Capresso CoffeeTEAM Thermal Coffee Maker with Conical Burr Grinder

Product Description

The Capresso coffeeteam ts is a fully programmable 10-cup coffee maker/conical burr grinder combination. Professional, solid-steel conical burrs have 5 grinder settings from coarse to fine for adjustable coffee strength. The slow burr grinding imparts minimal heat, preserving more aroma and flavor. There is a 6-ounce capacity bean container and a see-through window that allows you to check that ground coffee flows smoothly into the filter holder. There is a detachable see-through cover for easy cleaning of the grinder channel. The digital control panel has an easy to read illuminated lcd display, programmable clock/timer, 5 programmable brew amounts for 2-10 cups, and 3 programmable coffee strength settings; mild, medium and strong. There are 2 mode settings: grind/brew-for grinding programmed amount of whole beans directly into the gold tone filter, then automatically starts the brew process and brew-push the filter release button to open the swing out filter holder, add ground coffee without using the grinder. Charcoal water filtration removes up to 82-percent of chlorine and other impurities from tap water. The filter holder and one charcoal filter are included. Coffee brews into 10-cup stainless steel thermal carafe. Features: 2-hour safety shut-off, drip stop and stop-and-serve. 1000-watt, 200-degree brew temperature. Black with stainless steel accents.

Product Details

* Amazon Sales Rank: #6337 in Kitchen & Housewares
* Size: 10-Cup
* Color: Black
* Brand: Capresso
* Model: 465.05
* Dimensions: 15.50" h x 9.50" w x 9.75" l,

Features

* 10-cup coffeemaker with built-in conical burr grinder and stainless-steel thermal carafe
* Fully programmable; digital control panel with clock and timer; brew-pause function
* 5 grind settings from coarse to fine; 5 brew amounts; 3 strength settings; 6-ounce bean container
* Brew mode with or without the grinder; 2-hour auto shut-off for safety; charcoal water filter included
* Measures approximately 9-4/5 by 9-1/2 by 15-1/2 inches

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Product Description
Equipped with a built-in conical burr grinder, this coffeemaker automatically grinds and brews up to 10 cups of exceptionally flavorful coffee. The unit's slow burr grinding produces minimal heat, which helps preserve coffee's full aroma and flavor, while its solid-steel conical burrs offer five grind settings from coarse to fine for adjusting the coffee strength. A user-friendly push-button control panel with an easy-to-read illuminated LCD display ensures simple operation and programming. Choose from five brew amounts (2 to 10 cups) and select the coffee strength: mild, medium, or strong--or set the clock and timer for automatic brewing at a later time. The coffeemaker provides two modes of operation for brewing coffee with or without the grinder. Grind/Brew mode grinds a programmed amount of whole beans directly into the gold-tone filter, then automatically starts the brewing process. Brew mode allows for adding ground coffee without the use of the grinder--simply push the filter-release button to open the swing-out filter holder. Freshly brewed coffee dispenses into the included 10-cup stainless-steel thermal carafe, which comes with a stay-cool handle and non-drip spout. For sneaking a quick cup midbrew, just remove the carafe from the machine to pause the flow of coffee, then return it to continue brewing. Other highlights include a 200 degree F brew temperature, a 6-ounce capacity bean container, a see-through window for checking to make sure ground coffee flows smoothly into the filter holder, a detachable see-through cover for cleaning the grinder channel, a charcoal water filter that removes up to 82-percent of chlorine and other impurities from tap water, and two-hour automatic shut-off for safety and peace of mind. The 1000-watt fully programmable 10-cup coffeemaker measures approximately 9-4/5 by 9-1/2 by 15-1/2 inches.

Capresso 471.01 CoffeeTEC Digital 10-cup Coffeemaker with Stainless-Steel Vacuum Carafe and FrothXpress, Black

Product Description

So what's the best part of cappuccino anyway? The rich creamy froth of course! Wouldn't it be nice to convert your morning mug of coffee into a sumptuous frothed experience? This ingenious machine brews piping hot coffee into an insulated carafe. It also has a frothing attachment which allows you to give your coffee a cappuccino style top! And you can even froth hot choclate using the same frothing attachment.

