong, I followed a tip from a reviewer. One gal mentioned about putting it in the basket, wetting it, and then adjusting it. Works great, THANKS for the tip! Another tip mentioned was to rinse your carafe in hot water before running the coffee through to keep it warmer. I don’t know that’s necessary, but it’s a “Make sense” tip and I did exactly that.

Some reviews mentioned an overflowing mess on the counter. Well the filter basket only fits into the machine one way SNUGGLY. The basket is round, except for the back lip where there are projections on each side. These line up with the back side of the stainless basket perfectly. Not an issue!

The water outlet is pretty neat in that you don’t have to remember to swing it back over the grounds. If you look under the lid, you will see there is a little sloped piece that when you close the lid, it automatically pushes the water outlet into correct position over the grounds.

The slow pouring complaint might be a bit confusing to some. Just remember to line up the little dot on the opposite (of open/close) side of the lid with the dot on the snout. My Krups machine always poured coffee all over the cup and counter, and if you opened it too much the lid fell off.

Some complaints said the machine was quite tall. It’s the same height as our Krups. The lid does open from the top, but gee, why not just pull it out from under your countertop, make your coffee, and then push it back into place? Someone else said that the nice little carafe lid gets lost easily. Hmmm, after you make the coffee, you put the carafe lid on to keep the coffee hot. You don’t have to remove it to pour the coffee, and when not using why not keep it with your filters?

The carafe is light weight and cool to the touch, the filter basket has a handle; the program panel is well marked with nice big light colored buttons on a dark background which are easy to see and push.

I haven’t been able to find true, any fault mentioned in the customer reviews SO FAR. BUY, BUY, BUY!Zojirushi EC-BD15 Fresh Brew Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker

L. Snow on Sun, 18th Jul 2010 12:00 am

Love this Coffee Maker!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Zojirushi EC-BD15 Fresh Brew Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker

First of all I was convinced by my mother that a thermal carafe is the only drip type coffee maker that makes any sense to own. The burner style takes the coffee from good to burnt inside of an hour on most machines while the carafe will keep the coffee good and hot for hours. Seemed like a “no brainer” to me and after a month with the Zojirushi I am an official convert to the carafe style. Way to go mom!

One review gave this product a single star and complained that it took multiple minutes to pour the coffee from the carafe. I think he needs to read the instructions more carefully and actually open the carafe so the coffee pours freely. I was concerned that this might be a problem since I am replacing a one year old Mr. Coffee that looked great on my counter but gave me nothing but drips, spills, leaks and mediocre or burnt coffee.

Another reviewer gave it a low star rating and said the actual product looked and felt like cheap plastic. I don’t agree. The basket and carafe are stainless steel and yes, the rest is plastic as are many other small kitchen appliances but I found the plastic components to be more than adequate for the job and not flimsy at all.

What I like about the coffee maker: Easy to pour water into the top using the carafe without the top on. Easy to read how much water has been added without having to turn the machine and go through the whole mercury thermometer viewfinder problem if you know what I mean. This is the neatest coffee machine I have ever had. It never drips, leaks, spills or pours coffee on the counter ever!

Once the coffee is finished brewing it gives one long sigh and then just sits and waits till you are good and ready. 1 minute or 2 hours later I get fresh hot coffee. What a pleasure. Once I’ve poured my first cup I close the lid, add the little “sealing” piece that covers the brewing hole and the coffee stays warm (OK – not hot)for at least 4 hours. I haven’t gone back any longer then that so it could be longer.

The down sides – not really any for me but it is a tall machine and the lid opens up, so if space between the counter and upper cabinets is an issue this might not be the right machine. You do have to check that the drip arm is over the grounds. Never been a problem for me but for those that are a bit absent minded before their coffee, it could be a problem.

Cost – I used one of those 20% off coupons from BBB that they seem to send out every other week and ended up having it shipped since it wasn’t in stock. Didn’t pay any shipping costs and with tax it came to just under $80.

I can relate to the guy who wants to buy another one so he will have a replacement when it eventually gives out.

I recommend buying this machine.

K. Pope on Mon, 19th Jul 2010 12:00 am

Excellent coffee maker, very happy purchase!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I was swayed to purchase this coffee maker by the reviews and by my experience with the brand (I have a rice cooker that I LOVE). I was not led astray! First, I was impressed by the reviews b/c they seemed to be written by real coffee connoisseurs…reviews for other thermal carafe coffee makers (although positive), did not seem to be by such avid coffee lovers. Second, I have a rice cooker by Zojirushi, which I have owned for 3 years, and I really love. Though this is their first foray into coffee makers, they are very good at small appliances.

This coffee maker has not disappointed me. It brews well and the coffee stays warm for a long time. I took the advice of some reviewers and started brewing starting with hot water. That makes it super hot and then it stays warm even longer. Although I miss not putting the carafe in the dishwasher, it is not hard to wash, the mouth is wide. And I can’t break this one like I did my glass one!

I highly recommend this coffee maker!

Patricia R. Gallagher on Wed, 21st Jul 2010 12:00 am

Great Coffee Maker
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
***2 RATING****

AFTER I RATED THIS PRODUCT THE VERY NEXT DAY MY COFFEE MAKER BROKE. IT HAS ONLY BEEN USED FOR ABOUT A MONTH. I AM NOW SENDING IT BACK TO BE FIXED BUT IT WILL TAKE SEVERAL WEEKS.

I have owned this for about a month now and I am really happy with it. The coffee tastes great and it brews in a couple of minutes and stays hot in the carafe for a minimum of an hour. The #4 filters dont fit perfectly so you have to cut them or fold them at the seam which is an easy fix and well worth it for the quality of coffee it produces. Also, the tablespoon to cup ratio is almost spot on, which I also really like. Overall, a great coffee maker.

Gloria Macaloney on Thu, 22nd Jul 2010 12:00 am

coffeemaker
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
this item does allthe things it is supposed to but the quality of coffee is not as good as other brands.

P. Payne on Fri, 23rd Jul 2010 12:00 am

Husband says best coffee ever …
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
We really enjoy this coffeemaker. It’s very light – I think its because it does not have a heater plate. Instead the coffee drips into a stainless steel pot. This is good because the coffee doesn’t continue to “cook” and also the machine turns off after the coffee is made.

While I like this feature – I also don’t like it. I have to remember to look and pour out yesterday’s coffee or … well you can guess what happens.

Elizabeth A. Chandler on Fri, 23rd Jul 2010 12:00 am

Coffee Maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This coffee maker is just fabulous. It brews perfect coffee every time. Very easy to clean. I just love it.

Grandma on Sun, 25th Jul 2010 12:00 am

Consumer Reports Missed on This One
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Though this coffee maker was highly rated by Consumer Reports, I could not get hot coffee out of it. I did an internet search, and found the temperature of the water I used might affect the temperature of the coffee. Instead of cold water, I tried room temp and hot tap water. Still only lukewarm coffee. The design is more appropriate for a left handed person. Too bad, I was really lookong forward to using the thermal carafe.

Polo Guy on Mon, 26th Jul 2010 12:00 am

In its fourth year
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Like every other coffee maker we’ve ever used, the Zoji BD15 has good points and some not-so-good points. On the plus side, it brews fast and hot (in testing, the Zoji was one of the few coffee makers to brew at a proper 195-200F temperature), and if you preheat its thermal carafe with hot tap water prior to brewing, its keep-warm performance is excellent. Coffee stays hot for several hours. Also, even though the unit is plastic and lightweight, it’s been in daily service in our house for over three years now without any failed parts.

On the down side, this unit involves a learning curve: don’t overtighten the carafe lid, make sure the carafe is centered under the brew spout, turn the lid and precisely line the dots up when pouring, etc. Also, double-crimped #4 Melita filters are too tall for the Zoji’s brewing chamber, so you have to either snip 1/4″ off the tops of the filters, or use cheaper filters. Finally, as mentioned in other reviews, this coffee maker is about 15.25″ tall and won’t fit under many kitchen cupboards (fortunately it does fit under ours).

All in all we’d recommend the BD15 with the above in mind.

R. Fehrenbach on Wed, 28th Jul 2010 12:00 am

Pleased with the purchase
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I am by no means an expert in coffee makers, but I offer my own humble opinion on my purchase the Zojirushi EC BD15. It brews great tasting coffee at a hot temp. I am used to being able to gulp my first taste, but find with the Zojirushi that temp limits me to a careful sip for starters. It was an easy task going from the box to the run through pot to the first pot of great coffee. I am extremely pleased with this coffee maker.

Particular1 on Wed, 28th Jul 2010 12:00 am

Great pot; great price
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I was looking for a Technivorm model reviewed on America’s Test Kitchen, currently priced at a painful $269.00 plus shipping. For that price, it ought to stir in the cream and sugar, and serve it to me in bed! Instead, I ended up on a link which reviewed this coffeepot and they loved it. It met the criteria I was looking for—fast, hot dripping, but not too hot that it burns the taste, thermal carafe, under $100, standard filters, fits on my counter. ATK recommends dripping at 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit, at a brew time of six minutes, and this is 11 minutes for a full pot. I wish it was 12-cup rather than 10, but at that speed, I can refill all the thermal carafes from the pots I have thrown away (!) and have plenty for guests. We’ll see if it lasts longer than the usual one-year life span. I’m trusting in Japanese engineering!

S. A. Brown on Wed, 28th Jul 2010 12:00 am

Love my Zoji
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I was sceptical before I bought this coffee maker, but on arrival I made coffee and DH said it was GREAT! One nice thing I have found is that sometimes I make coffee later in the day, and forget it. Next morning the coffee is still a little warm, but with the microwave warming it a little more, the quality is still excellent.

I am most happy with my purchase.

Gregory Dodge on Thu, 29th Jul 2010 12:00 am

Wasn’t what I was hoping for
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I am looking for a good coffeee maker that makes hot, flavorful coffee and keeps it warm for a while. I now use a Krups Mocha Brew, which fills the bill for hot and flavorful, but doesn’t keep it warm, and doesn’t have a timer.

This coffee maker makes luke warm coffee, not too bad, but not hot, and the karafe cools it off in a hurry. I returned mine as best I could. It was hard to fit back in the box. Anyone have any suggesstions?

I think a $24 Mr. Coffee is probably as good as this.

L. M. Berger on Fri, 30th Jul 2010 12:00 am

Zojirushi EC-BD15 drip coffee maker makes hot coffe that stays hot
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I’ve been searching for a drip coffee maker that makes hot coffee and keeps it hot. This one with the difficult to pronounce name does just that. The drip basket is thermally insulated so the water does not cool as it accumulates in the basket. The result is hot coffee in the insulated carafe that stays hot for a couple of hours. The only minus is that you have to be careful to clean the drip basket after use. If grounds get into the spring loaded drip mechanism the water can back up and the result is coffee everywhere. This happened twice before I consulted the manual. The good news is the the drip basket is easily removed. It simply slides up. You clean it and you’re in business.

Anonymous on Sat, 31st Jul 2010 12:00 am

I love this coffeemaker!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I love this coffeemaker. I have hot coffee waiting for me when I get up. My husband gets up anywhere from 1-3 hours after I do, and he also has hot coffee waiting for him–no need to make another pot! I have not had any issues with noise or dribbling over the counter. I really can’t think of any faults at all. The only thing I can think of is the cap your supposed to put on top to keep the coffee fresh has a tendency to disappear, but I’m sure this says more about us than it does about the coffemaker. Love it!

C. Smith on Sun, 1st Aug 2010 12:00 am

3 Years and loving it!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Wow, some of these reviews are so melodramatic, it’s a coffee maker people. I’ve had this coffee maker for 3 years and I have never had a problem. It brews great coffee that is super hot. Even more hot if you use room temp water to start with. The filter being to large isn’t really an issue, the fold that fixes the problem takes a fraction of a second becomes second nature.

One of my favorite features is the lack of the finish brew alarm that seems to pop up on most coffee makers these days. It leaves you with that pleasing sound of bubbling rather then the shrill digital beep that drives me crazy when sleeping at a friends house.

5 star for me.

Joanne M. Bonnette on Mon, 2nd Aug 2010 12:00 am

Zojirushi ED-BD15 Thermal Coffee Maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Excellent coffee maker for our family. We love the carafe. Easy to use and we do not have any problems with the paper cone filters. Works well and brews fast.

Louise on Tue, 3rd Aug 2010 12:00 am

Good coffee but -
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This coffee maker makes good coffee but – reports that the carafe does not keep the coffee hot are correct. Have tried using room temperature water and it does not help. But good coffee!

J. Williams on Wed, 4th Aug 2010 12:00 am

A delightful coffee maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
My wife and I were forced into finding a new thermal coffee maker after our 5+-year-old Krupps turned into a fire hazard by not shutting itself off. We ordered a Cuisinart DCC-1150BK and were disappointed by the taste and smell of burnt plastic in every cup of coffee. Fortunately, the Amazon.com return procedure makes it easy to return items — which we did. We then decided to spend an additional $15.00 and ordered the Zojirushi EC-BD15 thermal coffee maker, and what a delight it has turned out to be. You do have to fold over (or trim off) the Number 4 filters to get them to fit properly. Other than that little issue this machine makes great tasting coffee. The thermal carafe keeps the coffee piping hot for hours. We can’t recommend it highly enough.

C. Sanchez on Thu, 5th Aug 2010 12:00 am

Doesn’t last long but it’s a great coffee maker
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I’ve owned 2 of these already and the 2nd one just died. They seem to last about 1 1/2 years and then something goes out. But… in spite of that where else can you get a thermal coffee maker with a timer that isn’t a Black & Decker? I will eventually order my 3rd. Highly recommended, just don’t expect it to last forever.

For those of you who say that it suddenly stops brewing and you have to keep pressing start again. My 1st one did that when it was time to clean it. Our hard water was plugging it up. A run through with CLR cured it.

Richard Zeni on Thu, 5th Aug 2010 12:00 am

Easy to Use and Clean
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I have had this product for over a month and I have found it to be extremely user friendly and simple to clean. The major drawback is that the coffee dose not come out quite hot enough. Even if you pour a cup right after brewing, the coffee is more on the very warm side than hot. Another problem may be the height of the machine. It fits fine in my kitchen but if you have an older kitchen with low cabinets this may be a difficulty. However if you are looking for a very simple, time saving machine to operate and clean then this would be a good fit for you.

K. Wheeler on Sat, 7th Aug 2010 12:00 am

If I can’t have my Krups Aroma Control, the Zojirushi will do…
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I have been using this coffee maker for several weeks now since the “passing” of my beloved Krups Aroma Control coffee maker, which they apparently do not make any longer. Oh I cried for many days because I loved that coffee maker, it served me well for 10 years and I loved it so. It truly was the perfect machine for me. So I searched for days for a replacement and I have to say that the Zojirushi comes as close as I can find. It works almost the same as my old Krups but there are just a few things that are bothersome and that I wish I could change, which are:

The carafe: Its all stainless which is great, but it has a detachable cap which you need to put on to keep the coffee hot after brewing. However you also need to remember to take said lid OFF when you are ready to brew because it has already happened to me that I forgot one time and had 4 cups of cofee all over my counter and floor. Why do we need this extra little thing to remember is beyond me, my Krups had a lid that was retractable so when you brewed it pushed down and filled the carafe and then when you took it out it popped up and sealed the lid. The coffee stayed hot, no extra things to remember because really who can remember anything before you actually HAVE your coffee?

