60 reviews for —Bonavita 8 Cup Coffee Maker, One-Touch Pour Over Brewing with Thermal Carafe, SCA Certified, Stainless Steel (BV1900TS) Home & Kitchen

Paul T Cartwright
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent coffee, easy to use, but died 3 yrs later Maybe I’m old school. My grandfather got a Mr Coffee conventional auto drip machine in 1950 as a wedding present. It was still working, brewing his daily Folgers until he died in 2017.While this coffee maker probably would make Folgers taste good…I did become a coffee snob eventually and have a great deal of appreciation for things like good grinders (the small cheap ones will make your African or Hawaiian specialty roasted beans taste like Folgers), brew temperature, not freezing ground coffee, using Airscape to store coffee, etc.Looking back at my Amazon orders I bought this thing on Aug 13, 2017. I’ve loved it every day. My wife even drinks coffee now. One thing I did regret was cleaning it using the included packet of de-liming agent. Wow. After that I had to run about 15 pots of water through the machine to get that awful taste out. So, don’t use it.I’m not sure what people mean when they say the carafe leaks. I would say this one never leaked coffee. But after brewing a fresh pot and pouring the first cup, steam would build up between the stainless steel and the threaded plastic rim/top (that is one piece with the handle). When I would brew that first pot, the condensation would run out between the steel and plastic and leak on whatever surface I was pouring on. This only happened with the first pour though and it never had any coffee in it, so it was easily wiped up. This was not a big deal to me. I was more disappointed with the fact that the carafe just wasn’t very well insulated. I noticed this even from day one (before I had my first Yeti 20oz which keeps coffee hot for…ever). However, like many reviewers, I either drink it right then or put it in my Yeti and its good all day, so carafe insulation isn’t the worst thing in the world…maybe Yeti will make a carafe?Unfortunately, on August 20th of this year, 2020 it died. All of a sudden, it just won’t turn on. No other electronics in the house were having issues such as in a power surge. So…not sure what to think, other than it just reached the end of its life. We used the thing basically once every day. We even took it on vacation with us (yes, we are spoiled rotten). No AirB&B homes have decent coffee makers and we don’t even consider Keurig to be an option. And not everywhere has locally owned good coffee shops. And, no it didn’t quit immediately after a trip. Last trip we went on was just as the shutdown was happening in late March. And it worked perfectly until the 20th.After much discussion, looking at the recommended brewers on the SCA site, thinking about the very expensive MoccaMaster and reading some reviews of the Cuisinart on the Amazon site…I think I’m just going to order another one of these.Sounds a little crazy, but the thing is simple and I like it that way. We didn’t get the programmable option. The thing is fast, makes amazing coffee all the time. Never had any spillage issues or anything.So, there it is. I’m making an assumption that parts for coffee brewers are not the quality that were used in 1950, but…if they were made with similar parts now it would probably cost >$1000, so everything has a tradeoff. I lament how disposable everything has become in general. 5 people found this helpful
Mark Hastings
Rated 3 out of 5
July 1, 2023
3.0 out of 5 stars Capable of an excellent "cup", but kind of disappointing... Quick summary:Capable of making excellent coffeeNeeds MUCH coffee to do so.Very simple machine with very few features.Why the heck can't coffee maker manufacturers figure out that a "Cup" is actually EIGHT Ounces?!? It makes it impossible to fairly compare one coffee maker to another for capacity! By my calculations what Bonavita calls a "cup" is actually only 6 ounces. The total capacity of the machine is actually 6 Cups at one time.To be fair, Bonavita is not the only manufacturer to do this. Actual "cup" sizes can vary as low as 4 ounces.When my old reliable Kitchen Aid coffee maker went caput, I thought it was time for a new machine. I went online and viewed the America's Test Kitchen video on coffee makers. The Bonavita came out on top, so I decided to purchase it.First impression upon unboxing, was that it was a very simple machine for the price, but I was OK with that as all I wanted was a really good cup of coffee.Second impression was that the water chamber looked kind of small. I measured its capacity at 6 real cups. (Stated capacity was 8 "cups". ) This was disappointing. The pictures show liter markings. I assumed that the Cup measurements would be accurate as well. Foolish me.I brewed a pot using the recommended amount of coffee, etched on the side of the tank, and it came out tasting watery. I was eventually able to find an amount that tasted pretty good, but it was a lot more than I needed with my old coffee maker, even allowing for the different "cup" sizes. For the record, I weigh and grind my beans just before brewing. I also used the finest grind possible. The result at that point was excellent, even a little bit better than my old maker, but the excessive amount of coffee needed didn't seem worth it. Also the price could not be justified by the slight flavor improvement.This is a very simple machine. It has little more than an On/Off switch. After plugging it in, you hold the switch in the On position for about 5 seconds and it will blink indicating that it is in "Pre-Infuse mode". In this mode, the maker will hit your grinds with an initial burst of hot water, then stop to let them swell and release their flavor. Then it will resume brewing to finish your coffee. This is a nice feature, and the only mode that I used. (I even listened to the machine in operation to verify that is did this.)In order to brew coffee, you must remove the thermal lid from the carafe, so that you can place the brew basket on top of the carafe. You cannot remove the carafe during the brew cycle to sneak a cup of coffee before the cycle is complete. (If you are the type to do such a heinous thing, shame on you anyway!)Once the brew cycle is complete, you need to remove the brew basket, and screw on the thermal lid in order to keep your coffee hot. A few minor extra steps to remember. The lid seems well designed and fits tightly, so it should do well to hold in the heat. My only concern is that a careless person might try to torque the lid into place by using the open lever to do so. It didn't feel strong enough for that use, and I worry that it might snap off. Still the spout offers more than enough leverage to twist the lid into place, should you need it.With the lid off, the mouth of the carafe is fairly wide, making cleaning easy, even for people with big hands.A supply of filter papers ships with the machine. These filters have much higher sides than the usual Melita type filter papers i find at my market. This may be both a pro and a con. Pro in that you can put a whole lot of coffee into the basket, Con in that these filters may be more difficult to find.For me, this is a return. Sorry Bonavita, sorry Amazon. While this coffee maker is capable of an excellent cup, it just doesn't seem worth it given its limitations. 11 people found this helpful
Double H
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for Assisted Living Got this for my elderly mother who was moving into assisted living. Easy to use and makes good coffee.
Carina
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars Solid coffee maker, terrible carafe The coffee maker works well overall and is fairly easy to clean if you follow the instructions. I have used the pre-infusion mode several times although I typically skip it since I'm making small amounts (2-3 cups). Some reviewers had trouble with operating the button to get it into pre-infusion mode but I followed the instructions and it worked fine. I think the suggested coffee weight/water volume numbers printed on the water reservoir are a nice touch and I typically follow them.The only complaint I have that keeps me from giving it 5 stars is the stainless steel pot/carafe. It is poorly designed. Once the brewing is complete, you must remove the filter basket and screw on the top of the carafe in order to pour a cup. If you attempt to pour a cup from the open carafe, it results in a disaster of coffee running down the outside of the carafe. Furthermore, when you clean the carafe, it is nearly impossible to get all of the water out of it because of an internal lip around the opening that catches the water. This also causes a problem when attempting to get all of the coffee out of the carafe when you pour a cup. Some always gets retained by that lip. During cleaning, you pretty much have to manually take a dish cloth and repeatedly wipe out the inside in order to get rid of the retained water.The lid to the pot is also problematic. It has some sort of internal cavity with a cover where coffee/water is retained unless you unscrew the cover to disassemble it. However, the cavity is not completely sealed and coffee will run out of the sides of the lid if you turn the carafe too far vertical while pouring. I'm somewhat at a loss why there needs to be a cavity like that in the lid since no other sealed carafe I've seen has one that is so exposed/leaky.I've never had a coffee pot that was so annoying to use and clean.With that said, the carafe does work to keep the coffee warm if you make a large pot and want to drink it over time. So its insulating properties seem fine. 10 people found this helpful
R. Floyd
Rated 5 out of 5
July 1, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars A GREAT coffee brewer! Well, so far, my new Bonavita BV1900TS Coffee Brewer is brewing beyond my expectations. The coffee is great, and so is the carafe, unlike some reviewers' statements here. After running three cycles of tap water, here are my results of the third cycle – after about a half an hour cool down period. I never pre-heated the carafe, and it was about room temp before the third cycle. I used two different digital thermometers which I had previously tested as accurate with boiling water, and ice water. All readings are in Fahrenheit.1. Placing the thermometer in the steady stream from the spray head showed 204 degrees.2. Inside carafe after brewing stopped (no coffee or filter in basket) showed 190 degrees.All seemed very well, so I went straight to a coffee test. I used freshly ground Haitian Blue beans from Fresh Roasted Coffee  (See here) . My usual routine is two 20oz cups initially, with about 16oz poured each time. So, I filled the brewer up to the 6-cup line (approximately 30oz – 887 grams if interested) with bottled spring water. I ground 40gms of the beans, and poured them into one of the provided paper filters (see my side note near the end of this review). I placed the basket on top of the room temperature carafe and placed the assembly on the brew plate. I seldom drink strong coffee, so my water/coffee ratio was about 22 to 1 instead of the 15 to 1 that many “experts” often recommend. But, as with my previous Bunn MCU single-cup  (See here) , I used the pre-infusion option. I turned it on, and here are my timings:0:00 to 00:40 - Initial water heating0:40 - Gurgling began and drops of water for pre-infusion began dripping1:05 - Water drops mostly stopped and pre-infusion soaking continued1:30 - Regular coffee brewing began - more gurgling4:45 - Water in reservoir was depleted and louder gurgling started5:00 - Gurgling stopped but some dripping continued5:15 - Auto-shutoff ended the brewing process5:20 - Removed assembly, and still had some water in basket, and slight dripping from it6:00 - Removed basket when water was gone, and measured coffee temp in carafe – 179 degreesPut the lid on the carafe, poured my first 16oz cup, and measured the cupped coffee at 173 degrees. Then, I proceeded to enjoy a wonderful cup of coffee! I restrained myself, and waited an hour before getting my second cup.After the hour was up (actually 1 hour and 10 minutes), I measured the temp of the coffee – in the carafe. 158 degrees. Perfectly acceptable to me.A day later, and probably my third or fourth brewing, I was called away from home right after I poured my first cup. I got home four hours later, and I measured the temp of the second cup still in the carafe. 121 degrees with the room at 66 degrees. Drinkable for me without even nuking it, but probably not for most diehard coffee drinkers though. But, I was still impressed with the 55 degree differential after four hours!So, overall, I have to rate the Bonavita BV1900TS and the carafe with a hearty 5 stars. Both the brewer and the carafe met or exceeded my expectations with everything that mattered as far as coffee brewing and heat retention was concerned. The spray head seemed to work perfectly and appeared to flow evenly from all holes, although the drips seemed to switch among different holes at times – a plus, in my opinion, if anything.As a side note, my Capresso 560.01 Infinity Conical Burr Grinder  (See here)  does grind the beans quite finely even at the coarsest setting, so the water on top of the grounds at the end of the brewing cycle could be attributed to that fact. Capresso did kindly offer to adjust my grinder, but I declined since it would entail packing, shipping, waiting, etc. Someday, I plan to upgrade to a higher-end grinder, but it all seems doable for now. My only complaint is, as some have noted, getting the last of the coffee poured from the carafe is a bit awkward, but not enough of an issue to reduce my 5-star rating.I hope my details help you when checking out various coffee brewers. At the moment, I feel that I made the right decision. Should my opinion change after using this brewer over a longer time, I will provide an update.Just to note for this review, I did NOT receive a discount (except for the $8.62 Amazon's BIGTHANKS discount that could have been applied to any purchase) or any other compensation for my purchase or my review. Also, please note that I have no connection to Bonavita except for being a very satisfied customer at this time. All opinions stated here are completely my own. Heck, I don't even have an Amazon affiliate code for the links. 8 people found this helpful