Product Details

* Amazon Sales Rank: #74650 in Kitchen & Housewares
* Color: Black
* Brand: Capresso
* Model: 471.01
* Dimensions: 14.00" h x 11.00" w x 11.00" l, 8.00 pounds

Features

* Brews 10 5-ounce cups of coffee directly into a stainless-steel vacuum carafe
* Virtually unbreakable carafe keeps coffee hot 4 hours without a warming plate
* Programmable digital clock/timer for "wake-up" coffee; pour a cup midbrew via 20-second brew-pause
* Permanent GoldTone filter eliminates messy paper filters; push-button, swing-out filter holder
* Measures 11 by 12 by 14 inches; 1-year warranty

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Loaded with convenient features, this coffeemaker not only brews ten 5-ounce cups of coffee directly into a stainless-steel vacuum carafe, it also delivers up to 32 ounces of hot milk and froth for cappuccinos, café lattés, and hot chocolates. The carafe is virtually unbreakable and keeps coffee hot for four hours without a warming plate that can turn coffee bitter. Other features include a digital clock/timer for programming the brewing cycle up to 24 hours in advance (automatic wake-up coffee!); a drip-stop to pause the brewing cycle for 20 seconds if the carafe is removed for a midbrew pour; two brewing cycles (3 to 5 cups or 6 to 10 cups) for maximum coffee flavor; a permanent gold tone filter that eliminates messy paper filters; and a push-button, swing-out filter holder.

The milk-frothing system dispenses hot milk and froth directly into a cup and uses a separate heating system from the coffeemaker and a milk container separate from the water container for brewing coffee. (A flexible hose can be used to siphon milk directly from a carton of milk instead of the milk container.) The machine automatically switches to a stand-by mode for steaming when the brewing cycle is complete. However, milk can be frothed for, say, hot chocolate without brewing coffee. A knob adjusts milk flow, milk temperature, and the amount of froth, permitting precise control for individual taste. An instruction video comes with the machine, which measures 14 inches high, 11 inches wide, and 12 inches deep and carries a one-year warranty against defects. --Fred Brack

Customer Reviews

A fine-tuned piece of equipment!5
After spending a few weeks researching various coffee makers and reading numerous reviews and online user reports, I settled on the Capresso CoffeeTEC due to its features and the theory behind how it brews coffee - reduced aeration to hold flavor (vacuum sealed carafe), no burner to bake the bean and increase acidity, and 190+ degree water dispensed into the brewing basket, which is very hot for a coffee maker!

I have to admit, I was nervous. I saw two general complaints that were common from online user reports. 1) The carafe did not maintain the water temperature, and 2) the frother ceased to work. A few comments on these:

Thermal carafe: I have no clue how anyone can be having a problem with this carafe, unless there's a problem with the heat of the water entering the carafe or in how they're storing the coffee after it brews (like, in the refrigerator, perhaps).

I did some tests on the carafe after getting my CoffeeTEC. The carafe was at room temperature (not pre-heated, as some suggest) when doing this test. Immediately after brewing straight water with the carafe in the closed position, I measured the water temperature at 189.3f using a digital thermometer. I closed the carafe and let it sit for exactly one hour then measured the water at 182.1f, a drop of only about 7f, which is fantastic! Now, I also brewed a full pot of straight water on my now-replaced Mr. Coffee, which sat on a hot burner during the brew process. After brewing, the water temperature was exactly 178f. So, after one hour in the thermal carafe with no burner contact, the Capresso water was hotter than the Mr. Coffee immediately after brewing. Very impressive results!

Frothing problem: I have noticed that the plastic pieces that connect the milk container to the frother do have to be sealed properly for frothing to work. Also, it is necessary to clean the items after frothing; a very simple and quick process. Occasionally my unit will not froth immediately even though the steam would blast in an attempt to froth. This has been very easy to solve. After turning the steam on, I simply press the milk container tightly against the plastic piece that connects it to the frothing nipple. Don't worry if you don't understand this description. You have to own the unit to know the pieces I'm discussing. Just understand that with some minor manual jostling, the milk will flow and froth wonderfully!

Now, as for my assessment of this coffee maker... it is the best coffee maker I have ever owned! I'm knocked-out by the quality of brew I'm getting. Just as good if not better than commercial coffee houses, because I can make it to my specifications!