The lid and fill area: I was used to opening the lid to fill the water tank and then swinging open the basket to put my filter in. Two separate areas. With the Zoji you have one lid and you fill the water and the basket under that same lid and there is this little swing arm that you have to move twice – once to fill the water and then again to fill the coffee basket some times back again if you don’t get the order right. Again, this is just more STEPS that I don’t want to think that hard before I have my coffee. My Krups had no little swing arm, nothing extra to remember.

You can use #4 filters with it. Yes it takes a little wrangling because the filter holder is a little shorter, but #4s do work and I haven’t had any problems with overflow or anything. Its just a little more time to make sure everything is just so.

Other than these few minor issues, it really is the best I could find to compare to my old Krups. It brews quickly and makes a great cup of coffee. I would recommend it if you are looking for a thermal carafe coffee maker.

Howard E. Herndon Jr. on Sun, 8th Aug 2010 12:00 am

Disappointing
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Contrary to it’s claim, this coffeemaker will not accept a #4 filter. It is also very difficult to open and very difficult to center properly for the coffee to flow into the carafe. Also, the cap to the carafe has to be removed before making coffee. All of these drawbacks taken together make this one of the worst coffeemakers I have ever owned.

D. durkes on Sun, 8th Aug 2010 12:00 am

Good but breaks
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
Well, this coffee maker was as good as billed but there are some flaws. First, it is very tall so plan on having the vertical space available. More importantly, however, was that it just plain stopped working. Assuming this was a bad wire or something simple (it is a very simple machine in concept – boils water is all) I took the thing apart to find the problem. All wires were fine, there was nothing apparently wrong with it. I kept the carafe and junked the rest. This must have been a manufacturing problem so I got a good 4 months out of the thing and returned to my trusty Capresso.

Snow Girl on Mon, 9th Aug 2010 12:00 am

The best coffee maker!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The Zojirushi coffee maker makes delicious coffee, because it never cooks the grounds or the coffee. The water isn’t 212 when it hits the ground coffee, and there is no hot plate to burn the coffee as it drips or sits. The insulated, stainless steel carafe keeps the brew nice and warm. The coffee is ready in ten minutes after you push the button. When it finishes I rush to twist the carafe top open to the pour position to let steam out and I leave it open, believing that steam also cooks the coffee. This coffee tastes better than using the Melitta method, because with the Melitta set up, I tend to let the water boil before pouring. Boiling water cooks the coffee. Be sure to use fresh, good smelling beans! I haven’t seen any negatives about this pot. Even the #4 filter isn’t a problem, I just wet it and push it down a little bit. I put the water arm over the grounds myself rather than letting the lid do it. This is THE POT!

Thomas W. Ogden on Tue, 10th Aug 2010 12:00 am

Very good but not perfect
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I previously use a Black & Decker thermal carafe coffee maker and was pleased with it. I especially liked the flavor of coffee that was not scorched by being kept warm by a warming plate. Like everything, it eventually had to be replaced. A thermal carafe was the #1 requirement, eventually choosing the Zojirushi EC-BD15. Although taller, the BD15 utilizes less counter space and is easier to use than the B&D. My only complaint is that the B&D brewed coffee was warmer and stayed warm longer than the BD15 brew. I am going to try preheating the thermal carafe, that might make a difference.

K. Husemann on Wed, 11th Aug 2010 12:00 am

Newest coffee pot
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I purchased my new Zojirushi coffeemaker with a recommendation from a Consumer site. I had a thermal carafe coffeemaker for the last 10 years, and wouldn’t have anything else. When it started leaking, a bit, I started looking for a new one. It didn’t have the timer I wanted, so I purchased this new one. I love the ability to set it up the night before, and awaken to the wonderful smell of coffee. However, the correctly sized filters do not fit the basket without a little trimming, and the noise , especially at the end of the brewing cycle, is enough to wake up the whole house. Coffee is great, though!!!!! Probably won’t recommend it to anyone; but I’m not totally unhappy with it.

Melissa on Thu, 12th Aug 2010 12:00 am

Love it!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I am not one to usually submit a review, however, I feel inclined to do so for this purchase. Like others, I researched and researched before buying this coffee maker. I have had no problems with it so far and it has produced outstanding coffee. Also, the thermal carafe works amazingly well. I love iced coffee and put the whole carafe in the frig and 24 hours later, the coffee was just starting to turn cold. I couldn’t believe that after 6 or 8 hours in the frig, It was still steaming! Haven’t tried my gold tone filter in it yet, but it appears that it will fit once I remove the inner filter basket.

Steve Diamond on Sat, 14th Aug 2010 12:00 am

Tip for those who feel the coffee is too cool
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I’ve used the Zojirushi daily for about a month, and I’m generally very pleased with it. I have one caveat, which I’ll get to in a moment.

First, here’s a tip for those who are disappointed that the brewed coffee isn’t hotter. Don’t take the instruction booklet so literally. It says to fill the stainless steel carafe with cold water, pour the water into the machine, and place the carafe in the brewing position.

No on two counts. First, use room temperature water. It gives a better brew than cold water. And second, always scald the carafe by filling it with hot tap water, and emptying, before you place it in position. This makes the fresh-brewed coffee considerably hotter. I think the result will please anyone who doesn’t wish to burn their mouth.

Now the caveat. This is the one and only reason I don’t rate this machine 5 stars. It distributes the hot water over a rather small area in the center of the filter. This works very well indeed for up to five or six cups worth of ground coffee. But if you like your coffee strong, and you want to brew eight or ten cups at a time, you may find that it doesn’t scale up as well as you would like because it doesn’t consistently soak the coffee that’s above and beyond the center. In other words, you may have to use more than twice the coffee for eight cups as you would for four. It’s not a big problem in my household, where we usually brew four or five cups at a time.

Sheila on Sun, 15th Aug 2010 12:00 am

Zojirushi – Not Quite Right for Us
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
Although many like this coffee pot we did not. A #4 reusable gold filter wouldn’t fit so you have to use paper, the machine feels top heavy and not very well made and the water reservoir does not lift out for filling. We ended up sending this back and went with the Delonghi which we are VERY happy with!

Richard E. Johnson MD on Tue, 17th Aug 2010 12:00 am

Fine Carafe Coffeemaker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
My wife and I are coffee connoisseurs to at least a modest degree, and brew a drip pot of high quality beans unflavored, looking for the inherent aromas and complexities in the coffee. We were very happy with an old Melitta pot that finally failed, and tried several other brands to find one that would give an equally good cup. This one by Zojirushi has been just excellent right out of the box. It fits a reusable gold (Au) filter that we had perfectly, and drips the brew (we make down to 2 cups) into a large carafe that keeps the coffee very hot for a long time without additional heat. Flavor and temperature are excellent. For our tastes, coffee becomes unpleasant/undrinkable after sitting on a warming plate in most machines for less than 30 minutes. The Zojirushi’s coffee is good for hours afterwards. One SMALL caveat (definitely user error) – it overflowed when I mistakenly brewed with the lid turned 90 degrees to the “Open/pour” position rather than the “Closed/brew” position. Would buy another anytime.

Susan M. Moeller on Tue, 17th Aug 2010 12:00 am

thermos not as good as expected
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I purchased this coffeemaker based on all the glowing reviews.

It makes a fine cup of coffee, and very quickly, but if a good thermos

is important to you, forget this model. It keeps the coffee warm

only about an hour. My old Cuisinart GrindNBrew thermos was much

better.

Dan L. Nichols on Tue, 17th Aug 2010 12:00 am

Good Unit
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I have owned many coffee makers in my time. My last coffee maker was the Consumer Reports #1 rated Cuisinart DCC-1200 12-Cup Brew Central. It is still practically brand new but I can’t stand the burnt taste the burner gives the coffee … even with the plate temp set to low. Before that I owned the Braun Impressions thermal carafe. The Braun unit worked well but the auto off switch broke in about six months and the pause mechanism fell apart.

The Zojirushi EC-BD15 Fresh Brew Thermal Carafe makes a great cup of coffee! I need to let all of you know I may not be the connoisseur that so many are today. I grind beans the night before and set the pot to kick on at 4:45am. I like my coffee light and sweet plus I’m at the age where I do a 50% non-café to ward off the jitters. The insulated carafe does a great job at keeping the coffee hot and I don’t mind the lid at all; it works just like a thermos would. I took a star away only because of the brewing temp. I checked it at 185 at its hottest coming from the spray head. I use Reverse Osmosis water at room temperature. Because the coffee is waiting on me when I wake, I don’t have a chance to pre warm the Carafe.

The Zojirushi is mostly made of a light weight plastic like the Braun unit. I don’t necessarily view this as a bad thing in this price range as long as it holds up.

The coffee is very good and I recommend this product.

Update: I played around with preheating water in a microwave until I achieved brew temps of 205. It did make the coffee stronger, I must say. However, I liked the flavor of the coffee much better at 185. Since individual tastes are so widely subjective, I don’t wish to impose my opinion, just give a little different take for all to evaluate.

Update: 5-10-09 I am unbelievably happy with the taste of the coffee this unit makes. Also, the inside of the Carafe looks brand spanking new. I don’t know what they did to accomplish this but there is no brown staining like I saw with the Braun Carafe I formerly owned.

Bonnie Pallante on Thu, 19th Aug 2010 12:00 am

Superfast coffee!!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This is a wonderful coffee maker. I love the thermal carafe and coffee is made within 10 minutes. I also love that it is programmable. It does keep the coffee hot/warm for awhile but I still have to nuke mine sometimes. Great product!

dittyesq on Sat, 21st Aug 2010 12:00 am

Long-term assessment
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Five years after I bought it, my Zoji has just about died. Bad news for me. Good news for you because it inspired me to write about how well it performed over the long-term.

Basically, I’ve been pleased with the Zoji. I’d go so far as to say it was the best coffee maker I ever owned — if also the priciest. I experienced the overflowing problem a few times. Not enough to make me regret buying it. And that was the sum total of all the problems I encountered up until this week, when first the “auto” button broke, then the thing stopped perking about midway through the cycle.

Now I need a new one, but considering that my first lasted five years — I think it’s a fair bet my replacement will also be a Zoji.

Bobby Ray on Sun, 22nd Aug 2010 12:00 am

Great coffee maker, great coffee
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I read all the reviews and ordered this one with trepidation. It came out of the box and after the first rinsing brew, I loaded it up with some joe. I was pleasantly surprised by the ease of use. We’ve had it now over a month and I can honestly say we’ll never go back to glass carafe. There are no bugs with this very simple machine so far. It does not appear to have a lot of parts that would go bad.

Cheryl Deignan on Mon, 23rd Aug 2010 12:00 am

Great coffee and reliability!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have owned this coffee maker for five years. It has been dependable and consistently produced fine coffee. I love the fact that there is no warming up after it is brewed. The coffee stays hot in the supplied carafe for several hours after it is made.

I am about to order another one. I can’t find any other brand that is as reliable. (I’ve been making coffee for over 30 years!)

I can only hope that the new one is as good as the current one.

Daily Coffee Drinker on Mon, 23rd Aug 2010 12:00 am

Coffee Tastes OK but Maker Not Very Satisfying
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
We have used the Zojirushi EC-BD15 daily for a month or so. The coffee it makes tastes fine. However, the machine is too tall, it seems to be flimsy, it is not easy to pour in the water and see the measure at the same time, the coffee holder is too small for a #4 filter to fit into properly, the mechanism to pour from the thermal pot is inconvenient, and the removable top is in two parts, one of which will surely get lost soon. Having used the pot for a month, I would not purchase it again.

R. Macaulay on Wed, 25th Aug 2010 12:00 am

Works well, customer service is fine, lid still leaks
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
EDIT: 4/26/09: would review as 3 stars now. Well, the new lid started sucking in air today. Since the lid is hollow, it will get a pressure differential, resulting in air exiting the carafe lid through any sort of manufacturing defect. Then when it cools, it will suck the expelled air back in, along with any liquid near the hole, resulting in liquid in the carafe lid. The replaced lid is now doing the same thing the original lid did. I would now stay away from this brand. I will be making a customer service request again, will followup with any positive results.

This coffee maker is great. Keeps coffee hot as expected.

But the carafe screw lid on was leaking. When you finished and rinsed it out, I noticed that there was liquid trapped inside the lid. I went to their web site, simply emailed describing the problem, and I received a new lid about a week later for free. I did not have the 10$ shipping problem a prior poster had.

Based on that and the fact that it brews hot coffee, I have no issues with this.

C. Firman on Fri, 27th Aug 2010 12:00 am

Pleasently surprised
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I have had this coffee maker for one week. I replaced a very expensive “capresso” brand machine and also have had a very expensive cuisenart machine recently. This machine by far makes the hottest coffee and keeps it hot the longest of the 3 that we have had. It is not fancy and at first glance appears cheaply made but i have to say, so far i am impressed with it. For 90 dollars i think it is a good buy. Honestly, my main concern is the temp of my coffee and so far i am impressed. I hope it holds up well but at this point i would highly recomend this machine.

Christopher Lowe on Sat, 28th Aug 2010 12:00 am

It works great
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This product works good has no problems accept that a little coffee will stay in the lid but it will wash out thats it besides that the coffee stays hot all day long thanks.

jrg111 on Mon, 30th Aug 2010 12:00 am

Excellent machine for the price
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’m not a coffee snob yet, but I’m working on it! That said, I have recently begun a foray into the world of excellent coffee, which for me included purchasing my first real espresso machine, a very good burr grinder and many different varieties of green coffee beans to learn the art of home roasting. There are some great sites out there that you can educate yourself on, and I recommend anyone who has even a passing interest in enjoying coffee to its full potential to check them out.

I needed to replace my drip maker anyway, so after trying a few brands that I found locally, and being disappointed in the results, I started looking online. Unfortunately, the holy-grail of home drip machines, the Technivorm, is way out of my price range, so I needed a machine that was better than most, for a reasonable price. Enter the Zojirushi.

Coffee needs to brew in the 195-205 temp range, but most home units don’t get anywhere near that. I read that this unit did, and I can tell you what my results are from personal experience. I used two different digital thermometers, one a Polder and one an Accurite for my tests. When using very cold, fresh out of the tap, water (yes it’s filtered, told you I’m becoming a snob!)my brew temps were in the 195-200 range, depending on which thermometer you believe. When I used room temp water, my brew temps were in the 204-209 range. Proof-positive that the machine delivers on its brew temp promise.

I always pre-heat the carafe with hot tap water before brewing, and my temp readings of the fresh brew in the carafe was 177-179. I haven’t done a check of temp after any real length of time, because there’s never any left in the carafe for very long! I have poured a still piping hot cup an hour and a half after brewing. Perhaps I’ll do the temp test on that down the road.

As far as the #4 size filter issue that some reviewers mentioned. When I used a paper filter, it is a touch higher than the basket, but the brew head arm swings over top of the in place filter, and I had no issues concerning getting it to clear the top of the filter. I don’t know why others said this was a problem for them. Perhaps it’s the brand of filter. I used the Melitta brand. I also purchased a Medelco #4 permanent filter from Amazon at the same time, and it fits/works perfectly. It came shipped later than the maker which is why I bought the paper filters in the first place.