Jordan M. Benesh
Rated 5 out of 5
July 1, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars The BV1901GW doesn't just get the job done, it gets the job done well. I had been wanting a coffee maker in our home for months, since up to this point all my brewing at home over the last two years has been with a Chemex or a V60 (or more often, cold brew, since I live in Arizona). While delivering great results, manual brewing just isn't always a good option if my wife or I are running short on time in the morning. After looking, and looking, and looking -- not to mention waiting to see when the Bonavita Connoisseur (BV1901TS) would hit the market and at what price -- I finally decided on the Bonavita BV1901GW, and I am very well pleased with my decision. What I found through all my research on coffee makers is that with pretty much any Bonavita brewer, you're going to get a simple machine that gets the job done, and the BV1901GW lives up to that standard.First things first: The coffee this machine produces is excellent. It is near-pourover quality with a fraction of the effort, though that isn't to say this machine doesn't require a bit of work to break in. I made several batches of over-extracted and under-extracted coffee before dialing in with a water-to-coffee ratio and a grind size that we liked. Bonavita recommends a ratio just under 15:1 -- the manual suggests 10 grams of coffee per 5 oz. cup, which converts to 14.785 grams of water per 1 gram of coffee -- and we found, as with my Chemex and V60, that we prefer a ratio just above 16:1, which is consistent when compared to our preferences for Chemex and V60. We operate off of a 16.13:1 ratio, to be precise, with 55 grams of coffee for 6 cups. (Ironically, after perusing the owner's manual for the new Bonavita Connoisseur brewer, I noticed that it, too, recommends a 16.13:1 ratio -- 55 grams of coffee for 6 cups. Nice!)As for grind size, we use a Baratza Virtuoso at home, with grind settings from 1 (fine) to 40 (coarse). It depends a bit on the amount of coffee we are making, but I set our Virtuoso between 18 and 22 (medium) for use with the BV1901GW, which is right around what I use for a V60 and just below what I use with my Chemex. (Note: Baratza recommends using settings 13-14 on the Virtuoso for a drip brewer, and we started as fine as setting 10 for drip coffee when we first got the BV1901GW based on a few online suggestions, but we found both of these to be too fine for our tastes.) Once you dial in, however, be prepared for some great coffee.I went back and forth over whether I wanted a coffee maker with a glass carafe or a stainless steel thermal carafe, and while I could see the pros and cons of both, I ultimately opted for the glass carafe, in part because my wife and I almost never let our coffee sit long enough to get cold. The hot plate on this machine stays on for about 45 minutes, which is more than sufficient for us, and unlike what I've seen in other machines, it doesn't overheat and impart a burnt flavor often associated with coffee that's been sitting on a hot plate. Further, cleaning the glass carafe is unbelievably easy, and I like seeing how much coffee we have left so I know whether I need to brew more.Some may take issue with the lack of programmability available with this machine, which I can understand, but ultimately it's a non-factor for me.. I grind fresh coffee beans each morning, and since preparing the brew -- weighing and grinding beans, filling the water tank, pre-heating the carafe, wetting the filter, filling the basket, etc. -- and actually brewing the coffee takes as much as 6 minutes in total, that functionality would rarely get used anyways. (I suppose this is where it helps that I'm a morning person, and that I'm genuinely excited to brew coffee every morning.)I was a bit hesitant with this brewer, and really every Bonavita brewer on the market, in part because I wasn't sure how I would feel about the free-standing filter basket and what I would do with it when I'm finished brewing coffee. For anyone who isn't aware, the filter basket isn't attached to the machine, rather it sits directly on top of the carafe, which is unique if also slightly terrifying when you've only ever used a brewer with an attached filter basket. However, this hasn't caused any issues for us, as I just set the basket in the sink and wait for the grounds to cool before discarding them in the trash. (It's worth noting that the Bonavita Connoisseur, which was just released this fall, fixes this through the addition of a rail system that the filter basket slides into, which turns it into a normal coffee maker. I have wondered since purchasing the BV1901GW whether I could MacGyver a rail system of my own onto the machine, but frankly, this is the only aspect of this machine that I'm indifferent about, so it's not a huge deal. That said, if Bonavita releases a Connoisseur brewer with a glass carafe, well...)Overall, I am extremely pleased with the Bonavita BV1901GW, and I am happy to say that this is another excellent addition to my growing collection of coffee gear. 9 people found this helpful
Steven E.
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars Makes awesome coffee, some odd quirks though I've been using this coffee maker for 2 weeks now. I always wait a few weeks, or a many uses, before writing reviews, because sometimes first impressions distort our opinions of a product. There are many good reviews already for this product, but hopefully mine can add even more information before you make a decision to purchase.If you've used the most commonly purchased brands of coffee pots your entire life thus far, like me, then using this coffee brewer might confound you a little bit at first. This is because Bonavita has one main goal: making the coffee taste the best that it can, while other coffee makers have more bells and whistles. This coffee maker has no bells and whistles, and, depending on your coffee-drinking preferences and habits, that's either a really good thing, or a big disadvantage to this product.Capacity:One of the most important questions: what does "8 cups" mean? Ok, every coffee maker uses slightly different measurements and claims. For this particular model, one cup is 5 ounces (not really a "cup" of coffee in my mind!). In total, the machine makes 40- ounces. Strangely, the carafe holds more, so I've been "tricking" the coffee maker by pouring another 8 ounces of water into the reservoir mid-process! So, I'm often making more like 48-50 ounces of coffee, and it works fine to do that. (Add more coffee grounds accordingly if you do that, obviously.)Some differences to what you may be used to (if you've bought $35 coffee pots up to this point, like me):The main difference is that there is no heating/warming plate on the bottom (this is ultimately a good thing for coffee, I've come to learn). Keeping coffee hot on a plate on the bottom actually alters the coffee a lot (water evaporates, some plates "burn" the bottom, etc.). This is why I'd recommend only buying the version with the thermal carafe, unless you're a one-cup-at-a-time drinker (in which case I'd recommend a different brewing method all together--some kind of pour over set up.)Another somewhat odd difference from most coffee makers I've owned is the basket part that holds the grounds during brewing. It rests on top of the carafe. It is not held in place from above. Why does that matter? It's more a matter of convenience, really. Once the brewing is done, you want to put the lid of the carafe on to keep the coffee hot. In order to pour your coffee, that basket has to go somewhere. But where does the basket for grounds go? Um...??? I don't know! So, now I put a small plate on my counter top to set the basket on, or I put it in the sink right away (if the sink is empty.) Needing to improvise to finish the process of drinking my coffee was not ideal. At any rate, it's certainly not a deal-breaker for me, but it is the single biggest reason it doesn't get a 5-star rating for me. A well-designed product should have a plan in mind for where all it's parts end up before and after the production process.Brewing:It brews really fast; +/- 5 minutes. One issue to be aware of is this: it produces a lot of steam directly above the grounds' basket. Because of this, I wouldn't recommend keeping it under your cabinets during brewing. I pull it out beyond the bottom of the cabinets, use it, then push it back under the cabinets before heading out to work. This is because the machine makes much hotter water during brewing than most coffee pots. It's a good thing for the coffee, but might not be a good thing for your cabinets if that's where you keep your coffee maker.Clean-up:Another minor reason I'm going with 4 stars (I'd probably do 4.5 stars if I could) is the carafe lid. It pours very nicely, but it's not the easiest to clean. You're supposed to disassemble the lid to clean, but putting it back together is a hassle. So, I just add water into the carafe, rinse several times, and pour the clean water out through the carafe lid. Once a week or so, I'll do a "big" cleaning of the entire thing.Speaking of cleaning, the carafe, although very high quality, always retains some water no matter how I try to put it in the drying rack. If you don't drink coffee every day, make sure you fully dry the carafe before storage,or it will eventually smell like mildew. In order truly to get it dry every time, you really need to put a towel or paper towels in there, which is tricky if you have large hands. In sum, clean-up could be just a bit easier overall.Styling and size:I think it looks great! It also has a smaller footprint than most current coffee makers, so it's a good space-saver.SUMMARY OF REVIEW:Pros:--makes great coffee! (even from pre-ground coffee, it's noticeably better than what my $100 Cuisinart made.)--fast brewing (probably 5-6 minutes for the entire pot.)--very nice thermal carafe; keeps coffee hot for about 1.5 hours and drinkably warm (my opinion) for about 3-4 hours.--small footprint--auto turn off; never worry that you left it on, because you can't!Cons: (some of these really aren't "fair" because the product doesn't make any claims about them, but nonetheless the consumer might want to consider them.)--A rather awkward way of dealing with the grounds' basket (where does it go after brewing?)--Not the easier carafe and carafe lid to clean--Not programmable (you can't wake up to already - done coffee, if that's important to you), but this is offset by really fast brewing.--Short cord; I'd like another foot or so for more counter placement options. 37 people found this helpful
The Dawg