A few comments on this though... it took a few weeks for me to figure out exactly how to use this coffee maker so it brews to my liking. When I brewed my first cup, I didn't care for it. Keep in mind, this unit brews water quickly through the grind. It extracts flavor and aroma through heat, not prolonged water contact with the bean. As a result, you will have to use more coffee than most coffee makers.

As an example, I used to measure one rounded tablespoon of beans (pre-ground) for every two 5oz cups, then I'd add one extra tablespoon for added body. So, for 20oz of coffee, I'd use three tablespoons of beans. With this coffee maker, I've learned I need to use one tablespoon for each 5oz cup plus one extra for added body. So, for the same 20oz pot of coffee, I use five tablespoons of beans.

Also, the other detail I discovered is, it was necessary to grind the beans finer than I had before. I've started grinding the beans on the Espresso setting of my grinder rather than the automatic drip setting. This made a huge difference on the strength and flavor of the coffee.

So, keep in mind you'll want to play with the quantity and fineness of grind. If you use canned grinds, you have much less leeway. You'll just have to add much more grind, but be careful! Don't add too much or it will overflow the basket. Always adhere to the maximum grind amount Capresso recommends in the documentation.

The coffee maker comes with a gold filter. You may or may not like using the filter; I elected not to use it. The gold filter allows more oil and particulates into the coffee. Some like this; others don't. It makes for an oilier, cloudier brew. Using paper filters, more of the fine particles are filtered out and much of the oil is kept from leaching into the carafe. The coffee is cleaner, clearer and not murky. I prefer using paper, but the preference is highly individualistic. I'd suggest running some tests and decide for yourself.

In the end, I find the coffee to be superb! This coffee maker is a fine-tuned piece of equipment that responds to the subtlest of changes you impart on the brewing process. Change the fineness of the grind or the quantity of beans used and you'll experience a noticeable difference in the outcome of the brew. After I determined the right balance that suits my pallet, all I can say is, "Wow!" The flavor and body is nutty, winy and full, the aftertaste smooth and non-acidic, and the aroma outstanding! I highly recommend this coffee maker.

But, plan to make a number of pots when you first get it with the understanding that many of those pots will probably go down the drain. It'll take some test runs to determine the quantity of coffee you'll want to use, the fineness of grind, and which filter to use. With due diligence, you'll have a splendid coffee maker from which you'll enjoy each day's coffee for years to come, custom made specifically towards your taste.

So, read the other reviews for what they are and keep in mind some of my comments. In my experience, many of the complaints reflect a user who hasn't experimented with the grind quantity and fineness, and hasn't been adventurous enough to work the "piping" when frothing.

Capresso scores again!5
I've been impressed with the well-thought out products coming from this relatively small company in the small appliance industry. Their Swiss designers have the leading edge technology in coffee makers and the CoffeeTEC is the latest innovation. Coffee is brewed 10 cups in under 8 minutes, and that's fast. The idea is to have the fresh coffee exposed to hot water for the minimum amount of time, so flavor is extracted without extracting the bitter parts of coffee flavor. CoffeeTEC does this really well. A special 3-5 cup brewing selector makes it possible to brew a perfect small pot of coffee. The coffee goes directly into a stainless steel vacuum carafe, and after removing and sealing the pot the coffee stays hot for hours but never gets heated over and over again as in a traditional hot plate coffee maker. The Auto Cappuccino feature is a genuine plus for those of us who want some frothy milk with our coffee, it turns cold milk into hot milk and froth in seconds. Since all the works are outside of the coffee maker, it's easy to clean and to remove the milk container for refrigerator storage. This is a winner in the category of latest coffee technology.

Re-Review, Red-faced in San Martin5
This is the second review I have written for this product (Please see the review directly below this one by "bookdeep"). I am pleased to report that we now LOVE this machine, ever since we discovered the "trick," and I am writing again to try and rectify the embarrasingly harsh review that I sent before. As I said in the first review, the coffee machine works fine: it makes a great cup of coffee quickly and efficiently, and it is easy to clean. Initially, we had some difficulty with the frothing mechanism; however, the solution turned out to be very simple. In order to start the steaming/frothing mechanism, there is a large dial that must be turned one-quarter turn from "Twelve O'Clock" (Steam Off) to "Three O'Clock" (Steam On). We discovered that when you turn the dial to the Steam On position you have to bear down on the dial a tiny, tiny bit: maybe the dial would actually go to 3:01 on the clock face, maybe even less. When we do that, the frothing starts immediately, every time. It seems that our trouble was that we were a little too delicate turning the dial. Note that this "overturning" is very slight: we wouldn't want anyone to damage the machine. I wish that I could take back the previous review because that low rating will have an affect on the average for this product, but I cannot. I hope that writing to correct our error will help others who may consider this machine. Please note, that in spite of the brand name "Capresso" this is not an Espresso machine; it is a coffee maker with a frothing mechanism, which works amazingly well now that we know the trick. If this is the combination that you are looking for, then we cannot recommend this machine highly enough--it does do both of these jobs very well. And now that you know the trick, maybe there will be fewer frustrated, and more happy, coffee drinkers like us.