So far, the only thing wrong with the unit is the water level indicator. Other reviewers mentioned that theirs got stuck, and so did mine, like after the third or fourth use! No idea what the problem is, but the little float will not budge from the bottom. It’s no biggie, though, because you can see the water level through the side window on the machine.

The unit is easy to clean since the entire brew basket lifts right off. (the top steel part in the picture).

I have not had the issue of the carafe lid getting stuck on as others mentioned. I just don’t crank it down. In fact, I back it off just a hair before brewing. There are raised ridges all around the lid, so I would think you could get a good grip on it if need be. There is a carafe lid cover that can be used after brewing to help keep the coffee warmer longer, but I hardly use it since my coffee doesn’t sit around for long. Some mentioned that you cannot fit the carafe back into place on the machine while this lid cover is on, but mine fits just fine. Just don’t forget it’s on, or you’ll brew coffee all over the counter!

The unit is tall, but I’ve never had a maker that didn’t need to be pulled out from under the cabinet to fill with water, so that’s not an issue with me.

Overall, I really like this machine and its performance. I highly recommend it.

R. Frederick on Mon, 30th Aug 2010 12:00 am

Buy something else
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
It does make great coffee. Which is fine if you like slurping it off the counter. My unit leaks from the bottom sometimes. The “sneak a cup” mechanism jams open easily and jams closed sometimes as well. Both result in a mess. The carafe lid sometimes does not allow coffee to flow into the pot and it spills all over the place. I ended up having to remove the “sneak a cup” mechanism entirely and brew with the lid off to prevent spilling 3 cups of coffee on my countertops everyday. For the price this costs these flaws are simply unacceptable.

P. Phillips on Tue, 31st Aug 2010 12:00 am

Excellent Coffee Maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I researched this purchase thoroughly, as I was extremely frustrated with my Cuisinart Grind and Brew, and the too-frequent overflows onto my counter.

The features I needed were (1) thermal carafe, (2) automatic brew time setting, (3) no need for grind ability and (4) no reported overflow problems. The Zojirushi met all these criteria, and had only one negative – the #4 filters it requires have to be trimmed before use, as they are taller than the filter basket.

The quality of the coffee and ease of use more than overcome the few extra moments needed to trim the filter. I am extremely satisfied with this product and highly recommend it.

A. Lessard on Tue, 31st Aug 2010 12:00 am

Great functionally but not in flavor
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I scoured over the reviews on Amazon for the right coffee maker to replace the shoddy one that I had from college. The Zojirushi fit pefectly. There is an abundance of positive feedback from other customers. After receiving mine, I agreed with most of the positive feedback. It’s easy to use, cleans up easily, and makes a hot cup of coffee. I particularly was pleased with the Thermal Carafe, which was a feature I was looking for while shopping.

My problems arose from the coffee itself. After trying different beans and varied amounts, I could not make a strong cup of coffee. In fact, my wife and I agreed that the coffee had very little flavor at all. We decided to return this item because of the flavor.

For US$90 I should get not just a great functioning coffee maker, but also a great tasting cup of coffee as well.

Jere L. Hough on Wed, 1st Sep 2010 12:00 am

Replaced a Cuisinart – Am Happy
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After a little more than a year my Cuisinart 975 died. It’s a similar 12 cup stainless thermos model that was great til it began leaking like a sieve and their customer service was no help. So I decided to see what the Zoji could do. Glad I did. It has several advantages over the Cuisinart, and only the slightly smaller thermos size is a minor negative.

Pros: Great tasting coffee, but not really any better than the Cuisinart. I like the filter basket more, and the movable swing arm, and the lid opening. The basket closure is foolproof, making coffee spills impossible. (The Cuisinart closure was tricky, and if it wasn’t closed properly could result in a nasty mess. It’s less awkward filling the reservoir. The thermos opening is wider making cleaning easier.

Cons: The carafe lid requires a 180′ counterclockwise turn from the brewing position to the pouring position, and the black on black marks are hard to see. It can give those who aren’t familiar with it fits. But it seals the thermos well, and that is the secret to keeping coffee fresh and hot without a burner plate.

Bonus! The fairly expensive ($37) Cuisinart thermos WILL FIT and work just fine in the Zoji coffeemaker. So you won’t have to pitch the stainless carafe if you want to keep a second one for large gatherings.

M. Fitzgerald on Fri, 3rd Sep 2010 12:00 am

Great coffee maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This coffee maker is great and easy to use. The clock/auto timer is simple. Once the coffee is made I put away the machine and just leave the carafe on the counter. The coffee stays hot for hours. Great purchase.

Elizabeth W. on Sat, 4th Sep 2010 12:00 am

coffee maker review
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Functionally this works nicely and it is well designed but the coffee is a bit weak and lacking in character. We used to have a de Longhi that made really great coffee but this coffeemaker had some design flaws that resulted in the electronics getting soaked frequently. I can say now that I would probably prefer a coffee maker that is less reliable but which makes great coffee over one which produces coffee that lacks character. This is why I have tended to drive European cars too.

Clairette on Sun, 5th Sep 2010 12:00 am

“Easy going” and elegant coffee maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
A smart, simple and efficient coffee maker. Does not take a huge counter space. Easy to program. Good quality. The 10 cups is equal to 4 large filled cups.

Kendall Giles on Sun, 5th Sep 2010 12:00 am

Fresh, hot coffee all day
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
When I started my new job, I found myself getting into a routine — on my way in to the office I would stop by one of those coffee shops on the corner to grab a large cup of wake-up. This would last me until early afternoon, whereupon I would go again to get more coffee to see me through the rest of the day. Now, these coffee shops tend to serve good coffee, but you pay for the ambience, and after a while my routine started to lighten my wallet a bit too much.

In a search for alternatives, I tried carrying coffee with me from home, but the container was not large enough to see me through the entire day. So I decided to buy a small coffee maker, but, from past experience, I knew that most did not heat the water enough to make a good cup of coffee, and the burner on the bottom tended to scorch the coffee left sitting in the pot.

The Zojirushi EC-BD15 Fresh Brew Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker met and exceeded both of my criteria. The water is heated enough to make a really good cup of coffee — as good as I was getting in that coffee shop on the corner — and because it keeps the coffee in a thermal carafe, rather than using a burner, the coffee does not get burned. It is also safer not having a burner hot plate, since I don’t have to worry about accidently leaving the burner on when I leave the office at night.

The thermal carafe keeps the coffee hot for hours — at the end of the day my coffee is still hot enough, for me. It is also just the right size — when I finish drinking a carafe’s worth of coffee, I know it must be time to go home. I also like the stainless-steel cafe and coffee maker styling.

There are many more expensive coffee makers out there, but for the price, I have been very happy with the quality of the unit and the quality of the coffee it makes. Also, my productivity is up, and my wallet is happier too.

(review by Kendall Giles)

Ann Lawrence on Sun, 5th Sep 2010 12:00 am

Great coffee maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I did a lot of research before ordering this coffee maker, finally selected the Zojirushi as the best value and quality for a coffee maker with a thermal carafe. I had formerly had a Bunn coffee maker, which used up electricity keeping water hot all the time for the sake of quick brewing. That was my second Bunn and, to be honest, they both ran into trouble brewing correctly, sometimes leaked, and produced a pot of coffee that was not as hot as I would have liked. I was worried that I would find even more tepid coffee (and tea) with this thermal coffee maker. However, the beverages from these (I ordered two) are exactly as hot as I would like and remain so for at least a couple of hours. Even four to five hours later, I may pour a cup of tea. It usually needs a little warming at this point, but it also isnt’ burnt! Most of all, I am happy to not be using so much electricity. Not only am I not heating water all the time, but I’m not running a hot plate after brewing. My husband and I are both very happy with this purchase.

Robin M. Floyd on Mon, 6th Sep 2010 12:00 am

zojirushi makes good coffee
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I got my Zojirushi about a month ago and it has been a pretty good coffee maker. The thermal carafe keeps the coffee hot for a couple of hours and I would say warm for another 4 hrs. The coffee tastes great and the Zojirushi makes the coffee a lot faster then my old coffee maker. There are a couple of things that could be better but not deal breakers. The ball on the side that shows the amount of water you put in is slow at first so you have to pour the water in slower, which is really not a big deal. The other thing is that the filter size is a little smaller then the #4 filter so if you are looking for a medal filter basket to use instead of the paper filters all the time,the #4 size doesn’t fit and the smaller size is kinda hard to find.

Robert D. Kugel on Wed, 8th Sep 2010 12:00 am

A Good Value That Falls Short
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I gave this coffee maker a 3-star rating, although price adjusted I would give it 3 1/2 stars. There are three reasons it falls short for me. One is the relative clunkiness of the pre-brewing set-up process. The water feed must be shifted back to place a gold filter basket in place and then returned to the brewing posiiton. The second is the lack of a 1-4 cup setting. This is the feature which slows down the rate of water flowing during brewing so small batches don’t come out too thin. The third reason is a slightly cheap feel to the unit. In the end, I sent this one back and ate the cost of the return because I couldn’t face having to use it for several years. I wound up buying the Capresso, which is not without its flaws and is quite pricey. But for my taste, it’s makes better coffee and is a better value.

This coffeemaker replaced a Krups thermal carafe coffee maker that I used almost daily for 14 years. Like many people reviewing today’s choices of thermal carafe coffee makers, if the exact Krups model were available today, I would have bought that.

I much prefer the thermal carafe approach to a glass-pot-with-hot-plate design, especially since around my house we drink coffee at different times. I find the quality of the coffee after 10-15 minutes is far better than when it cooks on a heating element in a glass pot. The coffee stays warm enough for my taste for hours, especially if you swish hot water around in the carafe to warm it up before brewing.

Looking at some of the other reviews, I wonder if those unhappy with the temperature of their coffee are people who enjoy their brew at “see-you-in-court” scalding hot levels. If that’s you, either don’t buy a thermal carafe model or make sure you have a microwave handy to warm your cup of coffee up before drinking.

Betsy B on Thu, 9th Sep 2010 12:00 am

pretty good, not great
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
The Pros: nice looking appliance, easy to set up, easy to use, easy to clean. The filter basket is great – easy to lift out, easy to clean. No crevices or hard to reach areas where build-up can occur. It makes for a purer brew and eliminates the “mystery”. I like the water tank and the “shower head” – it’s impossible to put it in the wrong place, which would result in water being everywhere but in the pot.

The Cons: it’s hard to get used to brewing into a thermal carafe because I previously made the coffee into a glass pot and poured it into a separate thermal carafe. Now I have to wait to make the new batch because the carafe still has coffee in it. Not an issue if you are accustomed to keeping the coffee in the pot till you drink it. Also, the coffee does not seem to be as strong or stay as hot. I am using more coffee grounds per cup – there is no adjustment for the brew strength – and it seems I need to reheat my cup in the microwave (yuck) more than I did before.

Cassy T. Cady-smith on Sat, 11th Sep 2010 12:00 am

Not worth the money
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I purchased this product after lots of research. I wanted a coffeemaker that brewed a hot cup of coffee into a insulated carafe. I was very disappointed on how cheaply this coffeemaker is made. It fell apart after only four uses. All plastic pieces. It did make hot coffee and the carafe kept it hot for several hours. I was so disappointed that I returned it.

Joseph Garone on Sun, 12th Sep 2010 12:00 am

Good,But
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I must say that the coffee brewed is nice and hot and stays hot for a good while. The problems I ran into is that when the lid is tightened with hot coffee in the thermal carafe the lid becomes very heard for a person to remove due to expansion. Older persons with arthritic conditions might not be able to pour the coffee because the lid has to be loosened to pour. A more gripple lid would help solve this problem. Also the thermal carafe comes with a sort of plug that fits in the hole on top of the lid, so the coffee can fill the carafe when brewing. If you loose this plug the coffee does not stay hot as long. A closure built into the top might help solve this problem.

Frank M. Pafumi on Mon, 13th Sep 2010 12:00 am

Poor customer service-Zojirushi
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Received this coffee maker as a gift in Dec ’08. Carafe does not keep coffee hot for any length of time. Can feel warm spots on thermal carafe indicating poor qc on insulation. Manfacturer admits faulty product and will send a new carafe, but I have to pay the $10.00 shipping fee. I objected to the $10.00 but this “customer unfriendly” company ignored my objection.

I will NEVER purchase ANYTHING from this company because they failed to fully backed their product. I recommend buying American or from any another company that believes in customer service!

Biagio on Tue, 14th Sep 2010 12:00 am

Nearly Every Day for Four Years
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Bought this from Amazon in April 2005. At the time paid $49 for it. Hands down the best coffee maker we’ve ever had. I can’t compare it to other thermal coffee makers but it’s better than anything else we’ve had and we’ve had many over the years. It brews hot and stays hot. It’s easy to clean. We use it just about every day and sometimes 2-3 times a day if there’s company. We clean it about every 3 months and I know it should probably be more often but we get away with it. Only ever had one small problem and that was a couple times it didn’t completely finish the brew. It left about 2 cups of water not being put through and it would shut off. Well we cleaned it with vinegar and that took care of that. It was obviously overdue for the cleaning. I can’t say your experience will be the same but we would definitely buy another.

Duck Man on Tue, 14th Sep 2010 12:00 am

Weak Coffee Problem
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
There are Quality control problems with this maker. The coffee made started off medium strength (at best) and is now rapidly moving towards brown water. I have had the maker ~ 1 week. The filters don’t fit the basket and the carafe has a weird slow pour spout that is irritating. Apparently they are not made in Japan. It will be returned. Pass on this.

Angelo del Duca on Wed, 15th Sep 2010 12:00 am

Keeps coffee warm, doesn’t drip
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The coffee stays warm overnight (!) in the carafe, no kidding. Also it has a wide mouth for easy cleaning, and no drips when pouring. It has a small footprint on the counter, but make sure you have the clearance. (I measured the unit as 15 1/4″ tall.)

Liz on Wed, 15th Sep 2010 12:00 am

Excellent coffee maker!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve been on a quest for YEARS to find a coffee maker that brews delicious coffee and keeps it hot without making it bitter and I have found it! The Zojirushi is Awesome! I never leave comments about products I purchase, but felt the need to share the love on this one. I highly recommend this coffee maker!

A. Francisco on Fri, 17th Sep 2010 12:00 am

Perfection
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This product is easy to use, it looks stylish, and the coffee stays warm from the time it’s brewed (8am) until late in the afternoon. This is a huge benefit for my lifestyle. Yes, the cap is sometimes hard to get off but ONLY when screwed on too tight. Otherwise, no complaints. *easy to clean.

Bruce W. Graham on Sat, 18th Sep 2010 12:00 am

Fine coffee maker and without a couple of the problems noted by others
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This was a replacement for a Cuisinart that started leaking after a couple of years. Despite the comment made by “bev_from_RI”, this takes #4 cone filters, not #3. In fact, Melita doesn’t even make #3 filters. They are a tad taller than the basket, but I didn’t need to cut them down. This coffee maker has a pivoting spray arm that is supposed to move to the center of the basket automatically when the lid closes after you fill it with water, but it tends to hang up on the filter, so move it by hand after filling the resevoir…don’t count on the “automatic” pivoting mechanism. Other than that, it’s fine. Yes, the lid flips up rather than out, so you’ll need to slide the maker out from underneath the cabinet to fill it with water, but I do that anyway and only store the maker under the cabinet when I’m done with it for the day. The carafe does a fine job retaining heat.