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars A good option for a gold standard cup, but better options exist. Bottom Line Up Front:Buy IF: You should buy this if around $150 bucks is the most you are willing to pay for a coffee maker. You want a solid brewer that meets or comes very close to the specialty coffee association standards. You are ok with a few sacrifices (timer, capacity, carafe and the basket design).Do Not Buy IF: You need more than 40oz of coffee capacity, want a timer, would like a little more convenience.I purchased this as a gift for a family member. I ultimately purchased for myself the Breville Precision Brewer and would recommend it over this product even at twice the price. For me, the 2 best drip-style brewers are the Technivorm Mocha Master (recommended if you want simple on/off function and 40oz capacity) or the Breville Precision Brewer (want an autostart timer, different or customizable brew settings, and a larger 60oz capacity). Both of these models have clear advantages over the Bonavita BV1900TS, but those advantages come at nearly double the price. I personally think the difference in price is worth spending on a product that you will use daily (I make 1-2 pots a day). Again, I realize that may be a luxury to many or they may not use it enough to justify.With those recommendations, I realize the $300 that the Technivorm and Breville sell for is a lot to spend on a coffee maker, and the Bonavita enters the conversation. This is a noticeable step up from the average consumer pot. It does have a thermal carafe instead of glass and a hot plate. This will yield better coffee. It is also surprisingly fast at around 7 minutes from flipping the on the switch to brewing being done. The coffee tastes comparable to the product from the Breville that I own. I brewed water into the Bonavita carafe and placed the lid on and it stayed at a hot drinkable temperature for 8+ hours. It does get cool faster with a lower level in the mix. The carafe is well designed, easy to clean, and pours well.What are the negatives? Capacity, the brew-basket design, and the carafe lid are the big ones. I think the capacity is a bit small, you barely get 2 good travel mugs out of the pot (This carafe is similar in size to the Technivorm which is why I chose the Breville for its 60oz). The brew basket uses a standard basket filter. The big difference between the Bonavita and to be honest, almost every other automatic coffee maker is the basket design. The brew basket essentially balances on top of the carafe with the lid removed. It does not slide into the top of the brewer or fit into a holder. You have to remove the basket with the grounds and place the lid on the carafe. This means an extra step of manipulating hot grounds. As a positive, it does ensure that you do not leave the grounds in the machine. I personally find this a bit awkward, and to be honest, I would not have purchased the machine knowing this. I would have paid for this at around the $70 price point, but it makes the machine feel cheap in comparison to the other models I have mentioned. Finally comparing the carafe to the one in my Breville. The Breville features a larger 60oz carafe, but has a "Brew Through" lid. I slide the carafe under the brewer and fills the carafe with the lid on, avoiding the need to have to put the lid on after brewing. This is a nice feature that make the cost difference of the Breville worth it to me.In all, the Bonavita is a good step up from Mr. Coffee, a Keurig, or other consumer product. It performs better than my parent's old Cuisinart. It would be a good choice if you value a good cup of coffee. I would say this is a good entry point into a quality brewer. I personally dislike the capacity and the brew basket design. I would not purchase this for myself, though if I owned a vacation home or for occasional (non-daily) use, this is not a bad option. If you can afford a brewer in the $300 range, I recommend the Breville or Technivorm (I gave a detailed review on the Breville as to why I chose it over the Technivorm). At the time of writing this, I have used my Breville for 6 months nearly 1-2 daily. I do not think I will ever be able to go back to a low-end consumer pot like a Mr. Coffee-type for daily use. The Bonavita will make a fantastic cup of coffee on par with the $300 machines, but there are a few trade-offs that make it, in my opinion, better to go with one of the other machines. 44 people found this helpful
Denny McClain
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars Not As Advertised UPDATE 6/27/2023: So far, this coffeemaker is working perfectly. The basket seems to make coffee equal to the V filter, and the beep is unobtrusive and helpful. The coffee tastes great and stays hot for a good long time.1. The One Touch (unlike the Conoisseur) is supposed to have a V-filter (Melitta type), according to the side by side comparison in the item’s images. The one I received has a basket filter. That’s a problem.2. The One Touch (unlike the Connoisseur) is supposed to NOT have an audible signal, according to the side-by-side comparison in the images. The one I received has an audible signal.So, Bonavita, you get one-star for not having the right info in your Amazon description of your EXPENSIVE coffeemaker. I chose this version specifically for those two reasons.Luckily, I bought this machine through Prime, so I’ll see how the coffee tastes for a few days, and send it back if it isn’t great. I’ll update my review, depending.This is stupid, preventable, and disappointing. Bonavita needs to do better.And it’s especially frustrating because I just bought the 5-cup One Touch for my office and it works great.
Stephen B.
Rated 5 out of 5
July 1, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Made in China This is my 6/7/2020 updated review. My earlier reviews are set forth below. I have a Chinese friend who was born to Chinese parents in China in 1968. In America in 2003, she told me that her father who still lives in China refuses to buy prescription drugs; he relies on herbs. I asked why. She said her father doesn't trust the authenticity or purity of prescription drugs or any health-related product in China. The world now knows about the coronavirus pandemic. I no longer buy any food, vitamin, food storage product, or cooking utensil made in China. I discarded my Bonavita and replaced it with a Technivorm. I find it less easy to use and more finicky, but here's the thing. Once I mastered the Technivorm (which was not easy, and did result in a couple of spills at the beginning), the spills and difficulty ended, and II found the coffee is even better-tasting and hotter than from Bonavita. And, most importantly, I'm not concerned about any health risk.This is my 3/25/2017 updated review. My original review is set forth below.My Capresso coffee bean grinder broke a couple of days ago. I replaced it with a De'Longhi Dedica Burr Grinder. I cannot emphasize strongly enough how much better the De'Longhi is in every possible way. Its burrs look much sturdier and much sharper. It sounds and feels much more solid. It produces grinds that are much more consistent. It offers much more control over the choice of grind output. It outputs the grinds into a well-sealed container (or portafilter), without any messiness; my Capresso required daily cleanup. My coffee tastes better. It's much more expensive than my Capresso, but to me it's well worth it - especially if it lasts a long time before breaking. There really is a very big difference between the two.My original review is set forth below.This is one of those rare products that is a game changer. It doesn't just make excellent coffee. It also enhances your life. (By comparison, you can see my review of the Technivorm Moccamaster KBGT 10-cup Coffee Brewer with Thermal Carafe that I bought from Amazon.)My wife and I enjoyed the $100.00 12-cup Cuisinart coffee maker with glass carafe for years. It still works fine. We bought the Moccamaster to try to find something even better. We disliked it very much, and returned it. We bought this 8-cup Bonavita, based on its reviews on the CNET website, the Amazon website, and other websites. We love it.We initially chose the Moccamaster over the Bonita, because it says it is 10-cups and Bonavita says its coffee maker is only 8 cups. We since have learned that both coffee makers are 40-ounce machines. The difference is that Moccamaster calls a cup 4 ounces, and Bonita calls a cup 5 ounces. There's no difference between the amounts of coffee they make.We very much prefer the Bonavita metal carafe to the Cuisinart glass carafe. The coffee in the Bonavita carafe never burns. The Bonavita carafe is excellent at keeping the coffee very hot throughout breakfast and long after. This means we can begin the brew process at any time, instead of waiting until just before we begin to eat. The brew process is very fast (about 5 minutes), and the brew light turns off to signal when it's finished. When the brew process is finished, the coffee maker shuts itself off. (I always have trouble hearing the "beep" that the Cuisinart coffee maker makes to signal the end of the brew process.) We bring the carafe to the table, and when we want a refill, we don't have to get up from the table and go back to the glass carafe on the coffee maker's hot plate to get another cup of coffee. The bottom of the metal carafe is smooth and cool to the touch, so we can put in on our wood-top kitchen table without a trivet. The metal carafe is dishwasher-safe. The Moccamaster carafe is not as cool to the touch, is not entirely stainless steel (it has a plastic bottom attached), and is not dishwasher-safe.The Bonavita is extremely simple and easy to use. I cannot imagine a more simple or easy design. There are no parts to fidget with, adjust, or move. All it requires is filling the easy-to-fill water reservoir (clearly marked, and non-removable), putting the sturdy plastic basket on top of the metal carafe (with zero difficulty), putting a filter into the basket, adding coffee grounds, and placing the carafe (with the basket on top of it) beneath the brew spout (with zero difficulty). There are no moving parts, and no removable parts. The carafe sits on a base plate, which does not have a heating element and only serves to unify the beautiful simplicity of operation and design of the Bonavita. The Bonavita is low enough to fit beneath our kitchen cabinets, even with the reservoir's top open (which allows it to air-dry easily. The only operator control is the on-off switch (the only exception being that, if you want pre-infusion for freshly-roasted-and-ground coffee beans, you have to hold the on-off switch for a short while when you begin the brew process). Cleaning is exceptionally easily; you only have to rinse the carafe and the coffee basket (made of sturdy plastic, with no moving parts). When I say "no moving parts", I am being literal; there are no switches or levers to stop the brew process when you remove the carafe during the brewing process There is no need to ever remove the carafe during the brewing process, because it lasts only about 5 minutes. The lid for the carafe is solidly made, very easy to use, and keeps the coffee very hot. The base plate is integrated in the construction, and does not require any fidgeting or adjustment; it is not removable. The Bonavita does not provide 2 carafe lids, it's lid is perfect and seals well, and the carafe pours easily and neatly. The Moccamaster provides 2 lids, one to use during brewing, and one to keep the coffee hot longer.The Bonavita sprays the heated water over the coffee grounds through a large round stationary spray-head with a dozen holes. The Moccamaster spray-head covers a much smaller area rectangular in shape, and has fewer than half as many holes for the hot water to drip out onto the coffee grounds; it also rotates, is removable, and sits on a soft plastic gasket that may or may not last very long.The Bonavita's power cord can be positioned to exit the bottom of the coffee maker from the front, side, or rear. The Moccamaster's cord exits only from one location. We are happy about the Bonavita's choices, because it allows us to avoid having the power cord be a nuisance and a distraction.The entire design of the Bonavita makes life easier, prevents having a pot-full of coffee spill all over our kitchen countertop, and allow us to sit and chat together at breakfast - enjoying our coffee maker rather than being controlled by it.At the end of all this, however, is the question of how the coffee tastes. This question is critical. The answer is that it tastes excellent. It is very robust, very tasty, and extremely hot. Taste is "a matter of taste", but for us it's everything we had hoped for. However, I would like to note one thing. Bonavita's instructions are to use 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds for every cup. We prefer much less. We've used the Bonavita twice so far. The first time, we made 6 cups and used 4-1/2 tablespoons of coffee grounds; we liked that. The second time, we made 6 cups and used 5-1/4 tablespoons of coffee grounds; we like that too, but not as much. We'll continue to experiment, but the point is this -- with a slight adjustment in the amount of coffee grounds we use, we are able to easily and noticeably change the flavor and intensity of the coffee. In both instances, we used Peet's coffee (Sumatra blend -- we used ground coffee, but soon will try coffee beans that we grind) and the brewed coffee tasted very smooth.Other than increasing the Bonavita's size from 8 cups to 10 or 12 cups, there is one issue for which I'd suggest improvement. The stainless steel carafe is tipped by a plastic rim (with integrated plastic handle). The plastic is smooth and sturdy, but inside the carafe it has a "lip". The result is that the carafe does not entirely "drip dry" after sitting in a dish drainer. It's not a big problem; it only means that I have to dry the inside of the "lip" with a kitchen towel. However, it would be nice if it had no "lip" and totally dripped dry.Updated Review (August 22, 2015):My wife and I bought the Capresso 565.05 Infinity Conical Burr Grinder (Stainless Steel), and are using Allegro coffee beans from Whole Foods (we are trying different beans, to see what we like best). We never considered ourselves coffee snobs, but the combination of Bonavita, Capresso, and whole beans yields better coffee than we imagined possible. The most significant feature is that our coffee is absolutely free of bitterness and acidity. We also bought Planetary Design Airspace chrome containers to hold our coffee beans, and we bought Espresso Grinder Brush (Heavy Wood Handle with natural bristles) to clean our grinder -- we like them both very much. 879 people found this helpful
Andy L.