Capresso 441.05 MT-500 Plus 10-cup Coffeemaker with Metallic Alloy Body and Stainless Thermal Carafe

Product Description

With its sophisticated look, the new MT500 Plus ties in beautifully with today's metallic kitchen trends, while adding a classic accent that works with a variety of kitchen decor options. This is the only 10-cup electric coffee maker with a stunning metallic alloy body, stainless steel thermal carafe and a stainless steel lined heating system. The new MT500 Plus adds a brushed metallic filter holder for a sleek look. It features a convenient side panel with easy access soft-touch controls, plus an illuminated LED display that is easy to see from any angle in any light. Convenience features include easy-to-clean polished surface, GoldTone Filter, easy-to-read external water level indicator, drip free spout, 24-hour programmable clock/timer, concealed cord storage and automatic safety shut-off after brewing.

Product Details

* Amazon Sales Rank: #18021 in Kitchen & Housewares
* Color: Silver
* Brand: Capresso
* Model: 441.05
* Released on: 2005-11-15
* Dimensions: 14.00" h x 9.00" w x 8.00" l, 10.20 pounds

Features

* Coffeemaker brews up to 10 cups of flavorful coffee in just 8 minutes
* Stainless-steel vacuum carafe keeps coffee hot for several hours
* Stainless-steel ThermoBlock heating system reduces calcification
* Brew-pause for mid-brew pour; digital, programmable, 24-hour clock/timer
* Measures 9-3/4 by 10 by 13-3/4 inches; 1-year limited warranty

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Employing a stainless-steel vacuum carafe instead of a warming plate, this coffeemaker brews up to 10 cups in under eight minutes for maximum flavor and aroma, and the carafe then keeps the coffee hot for several hours. The carafe prevents coffee from turning bitter, as it can when sitting on a warming plate, and doesn't have to remain with the machine for coffee to stay hot. The machine also offers a setting for brewing three to five cups without diluting the flavor or aroma. The unit's charcoal water filter removes up to 83 percent of the chlorine in tap water, and its electronic indicator shows when the water filter needs replacing. To reduce calcification, Capresso's stainless-steel ThermoBlock system prevents water from contacting aluminum inside the machine.

For added convenience, the coffeemaker's digital, programmable, 24-hour clock/timer makes it possible to have coffee ready in the morning, while its brew-pause function allows for pouring a cup midbrew. Other useful features include a handy side panel with easy-access soft-touch controls, an illuminated LED display, a drip-free spout, a permanent Gold Tone filter, automatic shutoff after brewing, an external water-level indicator, and concealed cord storage. Made of high-gloss aluminum alloy with black, plastic accents, the coffeemaker measures 9-3/4 by 10 by 13-3/4 inches and carries a one-year limited warranty against defects. --Fred Brack

Customer Reviews

A worthwhile self-indulgence5
Let's get the price issue out of the way: in no way is this "worth" its price premium over other brands by virtue of its construction / materials. You are considering buying this for one reason only: coffee geek self-indulgence in search of the best possible home-brewed.

With that acknowledged, how does it do? Answer: pretty damn well, with a couple of asterisks.

(Note: our standard of comparison is a late, lamented Braun Flavor Select, which made excellent coffee for close to a decade. But the current Braun models lack a couple of features we liked on the previous one, which threw the choice of a replacement open to all comers. We eventually settled on the Capresso.)

First off, this is FAST. It seems like there's barely enough time to put away the coffee bean jar and pull out a couple of mugs before it's ready to drink, at a perfect temperature: just slightly too hot to take more than a sip for the first couple of minutes. You do have to guess when the dripping has finished, since the brewing light doesn't go out for several minutes after.

