This isn't really a different kind of coffee maker—it operates the same as any other run-of-the-mill brewer that uses hot water running through a pile of coffee grounds and filter. In fact, in those respects, it's actually pretty low-tech and very single-minded--there are no fancy timers, no brew size or brew strength adjustment controls, no built-in water filters or jets that squirt out other foamy ingredients—there’s not even a simple LED to indicate that brewing is complete. What THIS unit does differently is really more about convenience and idiot-proof iced coffee preparation.
Specifically, you are provided the tools you need to pre-measure and optimally apportion the amount of coffee grounds, water, and ice necessary to brew a sizeable, 22-oz “tumblerized” iced coffee drink. So could you use any other run-of-the-mill brewer to achieve the same ends--yeah, I suppose so, but it wouldn't be quite as slick as you have it here; and you'd need to adjust brew strength, brew time, cup size, amount of grounds, etc. by trial-and-error until you finally got what you were after…and, there’s no guarantee that the coffee maker you’d be using is even capable of filling an entire tumbler (or not overfilling it) in one convenient step. So, if you have the counter-space for a one-trick pony iced coffee maker (and you're a frequent consumer of iced coffee drinks), the Mr. Coffee actually delivers what you'd want and expect.
Setup and operation are dead-simple—as simple as the giant info-graphic sticker on the lift-up lid:
1) Fill the double-walled, insulated tumbler (included) partially full with water—there’s a mark on the side of the tumbler so you don’t have to guess where to stop
2) Lift the lid and take the top off the coffee base maker using the integrated basket-style handle; fill the base with water from the tumbler
3) Use the included measuring scoop to add coffee grounds into the reusable filter basket (which also has its own basket-style handle); set the top assembly with the filter basket back onto the base
4) Add ice up to the top of the tumbler—there’s another mark near the top of the tumbler so you don’t have to guess where to stop
5) Set the tumbler under the spout, make sure the flow lever is set to the left (marked with a little coffee droplet symbol), and press the start button on the left-side of the base
It takes about 30 seconds for hot coffee to start flowing over the ice and 3 minutes for the entire tumbler to fill. During that time, enough of the ice melts to a) *completely* chill the resultant beverage to where it’s cold enough to legitimately be considered an “iced coffee” without tasting bitter or watered down; and b) make enough additional room in the tumbler to stir in plenty of syrup or creamer. From there, just pop on the cover (included) and add in a reusable straw (also included) to take your coffeehouse-style iced coffee to go. Obviously, your satisfaction with the results is going to be totally dependent on your coffee and creamer/syrup choices, but my wife and daughter thought their iced coffees were simply wonderful, and even remarked that the results were better than they expected. They also thought it was kind of fun and cool to have a dedicated iced coffee maker given that their initial question was, “Wait, can’t we just use our existing coffee maker to do something like this?”
There are just a few observations I have on usability. One; as indicated earlier, there are no displays of any kind to indicate that brewing is complete and it’s safe to take your beverage away; nor is there an automated cut-off to stop the flow of hot liquid. That’s not a big deal at all; but if you’re impatient like my daughter, you’ll probably want to snag that tumbler away just a few milliseconds after the main brew cycle appears to be complete--but there’s still excess coffee hanging out in the filler tube that hasn’t quite finished its slow drip to evacuation. She was constantly complaining about having to clean up puddles under the outlet until I suggested she simply slide the flow lever over to the right to stop all liquid flow (unambiguously marked by a coffee droplet with a line through it) BEFORE removing the tumbler. She grimaced at the thought of having to do additional manual labor, but if you remember to do it, the flow open/close lever will definitely keep the countertop clean from errant drippage.
Two; strong condensation tends to build up under the lid--like it does in most coffee makers of this design. The trouble is that in order to remove the filter basket for cleaning, you have to tilt the lid back more than 90 degrees, and the plastic drip guards near the hinge don’t quite extend far enough out to ensure that the water sliding down the inside of the lid lands inside the top assembly and not on the counter behind the coffee maker. Again, this is not a big deal if you’re careful about slowly opening the lid and shaking some of the water loose before fully opening the top cover, but it happened often enough that it warranted a mention.
Bottom line: as indicated early on, this iced-coffee maker really doesn’t do anything more than any other coffee maker could do with a cup or tumbler full of ice under the spout. But the pre-measured scoop and amply sized, insulated travel tumbler, with ideal water and ice levels clearly marked, make it quick and easy (and even a little fun) to create professional-looking/tasting iced coffees at home. A few tweaks to the design and operation could actually make this a multi-purpose unit; but for the asking price and speed/ease of use, it’s still definitely recommended for iced coffee fans.