Rated 3 out of 5
July 1, 2023
3.0 out of 5 stars Good brewer with some issues Having owned this machine for 2 years I think I can safely provide my review. Used daily, the brewer has done a decent job with brewing coffee. Nothing spectacular but more convenient than doing pour over.But I'm on my third machine now.The first one started leaking from the water tank after about 1 year. Bonavita sent me a new machine, no questions asked. The second machine also lasted about a year and then the water pump stopped pumping. Again, Bonavita sent me a new machine, no questions asked. Customer support is fine but I'm irritated to be throwing 2 machines in the dump. If they paid to have it shipped and fixed at the factory, that would be much preferred. But I imagine way more expensive, which is why companies do what they do to keep costs down.So figure these machines last about a year and then you get to add it to your local dump when Bonavita ships you a new one. I continue to be a "customer" by default but now I am looking at the Technivorm Moccamaster machines because I try and avoid disposal consumer items whenever possible.Another issue is the stainless steel carafe. Does a fine job of keeping coffee warm but the little lip up top makes it impossible to drain fully. What a terrible design! You have to use a dish towel to wipe out that last bit of water. And apparently they stopped making the glass carafes, which most users want! I never understand why companies shoot themselves in the foot by discontinuing in-demand items. It's just glass. ???So all of that being said, it does a good job of brewing, but the carafe cleaning annoyance and unreliability of the machines compels me to not recommend.
C. Campbell
Rated 5 out of 5
July 1, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Love at first brew Corny title, I know. My last coffee pot is greater than 20 years of age. And after finding, let’s call it “grossness” in areas that are unreachable, it was time for Santa to put a new coffee pot in his sleigh for our household. I’d probably be embarrassed to tell you how many hours I spent learning about coffee pots. My main “have-to-have” was seal of approval by the SCA, or Specialty Coffee Association. Seems the most important part of earning this cert is a proper brewing temperature. I watched a ton of YouTube reviews; specifically purchased this model instead of the newer model, the Connoisseur. This older model has the basket sitting on top of the pot, (instead of hanging) which keeps the heat in. The inaugural first cup today is fantastic and surprisingly hot. Five stars. Suffice it to say, the 20+ Cuisinart has brewed its last brew.
Amazon Customer
Rated 5 out of 5
July 1, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars This thing is awesome for the following reasons Where do I begin. This thing is awesome for the following reasons...1. Unlike traditional drip coffee makers, there is no hot plate. The coffee drips into an insulated thermal carafe, and is never exposed to any hot surface. When the coffee is finished brewing, the coffee maker turns itself off. This yields a number of positive benefits...A). since there is no hot plate, there are no exposed, piping hot metal or ceramic surfaces that can burn other objects, start fires, etc. B). Since there is no hot plate to keep hot, there is no electricity consumed/needed since the carafe keeps the coffee perfectly hot for hours, and turns off immediately after brewing is complete.2. I'm not exactly sure why this is, or how it works, but ever since I started using this coffeemaker, my coffee, just....tastes better. It also smells better when its brewed. You think coffee smells good when its brewed in a traditional drip coffee maker? You haven't smelled anything. I feel like I'm not just smelling the actual bean, but the rain forest it came from. It is simply sublime. What used to be subtle notes of pecan in the kitchen, are now robust, dynamic, intertwining hymns of songbirds singing out the chorus of textures, layers and layers of textures. That's right, this coffeemaker somehow effects the very feel of the coffee itself. It is...indulgent, smooth, light yet heavy, and oh so delicious. Also, since the coffee comes out so hot (not too hot, never, ever burnt, just.....and I mean...juuuuusssst riiiight, yeahhhhh right there), it mingles effortlessly with whatever accoutrements you enjoy. PRO TIP: I pour the cream in first, then the sugar, followed by cinnamon and nutmeg (all organic), and pour in the coffee, and stir to your hearts content.3. There is only one button. In my opinion, they have uncomplicated a process that some think is required for a perfect cup of coffee. They don't jazz it up with a constellation of buttons and functions and bells and whistles. This thing just makes great coffee, plain and simple. I feel like this is the how they drink coffee in Belgium.4. Their customer service is amazing. Mine has worked flawlessly since the day I got it, but I have seen other users with issues. Check out their website, they have a similar review section, and they respond to the reviews. Time and time again, you will see once irate customers, turn into complete believers over the course of a couple weeks. All the solutions seem to involve Bonavita openly admitting that things happen sometimes, but that they are completely willing and able to send a replacement part for the malfunctioning piece. If you don't believe me, see for yourself, I wasn't convinced until I read them myself.5. Lastly, this thing is just plain cool to have in my kitchen. People always go right for it when they come over, but its when I make them a cup of coffee that they give me that look of, 'damn, now that's coffee'.if you drink coffee every day like me, and lean towards quality over quantity, then this one's for you. 12 people found this helpful
Amazon Customer
Rated 5 out of 5
July 1, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Coffee maker Makes great tasting coffee. Worth the added expense
LizzyLizzy
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars Pour-Over Coffee with The Convenience of a Drip I read the reviews (CNet/Amazon) and this one seemed like a good combo of what I was looking for: the convenience of a drip coffee maker and the bolder flavor of a pour-over. Don't get me wrong, it makes good coffee. Really good coffee. But I'm not a coffee snob, so I can't rate good versus excellent -- I know bad coffee versus good coffee, and that's it. However, there are a couple quirks about this machine that I don't feel like were adequately reviewed. Let me explain.The Pros: This carafe keeps coffee hot for at least 3 hours if not more like 5. All you do after brewing a pot is take it off the stand, lift off the basket, and screw on the lid that comes with the unit. The carafe is cool to the touch, both bottom and sides. You would never know there was hot coffee in there until you start to pour it out. It also keeps coffee at the ideal hot temperature, not lukewarm like the coil heating method over a glass carafe. The brew is prompt and full of flavor, however, I use organic Arabica beans that I grind immediately before brewing, so I would think that this maker could swing a good pot of coffee with these beans. Lastly, aesthetics: standing a diminutive 12" tall, this maker easily slides out from under my upper cabinetry when in use, and then back away upon completion. I have my coffee fixings all nestled on a tray together to give the appearance of a little coffee bar, and this compact machine fits very well into the assortment of goodies on the tray.The Cons: I still haven't figured out the pre-infusion mode. The manual says to press and hold the button for 5 seconds, but after the light flashes, I don't see any water coming out of the machine to wet the grounds and cause them to "bloom". Then, there's the matter of washing by hand. The carafe must be washed by hand, understandable yet annoying, and the water tank is attached to the base of the unit so there is no way to clean it. Finally, the basket just sits on the carafe, it doesn't slide into the base of the unit. There's about a half-inch gap between the shower head and the basket, so you can see if water is pouring out or what - check out my photos for clarification. I don't really like that the basket must be removed and cannot slide onto the housing of the machine itself. However it does make me take care of the used grounds immediately, tossing them in the trash and then rinsing the basket holder.All in all, I have to say that I'm happy with the looks and usage of this coffee maker, even with the design quirks which were unexpected. 90 people found this helpful
Duane
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars Almost perfect,.......almost. This is my second Bonavita coffee machine. I was so pleased with my first one, it was a no brainer to buy the second as a replacement after six years of service from the previous one.I am almost equally as happy with this machine, except for one thing. They discontinued the original glass lined carafe, and replaced it with a stainless steel lined unit. Not only does it not hold heat as well as the glass lined one, but it is a complete failure in terms of pour ability when the lid is off. They failed to include a pour spout, causing water to slobber down the carafe and onto the counter when using the carafe to fill the water reservoir. The pour spout was part of the carafe on the old model, and now it is part of the lid. Luckily, I saved the glass lined unit with integrated pour spout from my old coffee machine, and it works perfectly in the new machine.One improvement they made over the old model is a change to a clear, rather than tinted, water reservoir. The tint made it difficult to see the water level when filling, but the clear one offers great visibility.The added pre infusion feature is a welcome addition over the old model, however, I would prefer a separate switch to activate and deactivate it. They incorporated it into the main power switch, requiring you to hold the switch in for five seconds to change modes. Mode is indicated by a single flash of the power indicator for normal mode, and a double flash for pre infusion mode. The indicator lamp flashes during the brewing process when in pre infusion mode, and illuminates steady when in normal mode.If they would switch back to the old carafe, and add a separate pre infusion switch, they would have a near perfect machine at this price point. Otherwise, all is well, and I would recommend this machine to everyone. One person found this helpful
lola97
Rated 3 out of 5
July 1, 2023
3.0 out of 5 stars good coffee but functional issues I chose this coffee maker because it was the #1 recommendation from America's Test Kitchen. I liked the simplistic design with just a one touch function, the metal carafe, and the promise of an excellent cup of coffee at home. This machine did deliver on all those things. Unfortunately a few things have caused this machine to not be right for me and I am returning it.1. An enormous amount of steam must be released through the top vent slats. This cannot sit under a cabinet and in our case it cannot sit inside our coffee cabinet. It steamed up the entire space and the cabinets above it all the way to our 9 foot ceiling. The cabinet was dripping with condensation and I had to wipe it down with a towel. To use this machine it would need to sit in a completely open space with nothing above it.2. The heating unit shuts off immediately after brewing as far as I can tell and the only thing to keep the coffee hot is the carafe which is not adequate. Within an hour the coffee temp is no longer hot.3. I thought I could live with only being able to brew 8 cups but I was wrong. I need a 10-12 cup machine.4. It's loud. I actually like the sound of brewing coffee, and even this machine, but I also like being able to brew early in the morning when others are sleeping and not wake them up. This is not a deal breaker for me just one more nail in the coffee coffin I guess.