PD on Sun, 19th Sep 2010 12:00 am

Great IF/WHEN it works
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
My Zojirushi coffee maker stopped working yesterday. I bought it 11/12/08 from Amazon — that’s less than 3 months. It simply will not brew although the ON button is pressed. I am going to try taking it to a service center. There are many reviews that say this same thing happened — this machine has a problem. But when it works, it brews quickly and the coffee stays very hot in the carafe. We just haven’t had coffee for 2 days now.

C. works on Mon, 20th Sep 2010 12:00 am

Coffee maker
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
We like the coffeemaker fine. None of the problems in the reviews we read are really that problematic. I was surprised that the coffeemaker itself is made of pretty light-weight plastic. It doesn’t have the quality feel that my Barista or the Cusinart coffeemakers have. Only time will tell whether it will hold up to the others. The coffee is fine though. I don’t love the lid with plastic topper but can live with it. I would still prefer to have a Barista like my last coffeemaker if they were still making them. It was awesome.

Daisy G on Tue, 21st Sep 2010 12:00 am

excellent product
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Zojirushi EC-BD15 Fresh Brew Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker I ordered this product after seeing both good and not so good reviews, the good outweighed the bad. I have been extremely pleased with the coffee maker, the coffee stays hot for a long time, warm after 6 or 7 hours, and the automatic timer allows me to have hot coffee waiting for me when I wake up. It is easy to clean and program. I would recommend this product to anyone. Jane G

C. sullivan on Tue, 21st Sep 2010 12:00 am

overflow and underheat
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
i guess these coffee makers are luck of the draw because the one i got seems to overflow 50% of the time and the coffee doesnt stay hot. this is NOT for people who want to set the pot and forget about it because if it overflows it just keeps going. the filters have to be packed down dilligently as the lip of the filter tends to be pushed down by the how water arm as it swings across the top. this ofcourse tends to make it overflow.

i would not buy this again

Bernie on Tue, 21st Sep 2010 12:00 am

Not Bad but Seems Cheaply Constructed
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
This thing makes decent enough coffee, that’s more or less hot, but it’s construction quality leaves something to be desired. I ordered it but after receiving it I decided that it just might not last very long due to it’s cheap plastic construction and returned it. The Lid on the Zojirushi is impossible to open with your bare hands after you’ve brewed a pot of coffee so unless you want to reach for a hand towel every time you want to pour yourself a cup of coffee do yourself a favor and skip it.

Instead, I ordered the Capresso 441.05 MT-500 Plus 10-cup Coffeemaker with Metallic Alloy Body and Stainless Thermal Carafe and the difference is like night and day!

The Capresso makes “burn your lip” hot coffee that’s silky smooth and delightful. The construction of the Capresso is FAR superior to the Zojirushi as well. Comparatively, it’s built like a tank and is aesthetically FAR more pleasing to the eye!

I would STRONGLY recommend springing for the extra $100.00 and getting a Coffee maker that will last for a few or more years and that makes INCREDIBLY delicious coffee too. Combine it with the Capresso 560.01 Infinity Burr Grinder, Black like I did and you’ll be in Coffee heaven!

The Zojirushi is an acceptable coffeemaker but for a 100 [...] more you can really take a step up that you surely won’t regret!

Jimmy C. Davis on Wed, 22nd Sep 2010 12:00 am

Good but not Great
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Has all the functionality of a good coffee maker as stated in many of the reviews. However the main points that leave it lacking are the screw in top for the carafe which is difficult to remove and painful to use. Must be careful when pouring coffee because hot liquid will come out the spout of the carafe and also the top. I wanted a thermal carafe to avoid burnt coffee, however the top does not seal the coffee in the carafe, it has a separate cover which to place over the top cover to reduce temperature loss. This is a poor design in my opinion. Overall, I think for the money it is a pretty good coffee maker. It is very good at what it does and the coffee will be perfect every time.

Jon H. Lehmann on Fri, 24th Sep 2010 12:00 am

Simply Great Coffee Maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have had this coffee maker for over a year now with absolutely no problems. It makes great coffee that stays hot in the carafe all day, no more scorched coffee for me. You fire up a batch early morning and drink it all day.

It uses #4 filters, all you have to do is scrunch them in good and tight, no big deal.

If you are anxious for your first cup you can take out the carafe mid-brew and it doesn’t leak. Just remember to line up the two dots on the screw-on carafe lid and coffee pours out like crazy, if they are not lined up it just kind of piddles out.

The carafe is hard to clean the insides, the opening is too small for your hands to get in so you have to use a brush or just stick it in the dishwasher, which works great.

The other drawback is that it is tall, so I have to pull it out from under the kitchen cabinets to fill it up. If you have low cabinets or narrow counters this could be a major hassle.

I got tired of the ubiquitous $30 coffee makers that start scorching your coffeee as soon as it is brewed and then inexplicably cease to function after a few months so I researched and bought this one – do the same and you will be a happy camper.

A. Boston on Sun, 26th Sep 2010 12:00 am

Finally, delicious coffee.
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
For about 5 or 6 years I’ve been living with my old proctor silex coffee maker that I’ve had since I had roommates in my early 20′s. It worked fine, but the coffee was sub par. My boyfriend very rarely would drink coffee from it, saying it was gross. He would rather go out in the cold to dunkin’ donuts or starbucks. So I read up on a lot of different coffee makers and this was the one I choose.

I wanted to have the steel carafe instead of the hot plate with a glass carafe. My 2nd cup of coffee was always burning with the hot plate version, and wasting electric at the same time. With this, getting it set up has a couple more steps then the regular style coffee pot, but I think it’s worth the trouble because my 2nd cup is as good and hot as the first.

You obviously do the regular things, fill with cold water, put coffee grounds in filter. But for this, you also should put very hot water in the carafe to get the steel warm for a minute or two before starting your pot of coffee. This ensures that your coffee will still be at least warm bordering on hot at, say 2pm when you brewed at 8am. Seriously, that was the case yesterday. Usually from 8am-11am is when I have my two cups, and at 11 is still quite hot.

I like dark roasts and this makes delicious coffee. I sometimes will treat myself to getting the self serve whole beans in the grocery store and grinding them at home, and since I got this one for Christmas, I haven’t stopped doing that because I can finally enjoy the coffee with this coffee maker making it!

A couple of cons or things I wasn’t thrilled about:

- If you have your coffee maker tucked under a cabinet like I do, you have to pull it out to put water and coffee grounds in and then push it back, because the entire top lifts up instead of anything swinging out.

- The water reservoir definitely holds more water then the carafe, so make sure you fill the carafe, not just randomly put water up to the 10 cup line. If you make the mistake I did, just filling the reservoir, the coffee overflows and makes a mess.

- If you have a large family or more then 2 people that drink coffee, this might not be for you. If we’re both home, we each get 2 cups out of a full pot, his being a smaller cup then mine. So 2 small and 2 large. This works great for us but will hinder you during times of a dinner party or large family.

- lastly this isn’t a brand I had heard of, so I really went on research and reviews vs. trusting a brand. It’s not as heavy duty as I expected in the body part of the coffee maker. It’s pretty thin plastic. So far so good, but it was just something I noticed.

I’m still absolutely excited about this coffee maker and look forward to my coffee every morning. I would without a doubt repurchase it!

If you by chance have an awesome asian market near you(we have a couple in the Boston area), I recently saw one of these for 69.00 which is a amazing deal for this coffee maker.

UPDATE 9/09: I love this coffee maker even more then I did when I reviewed it. Get this…I made coffee at night, then put the carafe in the fridge so I could have iced coffee in the morning. I went to make my iced coffee, and it was still steaming hot. It was in the fridge overnight!! Now I just remove the lid if I want it to be cold before putting it in the fridge. But I thought that was pretty impressive. I also started using the timer more often. I am a zombie in the morning, so I need coffee first thing. Instead of stumbling around getting it together, I just program the time(VERY easy to figure out without the manual) and hit the auto button. Fantastic.

E. Scully on Mon, 27th Sep 2010 12:00 am

save your money!
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
They are out of their minds charging as much as they do for this piece of cheap junk. It does NOT brew hot coffee that stays hot. I’m pretty mad that I took a chance on this expecting so very much more. My old old Genvalia is far superior to this horrid machine. The Zoji looks pretty and the tag lines which describe it are slick and enticing but really – if you know coffee and appreciate it as much as I do – you will steer clear of this Chinese machine. I’m also wondering if the plastic is poisonous. No way of knowing is there? Save your ducets or buy a microwave with the Zoji because you are going to need it. Man am I ticked!

Mrs. Lynn A. Tramonte on Tue, 28th Sep 2010 12:00 am

Very disappointed — coffee goes cold fast
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
It’s true that the coffee is kept hot in the pot as others claim, but the problem is once it’s out of the pot. Even coffee poured right after brewing quickly gets cold. I can’t explain it, but it’s true, and it makes this purchase very disappointing. Also, the lid for the carafe is uncomfortable and difficult to turn every time you want a refill.

Mrs. Lynn A. Tramonte on Tue, 28th Sep 2010 12:00 am

Billsbox on Tue, 28th Sep 2010 12:00 am

love it
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Very easy to use

Keeps the coffee warm for a long time

The controls are a little confusing if all you want to do is just make a cup of coffee without setting up advanced timing, but you get used to it.

Easy to pour.

I like it. It’s the second one that I’ve bought.

Billsbox on Tue, 28th Sep 2010 12:00 am

George W. Holley on Thu, 30th Sep 2010 12:00 am

Works Great
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This coffee maker has proved to me that the temperature of the coffe during brewing makes a difference. It brews hot, stays hot and tastes great. some have mentioned the controls on the side, but I just look at it as having a side-mounted brew station.

The only change I would suggest is that there should be a slot to sore the cap that plugs the inlet where the coffee enters the pot. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, the coffee comes out of the filter cup into the pot through a hole in the top of the pot. That hole does not close when the pot is removed. There is an extra little cap that you use to plug the hole. There is no place to store that cap while the coffee is brewing. It tends to get lost on the counter top. (I’ve drilled a small hole in the cover of the brewer. The plug in the small cap snaps into the hole and keeps the cap handy.)

Peggy Faletti on Fri, 1st Oct 2010 12:00 am

Zojirushi EC-BD15
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The reviews about this product convinced me to buy it. It does keep the coffee HOT.

Charmsfan on Sun, 3rd Oct 2010 12:00 am

Zojirushi Coffee Maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I love this coffee maker. The carafe keeps the coffee hot without that nasty taste that I used to get after my old glass one sat on a burner to stay hot. This cofee maker looks nice on my counter and works great!

WLR on Mon, 4th Oct 2010 12:00 am

Zojirushi 10 cup coffee maker – not all it was hyped to be
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
Researched this product pretty well, and it got high marks – even on Consumer Reports. Bought to replace Cuisinart 12 cup thermal, which was the second one of that model I had. Cuisinart just stopped working – first one was returned for a new one but I couldn’t find the paperwork when the second went after about 6 months so I decided to try something else. Didn’t need one that grinds beans, did want the thermal carafe, wanted another 12 cup, and one that didn’t seem to take up much counter space. The Zojirushi seemed to need twice as much coffee as the Cuisinart to make it strong enough. The carafe didn’t keep the coffee as warm for as long. Top hard to put on and remove. No indication – a light or noise – when coffee was done. Separate issue – purchased from VeryAsia thru Amazon. My fault I didn’t notice that their return policy is very strict and they only take back items that have not been used at all. I erroneously assumed because of the price, the company would want their customers to be completely happy with their purchases. Guess not. So I boxed up the Zojirushi and will store in my garage – went out an bought another Cuisinart and the Zojirushi can be used in the interim if and went the new Cuisinart stops working and I have to go out and get another one. I don’t even want to give it as a gift.

NyxChik on Mon, 4th Oct 2010 12:00 am

Highest rating
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This was a Christmas gift- he absolutely loves it and asked that I give it ‘the highest rating’

comma on Tue, 5th Oct 2010 12:00 am

Not that impressed
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
It’s hard to rate this on its own merits. I had a cuisinart for three years and keep comparing this coffee maker to that one.

The Zojirushi’s thermal carafe is smaller than I would have liked and its very cumbersome to open- maybe once its broken in a little more it will be easier. There is this weird little “cap” that I assume goes in the top to help keep the coffee warm- it doesn’t work very well because the coffee wasn’t as hot as my Cuisinart (that stayed scalding hot almost all day). I’m not crazy about having another “thing” to wash and store and otherwise keep track of. It didn’t come with a manual…warranty info…just the coffee maker. And the box was torn open inside the Amazom shipping box. Not just a little tear- the whole side was torn from the top to the bottom (didn’t anybody notice when they packed it?). It does look nice and is apparently easy to program and use- I did it without the benefit of an instruction manual. Will buy another Cuisinart.

Eco-Friendly Feng Shui Practitioner on Wed, 6th Oct 2010 12:00 am

A Good Machine
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I bought my Zojirushi machine a month ago and so far so good. (I say this as my husband and I seem to have bad coffee machine karma, always breaking them.) I gave it 4 not 5 stars because the coffee filter area is a little difficult to use. Filter has to be tangled with a bit to get it in and the arm that dispenses water has to be moved away and then back to position.

Makes good tasting coffee. One warning–there is a cap on top of pot that must be removed before brewing. It gets put on after coffee is made to keep it hot. Sounds obvious, but I screwed up and had it on (fortunately for only a minute) the first pot I brewed.

Jonathan C. Rea on Wed, 6th Oct 2010 12:00 am

Fantastic Coffee Maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Just got this for Xmas, it is a great coffee maker. No more replacing glass carafes, I manage to break one a year cleaning them. The coffee stays warm for hourse in the steel carafe and the burnt taste that comes with keeping coffee on a burner is no longer an issue. Makes a great tasting cup of coffee, sorry Starbucks and Peets.

Katlady on Fri, 8th Oct 2010 12:00 am

Cheap! Cheap! Cheap!!
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I am SO disappointed with this coffee maker!! I was really looking forward to getting this so when it showed up at 6:30pm I said I was making a pot! Taking it out of the box I found a cheap plastic machine, but didn’t want to jump to any conclusions until the coffee was made. Well, I couldn’t open the carafe to get the coffee out and it took me about 4-5 mins to drain the contents . I am really shocked at all the rave reviews that were listed for this maker. My FREE Gevalia maker makes this look like a Wal-Mart special! I’m going to be shaking my head on this one for some time.

klyph on Sat, 9th Oct 2010 12:00 am

Great Design Good value
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I have thus far been very impressed. This machine replaces my Delonghi thermal carafe, which I disliked due to several design flaws that made it hard to pour and caused the basket to overflow many times. I think this was due to the valve at the bottom of the basket being too restrictive. The Zoji has a much larger valve allowing the basket to drain more freely. It still brews slowly by percolating into the basket at a steady even rate. The removable “shower head” wets the grounds evenly and is easy to remove/clean. The Zoji is a very good design and can brew with the lid up allowing you to watch it work. I put a thermostat in the basket and it read ~195° throughout the brew cycle. The coffee came out at the perfect temp. and it was strong and bold, just as I had measured it to be. The carafe is a good design, keeps the coffee hot (I just poured a cup 3 hours after brewing, and it is hot, not warm). The carafe does not drip down the side like my Delonghi used to. My only dislikes are that you have to tip the carafe almost horizontal before it begins pouring, and it pours very slowly. This is somewhat annoying when filling a thermos. If you remove the lid completely, it seems to work alright (Not a major issue). Also the unit is mostly plastic and feels a tad flimsy compared to the full stainless Delonghi. On the other hand, it cost about 70 dollars less than the Delonghi and works much better. Hopefully it holds up for the long haul, because so far it has exceeded my expectations.

