Does anyone have a Moccamaster? (Or Breville Precision brewer? Or GE Cafe?)

[JunkerJorge]

Well my Oxo barista brain pooped out and I cannot get any response from customer service to fix it. I can no longer go without my trusty coffee maker. The Oxo made lovely coffee but I feel the UX could be improved. First the Oxo functionally wouldn’t make more than 7 cups at a time. Second the water tank tended to pick up coffee dust and due to the design was nearly impossible to clean out. Last the carafe design caused it to hold a little old water no matter how much I shook it, which I didn’t care for.

In replacing it I sort of narrowed down the options to the Moccamaster, the Breville Precision Brewer, and the GE Cafe. The Cafe doesn’t have many reviews online so that concerns me and I don’t love how heavily they use copper accents on the machine. The Breville seems quite bulky and has more settings than I would really prefer (I can just imagine my kids playing with the buttons one day and it never being the same again ).

I am drawn toward the Moccamaster because I know it has a long term reputation for good coffee and a simple beautiful aesthetic. I do wish it had the ability to set a morning timer though.

Does anyone have experience with the Moccamaster? Are you happy with the product? Is it possible to clean? Would you buy it again?

Or do you have experience with any of these other 2 machines?

 

[Lightcs1776]

I use a Bonavita 1900 and have been satisfied with it. However, I am on a couple of coffee forums at the Mocccamaster gets great reviews. Many have stated that the machines are easily repaired if there are any issues and their costumer service is well regarded.

 

[JunkerJorge]

I use a Bonavita 1900 and have been satisfied with it. However, I am on a couple of coffee forums at the Mocccamaster gets great reviews. Many have stated that the machines are easily repaired if there are any issues and their costumer service is well regarded.

Bonavita was my first thought when I realized I was probably going to have to get a new brewer. Unfortunately it looks like they are out of business.

 

[Lightcs1776]

I hadn't heard that they actually closed. I read that they were having issues with US distributors, but are not going out of business. At least that was in an article about a month ago. However, I would be hesitant to pick one up until things get worked out, or wait to see if they don't get worked out and close. It would be a shame if they go under.

 

[sknz]

I am drawn toward the Moccamaster because I know it has a long term reputation for good coffee and a simple beautiful aesthetic. I do wish it had the ability to set a morning timer though.

Does anyone have experience with the Moccamaster? Are you happy with the product? Is it possible to clean? Would you buy it again?

Yes we have a Moccamaster and I highly recommend it. Very efficient, quiet, makes superb brewed coffee. Your only decisions should be which color and either stainless carafe or glass carafe. Ours is the stainless carafe but my next one (for our other home) will be the glass on the heated plate which will turn off after a time period. We are using a glass vacuum carafe as the stainless one will not keep coffee hot for extended periods. If you make a pot and finish it in short order the stainless will work. If you tend to not finish a pot for an hour or two get the glass. I like the simple operation without the timer, etc. but if you need that function just get a programmable or smart wifi switch for the wall outlet. Just my $0.02.

 

[JunkerJorge]

Yes we have a Moccamaster and I highly recommend it. Very efficient, quiet, makes superb brewed coffee. Your only decisions should be which color and either stainless carafe or glass carafe. Ours is the stainless carafe but my next one (for our other home) will be the glass on the heated plate which will turn off after a time period. We are using a glass vacuum carafe as the stainless one will not keep coffee hot for extended periods. If you make a pot and finish it in short order the stainless will work. If you tend to not finish a pot for an hour or two get the glass. I like the simple operation without the timer, etc. but if you need that function just get a programmable or smart wifi switch for the wall outlet. Just my $0.02.

Interesting. I always sort of thought the general consensus was to stay away from the hot plate situation. I do tend to make a big pot and work through it throughout the morning. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[selbedj]

I have a Moccamaster and love it. Like sknz said I have it on a smart plug and can set it to a time or start it when I get out of bed and grab my phone. Only downside is that the pot is smaller than a lot of other coffee makers. For two of us that leaves us feeling like we would like just a bit more brew in the mornings.

 

[sknz]

Interesting. I always sort of thought the general consensus was to stay away from the hot plate situation. I do tend to make a big pot and work through it throughout the morning. Thanks for the feedback.

Yes in that case you would be better off with the hot plate version. Coffee can be brewed and then consumed in 2 hours or just xfer it to a glass vacuum carafe immediately after brewing and shut the hot plate down after which you can take all the time in the world to finish the coffee as it will stay plenty hot in that vacuum container. The other advantage of the hot plate version is if you want to make more than a single pot you can brew one then xfer to the carafe and immediately brew a second one. I have a counter by the fridge for the Moccamaster and just tee'd the ice maker line and have a quarter turn valve for filling the Moccamaster. Makes it simple.