Adam F
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good for the price point, makes a great cup of coffee I have purchased the silver base / thermal carafe model. Here are my .02 cents:PRO:- It does make a very good cup of coffee, and with the pre-infuse mode you get a slight bloom from the coffee prior to it dumping water in for the full brew process.- The thermal carafe does the job, and keeps coffee warm for at least a few hours after brewing- It is very simplistic, which is a plus sometimes. Although you cannot program it to go off (as you need to flip the on switch), a single flip of the on switch and 6 minutes later you have amazing coffee.CON:- This is subjective but I find the thermal carafe that comes with this version to be a PITA to clean. I use a bottle brush to get inside of the carafe itself, but my main gripe is the lid. Taking it apart requires some force. Not impossible but its an inconvenience.- There is no memory module within the machine, so if you unplug the brewer then it will not remember your pre-infuse mode. Once again, not a massive con but can be an inconvenience (I notice a difference between pre-infused vs. straight brewed coffee).- The model that comes with the thermal carafe does not come with a hot plate, so if I wanted to switch to the glass model then I wouldn't be able to keep the coffee out.TIPS:- Use freshly ground coffee, and measure by mass / weight. If you don't want to weight out your coffee, what I personally found works is 2 Tbps coffee to 5 oz water (Bonavita calls a cup 5oz).- Once every 1-3 months, descale your machine. It is pretty easy, and takes about 30 minutes to complete (as you need to brew straight water about 3-5 times to completely flush it out).- Did I mention using fresh, quality coffee?TL;DR:The Bonavita 1900ts is a good machine. Is it the best? Nope, but the price reflects this (compared to a MoccaMaster for example, which is 3x the cost). If you do use quality coffee, properly measured out and ground prior to use (with a decent grinder) it will make a sick cup of coffee. Definitely beats the crap I use to have at Starbucks :)
Matthew Beyer
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars Compared to Technivorm Moccamaster This review is mostly a comparison between Bonavita BV1900TS which is another mid-high end drip coffee maker. I imagine a lot of buyers are deciding between this and that one.As others have stated, the fact that the basket attaches to the carafe and not the unit is annoying. I like the design of the Moccamaster better in this respect, in which the basket slots into the coffeemaker itself. Honestly, I didn't think this would be as annoying as it is, but it always feels super tacky to have a random brew basket lying around.The head of this one spreads the water better than the Technivorm Moccamaster and as result, the grounds look uniformly wet at the end of the brew cycle. The Moccamaster often seemed like half the grounds would not get that wet at the end of a brew cycle. Although, I'm not sure I could taste this out in a blind taste test since both had pretty good tasting coffee.Technivorm Moccamaster also feels a little more high end in general, less plasticky and more metaly.My Bonavita BV1900TS has some issue in which I have to press the start button multiple times to get it to run. I don't know if I'm missing something but it seems like a relay turns it off 4/5 of the time and I have to keep pressing the start button. I am using the bloom option. It's been doing this since I bought it 6 months ago and it hasn't gotten worse, so I don't think it reflects a reliability issue but it is kind of annoying.Anyway overall I think this one is probably the better buy, but if you're one of those one percenters and want to flex on us Bonavita plebs, the Moccamaster is pretty good too. One person found this helpful
M. JEFFREY MCMAHON
Rated 3 out of 5
July 1, 2023
3.0 out of 5 stars Creamier, Less Acidic Than My French Press But Not Amazing For 10 years, I have been happily using a Bodum stainless steel French Press. I love the ease of use and the ease of cleanup. Then I went to my in-laws and had some coffee drip coffee and was amazed at how much more flavor clarity there was. Was something in my French Press lacking? I did research on this topic and discovered that French Press makes a thick, oily, muddy cup of coffee in which flavor clarity is sacrificed for full body. A drip machine gives you less body but gives you more flavor clarity. I was still not sold until I read Harvard studies linking French Press coffee, which creates a chemical cafestol, the cause of increased bad cholesterol, LDL. Now I was sold, so I researched the best coffee drip machines and the Bonavita 1900 was a constant winner.I just made my first brew in this very simple-to-use machine. The verdict? Clearly, this drip machine made a less oily, more silky smooth coffee than my French Press. The flavor was more clear, but not as dramatic as I had hoped. In any event, my silky coffee has less acid, less cafestol, and is as creamy as the professional places you might go to get coffee.Please keep in mind this 8-"cup" is based on 5 ounce "cups," not the conventional 8 ounces, so a full batch is 5 real cups, not 8.One drawback: Every 3 months you have to descale your machine with powder. You brew the powder through the machine 3 times; otherwise, your machine will get mineral buildup, will make lousy coffee, and not last as long. So descaling is a must.If you want less acidic coffee and don't mind descaling your maker every 3 months, I can recommend the Bonavita 1900, but my caveat is to be prepared for a significant flaw, one that I read about and also experienced: The pouring from the carafe: It spills. This carafe does not pour well at all. No matter what I do, it spills. For loading water into the tank, I now use my tea kettle. Sadly, though, when I pour coffee from the carafe a bit of coffee spills, and, as others have complained, it's almost impossible to get all the coffee out of the carafe without shaking it upside down. I'm tempted to give it a away and buy the recommended Oxo Brain 9-cup coffee maker.Update: Not That Happy After Six MonthsI find the coffee is just okay. I don't like all the plastic parts. I don't like that I have to descale this all the time.I recently bought myself a Sunbeam vintage percolator and my mother-in-law a vintage GE Immersible percolator and with both of these vintage percolators the coffee is more strong, rich, and hot. I also prefer the aesthetics of the swan-neck vintage percolator. This high esteem for vintage percolators makes me take off another star for the Bonavita. 2 people found this helpful
Donna
Rated 3 out of 5
July 1, 2023
3.0 out of 5 stars Basic I read reviews before I bought it and heard it makes delicious coffee. unfortunately I didn't get to test the coffee so this review is not about taste. I feel it was to basic for the price. I didn't care for the way the lid and filter worked but I guess I didn't realize the pot was literally just a good quality thermos. I need more bells and whistles so decided to return it and buy the good old fashioned style.
Michelle Williams
Rated 5 out of 5
July 1, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Had to edit… sometimes I’m wrong… Update: The year is now 2022 and that crazy coffee maker is still chugging out some of the best tasting coffee I’ve ever had. It had some issues where it would stop brewing and I had had it for so long, I decided it’s life was over and bought a new coffee maker. Then I called Bonavita and told them my issue. They explained how to clean it out. I tried it and it completely fixed it. I already had a new machine, so I gave this one to my son and it’s still going strong. Yes, it’s super basic and lacks bells and whistles, but it turned out to make some of the best coffee, and out performing other coffee makers I’ve owned. I had to come in here and edit my initial review.I have a cheap coffee maker budget and an expensive coffee maker taste, because you have to pay close to $150-300 to get a coffee maker that actually gets the water hot enough to make smooth coffee. So purchasing a new coffee maker is a big deal for me. I pay on the frontside for quality so that I can enjoy good coffee for a long time. I've used a Cloer Coffee Maker for over 7 years and have really loved it, but it's on its last leg and I needed to replace it. My husband and I researched to find the least expensive mid to upper priced coffee pot that had good reviews and could do what I want and finally settled on this one. First, let me say that it makes a nice, smooth cup of coffee and the carafe keeps the coffee pretty warm for a while - even with the absence of a hot plate under it. So if that's all you want, this is the one for you. I was excited to try it out, but was quite disappointed once I used it. First of all, the filter basket sits directly on the carafe, so once the coffee is finished (it brews in 6-7 minutes), you have to remove the filter basket and promptly put the lid on the carafe in order to keep it hot - no hot plate, remember?. Then, there's no where for the filter basket to go. It's just..... there. It doesn't attach to the coffee maker. It just sits beside it on the counter or wherever you want to store it when it's not in use. I don't prefer that feature. Second, even though it has multiple spray holes for the water to come through for even distribution, the water only really comes out of two holes. It will cycle and dribble for a few seconds from the other holes, but then it goes right back to the center and front holes for the majority of the water distribution. Didn't like that. Third, it's such a basic coffee maker, it only has an on and off switch. The instructions said that if you hold it down for 5 seconds, you can infuse the coffee for less acid in the coffee. Well, I didn't have it long enough to figure that out. I tried holding the button down and it didn't do anything. I didn't want to research to figure out what else to do, because I knew I wasn't keeping it. To sum it up, this is a very simple, clean looking, practical coffee maker that makes a smooth cup of coffee. But for $170, I expected a few more bells and whistles than a basic on and off switch, and carafe. Overall, I regret this purchase and the shipping I will have to pay to return it tomorrow. It's extremely disappointing and not what I was looking to have in a coffee pot at all. This is like an overpriced Mr. Coffee coffee maker that can actually produce a smooth cup of coffee. $170? No thank you. I'd rather spend $200-300 and get something worth the money.
Ronald A.
Rated 5 out of 5
July 1, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Makes good coffee. This is out second Bonavvita and we're very pleased with it.
EP
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars Too small I bought this as it was a consumer reports Best Buy. It has worked perfectly for almost three years. I finally decided to get a new one because the coffee maker doesn’t make enough coffee. It’s basically three standard coffee cups full. Me and my husband can’t both have two cups each morning. Every morning it’s one of us coming up short or making a second half pot. I would buy a larger capacity but I don’t think it exists. I would have not bought it if I would have known how little it makes. This may work for one person. Or if you really only one one cup per person at a time. The other thing is we decided we would like a coffee maker with an automatic brewing feature. We are looking forward to finally both getting two cups and having it ready when we wake up. One person found this helpful
Steven Pahl
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars Great every day; easy to clean and maintain; carafe leaks over so slightly after prolonged use. We bought two, one for each home, and have used them without incident for years. Unfortunately, now each leaks slightly from the water reserve, which is a disappointment—an otherwise excellent product.
Areen I.