Christine Bradshaw on Sun, 10th Oct 2010 12:00 am

We love it!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This coffee maker is the best . . . it keeps the coffee warm for hours and makes really good coffee. We like everything about it.

D. Leech on Tue, 12th Oct 2010 12:00 am

My Experience
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Made one mug of coffee, which was fine and the next time I used it water leaked profusely from the measuring gauge. Thus I cannot recommend this machine.

M. L. Asselin on Thu, 14th Oct 2010 12:00 am

Small Design Flaws Mar Good Coffee Maker
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
We finally had to replace our several years-old Krupps AromaControl Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker and turned to Amazon. Looking for a machine under $100, we settled on this Zojirushi. The good news is that it makes and keeps good, hot coffee. There are some minor design flaws or inconveniences that the buyer should be aware of before purchasing:

**The filter size is No. 3 (hard to find); No. 4′s can be scrunched down to work.

**The water arm under the lid requires that the user move it out of the way to change the coffee filter.

**When adding water, the water level indicator, which is on the right side of the machine, lags a bit, making it easy to miss one’s mark.

**One must be careful to line up the coffee carafe with the machine to avoid spilling coffee coming out of the filter.

**The screw lid is very difficult to turn! It sometimes takes a bit of elbow grease, and the non-skid grooves can then be a bit hard on the fingers.

**There is a separate cap that would be easy to lose because it must be removed during brewing.

Our old Krupps had none of these problems. We’re living with our Zojirushi, though the far more expensive Braun KF600 Impressions Coffee Maker now looks all the more appealing.

D. Stein on Fri, 15th Oct 2010 12:00 am

Very good coffee…major flaw
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Had this for years. Filters impossible to find (#3). Makes very good coffee, but where it drips through gets easily clogged (although washed after each use) and then the coffee overflows from the filter as it’s being made. We got sick of cleaning coffee and grounds off the counter and floor and bought a Cuisinart. Too bad – really liked the coffee.

David Paltanavich on Sat, 16th Oct 2010 12:00 am

Good coffee, but a poor design
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I bought this coffee maker about three weeks ago. It brewed a good cup of coffee and the coffee stayed warm in the carafe for a long time. However, I returned the coffee maker because the carafe lid was just too hard to open and close. Opening and closing the carafe was like struggling with a difficult jar lid. There were two other design flaws that annoyed me as well, but were not necesserily “deal breakers”. (1)There is an arm on the coffee maker that must be moved into position before brewing. This arm extends over the coffee basket. Because the #4 filters are slightly larger than the coffee basket it requires a little extra effort to move the arm into place and keep the filter positioned properly. (2)The controls were inconviently placed on the side of the machine

William R. Kees on Sun, 17th Oct 2010 12:00 am

Zojirushi Coffe Thermal Carafe
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Used the product for two weeks and quality of the coffee is acceptable but encountered an unwelcomed surprise this morning—freshly brewed coffee on the counter, floor, drawers and behind the frig. Seems that the carafe lid and the valve in the grounds holder will no longer stay aligned.

Whitey Chillicothe on Sun, 17th Oct 2010 12:00 am

It’s OK for its Price
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
The Good: Coffee is brewed quickly, tastes fine, and it stays hot.

The Bad: It doesn’t pour well. The lid is crazy and hard to line up. The #4 filters the mfg. recommends have to be cut down because they’re too tall. The Bunn stainless steel pour-over is a much better coffee maker but it’s also twice the money.

Twila J. Blackowiak on Mon, 18th Oct 2010 12:00 am

Poor Design
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Thermal? Even with the extra little cap provided, the stainless steel pot keeps coffee hot about 2 hours. We had a glass thermal coffee pot before which kept the coffee hot for at least 4 hours. The lid is hard to tighten,has ridges that are very uncomfortable to turn and it’s hard to tell if you have it on tight. When you pour, you can only tip it so far or it spills all over. It looks very stylish on my kitchen counter, but that’s the only thing I like. I wish I had my old coffee pot back, but they don’t make it anymore.

C. dupuis on Tue, 19th Oct 2010 12:00 am

I like the insulated carafe!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Be sure you buy the BD15 vs 17. This is the height of the unit and the 17″ will not fit under most US upper cupboards. The carafe does keep the liquid hot for 12 hours as advertised. I don’t know why people rate the turn top as difficult to loosen. You don’t have to screw it down so hard-dah! I am a scuba diver and you learn to tighten the knob and then back it off just slightly…this can be true for many things in life! I switched to this type of maker because I am tired of a glass carafe which has no insulatory capacity and also breaks very easily. Buy it!

Mander on Thu, 21st Oct 2010 12:00 am

This Thing Stinks
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Just packed up my second one to be returned. I never even got to the point of making coffee. Both units leaked water out of the main tank, and not just a little. The first one leaked so bad that I had several cups of water on the counter before I dumped it back out and this was while I was trying to put coffee in the filter. Don’t waste your time.

Loyal Amazon Shopper on Fri, 22nd Oct 2010 12:00 am

Zojirushi Better Than Braun Thermal
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have the Braun KF 600 and it stopped working after a few months so I purchased the Zojirushi and was pleasantly surprised. The Zojurishi brews a better, faster pot of coffee and keeps it hotter in the thermal carafe much longer than the Braun. It is also half the price of the Braun. It is rare that you find find a better product at a lower price, but the Zojirushi fits the bill. I am pretty picky about my coffee maker and I am very impressed by this product.

W. Kalfur on Sun, 24th Oct 2010 12:00 am

Not Good For Less Than Full Pot
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
This coffee maker is fine if you make a full pot. The optimal brewing temp is 200 degrees and this one comes close at 180-185 degrees. The problem is there is no setting for making less than a full pot. The ideal brew time is 6 min, so with half a pot, the brew time is about 3 min, resulting in weak tasting coffee.

Sunshine on Mon, 25th Oct 2010 12:00 am

Great coffee!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have used our coffee maker for about 2 weeks now and we love it! We buy the number 4 filters(Tops band) and it fits fine. When I don’t use the timer, I usually like to rinse the carafe with hot water first, before I start to brew. It keeps the coffee hotter for longer. Best coffee maker that I have ever purchased.

dad on Wed, 27th Oct 2010 12:00 am

Very pleased
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
1. Brews Quickly

2. Makes great tasting coffee

3. Coffee stays great tasting and hot for long time, hours.

4. No difficulty with lid or pouring or filling or anything…it’s a coffee maker afterall.

‘Nuff said.

Daniel J. Greenwald on Thu, 28th Oct 2010 12:00 am

Coffee maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The coffee brewed in the Zojirushi is definitely superior to the same coffee beans brewed in a mass market coffee maker

C. Suit on Sat, 30th Oct 2010 12:00 am

I like this
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I really do find this coffee maker to be of a good quality.I have had it for a few weeeks now and it makes the coffee within approximitly 3-4 minutes.It carafe keeps it hot for several hours,and it pours well.I have had many types including bunn and I find it works as well as a bunn.the part you put the coffee in instead of it just swinging open to the side it has to be lifted off on on side to make the other side swing open,thats a little inconvienent,but I also know over a period of time if it wasn’t made like that a leaking dissater could occur.So I would reccomend the coffee maker.The other draw back is its made in China I wasn’t aware of that.

loce_the_wizard on Mon, 1st Nov 2010 12:00 am

Zojirushi field report number 320
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Here is field report number 320 on the Zojirushi Fresh Brew Coffee Maker and its stainless steel vacuum insulated carafe. We have been using one of these impossible-to-pronounce-its-name coffee makers for 11 months. The news so far, for the most part, is so good, but a few quirks and issues might merit a brief recounting.

The carafe does keep the coffee warm for longer than I typically want to be drinking coffee, so no issues there. Now the stainless steel part has me wondering a bit as the inside of my carafe looks like it has had coffee inside it for the better part of 11 months. Maybe I need to attack it with some sort of denture cleaner to bring back the gleaming silver one typically associates with stainless steel.

The coffee maker works fine provided the coffee is not too to finely ground, the filter does not collapse in the basket, and top for the carafe is placed correctly. A lava-like river of coffee and grounds dripping from the kitchen counter, splattering onto the floor, and meandering to hard-to-reach spots (e.g. under the refrigerator) is not the best start to the day. On the plus side, I put in the filter without the concave filter holder a couple of times and not been punished for my oversight as the Zojirushi somehow worked its magic anyway.

Humans no doubt were involved in placing the tiny buttons for programming the timer and setting the clock. Clearly, those responsible must have very tiny fingers. Doubling the size of said buttons would be a great thing. And those same humans thoughtfully set up the timer and clock so that these controls only go forward. If you want to have your coffee ready and waiting for you an hour earlier tomorrow than you did today, you have to advance the timer 23 hours ahead instead of just moving it one hour back. At least those humans got the lift out basket for the filter and the filter holder right–it is easy to remove and clean.

Our Zojirushi does seem a bit flimsy and is no thing of great beauty though the black and stainless steel components seem timeless enough. But at 6:00 a.m. all I am looking for is a cup of strong, hot coffee. My wife typically rises about an hour after me, and on weekends, we tend to reverse the schedule. Having coffee that does not taste burned, stale, or bitter waiting is a good thing. Zojirushi is our solution.

49 coltsofsteel on Wed, 3rd Nov 2010 12:00 am

Broken in 4 monthes
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
We purchased this product with high expectations. Let me say, the coffee is delicious and stays hot for around 8 hours in the carafe. We couldn’t be happier until it suddenly stopped working.

We contacted customer service, who sent us a cleaning solution. Unfortunately this did not fix our problem either. Their solution now is for us to spend money to ship the coffee maker to a third party for repair.

It seems to us that since this product broke after just 4 months, Zojirushi should really take it upon themselves to repair the coffee maker at no further cost to us. I strongly disagree with asking a consumer to continue to shell out money when the product is defective.

Be cautious buying this product. We are very disappointed in the customer service Zojirushi has offered to us.

Arcadia on Wed, 3rd Nov 2010 12:00 am

Coffee stays hot for hours
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After returning the Capresso we tried the Zojirushi. Wow it is so much better! Coffee stays hot and fresh for a LONG time. The fill-line indicator is easy to see. It does take a smaller #3 filter but we push a #4 paper filter in with no ill effects. The only negative is that it is difficult to get a good grip on the carafe cover because it is flat and fairly smooth.

STOAK on Thu, 4th Nov 2010 12:00 am

The Devil You Know
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I am buying my second Zojirushi now. I have had this coffee maker for about 3 years (maybe quite a bit more even). I have had most of the problems mentioned in reviews here. Most are minor. It is now making me push the brew button 2 to 5 times to finish brewing the pot. I guess after the length of time I have had it I will not complain too much although I think I am starting to get a lot of pleasure griping about it in the mornings (when your first cup of coffee is screwed with in the morning most of the days problems seem minor and if this observation does not make me take myself less seriously nothing will).

The head of QC at a quality coffee company recommended this coffee maker to me. I will take her word on the quality of the brew because her palette is certainly more skilled and learned than mine. I will say that I have never had a complaint that a different coffee did not fix (the flavored stuff the in-laws bring kills me). A warning though; I try to be a coffee snob but I am only fair to middling at it. I don’t know much about water temperature or coffee acidity. I am told that I like good coffee though (I am confused though – isn’t good coffee the stuff you like?).

I won’t highly recommend or warn anyone away from this coffee maker. After reading the reviews on all the coffee makers on Amazon I will just stay I am sticking with the devil I know.

A. Armani on Thu, 4th Nov 2010 12:00 am

Best coffee maker!!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is actually the second one I now own – not because the first one was defective in any way, but because the first one is great. The first one, my husband and I received as a wedding present. We have had that one over 2 yrs now, and it is still working great, after constant use. Nothing has yet to break, unlike my many of my previous coffee makers, and it is very easy to clean – the main parts (the decanter, coffee holder basket) pop right out. To clean the whole system, you just make a pot of white vinegar (not really, but you get the point), which is brainless and cheap! No expensive cleaning solutions or anything. And the decanter is virtually indestructible – we have dropped it on virtually every floor in our house.

This new one is now at my office where it also gets a lot of use – multiple pots a day which are drank by both myself and my co-workers.

As other people have commented, the coffee stays hot for hours (it even stayed fairly warm overnight once), and the coffee maker is really easy to use. And you can stop the “making” process mid-drip process, which is also nice, especially at 7am. And the timer is also nice (as long as you remember to set it)… The coffee also comes out with out that burnt flavor and even after it sit in the decanter for hours, it doesn’t taste burnt, because it isn’t sitting on a heater.

D. Savage on Sat, 6th Nov 2010 12:00 am

Two Thumbs Up – Makes Very Good Coffee
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I’m very pleased with this coffee maker so far. Makes a smooth tasty cup of coffee, and stays very warm in the carafe. It is attractive and seems well made. If it lasts, I will be very happy. Didn’t give it five stars because it is still new, and too soon to know if it will maintain current level of performance.

rxmom on Sun, 7th Nov 2010 12:00 am

ok but …..
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Purchased this coffee maker in Nov. 07. Worked great for 6 months and then stopped working. Water would not go through the maker. Called customer service who stated that I could return it for repairs at any of there service places (which I did). Now 2 1/1 months later, still no coffee maker. Repair shop wants $15 to ship it back. Zojirushi said they contacted the repair shop and told me I would get it back free of charge. Well still no coffe maker. I believe I will never get it back. Its a good coffee maker, but I’m not willing to shell out another $90 for a pot that will only last 6 months.

rxmom on Sun, 7th Nov 2010 12:00 am

Sixten Otto on Mon, 8th Nov 2010 12:00 am

Not perfect, but very good
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
It was finally time to replace our old 10 cup Braun coffeemaker, and after doing a bit of research we went with this model. I wasn’t quite prepared to shell out $2-300 for one of the really fancy carafe machines. We’re very pleased.

There are some flaws. I’m not a big fan of the design of the lid and drip arm (separate lids for the water reservoir and basket would have been better). The lid of the carafe would be hard for my arthritic grandmother to manage, and feels a little cheap.

But overall, the coffee is really good, and the flaws are just occasionally distracting. I’d definitely recommend this machine to others looking for a good value.

Kelli McCurnin on Tue, 9th Nov 2010 12:00 am

Not too good
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I guess I must be a bit of a coffee snob but this coffee makers, richness and fullness when processing the coffee lacks a lot. The temperature of the coffee is a little hotter than Warm.

After reading the reviews I decided on this one but I think I will send it back. I am used to my Barista from Starbucks and this one just doesn’t cut the mustard.

I am so glad I didn’t sell my Barista I will just deal with it tempramental disposition and enjoy great coffee

K. Brennan on Wed, 10th Nov 2010 12:00 am

Generally favorable with one excepton
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
We have had the coffeemaker–or the similar, earlier model–for over one year and we are generally pleased with its performance. The one negative, it terms of making great coffee, is that when the water is sprayed into the coffee grounds it does so only in the center of the cone. It takes much more coffee grounds to make a strong cup than if the spray wand was dispersing the water over a greater surface area of coffee. Often when finished there is a small dip in the grounds where the water was concentrated.