 

[nicked78]

I bought a Moccamaster 15 years ago, and used it somewhat lightly for the first twelve years, usually preferring pour-overs and other gadgets for single-serve volumes. About three years ago, I started using it daily to brew a half-pot. I love mine. It works as well as it did new in 2007. I like how accessible/cleanable the parts are, and the ease of taking over some manual control of the results (easy to regulate/stop the flow from the basket or stir grounds, etc.). I have the stainless carafe, but usually just brew directly into a thermal container to take the last 6 oz. with me in the morning.

 

[StillShaving]

Yes we have a Moccamaster and I highly recommend it. Very efficient, quiet, makes superb brewed coffee. Your only decisions should be which color and either stainless carafe or glass carafe. Ours is the stainless carafe but my next one (for our other home) will be the glass on the heated plate which will turn off after a time period. We are using a glass vacuum carafe as the stainless one will not keep coffee hot for extended periods. If you make a pot and finish it in short order the stainless will work. If you tend to not finish a pot for an hour or two get the glass. I like the simple operation without the timer, etc. but if you need that function just get a programmable or smart wifi switch for the wall outlet. Just my $0.02.

Were you preheating the thermal carafe? Or is the lid on the Moccamaster not designed to seal well enough and letting heat escape too easily from the top? Though I understand that running water through the machine to heat up the carafe is troublesome.

I do find that coffee tastes fresher for longer if kept in vacuum carafe instead of glass, but it does need to be a good one to keep it from cooling down too quickly. In which a hotplate can hold the temperature for a little while. Of course another approach is to make smaller pots at different times during the day to prevent it from getting bitter. That is one reason I started making manual pourovers. Depending on the day or situation or number of drinkers, can make 1+ liter at a time or just a cup or two.

 

[Rhody]

Moccamaster here too. It’s great. I use a stainless carafe but the coffee doesn’t stay hot that long. Only negative to me is that there’s no auto off. You have to remember to turn it off after brewing. I didn’t go hot plate version bc I know I’d break the glass carafe eventually.

 

[sknz]

Were you preheating the thermal carafe? Or is the lid on the Moccamaster not designed to seal well enough and letting heat escape too easily from the top? Though I understand that running water through the machine to heat up the carafe is troublesome.

Yes I always preheat the stainless carafe but still the coffee will not stay nearly as hot as in a glass vacuum carafe. Same as taking coffee in the field in the Stanley thermos vs glass vacuum insert thermos. (Of course when the glass thermos rolled off the seat and hit the floor the glass broke!)

 

[sknz]

Only negative to me is that there’s no auto off. You have to remember to turn it off after brewing.

We take the SS carafe away after brewing and there is a switch that kills the power when the carafe is not in the machine. I have also found that if there is no water in the unit after brewing a pot the heating element will not come back on even if the power switch is in the on position.

 

[musicman1951]

I've been using the Moccamaster for around 10 years and love it. We have the stainless and find it keeps the coffee warm for a few hours with no issues. Just remember the "cups" are European (4 oz.?) cups and not the American 6 oz. cups. When I was a boy a cup was 8 ounces, but apparently those days are gone.

 

[Whisky]

I have been using the glass carafe model daily for about 10yrs. It’s stood up to daily pot and a half use well. My only complaint is that the carafe is euro 4oz cups, if you have any company over get ready to brew multiple pots. I grind coffee every morning so don’t necessarily need the auto on function. If you have any kind of hard water be warned that the copper heating element will build scale like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I descale once a month or when the element starts “popping” the scale off when I turn the machine on. Never had this problem until I moved to Indiana which apparently has some of the hardest water in the country.

 

[JunkerJorge]

Welp. I pulled the trigger.

 

[Whisky]

Welp. I pulled the trigger.

View attachment 1428761

Same model I have. I think you’ll really enjoy it.

 

[Rhody]

Fantastic! Enjoy it.

 

[drawonme]

I have the same one you just bought. It is a wonderful machine.

 

[coops]

Interesting. I always sort of thought the general consensus was to stay away from the hot plate situation. I do tend to make a big pot and work through it throughout the morning. Thanks for the feedback.

With most drip coffee makers the hot plate is indeed terrible for the coffee.. but this is NOT the case for a Moccamaster as it has been designed properly, and independent heat for the plate set to not cook the coffee.

The Moccamaster KGBV Select in Midnight Blue looks like the one

Moccamaster KBGV Select

Elevate your coffee brewing with precision and style using the KBGV Select coffee maker from Moccamaster. Experience exceptional taste at your fingertips with this automatic coffee machine. Shop now.

us.moccamaster.com

We use the Cup-One model as my wife gets up earlier - prefer to brew a cup as needed as its so easy with the Cup-One.

With a Baratza Sette 30 for the grinding, brew and add condensed milk for a lazy Cafe Au Lait.