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Coffee, BUT not for those in a rush in the morning or who don't care too much about superior taste UPDATE: August 15, 2016Downgraded a star due to the carafe. It's impossible to completely clean or empty of water or coffee. The design of the carafe prevents liquid from completely exiting the opening since it's just a round lip, and doesn't have a recessed spout. Not a huge deal, but definitely annoying during cleanings.See below for more detail, but really quicklyPROS:Amazingly good coffee (super smooth taste, no bitterness at all)Very simple to use"Bloom" mode is truly a game changer, at least for me...the difference in taste is noticeableCarafe is solidly built and keeps coffee warm for at least an hourCONS:No automatic modeNo place to store the carafe lidOnly holds 8 cups of waterNo built in warmer for the carafeYou will probably want to buy a burr grinder to grind your own beans as pre ground coffee probably wont taste as freshOK, if you're a casual coffee drinker and need a quick cup of coffee in the morning before your head out to work, this coffee maker is probably not for you. While easy to use, it's not necessarily convenient or fast and it needs some TLC to keep it running smoothly (the instructions say not to keep coffee in the carafe for extended periods of time as it will effect the carafe so you have to wash out the carafe after each use instead of just leaving it there till the next use). Having said that, this makes an unbelievably good cup of coffee and I am stunned I went for so long using crappy machines like Keurig or Cuisinart. I'm not a serious coffee drinker/snob and for the most part, I probably couldn't tell the difference between a cup made with different high end machines, BUT the difference between this machine and a K-cup brand or a regular drip machine from Mr. Coffee or Cuisinart is really noticeable. I think it's because of the higher temperature the water is heated at and the "blooming" option to infuse the grounds with hot water for 30 seconds to release the gases and then waiting to pour the rest of the hot water.So, while the machine is terrific at making coffee and very easy to use, it is not necessarily convenient or fast. I've been used to making a cup in under a few minutes since I used a Keurig and with this machine you need to wait about 6-8 minutes before you can pour a cup. That combined with no automatic mode and no warmer for the carafe, and it makes the machine a bit inconvenient. Now, the carafe does an excellent job of keeping the coffee nice and warm, but it's not something that lasts for hours, at most maybe an hour. I'd imagine for most people, like me, this is not a deal breaker, but for those who make a full carafe and go back to it multiple times a day, you will most likely need another machine. In addition, when you make the coffee, the carafe lid cannot be placed on the carafe so you have to keep that somewhere else and the immediately switch it out after the brew is done to ensure you keep the coffee warm.All in all, as you can see from my 5 star rating, this is an awesome coffee maker and makes fantastic coffee, but had I known some of these issues prior to purchase, I may have opted for another machine with more convenience features. On a side note, Williams Sonoma has a special version of this same coffee maker with a automatic mode, but it costs a lot more and is exclusive to Williams Sonoma. 7 people found this helpful
Jen
Rated 1 out of 5
July 1, 2023
1.0 out of 5 stars Another broken promise from another big company. I broke my last coffee machine (owned it for about 10 years) and thought I would try the Bonavita BV1901GW 8-Cup One-Touch Coffee Maker... I was looking for that freshly brewed coffee smell that woke me up when I was little at my grandmother's house, you know the one that encompassed the entire house and you knew grandma was cooking breakfast, grandpa was watching the morning news. I only get that wonderful nostalgic feeling when I percolate a coffee. This coffee maker was promising the perfect brewing temperatures and promised it in less than 10 minutes, well 6 exact minutes to brew a full pot...This is it, I'm getting this, I'm going to commit to this brand, this coffee maker, I am believing in your product and your words to give only exactly everything you promise. The first thing I noticed was the the smell of the water that was being brewed alone the first couple of times I brewed only water. The smell was so disappointing, it smelled like melting metal, smelting metal I think. So I continued to brew only water, it never changed. All 23 times I brewed either water or coffee. I mean I really waited for my first cup of coffee from this machine from the first time I read the reviews, not just on Amazon but from another independent company that tested it. I could almost smell and taste the coffee as I was picking this maker out. Imagine waiting for a week and a half for it to be delivered and then the personal torture of taking the time to read the directions completely, it was my kind of personal torture as I awaited for my pleasure, my nostalgia to win and take me back to my childhood. Finally I was ready to brew that cup of Joe, java, coffee. The first thing I awaited was the smell. It never came. My heart was broken I smelled this atrocious obnoxious smell. Thinking it was because it was my first pot of water, I waited and brewed another pot of water, then another, and another. All the while hoping this would change, the smell would decrease and that was the price of my perfect coffee. After 23 washes; the smell never went away. I really followed the directions. I ran water through the machine, it smelled like the burner in the machine was having a chemical reaction that resulted in a burning metal smell. I cleaned the pot and ran water through again, over and over thinking the smell would decrease but nothing happened. After I think about 12 times I decided to try a cup hoping the taste was better than the smell and my fantasy was not to be completely fulfilled, and the company was not taking advantage of me... So I brewed a pot of my favorite brown aromatic drink hoping it was just the machine that smelled and coffee would be exactly like I had hoped for in this maker. I made my first pot and drank a sip from my cup and it tasted like metal burning, with a hint of that perfect brewed coffee. I couldn't understand so I cleaned it again, and ran another pot of coffee thinking it would be better, nope, not any decrease in the smell or taste by now I knew I was not going to be satisfied, but hoping I would at least get a cup of coffee I could drink. My memories crushed, my longing unsatisfied, feeling really defeated, I went back to brewing water. I pulled out my percolator and brewed myself a cup of coffee, exactly as I expected my percolator coffee would taste. I continued to brew water and rebrew water, until my husband came home from work and I asked him to brew a pot of coffee, hoping that it was not a wasted day and my taste buds were wrong, my sense of smell was going. As wonderful a man he is, he only confirmed my coffees maker was a dud, it was not me, but the coffee makers' fault. I decided to return it and look for another maker. I mean I can't be expected to try this again. I know what I want and nothing else would make sense, now a days people settle for the broken promises of companies, return and get another one, "it must be a bad machine, the next one we send will be better" NO NO NO, I did my part your company messed up. I am the consumer and this was supposed to be tested. I should not have to endure another one. I can't be expected to go through that experience again, even if another one were to work right, be exactly like it was meant to be, you are expecting that my time and money was not worth your testing rigors, your word, your promises. 2 people found this helpful
KPipes
Rated 5 out of 5
July 1, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't Be More Pleased Needed a new coffee maker to replace our old one. Some of the reviews here made me a little cautious, but after going back to CR (this maker was rated very low for what I assume was from lack of features and price comparative to others) and reading the glowing user reviews I pulled the trigger and I couldn't be happier. I've only had the maker for a week and while I cannot address long term reliability of the unit, I can speak to a couple of reservations in other reviews here that almost led me to pass on it.To those who got units that produced a strong plastic flavor, my best guess is the factory had some quality control issue with those. Ours doesn't have this problem.After reading how bad the carafe drips without the lid on I decided the first time I put water in to pour it out carefully in the sink. I don't know if Bonavita redesigned the carafe to address the problem, but it did not drip. I've used the brewer about a half a dozen times and have spilled no water out while filling the reservoir. I haven't made an attempt to pour coffee out without the lid as it attaches quickly and easily. I'm not sure what kind of rush you have be in to not put the lid on since you have to remove the basket anyway, but for those who would rather not, I still don't see it being an issue.Speaking of the grounds basket, I was concerned about what to do with it post brew after reading some reviews, but placing the basket in the sink after brewing hasn't seemed like a big deal to me. Plus it encourages me to dump the grounds and rinse out the basket rather than leave them in the maker like I did with our old one.The one complaint I have thus far is the lip of the carafe is a little annoying as other have mentioned as it leaves a small amount of liquid in the container. If you want to get that last teaspoon of coffee into your cup you never will. If that last bit is water left from filling the reservoir or rinsing out the carafe, it will require some feat of physics I have yet to master. This is not a big deal to me and certainly not worth removing a star for.I'm not someone who enjoys really hot coffee, but if you are I can see how you'd want something with a warmer. I tend to sip coffee slower and am fine with drinking it closer to room temperature than extremely hot. I fill the carafe (as suggested in the manual) with hot water before brewing and it seems fine to me. Since I've only made smaller batches of coffee for my wife and I, we haven't let the carafe sit for more than an hour before finishing off the pot, so I can't say how well it keeps coffee hot beyond that, but up to an hour it's still hot IMO.Finally, for the most important factor, taste. I thought we had a good brewer before (previous one was from Gevalia for ordering coffee from them), but this thing is amazing. It's much smaller than our old one, makes coffee in about a quarter of the time and the flavor is smooth. I use beans from local roasters in our city which are great, but have been made even better by the 1900TS. I felt that while our old brewer (cone filter) made good coffee it was also inconsistent (usually on the "weak" side). This one has been spot on every time. I struggled with finalizing the decision based on price (since our last one was free), but am very glad I bought this machine.If you're looking for a feature laden maker or one that keeps your coffee boiling hot, look elsewhere. But for the under $200 I don't think I could have made a better purchase. 9 people found this helpful
mpogzeba
Rated 3 out of 5
July 1, 2023
3.0 out of 5 stars A disappointment I really wanted to like this coffee maker but my wife an I were disappointed. If actually makes very good coffee. The disappointing things about are as follows:1) The carafe is simply too small. It really needs a 12 cup carafe. Yes i did read the description and I thought I'd give it a try.2) The "thermal" carafe did not keep the coffee hot for more than about 20-30 minutes. Really?3) The water brew temperature was low by about 8-10 degrees F. Perhaps we just got a bad one.For these reasons it was a disappointment, especially for the price of $179.