A. Gregorio on Wed, 10th Nov 2010 12:00 am

Great for One Year then Not So Great
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
We’ve had this coffee maker for a little over a year now and I thought it necessary to write a follow up review. For the first year or so this coffee pot was great. It brewed consistently good coffee and kept it warm (not hot) in the insulated carafe as promised.

However after a year of use the coffee pot is really sluggish when brewing and automatically shuts off in 15 minutes. So unless you watch to be sure it is actually done brewing you will only be helping yourself to a cup or two rather than a whole pot of coffee. This is REALLY annoying. I have cleaned the machine many times running h20 and vinegar through but this has had no effect. It is like the machine strains to pump the water through. Also, because of this you can not be in a hurry to brew your coffee because it could take at least 20 minutes or more to brew a full pot.

For a coffee maker with this price tag I would certainly expect more than a year of service out of it. Too bad.

Because of this I would no longer recommend this coffee maker.

J. Mitchell on Thu, 11th Nov 2010 12:00 am

Pretty great coffee maker
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I ordered this coffee maker after breaking the carafe of my old Krups machine. It makes very good coffee, looks great, and is simple to use. I ordered a Cuisinart gold filter to use with this pot and it fits pretty well where a paper filter would go. The carafe keeps my coffee hot for hours with no thermal plate. It is tall but has a (relatively) small footprint, great for my tiny kitchen.

This is a great no-nonsense coffee maker at a moderately expensive price. It gives me what I wanted (thermal carafe, no warming plate, accepts gold-tone filters, insulated brewing), but if you’re less picky, there are probably cheaper options.

Gyong on Sat, 13th Nov 2010 12:00 am

It’s an OK coffee maker
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
In terms of what it’s used for I think it’s good (not great). Some pros and cons:

Pros:

-It brews coffee really fast.

-Thermal carafe is an excellent. keeps warm for long time.

-Timer comes in very handy

Cons:

-I had to exchange due to leak in the carafe lid and even the exchaned one is leaking too (not as bad as first one though). it’s an internal leak where water/coffee sips into the lid whereI can’t get it out. this is the reason for 2star.

-Too tall. it barely fints under my kitchen cabinet (miner)

-puring the water is not as good as other coffee makers I’ve used before. there is no way to measure water amout you are pouring unless you use measuring cup.

Anyways, that’s my review. if it was for lid leaking I would say it would get 3 stars but leaking lid is not acceptable, especially 2 in a row.

J. Trimm on Sun, 14th Nov 2010 12:00 am

I also hit the dreaded shut-off 6-times-to-brew-one-pot problem
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
This coffee maker worked tolerably for 5 months. Now it shuts off several times when trying to brew a single pot of coffee. Dozens of reviews complain of the same problem. Avoid this coffee maker,

Denise Bianca on Mon, 15th Nov 2010 12:00 am

Outstanding coffee maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I owned a Zojirushi EC-BD15 for about three years, making outstanding coffee every morning. After it stopped working properly, probably since I never cleaned it, I tried another, cheaper, coffee maker. I was so disappointed I ordered another Zojirushi and now enjoy my morning coffee again.

Denise Bianca on Mon, 15th Nov 2010 12:00 am

J. T. Davis on Wed, 17th Nov 2010 12:00 am

So far so good!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this coffee maker several months ago, although I was hesitant because it is made in Japan and had read some reviews about it overflowing. I have to say it makes the hottest & best tasting coffee I have ever made at home.

CA reader on Wed, 17th Nov 2010 12:00 am

Expected better coffee maker
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I purchased because of the many positive reviews. However, I agree with those who are unhappy with the product. The coffee maker quit brewing coffee on the second day. It steamed and just died. The #4 filter basket holds too few grounds for a 10-cup unit, unless one likes weak coffee. I expected Japanese quality, not a cheaply made appliance from China. Lastly, the thermal carafe, because of its design, is incapable of keeping coffee hot. The promotion of this coffee maker is obviously misleading.

J. Irving on Thu, 18th Nov 2010 12:00 am

It’s what I expected
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After having done much research for a carafe type coffee maker and reading all sorts of reviews I decided to purchase this machine.

I am very pleased with this machine. I like that the basket that holds the filter basket is insulated to help keep the coffee hot while brewing. And it also comes apart easily for cleaning. The coffee brews much hotter than my previous carafe style makers yet it isn’t quite as hot as I prefer as I like it Dunkin Donuts hot, yet I’m fine with how hot it is. It helps if the water is room temp before brewing and also if you preheat the carafe ahead of time. The cover to the carafe was hard to tighten/loosen at first but the more it was used it is fine now. I like that the carafe has a large opening as it makes it easier to clean. Overall I am very satisfied and would recommend it for purchase. It cost more than some others but it came with free shipping so it really wasn’t that much more than others I have purchased in the past.

And it was delivered in a timely manner, matter of fact it showed up on a Friday when it was expected to be delivered on the following Monday.

Molly on Fri, 19th Nov 2010 12:00 am

Keeps coffee hot and fresh!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I was initially going to buy a Capresso, but the price seemed a bit rich. When I saw the reviews of this one, the only cons i worried about were from a few people who said it broke down. I decided the risk was warranted, given the price. Just got it, and so far the coffee is great, the machine looks good and doesn’t take up too much space, and best of all, the coffee is still almost too hot to touch after being in the carafe for 4+ hours! I am sold! Will follow up if it breaks…

Kelly J. Kinder on Sat, 20th Nov 2010 12:00 am

Great Look, Great Taste
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I get a lot of comments on the coffeemaker, nice design. Fast brew, great coffee. Just what you want in the morning to wake up to a cup. Also keeps coffee hot all day.

S. Girl on Sat, 20th Nov 2010 12:00 am

Best Coffee Ever!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
We are coffee lovers, and we drink a lot of it! This Zojirushi makes the best cup of coffee ever! We have tried just about all of the machines out there, using them until we wear them out. Braun has been a consistent favorite of ours, but we couldn’t find the model we had always enjoyed in years past. We have enjoyed our Saeco espresso maker, so we initially purchased a Saeco coffee model. The coffee tasted pretty good, but the carafe leaked so badly when pouring, we just got frustrated and purchased the Zojirushi on a whim. We love it! It makes great coffee, and the carafe keeps the beverage hot and it doesn’t leak! We would definitely purchase this model again, and when the time comes, we will purchase another Zojirushi.

backdoc on Mon, 22nd Nov 2010 12:00 am

Excellent Coffee Pot…BUT
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
With excitement, I ordered this odd sounding coffee pot from a manufacturer I never heard of. It looks great, and I was promised a great cup of Joe. I was warned of one thing…the cover is hard to take off. The coffee pot looks great, keeps coffee hot a long time…but the darn cover is hard to take off and get to that first cup of coffee. Other than that all is well. I’m hoping for a replacement that has higher ridges so you can grasp it better.

Jeff on Tue, 23rd Nov 2010 12:00 am

Weak Coffee
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
There are a lot of things I like about this coffee maker. It looks good, it brews coffee really fast, it’s easy to clean. Unfortunately the thing I don’t like about it is that it makes weak coffee, which is a show stopper for me and my wife.

I have tried things like using two filters, using more coffee than normal, pouring the coffee through the grounds a second time. I have to say that the results really aren’t worth the effort.

I have never had this sort of problem with a coffee maker before, and honestly I didn’t think that it would be possible to not get a strong cup of coffee out of one. I bought this coffee maker mainly on the reviews I read about it, but I can’t recommend it at all. There have to be better machines out there, especially for 80 bucks.

JoeyO on Thu, 25th Nov 2010 12:00 am

Good Cup of Coffee and Sleek Style
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I previously had a Krups Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker and it finally gave up the ghost. I love thermal carafes and after researching and reading reviews, I decided on the Zojirushi over the Braun. It was a tough choice, and ultimately I chose based upon appearance. I am not dissappointed the Zojirushi makes a great cup of coffee and keeps it warm for several hours. I did not experience any of the alignment problems previously mentioned. The lid does slighly bind between the closed and open positions, though applying a slight amount of additional torque takes care of the issue. The only improvement I could suggest is increasing the capacity to a 12 cup versus a 10 cup.

K. Jackson on Thu, 25th Nov 2010 12:00 am

Love it!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I purchased this unit for the carafe and timer. It’s great waking up to the smell of fresh brewed coffee. This coffee maker brews the coffee fast and keeps it HOT for hours. No more burned coffee. It’s a modern design and very easy to use.

P. Hines on Sat, 27th Nov 2010 12:00 am

Zojirushi EC-BD15 very good buy!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
After shopping and comparing coffee makers in stores and online, I decided this coffee maker would be the best buy. And, now I feel I made an excellent choice! I was most interested in a stainless steel themos type.This one fits the bill! It makes good,hot coffee quickly and keeps it hot and fresh for about 3-4 hours. It’s easy to operate and is equipped with all the features you need. (Tip) The reusable filter can be purchased at Walmart for about $4.00, It works fine. No need to buy the more expensive filters.

Amy S. on Sun, 28th Nov 2010 12:00 am

I miss my old coffee maker
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I must admit that I’m disappointed with this coffee maker. The design is a bit cumbersome, and like other reviewers I think the carafe lid is a bit hard to open. The lid also makes the coffee pour really slowly. Coffee tastes good, but I don’t think it’s hot enough. I do love that this has no hot plate, and the carafe does keep the coffee warm for a while.

D. Anderson on Mon, 29th Nov 2010 12:00 am

At last, a coffee maker we LIKE!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
We were heartily sick of the dribble pots that seem to be unavoidable with heating-element coffee makers. Okay, if you pour slowly enough they don’t dribble, but who can pour 10 cups of water slowly before they’ve had a cup of coffee in the morning?

Hating the taste of endlessly heated coffee, we were decanting into carafes anyway, so we decided on this style and trusted in the many rave user reviews. We and they were right! For the many reasons listed by other reviewers, this is a great coffee maker.

It seems to us that Zojirushi has fixed the problems that buyers were complaining of three years ago. The only thing I would change on this would be making the dot on the lid (the “open” indicator) a bit easier to see. My aging and still-sleepy eyes have trouble detecting it.

John Orban on Tue, 30th Nov 2010 12:00 am

Good but not great!
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
OK, like most of you I’m a coffee FREAK…for over 20 years I’ve been looking for the perfect coffee maker. I THOUGHT I found it with this one.

For a while it worked just GREAT!

Yes, the top of the carafe is hard to open unless you’re Arnold…but I’ll put up with almost anything for great coffee in the morning.

However the one thing that drives me NUTS is that it overflows and makes a mess all over the counter and floor. (This morning finally pushed me over the edge…thus…this review.)

I even returned this unit and got a completely brand new one and it too, after a year began exhibiting the same problem. Somehow, the coffee just does NOT drain properly out of the basket.

OK, so I grind my coffee almost to a fine powder…I like coffee strong…I want it to talk to me in the morning.

I GUESS that if you like your coffee weak then this is the coffee maker for you. For me…I’ve got to keep looking.

N. Smith on Thu, 2nd Dec 2010 12:00 am

One small design flaw
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Makes great coffee. But the lid is hard for me to turn open with my normal turning hand (my left) – I can’t get a good grip and the lines on the lid hurt more than help. I do have success with my right hand, so it’s not the end of the world. But why does it have to be that hard?

RainyDay on Fri, 3rd Dec 2010 12:00 am

2 Years of Great Coffee
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve had this coffeemaker for 2 years. It’s been problem-free for me. Best of all, the reliable automatic timer has provided me with great tasting coffee every morning!

T. Garver on Sat, 4th Dec 2010 12:00 am

Excellent coffee maker!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This coffeemaker makes excellent coffee in a few short minutes. The carafe keeps coffee hot for many hours. It is easy to use and is the best coffeemaker I have had.

J. P. Long on Sun, 5th Dec 2010 12:00 am

Somewhat disappointed
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Coffee was not as warm as expected. Even fresh cups of coffee must be heated in the microwave. No adjustment for strength, and coffee seems somewhat weak. Should have gone with the Cuisinart.

E. E. Miller on Mon, 6th Dec 2010 12:00 am

Worth it
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Love the automatic brew setting and the carafe which I take to work with me and the coffee stays hot for hours. I agree with the reviewer who had a hard time opening the lid- that feature could be improved. Looks nice on the counter, cleans up well, brews up a tasty pot of coffee. I probably would not have spent this much money on a coffee maker made in China had I known but here it is and I really like it so I hope it lasts a long time.

KenD on Mon, 6th Dec 2010 12:00 am

Good coffee but design quirks.
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
CU give this product a good review so I bought it – I’m now doubtful about how Consumer Reports evalutes products. It does make a good cup of coffee but the overall design leaves a lot to be desired. The lid of the coffee maker is poorly designed – thin with fins that protrude. It is very uncomfortable, almost painful, to open and close. If you close it too tight you’ll need to get a towel to protect your hand from the fins in order to open it. If you don’t “perfectly” line up the carafe when brewing you’ll come back to a countertop full of coffee – we’re VERY careful now to be sure it’s just right. In order to add coffee you have to move the drip arm out of the way and then back again after you fill the water – not a big deal but another annoyance. It comes with a separate cover that you must put on the carafe to keep the coffee hot – something else to clutter your counter. It’s also too easy to accidentally push the time buttons and realize too late that your coffee didn’t get made the next morning because the time was off. I really don’t feel that, considering all the problems with this machine, that the coffee was that much better to deal with all these quirks.

Barbara H on Tue, 7th Dec 2010 12:00 am

No problems, makes GREAT coffee
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Several months ago, I read the reviews and decided to take a chance on this coffeemaker. I’m thrilled with it. A couple of issues being discussed when I bought the coffeemaker included temperature of water and filter size.

First, a caveat: I am not a fan of scaldingly hot coffee. Reviewers mentioned that using ice cold water made coffee that was not hot enough but using cold tap water left a muddied flavor. I, too, found that ice cold water seemed to overwhelm the machine’s heater mechanism, but haven’t had any problems with muddy flavored coffee using tap water. So tap water has suited me fine.

I also found that #4 size filters fit provided you fold the edges of the filter along the seam and then make sure the bottom of the filter is puched down into the bottom of the basket.

I haven’t had any problems with leakage from the lid onto the counter.

I’m very happy with this coffee maker and have no regrets about buying it.

L. G. Weed on Wed, 8th Dec 2010 12:00 am

Little elephant Thermous Coffee maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Their logo indicates that Zojirushi is a whimsical little elephant. The machine is an efficient, cleanly designed, easily operated drip coffee maker. The point made by one reviewer that you have to be extremely careful to align the bottom of the drip chamber and the the thermal carafe tells me more than I wanted to know about the limited intelligence of that reviewer. It is so easy to use, my wife can do it. (intended humor)

J. B. Gormley on Thu, 9th Dec 2010 12:00 am

Zojirushi Coffee Maker
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Great Coffee Maker. Brews quickly. Thermal carafe keeps coffee hot for hours. No burned coffee from a glass pot on a hot burner.

