This Mr. Coffee 14-cup coffee maker is our first new automatic drip coffee maker in a very long time. It’s a huge step up from our simple on/off-only coffee maker and has a variety of features that make it easy-to-use and convenient for brewing a great tasting cup of Joe. I love the stainless steel and black finish as it goes with the rest of my kitchen appliances, though the steel portions tend to pickup fingerprints easily. On the right-hand side of the machine is a water-level monitor window into the reservoir marking 4 to 14 cups (max) in 2 cup increments. Note that there isn’t an indicator float, so you’ll just have to look for the water line where the color changes from translucent white to a clear-black. The carafe is also marked with the same volume indicators on either side of the handle.
The coffee maker is a bit larger than my last one and my only “issue” with the size is that I have to pull it out from under my kitchen cabinets in order to open the cover to the reservoir, as when fully open the height is 22 inches and my cabinets are only 18 inches above the countertop. This is probably not a bad thing though as it allows the steam from the machine to not get trapped under my cabinets and cause water damage to the woodwork.
After plugging it in, the only setup involved is setting the current time on the clock using the hour and minute buttons. You have the option to ‘Brew Now’ for coffee on demand or ‘Brew Later’ by selecting a time to turn on, for example, the next morning the machine can start brewing before you even get out of bed. Just remember that choosing ‘Brew Later’ will only run the coffee machine once, and you have to press the button again each time you want to use that feature. However, it will remember the time you chose for that setting until you change it or the machine is unplugged. I did like that there is a safety feature that if you open the reservoir lid while it is actively brewing, the hot water will pump back into the reservoir at the lid hinge, rather than shoot out of the drip head. The top of the machine does get warm/hot during brewing as well and you can set your coffee mugs on top to warm up, but I found that the lid is not completely flat (it is very slightly dome-shaped) so you do have to be careful the mugs won’t topple off.
In either mode, after brewing, the hotplate under the carafe automatically stays heated in ‘Keep Warm’ mode, and you can choose the amount of time it remains on in 1 hour increments up to 4 hours. However, there’s no option to skip the keep warm mode all together, and it doesn’t shut off automatically when the carafe is empty nor when it is removed for extended periods of time, so make sure you remember to press the same brew button you used to start the cycle in order to turn off ‘keep warm’ when necessary. It’s easy to remember though because there is a white indicator light on each setting’s button when it is active.
This coffee maker can make use of an optional ‘Advanced Water Filtration’ cartridge which is basically a small filter capsule of activated carbon that removes impurities, minerals, and trace chemicals from your water prior to brewing. Since I always make my coffee with filtered water anyway, this extra filtration step didn’t produce a noticeable difference in the taste of our coffee, but you may notice an improvement in your coffee’s taste if you are brewing with unfiltered tap or well water. A sample filter cartridge is included and you place it into a long-handled basket which sits at the bottom of the reservoir where the water is drawn into the coffee machine. There’s a handy replacement reminder dial at the top of filter’s basket handle that lets you display the month that you last replaced the cartridge. These cartridges should be replaced after 30 days (or 30 uses, whichever is earlier) and can be purchase by the dozen for a 1-year supply.
There are several other features on this machine which I think are pretty neat. The first is a ‘1-4 Cups’ brewing option which, if selected, slows down the brewing process so that the lesser amount of grounds needed to make that amount of coffee stays in contact with the hot water for longer, helping to draw out more flavor. Note though that enabling this setting, doesn’t allow the machine to measure the amount of water used. It will still empty the entire contents of the reservoir into the carafe, so only add as much water to the machine as needed for the amount of grounds used for the desired volume of coffee. The ‘Strong’ button does a similar process in order to brew a bolder, more concentrated coffee, which is great for making iced coffee (since the ice will water down your drink) or for use in recipes like tiramisu. You can have both ‘Strong’ and ‘1-4 Cups’ modes enabled simultaneously, and it will remember these settings until you toggle them off (LEDs in the button will be lit).
This machine comes with a reusable nylon coffee filter which eschews the need for paper filters. Not only can this save you the expense, but it is also more environmentally friendly. Just note that the nylon mesh will stain and turn brown through use, and while lifting the filter out of the machine using the handle is convenient, emptying it of grounds is a little messier than removing a paper liner. You can, of course, still use disposable filters, if you prefer, with or without the reusable filter installed. The brew basket, reusable coffee filter, and carafe are all top rack dishwasher safe. There is also a decalcifying ‘Clean’ mode you can activate by pressing and holding the ‘Strong’ button for 3 seconds, if your machine’s performance isn’t brewing optimally, and it’s recommended to complete this cycle once every 1-3 months depending on your water hardness.
Overall, I’m pretty happy with this coffee maker. Its 14-cup capacity allows me to brew a large pot for friends and family, and the 1-4 cup brewing mode is perfect for small batches for one or two people. The settings are easy to use, and I love that I can wake up to freshly brewed coffee in the mornings without waiting, if we plan ahead and prep the machine up the night before.