Gus
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars Worth it? Sure. It makes hot water go over coffee grounds. Yippee!!! Bought mine 11/2015 and it stopped working about 2 weeks ago.As a kid from the 60s, toasters, coffee makers, appliances, etc., lasted until we had long grown up and moved away from our parents, which seems odd to people nowadays, unfortunately. This expensive hot water generator is something of a dissapointment in terms of longevity, lasting only 7 years. I don't recall being complemented on how amazing my coffee was in those 7 years, no matter the bean. My hand pours the hot water now, until I can find a reasonably priced machine that is built to last.That said, the carafe is nice and it looks cool until it's time to clean the hard water stains. Simple descaling doesn't work in the rural mountains. You have to scrub!Good luck! 7 people found this helpful
Jojo Fabuloso
Rated 3 out of 5
July 1, 2023
3.0 out of 5 stars GREAT brewer, LOUSY carafe Heard so much good about this brewer, especially how it received the SCAA approval for a home drip coffee brewer, that it piqued my interest. After comparing it to the MUCH costlier Moccamaster, I pulled the trigger and bought this brewer. It is the next best decision to buying a good burr grinder (Capresso 560) that I have ever made regarding improving coffee quality, coffee quality aside. Living in Seattle, we have plenty of great coffee options.The key to this brewer is brewing temperature, and the sprayhead. The very well-designed and broad sprayhead disperses water over the grounds typically between 195-200 degrees, based on my digital thermometer, and the resulting brew is more flavorful, and hotter, than any other coffee maker I've had over the years....thermal cone carafe, ceramic cone pour over, French Press, Aeropress. However, it doesn't stay piping hot in the carafe provided. I know well enough to pre- heat any thermal carafe prior to brewing. I do so by brewing a full pot of hot water into this one, using the brewed hot water that i pour out to warm my coffee mug. However, the carafe doesn't keep the coffee hot past 15 minutes. Warm, yes. Hot, no. I have purchased a different thermal carafe to pour the coffee into after brewing to see if it can keep the great, flavorful coffee this machine brews at an acceptable temperature. Will provide an update in a few weeks.Carafe aside, HIGHLY recommend this brewer for coffee quality, initial temperature, and ease of use. Not to mention costing less than 50% than the highly-touted Moccamaster. It's coffee, people. Gotta draw the line somewhere. And this is a great place to do so, carafe aside. GREAT BUY for someone wanting to bring out the best in coffee in a simple, easy to use, coffee-lover's brewer without having to sacrifice a car payment to do so. 538 people found this helpful
GHGH
Rated 5 out of 5
July 1, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Great but........./ edit Feb 11 2023 My first purchase the unit died withing the year warranty, the sent a new one.the replacement dies less than a year later, they sent another.Great customer serviceby the time the third had arrived, I had put a mr coffee into use and that lasted two years. So I am officially out of manufacture replacement on Bonavita.I, however, decided to do some digging. First and foremost, I have a well system with filtration. TDS (total dissolved solids) measurement is 141 PPM after filter which is pretty good. That being said, I have read that the design of this water heater on the Bonavita (extremely fast ~6mins brew time) requires at least once a month cleaning so i have added that to my care.As you will see in the photos, i identified a potential culprit. Resistor 4 (R4)When I put the Ohm meter on it, no value.As I looked at the design, heat displacement, there was only one point for air flow. The bottom.This leads to an oven type atmosphere, which I believe to have caused the failure - not my water.I mad a couple modifications to the new unit before putting it into service. As you will see in the pictures.A hole was made in the plastic body just below the water reservoir as a vent. This should allow the air flow to move the way heated air moves, upward in convection.I then cut out a section of aluminum seltzer can, adding electric tape at the base being slid in between the PCB board and plastic housing. This will act as a heat shield for the resistor as its position puts it closest to the heating element.I run vinegar through once a month after putting it in service March 1, 2020. Usually when it starts gurgling and the steam is excessive out of the top.Will add to posting in the future.Overview, brews a great cup of coffee- loads of flavor. Fast - just under 6 minutes. Love the thermos carafe, allows me to enjoy the full pot and drag it into work. Customer service is great.As good as it is, the fact that something this expensive fails so fast is disconcerting.UPDATE: July 3, 2021Still functioning, appears the modifications made to dissipate the heat helpedUpdate February 11, 2023Still functioning with the modification. Maybe Bonavita will take a note . Still makes a great pot of coffee 2 people found this helpful
PB
Rated 5 out of 5
July 1, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Starts our day off right! Simple to use, fast and tasty brewing! This latest version replaced our 8-year-old machine and the smooth taste of our coffee from the new coffee maker is noticeable.
ALF Engineer
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars Good coffe...well designed...features better than competition After our Capresso Ultima died and was discontinued we looked for another semi-automatic espresso maker that would brew a coffee creama, handle a larger 8oz mug, and not require tamping the coffee and disposing the puck each use. We found none that would meet all three desires.We then switched gears to an automated pour over brewer and found the Bonavita, Technivorm Moccamaster, Redline MK1 and OXO Barista Brain among others.We eliminated the Redline as we like the stainless carafe over a glass carafe and hot plate. We eliminated the Technivorm for cost. We went back and forth on the Bonavita and Oxo and ultimately selected the Bonavita based on the shorter form factor and because we didn't need or want the Oxo's timer functions for the added cost.Initially we thought the newer Bonavita 1901 with the basket that doesn't sit on the carafe was the way to go but the reviews that described the after brew dripping from the basket if you remove the carafe turned us off. As did the slightly increased price.Ultimately we elected to go with the original 1900. We brew and remove the carafe and basket and then drop the filter and grounds immediately into the compost tub. No drip and reasonably easy cleanup after brew. The now empty basket sits conveniently on top of our Bodum burr grinder.The carafe is not the best we've had for keeping the coffee warm longer than an hour but it pours well with the top on. One star removed for pouring water from the carafe into the tank without the top on tends to drip.One more issue to consider on the stainless steel carafe is the water waste. First you let the faucet cold water run to clean out any pipe sludge then fill the carafe to pour into the tank. Many have suggested next filling up the carafe with hot or boiling water to prepare it for the coffee and help with the temperature hold. If I wanted to boil water manually for a pour over I wouldn't have bought the automated pour over to begin with! Refilling with hot water is a little easier but wastes water while the hot water temp comes up. Your mileage may vary depending on your hot water system. We've elected to brew and drink without the carafe warm up. Any left over luke-warm coffee makes excellent iced coffee.The single switch to brew is simple and functional. Love it. The brew speed is fast and the brew noise is not bad.The coffee is not the cafe creama that I really wanted but it is excellent.
Bob R
Rated 5 out of 5
July 1, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Simple If all you need is a reliable, easy to use drip coffee maker, it would be hard to beat this one. Use it daily and have had no issues.
Amy L
Rated 5 out of 5
July 1, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Brews a great cup of coffee..fantastic customer service This is my first venture into a "certified" coffee maker. I have always had the seemingly good enough $100 range Cuisinart maker. I brew a lot of coffee (4-6 pots a day), and suddenly old reliable started to have some issues. So I went shopping for a new maker and came across the concept of a certified maker. But like many I was not prepared for the $330 Mocamaster purchase. Seems extreme..I'm sure it brews incredible coffee..but come on, at that price, it better!I read many reviews about this maker, the good, the bad, the annoying..most of what I got out of it was this maker brews exquisite coffee..on par with the more expensive options. In fact one reviewer claims to own both machines..and more (I thought I was into coffee!?)..and claimed the quality of this brew to be on par or better than the Moca. That was enough for me.The annoying.. was the repeated reviews talking about the stainless carafe. It doesn't keep the coffee warm enough, it leaks from the rim, you can't get all the coffee out..Somehow I looked past all those and went ahead and purchased the Bonavita. Well, the maker arrives and I immediately brew a pot and come to realize..great cup of coffee..crappy carafe. The shape and design of the carafe is odd but necessary to accommodate the filter which sits on top. Trust me, I looked for other options..not easy. The top screws in and a gasket needs to hold the coffee back and pass through the top to the spout. Leaks through the gasket and drips under rim and down the side. Annoying..I came to pour over the sink and wipe it after. I started looking for options and through some of the other review I found someone who had replaced the carafe with a double walled glass carafe from Bonavita and was raving about it.Well, not being willing to buy anything else from a company whose product I found defective, I thought I have two options. Contact Amazon and return the maker. Easy enough, that's one of the reasons I and many others shop here..you know you can get satisfaction one way or another. Option 2: Contact Bonavita and explain my dilemma.Might I recommend the later.. after contacting Bonavita I will say they don't want you having leaking carafes!!! They were quick to respond to my concern, and offered a replacement through warranty. No problem!! I then asked if I could instead get the double lined glass carafe..again, no problem. I now have a stupendous maker and a great carafe that pours perfectly and cleans easily. Thermal..NO..but I brew 2 mugs at a time and drink them in succession. The second mug is plenty warm by the time I get to it. If I wanted it to last longer I would get another well reviewed thermal carafe..they're not that expensive, and just pour the fresh brewed coffee directly in..it's super hot at end of brew cycle.So I would recommend this purchase without hesitation. If you happen to get a leaky carafe..just contact Bonavita they are awesome!!
Erika
Rated 5 out of 5
July 1, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic for those looking to upgrade from Keurig We purchased this coffee maker after our 5 year old Keurig bit the dust and debated on wanting to buy another one since my husband is the only one that drinks coffee and easily drinks 2 to 3 cups an evening. Even with the reusable pods, it was a hassle. No one else in our house drinks hot beverages, not even flavored coffees, so much of the keurig appeal is wasted on us. My mother has always been a Bunn user and my husband loves the coffee at her house, but I was hesitant to get a Bunn due to the hot water reservoir weary about forgetting to unplug the machine if went out of town. Enter the Bonavita! I had never heard of the brand, but some research consistently showed great ratings. The simplicity of the machine was appealing and I loved its compact size that would take up less room on the counter than the Keurig we had previously.The machine arrived in great shape and other than running a few pots of water through to get rid of any residual plastic or anything from the factory it was plug and brew. The other reviews stating the inconvenience of the filter having to be kept on the counter because it does not slide into the machine, but rather sits on top of the carafe is not a major drawback. The lid must be screwed on after brewing is finished so the filter must be removed and set aside. This is a minor hassle, not worthy of taking away a star. My husband loves the taste and quality of the coffee he gets from this machine, and loves having a carafe again that makes it so easy to pour a second or third cup of coffee from the same brewed pot. The carafe keeps the coffee hot for a good 3 hours as long as the lid is screwed on shortly after brewing finishes. Not having a heating plate to keep the carafe warm was a concern, but it is now negated.After brewing is finished I flip the reservoir lid up and leave it open to allow the condensation on the inside to dry out. I don't know if it's necessary, but I'm just not comfortable leaving the lid closed with the moisture inside, since it sits unused about 18 hours at a time. I'm afraid of a musty odor developing. We have had this machine a little over a month now, and will probably be doing a descaling with white vinegar soon, although I don't think it's necessary yet. On a side note: i recently made a pot of coffee for my husband with distilled water I had in the house for another purpose and I've never seen a man swoon over a coffee so much. He may switch to making coffee with distilled water (its about $1/gallon at grocery store) which would lessen the frequency in which we would need to descale. I will have to update if this happens.Overall, this machine is great for people who prefer a good plain hot cup of coffee. If you don't need the versatility of having a different flavored cup of coffee each time, give the Bonavita a try, the quality and coffee flavor are worth it. One person found this helpful
MICHAEL P GIBSON
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Coffee - Difficult Water Tank Filling Great tasting coffee! I was using a Black&Decker CM4000S Type 1 for years (still working). I decided to purchase a better unit. Also I was using a Krupps 208 Household Coffee Mill (now more than 20 years old and still working perfectly). I read that it is better to use a burr grinder. I purchased a Capresso burr grinder. With the first cup using the BV1900TS along with the Capresso using the coffee I usually use (French Roast San Francisco Bay Gourmet Coffee [Costco]), the coffee tasted better than any I have ever made at home! There was a huge difference! The coffee was smooth, full bodied, with absolutely no bitterness. The coffee was unbelievably excellent. I have tried different grinds from fine to the first part of the coarse setting. The taste changes with the different grinds. I am still experimenting -- but the coffee always tastes good and not bitter. I am very glad I have upgraded to the Bonavita BV1900TS and the burr grinder. The 1900 is fast and very consistent.There are a couple things that the engineers at Bonavita should consider for future models: the 8 cups should be increased to 10 cups. I fill up the carafe with filtered water to about the 8 cup level (eyeballing the level) and then pour the water into the water tank -- the carafe pouring spout without the lid is almost impossible to pour 8 cups of water without spilling quite a lot of water -- it makes a mess every time! The carafe pours perfectly when the lid is properly screwed onto the top of the carafe, however the pouring speed is slow. Something needs to be done with the spout so that pouring the water into the tank is easy and does not spill every time. It is also somewhat difficult to get all the water or coffee out of the carafe. With the lid on the carafe the coffee does stay hot for a long time and does not leak. The lid and pour spout needs to be redesigned for easier use and no mess filling of the water tank while keeping the coffee hot and no leaks. But, the coffee tastes excellent and I hope to find a better method to get the water from the carafe into the water tank to avoid the mess.In closing, the taste of the coffee is so good that I will never go back to a lesser coffee maker. I will have to develop a better way to get the water into the BV1900's water tank. I will probably need to use another vessel to pour water into the water tank. That is a hassle, but cleaning up the spills when using the carafe is worse. 4 people found this helpful
Bonnie Jones
Rated 5 out of 5
July 1, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Meets and exceeds the high reviews I bought this after reading many high reviews by consumer groups. This is the best coffee maker I’ve ever had. The coffee is delicious and the carafe keeps it hot for hours without any change in flavor. Great for people who get up at different times.