The timed-brew feature, which is indispensible to us, sets up easily and works like a champ. We have well water but still use the water filter -- buy an extra pack at the same time you buy the coffeemaker. And we prefer using the included gold filter to avoid possible contaminants that could leech from a paper filter.

With those perameters, the flavor is incredibly good, smoother and less acidic than the Braun it replaced, using the same beans in the same quantity, while maintaining a similar richness and depth. Warning: just as high-quality stereo speakers can reveal shortcomings in source material and associated electronics, so this coffeemaker immediately lets you know if your coffee isn't up to the job. My wife's comment after her first cup: we need to use better beans.

If your brewed coffee sits around for more than a few minutes, Capresso's thermal carafe is a great improvement over Braun's warming plate. I often wait an hour for a second mug, and by then "burnt" aromas and flavors invariably creep into coffee that's been kept warm on a plate. Over that same time, the thermal carafe maintains a just-brewed flavor and seems to suffer only a minor temperature drop -- perhaps a couple of degrees.

Cleanup is definitely a bit fussy -- you remove the filter and filter holder for rinsing, and mop up the wet grounds that are invariably clinging to the bottom of the flip-up lid.

Now for those asterisks -- all minor annoyances, to be sure:

*The carafe is shiny stainless, while the coffeemaker itself has a brushed finish. That doesn't work well together -- especially in a kitchen where other appliances are brushed stainless. And I expect the carafe to start to show scratches after it's been around a bit longer.

*The carafe pours slowly with the "black dot" in position, and you need to almost completely invert it to get to the last couple of ounces.

*The water gauge has tiny, difficult-to-see numbers for my middle-aged eyes.

I haven't tried to replicate the "counter flood" problem occasionally reported on this and the identical non-metallic model, but I can see several ways it could happen: a stuck valve in the thermal cafafe lid, using more coffee than recommended in the instructions, or an ultra-fine grind. In other words, this coffeemaker is not engineered to be idiot-proof. I'm learning to check the valve every time we rinse the pot.

That said, this is the best home coffemaker we've ever used, which is why it gets five stars. Whether the quality justifies the cost is a matter for individual decision.

Fast, hot coffee in a great looking package with minor flaws4
The first thing you notice about this machine is that it's probably the best looking drip coffee maker on the market. The aluminum body shines and the carafe has a very hefty look and feel to it, with the brushed stainless and black plastic. The machine is well made and thoughtfully laid out -no fancy dials, switches, or other gimmickry. It has an intuitive programmable display with a muted orange LED for time, green for program brew, and red for ON (brew now). Simple. The water reservoir is not removable, but the lid does open all the way up and stays up so you can easily fill it and the water filter is very easy to get at and change. The machine brews a whole pot in like 5-8 minutes -it's fast and has drip stop for those in a hurry. So that's all the good stuff.

The bad: you have to clean the lid of the carafe carefully, otherwise you risk having coffee flow over if the little ball in the lid gets stuck. Also, because the drip stop and carafe lid are designed in such a way, if you don't correctly align the carafe with the drip-stop, you also risk getting coffee flowing all over the counter -major drag. And while the coffee filter holder itself comes out, it's very hard to clean the surrounding frame that holds it.
And finally, there's the price -MAJOR premium over other comparable brands and given the I've had with the carafe lid and the number of times I've had coffee spilling out all over the pot and countertop, I really question the price.
But if good looks and fast coffee are all that matter, this is a real contender. Otherwise, I would consider a less expensive machine.

Excellent Drip Coffee Brewer...one design issue...but not life threatening4
I'm a member of SCAA, (Specialty Coffee Assoc. of Amer.), and know that properly brewed coffee requires "hot water." In fact, brew temp's need to be around 200 degrees F. This machine, and the Technivorm unit from Boyd Coffee are the only two consumer machines I'm aware of that do.

My ONLY ISSUE with Capresso is the insulated thermos/carafe. It has the most unfriendly screw on cap. And outside of a small raised dot, which is black and matches the rest of the cap....thus making it near invisible, you'll play heck having anyone other than you figure out how to pour the hot coffee first time out!

I can say that it is a quality brewing device, does everything I expected, and meets my critical brewing demands.

