KARACASeries 2303 Filter Coffee Machines with Timer, Filter Coffee Maker with Automatic Keep Warm Function & 1.2-litre Steel Thermal Carafe, Fast Brewing, Black

I recently broke the 0.5 litre glass jug (=2 mugs of coffee) on my very old coffee filter machine and can't seem to get it replaced. Saw this 0.5 litre machine but was put off by the negative comments. One person said they saw smoke coming from it, another said the coffee tasted of plastic because it's made of plastic and yet another that the coffee wasn't hot enough. I couldn't find another machine so took a chance on this one. I'm glad I did - it's brilliant!! Firstly every coffee filter machine I've ever had was made of plastic - they all are. The instruction leaflet was the first thing I saw when I opened the box and it tells you to dismantle and wash all the components before the first use then flush the machine twice with no coffee in it. During the first flush cycle I saw STEAM come out - not smoke! There was also a slight smell of hot plastic. Both disappeared by the second flush. The third time I put coffee in it and it was perfect. It uses ground coffee and you can also grind your own beans in it automatically if you prefer that. Both taste really good. Cleaning is easy, if you follow the instructions. As for the temperature - it's hot enough, exactly the same as any other filter machine I've ever had - the hot plate switches off after half an hour, which is a great safety feature, and it stays plenty warm enough for that second mug. It looks great on the work surface too! So if people didn't like their coffee I would suggest changing the beans/pack of ground coffee - not this great little machine!! Plus READ the instructions!!

I wanted a coffee maker that was affordable, with a thermal carafe, a reusable filter, and a timer function. This one fits the bill. I wish I could say it is great, but it has some drawbacks.The instructions are terrible - not only are they poorly translated to English, but in some cases they are actually wrong. For example, to use the "aroma" function (to increase the strength of the blend), the instructions say to press the Program button twice. However, that turns on the timer function. Only after searching online did I learn that you actually need to hold down the Program button for 3+ seconds.Another reviewer mentioned running two clean cycles through the machine before making coffee. This was absolutely necessary, but nowhere in the instructions does it say to do this.Because of the way the water reservoir and the lid of the machine are designed, it is impossible to completely fill the machine with water using the carafe. I've found that I can only do so by pouring the water in from a cup. Not a huge deal, but still inconvenient and a poor design choice.The description claims that the pot holds 10-12 cups of coffee. This may be true if you drink your coffee from VERY small cups. I use a fairly large thermal mug that holds 300 ml, so the reality, in my case, is that I can only get about 3 cups of coffee from this machine. And those three cups take a very long time to brew. Thankfully I can remove the carafe while it is still brewing.Finally, you must pour the coffee VERY slowly to avoid spills. The spout on the carafe is quite narrow, and pouring too quickly will result in coffee spilling out around the edges and dripping everywhere. Again, not a huge deal, but another poor design choice.None of these things are deal breakers for me, but be aware that there will be some inconveniences that come along with this coffee maker.

This has a bigger and heavier jug than I was expecting, although overall it looks good and is compact. It has large capacity but I am still able to make enough for just two large cups comfortably. The coffee is good. The instructions include a "BOLD (aroma) function". I am not clear what this is, and in any event I couldn't set it on this machine. The simple on off switch makes straightforward filter coffee. The on off switch is very close to the lid and a slip of the finger can inadvertently switch it on when lifting the lid! The jug is heavy and I find it cumbersome to pour from. But, overall I am pleased with the machine. It is less expensive than other thermos type brands. It will be particularly useful when I am making larger quantities of coffee.

After breaking yet another glass filter jug, I decided to upgrade to a Stainless steel filter jug. This item arrived on time from Amazon with no damage. Having read previous reviews, I washed the jug before running a full tank of water through the machine twice before using to ensure the product was clean and safe to use. This is not provided in the booklet that comes with the machine. Note to vendor that this should be in the product booklet supplied with the machine.The machine is very simple to use in terms of setting the time and the timer. The jug has a button on the lid that prevents pouring of the coffee, this takes a bit to get used too but it is a great little feature. The 1.2 litre capacity is more than sufficient, half a jug will easily provide 3-4 mugs of coffee depending on your mug size. I can't comment on the brew time as I don't monitor this and the only other product enhancement would be a removable water tank to easy of refilling outside using the jug.What I love about this product, outside of the great price, is how hot it keeps the coffee once the machine auto turns off after 30 minutes. I've poured hot coffee up to 2 hours after brewing and have great hot coffee which is testament to the thermal jug. After 2 days of using, I recommend this product however caveat it with how well it will make coffee in 2 years time and if the product will last past it's 2 year warranty.

Not great. Small jug which pours really badly

Great machine but not an easy pourer!