M. Rhymes on Fri, 10th Dec 2010 12:00 am

Just okay
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
We purchased this machine after replacing a 5-year old Krups machine. Our finicky friends recommended this machine saying it was the best one they’ve ever had. I found it cumbersome to operate. Here’s why:

1. Because it is a stainless steel pot, you have to guess how much water you’re putting in the carafe. Once poured into the machine, you can see how much your putting in but may have to go back to get more water. Wouldn’t be a big deal in of itself except for another thing…

2. The lid. The design is irritating beyond belief. You twist it on and after brewing have to use a towel to untwist it because it gets vacuum sealed on there practically. Also, when pouring, you have to untwist it so the “O” is matching the “O” on the spout. And then it’s a slower pour compared to the plain ole pot.

3. The coffee basin lid needs to be snapped into place to create a seal on the aroma. Why not just make a lid that closes and seals without having to push it down and snap it?

I’m sure all these things except for the first make it a technically great tasting cup of coffee, but for me, the average Jane, just wanting a quick cup of joe… it’s a few too many steps for me to enjoy fully.

Maybe I’m just too cranky before I get my first cup?

Sidney O. Wade Jr. on Sat, 11th Dec 2010 12:00 am

Very good coffee maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Did quite a bit of searching to find a good thermal carafe coffee maker for a decent price. This one makes good coffee because it gets the water hot enough to properly brew the coffee grounds. Only irritant is the carafe lid is a little difficult to unscrew if you close it too tightly. Could use a wider lip on the lid. This one gets about 6 brews a day, since it’s used at the office.

sallen on Sat, 11th Dec 2010 12:00 am

Why are people having problems with the lid?
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I have been using my Zojirushi coffee maker for almost two years. I always read reviews before buying a product like this. The reviews for this product are good in general, but there are quite a number of reviews that complain about the lid. Since I have never had a problem with the lid I thought I would set the record straight.

I have read about two problems:

Problem #1: The lid gets too tight to remove.

Solution: Don’t put the lid on tight. Duh! There is absolutely no reason to twist the lid on tight. USE TWO FINGERS TO TWIST ON THE LID (thumb and index finger). When the lid stops turning… STOP! Don’t make it any tighter. The lid will be closed AND plenty snug to hold in the heat. And, it will not be difficult to remove.

Problem #2: While making coffee, the coffee does not drip into the top of the carafe thus resulting in an entire pot of coffee all over the kitchen counter. It is too difficult to line up the lid with the coffee maker.

Solution: This has never happened to me… EVER! I don’t know if there are any recent reports of this problem. When I read reviews two years ago this was a common complaint. The only thing I can think of is that perhaps Zojirushi changed the design of the lid. My lid has one main hole for the coffee to enter. However, if the carafe is not perfectly positioned under the coffee maker there are several smaller holes around the primary hole that will allow the coffee to enter the carafe. I tried to misposition my carafe to make a mess. I couldn’t make a mess when I tried. This problem must have been fixed with a new lid. Don’t let this non-issue prevent you from purchasing this coffee maker.

Other thoughts: I have been using the same “Swiss Gold” Cone shaped filter for the past two years with this coffee maker. Swiss Gold probably makes the best filters. It’s a great combination.

I love this coffee maker. It works just like when I pulled it out of the box two years ago. I give 4 stars instead of 5 because even though I defend the lid “issues” I have a different complaint about the lid. I would prefer that the lid have a different mechanism for opening and closing. In order to pour coffee you must turn the lid and line up the dots that are difficult to see. This is kinda hard to do when you are half asleep and the lights are dim first thing in the morning. I would prefer something like a thumb lever that you push down while pouring the coffee. This is a nit picky complaint and should not prevent you from purchasing this coffee maker and enjoying a tasty cup of Joe!

E. Rogers on Sun, 12th Dec 2010 12:00 am

Great Coffeemaker
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I bought this after reading other reviews and I feel that this was a great buy. Brews 10 cups of great coffee and keeps it hot for a long time (4-6 hours). I would definitely recommend this coffeemaker.

W. Maly on Mon, 13th Dec 2010 12:00 am

Buyer Beware
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Our experience with the Zojirushi EC-BD15 Coffee Maker was quite disappointing. The first time we used it, water leaked from the reservoir onto our counter. We notified the Amazon vendor (Chefs Corner), who made it easy for us to return the defective machine and soon sent a replacement. Actually, Chefs Corner mistakenly sent us two replacements, and we immediately returned one. Unfortunately, the replacement machine that we kept was missing a part and, consequently, became clogged with coffee grounds and slopped coffee onto our counter. Furthermore, the carafe did a poor job keeping the coffee hot. Zojirushi clearly has quality-control problems, so we did not bother requesting another replacement. We cannot recommend this coffee maker.

John Ingle on Mon, 13th Dec 2010 12:00 am

Grat Product
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Great product. I will agree that the opening and closing of the product could use a little work. Keeps coffee just the way I like it! Steaming hot.

R. Rodgers on Tue, 14th Dec 2010 12:00 am

Gotta Be Better Than This!
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I got this to replace my second (or maybe third) Cuisinart Brew and Serve Thermal, which conked out way too soon after purchase (6 months). After much research, I settled on the Zojirushi. What a mistake. It suffers greatly in comparasion to the Cuisinart. First, the coffee brews at a somewhat lower temperature than the Cuisinart. After three weeks of trying, I could not get a good proportion of water to coffee, and my coffee always tasted terrible. (I use an excellent brand of coffee imported from Vienna, so it is easy to tell.) The Zojirushi has an irritating thermal carafe lid that must be covered with a second cap in order for it to hold its heat. Of course, in my household, we never remember to do the second capping, and our coffee cools too quickly in the carafe. Even when capped properly, the coffee cools much more quickly than the Cuisinart. And if you entertain as much as I do, you will miss the extra 2 cups of coffee (Cuisinart has 12 cups, will most others have 10 cups.)

I was so unhappy with the Zojirushi that I bought another Cuisinart, which allowed me to compare the two machines side-by-side. All of my observations were confirmed. So, I am keeping my replacement Cuisinart–only I will be sure to save the box and register it so if it conks out again, I will have some recourse. The Zojirushi goes in the garage sale.

thistle on Thu, 16th Dec 2010 12:00 am

Was skeptical…now a believer
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
My husband bought this, and I thought it was very expensive for a coffee maker, and I doubted that it could keep the coffee warm without the typical warmer under the pot. I was wrong. The convenience of being able to take the coffee straight to the table is matched by how well this thermos keeps it hot. We bring a full pot to the table and read three newspapers each morning, and the last cups are always as hot as the first.

The machine brews very quickly, is easy to program so that the pot is ready for you when you wake up, and it’s as easy as any other maker I’ve had to clean. I like the fact that I can’t break the pot, and I don’t EVER have to worry about whether I left it on when I leave the house.

So for all that, this coffee maker is worth the money, and it looks like my husband was right. Just don’t tell him.

K. Farmer on Sat, 18th Dec 2010 12:00 am

Don’t Buy This – Bottom Fell Off!
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
After about a year of use, the bottom of the metal pot fell off. It is really annoying to use now, and I have tried many different types of adhesives/glues to fix, but none worked for long. Buy another brand.

Vickie Mantyh on Mon, 20th Dec 2010 12:00 am

Dead within 2 weeks
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Quit working entirely within 2 weeks of purchase, probably made 25 pots of coffee before it stopped.

Myster Reeder on Tue, 21st Dec 2010 12:00 am

Good item
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Ordered this after reading reviews on this brand and several others. Also checked other appliances made by this manufacturer. We wanted a thermal pot. It makes good coffee, but the thermal carafe does need to be preheated before brewing. It doesn’t hold temperature as well as expected (especially as compared to our Thermos brand coffee mugs) but it’s still much better than a coffee maker with a heated plate, which cooks coffee. And Japanese companies make quality merchandise, so expect it will hold up well.

R. Wheeler on Tue, 21st Dec 2010 12:00 am

One complaint
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
The machine makes good coffee as advertized and the carafe keeps it hot for at least two hours. A major problem is the top of the carafe which can be difficult to unscrew and only allows a minimal stream of coffee to be poured therefore requiring a long time to fill one’s cup.

N. Grover on Wed, 22nd Dec 2010 12:00 am

The Lid is Torture!
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I had this coffee maker for over a year and the lid was ALWAYS too difficult to untwist with your bare hands. I always had to use a towel or the rubber pad used to open cans. Many times I gave up and had to had my husband open it for me. The worst of it is, that is how it pours – you have to twist it to get your coffee out – no easy button to open the spout. We kept is so long because the coffee stays hot and delicious. However, life is just too short to keep an appliance that DAILY causes you strife. I wish I had returned it as it is quite pricey.

R. WOOD on Thu, 23rd Dec 2010 12:00 am

Great Machine
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Bottom line makes great coffee fast and keeps it hot for a long time. Everything we wanted in a coffee maker. Plus the stylish brushed stinless looks good in the kitchen.

We have tried the others and this is the best.

Mark Twain on Sat, 25th Dec 2010 12:00 am

Use quality beans, preferably freshly ground
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I got this when my ~10 year old Mr Coffee (standard hotplate) caraffe cracked for the second time. The first thing I noticed was what appeared to be crema (copper colored foam/liquid in espresso) building up on the beans – I do like my espresso so this was a good thing.

It brews hotter than my previous 2 coffee makers, tastes better, stays hot for hours.

You’ll want to use quality beans; I don’t like pre-ground beans anyway, but they taste worse from this machine. Quality beans though are great.

I use the same amount of grounds in this machine as I did in my other maker, and use the same basket (flat bottom, 3.25″ base) filters too with no problem. I do press the grounds/filter down after filling with the container my grinder empties into.

One thing that concerned me before buying this was a couple of reviews saying that if you didn’t position the caraffe perfectly the coffee would spill all over the counter. I don’t know if they upgraded the lid to include the vents or if they put the lid’s cap on, but the only way that’d happen on mine is if the second lid was on. I just keep it on top of the water/filter lid until I remove the carafe from the maker.

I’ve had this for about 3 months so far and have been happy with it. I hope the electronics hold up better than the last timer operated model I had did (mr coffee, ~10+ years ago).

The End

M. Baird on Sun, 26th Dec 2010 12:00 am

Excellent coffee & reliable operation
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Probably the best coffee maker I’ve ever used. My wife and I purchased this as a replacement to our Black & Decker Spacemaker which expired after 19 years of hard use. Our chief criteria for selecting the replacement were fast brewing time and a thermal caraffe, and (of course) it had to fit on the counter under the upper cabinets. We researched every brand that fit those requirements before deciding on the Zojirushi.

What made the decision difficult was the small number of negative reviews focusing on the difficulty of running the unit without major spills. Let me assure you this is not a problem. The caraffe fits precisely under the spout, you can easily tell when it is seated properly, and it has worked perfectly now for months. I can’t understand the problem – I am not known for being mechanically adept, but I would have to really work to screw up running this coffee maker!

Makes an awesome cup of coffee too.

K. Rogers on Sun, 26th Dec 2010 12:00 am

very good, but not perfect thermal carafe coffee maker
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Structure is a little flimsy, and the lid is a little hard to loosen to get coffee right after brewing, but the coffee is great and the carafe keeps it hot for hours!

Kristen E. Krouk on Mon, 27th Dec 2010 12:00 am

Keeping it Warm
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Compared to a Krups Thermal pot, this keeps the coffee warmer for a longer time. There are multiple parts to the top of the carafe, though, which makes for interesting mornings if you aren’t fully awake.

Daniel N. Reelitz on Mon, 27th Dec 2010 12:00 am

Would not recommend
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
We bought this coffee maker because it got a good review in Consumer Reports. While it brews fine and fast, we are not happy with 2 things. First the unit is a bit cocked and the outlet from the filter assembly doesn’t line up correctly with the hole in the carafe receiver – it flows into the carafe ok but I think it takes some of the heat out of the brew. Also I think the carafe itself is infereior to the Krupp that we had previously – this one has a steel liner and doesn’t keep the coffee warm – the second cup in the morning has to be nuked to warm it up.

14wntr on Tue, 28th Dec 2010 12:00 am

Not the best not the worst
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I have used this maker for just over a year now and can tell you it makes decent coffee but not the best. Over the last year we have had some real good hot pots and some luke warm/weak coffee using the same grind and type. At 1 year and 22 days the maker just quit on me so I took it apart to investigate and found that the wires going to the heater were loose so after moving them around a bit it now works again. I think there is a design flaw in that the hot water tube has to pass thru the cold water tank so it cools the water down on the way to the basket. I measured the temps coming out of the sprayer at three intervals during the cycle and here is what I got. 165F at start 180F mid way through and 185F at the end. This is no way hot enough for decent coffee! Just for kicks I returned the hot water for a second and third go thru and the hottest I saw was 195F with the water coming out so fast that it would of esentially blown up on the counter if I had been brewing. It is not bad for the price point but I really wish it was hotter.

R. S. Duke on Thu, 30th Dec 2010 12:00 am

good coffee
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
A well built,good looking coffee maker,and it makes excellent coffee. The #4 filters work ok,so I wouldn’t let that deter you.

DarkStar11 on Sat, 1st Jan 2011 12:00 am

the lid is the downfall
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
When my old Krups AromaControl thermal carafe coffee maker gave its last gasp after 5+ years of service, I knew we did not want to go back to the glass carafe/burner model. After going through reviews for about 2 weeks, I settled on trying out this Zojirushi as it seemed to be the best bang for the buck.

It arrived tonight, I brewed a pot of water through it, and then logged on to print out the return paperwork.

Pros (from my limited use): It’s aesthetically pleasing. It seemed to produce a very hot pot of water (I didn’t stick a thermometer in it, but it seemed adequately hot).

Cons: 1) The Lid! Whoever designed this thing should take some courses in ergonomics! After brewing the pot of water, my girlfriend could not twist the lid to the pouring position. I could only open it with a towel covering it. Neither of us have arthritis or impaired use of our hands. The little teeth on the lid are just downright painful! I am certain that my Mother would never be able to pour herself a cup of coffee from this thing if she were visiting. I read other reviewers keep a jar opener or cloth near the pot to remedy this. I’m not willing to clutter up my counter top.

2) The height of the carafe was a minor issue for us. We typically get filtered water through the refrigerator door dispenser. This carafe is too tall to fit. I tried filling it at an angle, but could only get about 8 cups in it. Kind of a hassle. I know, the purists will gasp and say you shouldn’t fill the reservoir with water from the carafe. Oh well. I’m just making Sumatra for the drive to work, not some rare roast that I’m going to sip, savor, and philosophize over.

3) Another minor complaint: In addition to the un-openable lid, there is a little cover that fits over the portion of the lid that coffee drains through during the brewing process. You put it on after removing the carafe from the coffeemaker, to prevent heat loss through those openings. I suspect this would be lost or misplaced rather quickly.

If not for the lid, I’d probably keep it. Not being able to pour the coffee defeats the purpose of the coffee maker. The search continues!

Update: The search is over. I settled on a Cuisinart Brew Central Thermal 12-cup. More pricey, and only seems to be available from that gigantic coffee shop chain, but it is a great coffee maker. It makes piping hot coffee, my Mom can pour coffee out of it, the carafe fits in the fridge door, and there is no little lid cover to get lost.