Was it worth paying $200 for this brewer when I could have purchased a "look-a-like" for under $100? For me, yes. Both we and our friends agree that the final product is very good, and the carafe holds the coffee for our required "one hour" of usability, while maintaining a reasonably high temperature. I guess the moral remains; "You get what you pay for."

I did speak to both Capresso customer service and to Boyd Coffee Co. at the recent International Coffee Convention in Long Beach, CA. I asked both about brewing "under 3 cups" per cycle. (We are Brasilian and drink traditional fine ground coffee from Brazil, and in small demitasse cups....3 US cups is enough for 2-3 people) Both they and Technivorm prefer that their clients brew no less than 3 cups at a time, and preferably 5 or more cups. However, if you must brew smaller quantities, the Capresso does have a "3 cup cycle", which slows the water delivery and extends the steeping of the grounds. Again, it's all about having 200 deg. F water flowing over and steeping the grounds. Most cheaper machines will never get their percolated water to that temperature point, which is required to emulsify and pass the essential flavor oils into your cup. If you're concerned with buying the best machine for home coffee.......than you have two great choices; the Capresso for its ability to meet brewing standards "and also" blend into your designer kitchen, or the very competent Technivorm, sold by Boyd Coffee Co., which is certified by the SCAA, but honestly isn't a beauty to look at........ I opted to get a good brewer "and" satisfy my wife's design concerns.

Capresso 454 CoffeeTEAM-S Coffee Maker/Burr Grinder Combination

Product Description

The only combination machine with a Conical Burr Grinder! Just pour in the beans, program the time and amount of coffee to be ground¿and CoffeeTEAM-S does the rest! Only CoffeeTEAM lets you program the amount of coffee you want to grind: choose from 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 cups and select mild, regular or strong. You can even program two completely different settings, one for manual operation and one for automatic operation. This way you always enjoy exactly the same coffee taste. The CoffeeTEAM uses solid steel conical burrs. The slow grinding of the burrs imparts minimal heat, preserving more aroma than blade grinding. It also allows for a finer and more uniform grind than combination machines with a blade grinder. Grinding and brewing are separated, keeping moisture away from the grinder. The CoffeeTEAM grinds the programmed amount of beans directly into the filter. Then the filter automatically swings back and the brewing process begins.

Product Details

* Amazon Sales Rank: #59526 in Kitchen & Housewares
* Color: Black
* Brand: Capresso
* Model: 454.01
* Released on: 2006-02-01
* Dimensions: 15.50" h x 11.50" w x 10.00" l,

Features

* AM/PM Programmable Clock/Timer lets you set the time when to grind and brew automatically
* The elegant, illuminated white-on-black display is easy to read.
* Charcoal Water Filter and Electronic filter indicator shows when to replace the charcoal filter
* GoldTone Filter, Size 4 Conical is included. CoffeeTEAM can also be used with Size 4 paper filter
* Special setting maintains flavor when brewing only 2 to 4 cups.

Customer Reviews

Poor. I mean pour.4
I've had this model coffemaker at work for a couple of years, and so I placed it on my registry and got it as a wedding gift. As far as grind and brew goes, this one is mostly good, but falls short in a few respects.
The good:
o- burr grinder, much better grind than a blade
o- programmable - I just set it in the evening and it's good to go when I get out of the shower
o- no major cleaning necessary every time you use it
o- I don't see anything wrong with the plastic at all. Looks fine to me.
o- GoldTone filter - a very fine mesh to capture most coffe grounds, but does not absorbe any of the oils from the coffee the way paper filters do, giving you a fuller flavor, albeit at a price of a slightly silty cup.

The bad:
o - the temperature isn't quite up to snuff - a little too cold. If you pour it into a cup you pulled out of the cupboard, and add a splash of half and half or milk from the fridge, then pour in the coffee, it's just above warm. Not hot enough. Which also contributes to the brew not being quite as good as the beans' potential. Sad.
Update - being the engineer at heart that I am, I went and tested the brew temperature, just to be sure. I used two different kitchen digital thermometers, both in the basket and in the carafe. For most of the bewing time the temp stays at about 165F, climbing up to almost 175F towards the end of the brew. That is well short of the 200F +- 5F (92C-94C). No wonder then. I was always puzzled at how I would find great coffee at a shop, buy the beans, bring them home and only get a mediocre brew. Now I know. Too cold.

o - there is a conduit between the burr grinder and the basket. As you grind beans, the grounds fill up the conduit and push the grounds that were there already out to the basket. It's okay if you use it at the office and brew 10 cups at a time, a few times a day (full brew takes about 10 minutes, BTW). Not good for home use where you bew 2-4 cups a day: you are constantly using day-old grounds. Not good. Next time this thing breaks, I'm replacing it with a standalone burr grinder which dumps beans right out, and a thermal carafe coffemaker like Braun, which brings me to the next point:
o- No thermal carafe! What's up with that! For a high price like that, I'd have at least expected a thermal carafe. Alas, no such luck.
o- Reliability. At the office we've had to replace it about once a year, which isn't bad considering how heavily we used it - multiple 10-cup brews every day. My home version quit (motor burned out, I think) after just over a year of use. Luckily, the department store exchanged it, a'cause it was off the wedding registry and they are extra nice in those cases. Next time this thing dies, I'm getting two separate pieces - maker and grinder, both can be had for under half of the cost of these.
o - if you do get it, make sure to point the spout of the carafe to the right, away from the basket, as the steam can make the mechanism and beans sticky.
o- Brew time is too long. A full 10 cups take 10 minutes. Ideally a brew should not take more than 6 minutes; after that time you start to extract bitter unpleasant flavors from the beans. So if you want to make more coffee, then make 6 cups, pour into a thermal container and brew the other 4.
Better yet, don't buy this coffemaker.

Update: Capresso has come out with a new model, Capresso 455.05 CoffeeTEAM which does come with a thermal carafe. I don't know what the brew temp is - I suspect still too cold; no way to tell. It's an extra hundred bucks. I'm going to see if I can return mine and buy a better one.

Have purchase 5 of these2
We bought one, loved it and after several years bought a new one. Also, bought one for my Mother-in-Law, Sister-in-Law and Aunt. The digital readouts on all four machines have broken within 6-18 months. Capresso says we can send the machines in for repair at a cost of around $100.

Four out of four machines bought at different times tells me that this is a design flaw. Capresso clearly knows about this, but is unwilling to fix the problem. By the way, this only seems to apply to newer machines with the orange/red backlight.

By far the BEST coffee maker I've ever owned...5
Who wouldn't want to wake up every morning and have not only freshly-brewed, but freshly-ground coffee waiting for them??? No, we don't have a butler... we have a Coffee Team!

Ok... I'll admit the price of this coffee maker seemed a little high in the beginning. My husband is a coffee fanatic and I wanted to get him a coffee maker for his birthday that would hopefully last longer than 6 months and reduce his morning coffee-making time.

Immediately after discovering the Coffee Team I started doing the math on how many Starbucks drive-thru trips my husband could make for the price of this coffee maker and realized that in the end this would be more cost-effective for our budget.

I can't say enough about the quality of this coffee maker. I was initially skeptical as the coffee pot part appeared to be similar to several of the other no-longer-functioning coffee makers we have lying around our garage. I will admit that there isn't anything super-fancy about the actual coffee-maker part itself, but it is the incredible attached burr grinder, water filter and array of digital settings that sets this coffee maker apart.

It comes with a manual and a video. We never watched the video, but we did study the manual to figure this thing out. Once you get your settings right and make a couple of pots of coffee, it is really quick and easy to whip up a pot of fabulous coffee.

I love to drink coffee, but was notorious for making coffee too strong or too weak. Also, I could never really figure out how much to grind to make the perfect coffee. The Coffee Team really makes it easy to make a great cup of coffee without having to over-think it!

We love the three separate strength settings (mild, medium and strong) which actually change the flavor (unlike some of the other coffee pots we've tried). This really comes in handy when we switch from milder to richer beans. We also appreciate the ability to switch the number of cups we make with the touch of a button. It also has a reminder light to change the water filter (which I need!). I never realized how much water quality affected coffee, but now I can definitely tell when the filter needs to be replaced. I was a little skeptical about having to buy replacement filters, but they are only $10 for a 3-pack sold here at Amazon. Spend more than $25 and they'll ship 'em to you for free!

I will warn you that when you switch coffee brands or flavors you may need to make small adjustments to the settings for different beans, but ultimately this coffee pot always makes a great cup of coffee!

I highly recommended the Coffee Team as the ultimate gift for the coffee-lover in your life!!!