B. Smith on Sat, 1st Jan 2011 12:00 am

Zojirushi EC-BD15
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
nicely made coffee maker. Keeps coffee hot for several hours. Easy to clean (basket breaks down and comes off the machine). The lid on the carafe is a bit hard to turn but at least it is easy to clean and not full of little valves like many of the other brands. The pot is well made and holds heat quite well.

LM on Sun, 2nd Jan 2011 12:00 am

Fresh Coffee
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I would have rated this product a five except the first carrafe came no where near meeting the Zojirushi thermal Specifications. Now that they replaced the carrafe we are very happy with the EC-BD15. We purcahsed this product because we have the large Zo bread machine and are very happy with it, used only for mixing and rising. Oven baking is still the best.

R. Myers on Sun, 2nd Jan 2011 12:00 am

Weak Coffee
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
Zojirushi EC-BD15 Fresh Brew Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker

I am a fairly serious coffee drinker who roasts my own coffee. I currently have a Braun Flavorselect drip coffee maker with a glass carafe and wanted a drip maker with a thermal carafe. After reading the reviews on the Fresh Brew, I purchased it mainly because it was supposed to brew at the ideal 200F temperature. I brewed two pure water runs to clean out the unit and had no problems with leakage. I checked the water running through the basket with a digital thermometer and it read 180F which was discouraging. I then brewed 6 cups of Brazil Coromandel-Fazena Sao Joao. The taste lacked the complexity I got with the Braun and lacked body. The brew water was about 170F. I will be looking for a new home for this coffee maker.

F. Hamilton on Tue, 4th Jan 2011 12:00 am

Great coffee pot
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve been looking for a good thermal carafe coffee pot that actually keeps the coffee warm. I bought a Capreso about a year ago and while it brewed a good cup of coffee, by the time I got to my third cup, the carafe had already cooled off to the point that my cup was just warm and I’d have to heat it in the microwave to get it up to drinking temperature. I figured after spending $189 for it, I’d live with the reheating. However, after a year of normal use, it stopped brewing. I’d turn it on and about all it did was spit steam.

I just bought a Zojirushi which arrived today and have brewed my first pot of coffee. The coffee is fantastic. The carafe actually keeps it warm. So far so good. Great coffee maker at half the price I paid for the last piece of junk.

Danny Boy on Wed, 5th Jan 2011 12:00 am

Good Design, good coffee
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Makes a good cup of coffee. People that like a stronger cup should use the gold filter. Keeps coffee hot for hours and is easy to clean.

Sue on Wed, 5th Jan 2011 12:00 am

nice machine, one major flaw
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This is a nice machine. However, if you have any problems with your hands (arthritis, etc.)I’d stongly discourage you from buying it. The lid for the carafe is very hard to open and close. My husband and I both have a hard time with it and we are both very strong and healthy. Not only is the fit of the lid very snug, the little notches on the side of it(which are probably meant to make it easier to turn)dig into your hand which slightly hurts. To be fair, I’ve only had mine a week and maybe over time the lid will loosen and become easier to turn. Other than that I like it. For me personally the look of the machine makes up for it. About the filters…you do NOT need to cut an inch off the tops of the #4 filters or buy #3′s like some reviewers suggest. The standard #4 cone filters by Melitta work fine. But you can’t just plop them in or they stick up a 1/2 inch. You need to push down on the inside of the filter with your fingers to form fit the filter with the shape of the basket. Then it fits perfectly. I like how the water level can be read from the side of the machine and it’s easy to clean.

Saraswati on Thu, 6th Jan 2011 12:00 am

Makes coffee HOT HOT HOT!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve had this coffee maker for a year now and just LOVE it. It keeps coffee VERY HOT for a long time, cofee that isnt hot enough is not enjoyable to me, this is one of the few coffee makers that get the temperature right. Ive brewed a pot and didnt get a chance to have any and 24 hours later the temperature was still too hot to touch for more than a second or two.

Louise M. Tompkins on Fri, 7th Jan 2011 12:00 am

Zojirushi coffe Maker
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Love the coffee maker-sleek and looks great in the kitchen. Makes great coffee and thermos holds coffee hot for hours. I love that it doesn’t take up too much room. Again, makes great coffee. The instruction book is translated so it is a little bit off-lining up the symbols to open the carafe is a bit stretched.

J. K. Richter on Sat, 8th Jan 2011 12:00 am

Great pot overall, one flaw
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This coffee maker does a fine job. The standard business of making coffee works as you’d expect – hot and tasty. The carafe does an amazing job of keeping coffee hot – easily two hours of hot coffee, and another hour or more of “hot enough to drink.” The coffee cone basket comes out for easy cleaning, as does the stainless basket “holster.” Common #4 filters work fine- never had a problem.

The only reason I did not give this pot 5 stars is because the lid to the carafe is quite difficult to grip and twist open/closed – which you need to do for each pour. I keep a rubber jar opener handy to get a good grip. Mind you – I’m a young person with agile hands. I’m not sure how someone with arthritis would manage. I’m going to look around to see if maybe there is an alternative lid available.

Lynn Andres on Mon, 10th Jan 2011 12:00 am

LOVE IT!!!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The BEST Coffee Maker i have ever had!! sleek, stylish!! love the whole zojirushi line!

Retromance on Mon, 10th Jan 2011 12:00 am

a good cup of coffee
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This is a simple machine that makes a great cup of coffee. The thermos keeps my coffee warm for 5 or 6 hours and it doesn’t drip when you pour. It is rather tall and does not fit under my cabinets but the quality of the coffee makes it worth the trouble

Jeffery Gordon on Tue, 11th Jan 2011 12:00 am

Great thermos coffee brewer
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this after being at a freinds house where they had a Starbucks Thermos style coffee maker. After not seeing one of them at a Starbucks, I came to my favorite Shopping place-Amazon. the reviews for this machine are very good, so I bought one. They do take and recommend #4 filters. Some comments, said water temp was a problem, so I set up the coffee the evening before, so the water comes to room tempreture, which I don’t really think is an issue, but it sure makes life easier waking to a fresh pot of coffee. And we just love this machine. easy to clean,easy to use and it makes great coffee and so far, keeps the coffee HOT at least for 3 hours. We used to have Brauns, but this is terrific and highly recommend it.

Like-It-Strong on Wed, 12th Jan 2011 12:00 am

Only one downside
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
We just bought the Zojirushi EC-BD15 Coffee Maker. I must say, we were very skeptical of a JAPANESE brand! (Both my husband and I are European, and we appreciate a good cup of coffee!) But this product appeared on a List compiled by someone who seemed like a real coffee wonk, so we decided to go for it. It’s a good product, makes a very respectable cup’o'joe, and, although deceptively light, the thermal carafe actually does keep the coffee warm for a long time. Only downside: as some others have noted, the top on the carafe is oddly difficult to open; they need to redesign it. But not a deal-breaker.

Glenn W on Thu, 13th Jan 2011 12:00 am

Absolutely the BEST EVER!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Ours is three years old and running STRONG! This is the best coffeemaker we have ever had. We have brewed approximately 1500 pots of coffee! Just remember to clean it after every 50 pots or so. This will make you very happy!

*******UPDATE******

11/17/09

Still works like new! I cant believe how great this thing is! Remember when appliances lasted for years, I forgot until I purchased this coffee maker. You cant go wrong.

Sky Rider on Fri, 14th Jan 2011 12:00 am

If You’re a Two-Cup Drinker….
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
After days of research on stainless steel carafe coffee makers I settled on this Zojirushi mainly because it was touted as one of the few to get the water temperature right. It is a well-designed coffee maker devoid of many of the design flaws of other brands. The carafe is easy to use, the reservoir is easy to fill and everything is easy to clean. So why did I return it to Amazon’s Chef’s Corner in Whittier, CA, wonderful people to deal with by the way?

Well, I measured the temperature of the water numerous times and couldn’t find 200 degrees. I used cold filtered water and then warm water and even hot water. The warm water helped but not enough. So what?

I measured the temperature of the water in my beloved Krups Type 178 and it was no where near 200 degrees. But I loved the coffee it made.

I’m basically a two-cup drinker on weekends and no one else in my house drinks coffee so I always used the 2-4 cup setting in the Krups. Using the regular setting for 2 cups I found, produced lousy coffee.

Alas, there is no 2-4 cup setting on the Zojirushi and I just couldn’t get two good cups of coffee out of it no matter what amount of coffee I used.

So back it went.

I’ve concluded that it is basically the luck of the draw in coffee makers as to whether you get a good one or not. All in the Amazon website have both rave and bad reviews. So to a certain extent, you cannot condemn a model of coffee maker, only the one that you have. As for mine, I just didn’t like the coffee… so the search continues.

Dr. Disco on Sat, 15th Jan 2011 12:00 am

I would not buy this again
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I bought this for my mom as a gift. This machine brews a good cup of coffee, but the lid to the carafe comes in two parts (I fear one will be lost) and the water arm swings inside the machine in an ackward way. Also, the carafe does not fit very well in the machine when both parts of the lid are on it. There are better products on the market.

User2256 on Sat, 15th Jan 2011 12:00 am

DO NOT BUY — IT BREAKS!
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
We bought this machine and it initally made great coffee, but stopped working after 15 months (out of warranty). We bought another, and it broke after SIX MONTHS! We’ve been burned twice by this inferior product! BE WARNED.

NuJoi on Mon, 17th Jan 2011 12:00 am

Good Value
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I succomed to the pressure. I felt bad about cooking my coffee after brewing, so I upgraded to a thermal coffee maker.

After some initial research, I decided I did not want a unit that ground the coffee as well. This unit fits the bill. My only regret is that there is no filter. For this price, I can do without. I could use the filtered water from my refrigerator, but according to Doug’s review, the water would be too cold to brew the perfect cup of coffee. I will just have to decalcify the unit often.

The coffee is hot and good and stays that way because of the thermal carafe. I can now keep a fresh pot of coffee an entire morning. The unit is easy to operate. Cleaning is a bit more involved than I like because everything must be hand washed.

The best thing about the unit is the physical design. The footprint is smaller than traditional coffee makers. You’ll actually gain counter space!

Brad C. on Mon, 17th Jan 2011 12:00 am

Too difficult to open carafe
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I have a 10-year-old Zojirushi bread maker so I was excited to get this coffee maker. It is marketed as commercial grade so I didn’t mind paying more for it. Unfortunately, I would not recommend this coffee maker because of the carafe. It is VERY difficult to open after brewing coffee. Definitely not for the elderly or anyone who makes coffee first thing in the morning.

My other complaint is the plastic cap that goes on top of the carafe lid. It is designed to keep the heat from escaping after brewing. The problem is if you forget to remove it before brewing the next pot. If you forget the coffee will end up all over your counter and floor. It shold have been designed to prevent the carafe from fitting back under the brewer.

Nicholas P. Stokes on Tue, 18th Jan 2011 12:00 am

Best I’ve Ever Owned
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve owned this coffee maker for just over a year now and find it the best ever.

I originally was hesitant based on my experience with other thermal coffee makers and their small size, usually only about ten cups. This maker may call itself a ten-cup but it’s a 12 by any other measurement.

Yes, it’s tall but it keeps the coffee hot for hours in the unbreakable stainless steel carafe. It only takes about ten minutes to brew a pot and the timer ensures my first cup of the morning is ready.

If you’re tired of taste of warmed-over coffee that’s been setting on the warmer for hours, this is your new coffee maker.

William G. Wallace on Thu, 20th Jan 2011 12:00 am

Pleased.. very pleased
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
We bought this to replace a Mr. Coffee that we had become displeased with after a year or so. I was looking for a coffee brewer that made hot coffee and a thermal carafe that would keep it that way for a reasonable amount of time. I have been very happy with the Zojirushi, with the brew, temperature, and heat retention of the carafe. So far I have not experienced any problems with spills or the operation of the thermal carafe. I bought # 4 Melita paper filters and they fit ok, but one does need to press the filter down in the basket well. I can only speculate that there has been some improvement to the carafe lid grip ridges being too sharp as I do not see it as a problem on mine. I am happy with the product and would recommend it for this price range($89).

Jim O on Fri, 21st Jan 2011 12:00 am

Best designed product ever
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This carafe type coffee maker is fantastic.

So easy to use and clean.

The coffee is great, brewed at proper temp.,

and carafe keeps warm for hours.

I’ve used others and been disappointed.

This deserves some type of design award.

Lobster Coast on Sat, 22nd Jan 2011 12:00 am

Couple of problems right off the bat
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I did read the reviews and saw that this coffee pot takes a #3 filter (which doesn’t exist), but that it will also accept the #4. You cannot use a #4 permanent filter, however, and I find that to be a real drag. I don’t like the waste or taste of paper filters. There is no mention of the type of filter needed for this product in the description – really bad form. If anyone out there has actually found a #3 filter – I would love to hear about it. I really don’t want to be forcing an ill fitting paper cone into the machine or cutting one up to fit each morning. If this weren’t a gift, I’d be sending it back for this alone.

Second problem is the lid. You have to take off the lid in order to make the coffee and put it back on again when it is done. Huh? I have never seen any such nonsense on a thermal pot or any pot before – really stupid design.

Haven’t even used the thing yet (need to go out and buy paper filters), but will definitely be back to review performance. Boggles the mind…

Update on Jan 2, 2008: The #4 paper filters don’t work particularly well. We are 2 for 5 now – the coffee maker has spewed grinds and coffee all over itself and our floors and counters 3 times out of the 5 times we’ve tried to make a pot. We can’t figure out what the problem is. Nothing seems to be clogged – for some reason the pot will not line up with the hole dispensing the coffee and if you remove the pot, the coffee pours out – it isn’t supposed to. It’s supposed to stop if you remove the pot. Again, please, if anyone knows where to find a #3 filter – let the rest of us know! I don’t know how all of the rest of you positive reviewers are using this coffee maker! (BTW, the Zojirushi site is useless – it is hard to even find this coffee maker at all and there are no filters on the site.)

Charles V. Khoury on Sun, 23rd Jan 2011 12:00 am

Delivers as Promised
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This cofee maker delivers as promised. So far so good. No leaks and very hot coffee. I’d like to buy a second caraffe and have had no luck on the manufactureres website.

L. Stobbe on Tue, 25th Jan 2011 12:00 am

Zojirushi Thermal Cofffee Maker
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Despite all the hype about the thermal carafe it was a huge disappointment. Within four hours contents were cold. We returned it to seller.

Les

Juanita A. Capellani on Wed, 26th Jan 2011 12:00 am

Worse coffee maker I’ve ever had.
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I can’t believe all the good reviews on this machine. I bought one at the Target sight, and was so glad I could take it back. It was so slow pouring from the thermal pot, and the last cups could not be poured unless you took off the lid and completely tipped it over. Also I tried different kinds of coffee, all with the same results–bad. To get a decent cup it took double the grounds of my old coffee maker. Way over priced.

Luis M. Perez on Wed, 26th Jan 2011 12:00 am

User Friendly
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
If you are looking for a coffee maker that is simple to use and will make a great cup of good coffee then you have come to the right place.

AND it looks good on your counter top. I am happy with and recommend this coffee maker.

Tommie (Luis wife)

Marcel L. Salive on Fri, 28th Jan 2011 12:00 am

Zojirushi EC-BD15
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Zojirushi EC-BD15 Fresh Brew Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker makes great coffee,

BUT the caraf