Wulfgang
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars A little messy to deal with, but makes a great flavor coffee ! I’ve owned one of these before, this is my second one. It makes really great flavor coffee but it’s kinda messy if you don’t pay attention when you use it! The heating temperature of the water is perfect for the best flavor for coffee! The carafe keeps the temperature stable for your additional cups of coffee ! I have only good things to say about this coffee machine!!!
E. Connell
Rated 5 out of 5
July 1, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars I will hopefully educate some of you into a good coffee maker I will hopefully educate some of you into a good coffee maker, through my research and trials. I am just your average consumer looking for the best cup of coffee I can find, without having to go to a specialty store such as Starbucks. I usually don’t write to many reviews but this coffee maker tops them all. I have purchased and have used many coffee makers over time, but I think I found the one. I have used and owned various coffee makers. Here is the list of what I have personally used and tested. I use filtered water through a Pur Led 11 Cup Pitcher and a Capresso 560.04 Inifinity Conical Burr Grinder. With that out of the way, we are off to look at each coffee maker.Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741Let’s start out with most expensive coffee maker I have purchased to date. While this is the most sturdy and well-built coffee make I have ever used, and will no doubt last the test of time, it lacked a few options I would like to see. Such as a pre soak feature to allow the fresh coffee grounds to bloom prior to finishing the brewing cycle. I found myself standing by the brewer, with the brew basket shut off, letting it fill with a cup or so of hot water then stirring the grounds to make sure they were all saturated. The shower arm has many holes, but water did not come out each hole consistently. Noticeably coming out just the end of the shower head. I would find myself moving around the basket way too much to get all the grounds wet. This will end up on Ebay.BUNN NHS Velocity BrewBUNN GRB Velocity BrewI loved these brewers! The rich full taste is hard to beat. The con’s on these two is I didn’t have the thermal carafe and the coffee started to lose its flavor quickly. I kept the GRB model for a backup coffee maker, just in case the Bonavita has any issuesKeurig B60 Special EditionThey got me on the convenience aspect, but the cost of the pods was killing stroke for me. Yes I did have the pods I could load with my own coffee, but they were too messy and time consuming. And I usually drink more than one cup. It was great for making hot chocolate for the kid, but in the end, it made its way to my closet.Cuisinart DCC-1200 Brew CentralThis coffee maker made excellent coffee minus the richness I was missing from the Bunn coffee makers. I sacrificed flavor and richness for a timered unit. But it did the job, if you’re looking to pre make your coffee the night before. But what I was looking for was overall taste. It is next to the Bunn And Keurig in the closet. I will most likely sell this one eBay as well.Now while this list is an expensive list. And cost doesn’t always equal a good cup. Coming from a farming family I have grown accustomed to the flavor of the Bunn coffee makers and let’s be honest they do make a delicious cup of coffee. The coffee makers are quick and stay within the time frame for the Specialty Coffee Association of America brewing times, but not the water temperature constancy during the brew cycle. Needless say I still love the cup of coffee these makers put out. The Bonavita makes a much better cup of coffee than the Bunn or Technivorm. And for the cost you can’t go wrong. Sure the price in between the costs of the two, but it’s a lot cheaper than the Technivorm. I wish I would have had a review to read that was just made by a plain consumer like myself. So hopefully this helps someone with their decisions. Good luck! 17 people found this helpful
B. F.
Rated 1 out of 5
July 1, 2023
1.0 out of 5 stars A review from a third wave coffee professional.... UPDATED REVIEW:While previously I felt that this brewer was good, but simply not the price- I'm currently changing my review. After roughly a year of owning this brewer, it has stopped working. We took good care of this machine. While initially we were using this machine several times a week, we haven't used but a handful of times in the past few months. This week we tried to make a batch, but the machine kept turning off in the middle of preinfusion. We've since attempted descaling and cleaning the machine several times, but still the machine turns off shortly after we turn it on. I'm very disappointed in the quality of this machine. You would think that by paying over $100 for a drip coffee maker, it would last, but I've owned cheap Mr. Coffee makers that have lasted longer for far less money (my family has several inexpensive brewers which have lasted decades). After first the carafe breaking, now the machine won't turn on for longer than a few seconds, I simply cannot recommend this machine to anyone. It's disappointing too, because I had high hopes for an SCAA certified machine.Former Review:Let me preface this review first by saying that I and my husband have both worked in the coffee industry. He as a roaster, and I as a barista and cafe manager. We know third wave coffee, we've worked in a lot of places and we own a lot of coffee equipment. We purchased this brewer to test batch coffee at home. We have several pour over systems, an aeropress, and a few immersion brewers, but we were looking for something to make larger batches for when we have friends over (or for when we're being lazy) and this fit the bill.The first thing I want to point out is that we have had this brewer for less than two months and the carafe has already broken. A very light clink against a coffee mug created a fracture in the bottom of the carafe which causes it to leak quickly making it unusable. We're not rough on our equipment, we keep everything stored out of the way to avoid accidents, but this was ridiculous. I understand glass is delicate, but a home brewer made for daily use should not break that easily. We have glass carafes from Hario and have never had this issue. The glass on the Bonavita carafe is very thin, so if you're a household that is rough on your kitchenwares this probably isn't for you. I'd also like to point out that there is no way to buy a replacement unless you order it through Prima or Espresso Supply. With shipping these carafes cost over $25 and in the $30-40 range if you want it shipped faster (which after just purchasing a brewer for over $100 feels steep). We ended up buying the doublewall carafe for $38 which is a way more expensive purchase on top of the brewer, but it's hard to find carafes low and large enough to replace it and we're hoping it's more durable.So the carafe aside here are some pros and cons of this brewer from a coffee expert that also sometimes likes to dump hazelnut creamer in her coffee:Pros:With high quality, freshly ground coffee this system makes coffee comparable to a pour over. It's very good drip.It's set to a good temperature for drinking it black, but it's just hot enough that you can let it sit for a few minutes and it won't get coldYou can use a chemex under the machine. We've done this while waiting for our other carafe to arriveIt's easy to use. We don't use the preinfusion setting often, but that's also an added perk if you like to play around with your variablesIt's not the ugliest piece of equipment. Compared to most Mr Coffees and Keurigs, this machine looks better and blends in with our other equipment.Cons:If you like to add creamer, the temp may be too low for you. I like to be nostalgic sometimes and pour some flavored creamers in my drip, and this brewer makes a much better cup to add that to....but.... because the brewer makes the cup at a lower temperature if you like to add creamer you better drink it right away or be ok with cold coffee.Heat retention: again with the temp. This brewer does not keep coffee hot. Maybe for the first 10 minutes after making it's nice and hot, but after that it quickly gets cold again. The hot plate and glass carafe does not do a good job of retaining heat. I'm ok with drinking coffee on the cold side, and I'm also ok with microwaving drip (don't tell anyone), but if you're the type of person that wants to make a full batch and sip on it for a few hours you're going to need a thermos or some other equipment to do that.It's small. This 8 cup business is a lie. It makes 4 regular sized mugs worth and two big mugs worth. When we use the large size travel mugs it fills up two with a little left over. If you add creamer or use dainty mugs then it could stretch to maybe 5-6 mugs, but 8...not unless you're drinking out of gibralters.It's just drip. Some people will be able to taste the difference. If you want to experiment with other brewing equipment or you're like us and you're addicted to collecting coffee gear than go for it. If you're someone who just wants a good cup of drip then spend your money on buying higher quality beans or a better grinder. At the end of the day if you add half and half or sugar to this coffee it will taste just the same as any other brewer. If you're using preground coffee or old beans it will taste about the same as any other drip. It's a good piece of equipment, but I'm not convinced it's worth the money or the hype. 41 people found this helpful
jark87
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars Bonavita vs. MoccaMaster I love a good cup of coffee and can't remember the last time I didn't start the day with one. After much research, I purchased the Bonavita and have not been disappointed. This was for a 2nd home - we have a MoccaMaster in our primary home, which I love, but really didn't believe that it was worth $300+. Both brew great coffee with precise heating and both are certified by the Specialty Coffee Association of America. The Bonavita is labeled 8 cups while the MoccaMaster is labeled 10. Both brew roughly 40 oz pots of coffee. The Bonavita uses flat-bottom filters while the MoccaMaster uses cone shaped. The Bonavita has a 2 year warranty while the MoccMaster has a 5 year warranty. Longevity is part of the claim to fame for the MoccMaster, but it is also more than 2x the price of the Bonavita.Designs are quite different. The MoccaMaster is tall and somewhat industrial looking while the Bonavita is much more compact. I like the look of both. While the Bonavita will easily fit under most any kitchen cabinet, be aware of the steam that this unit produces. You'll need space to pull it out from under the cabinet when brewing. The MoccMaster brew basket lid traps steam, so steam isn't much of an issue there. The brew basket sits directly on top of the pot on the Bonavita. Once the coffee finishes brewing, you have to take the brew basket off and screw a lid on. Not a major issue, but a nuance. This also prevents you from pouring a cup while the pot is brewing - something the MoccMaster allows for, as its brew basket sits on a ledge above the pot and has a shut off valve that stops brewing if the pot is removed. The Bonavita nozzles are arranged in a circular pattern over the grounds while the MoccaMaster has a straight, narrow rectangular arm. I don't know that it really matters, as the grounds get thoroughly soaked by both. I've read where some people stir their grounds during the brew on the MoccaMaster, but I've never done so and love the coffee it makes. The Bonavita has pre-infusion mode that wets the grounds before brewing.All in all, both brew great coffee, recognizing that the real determinants are clean filtered water and fresh grounds. I rated both units 4 stars. The Bonavita brew basket design prevented a 5 star rating and the MoccaMaster price cost it a star. I went with the Bonavita this time around due to price and am happy with the decision. 685 people found this helpful
S. Rosenbaum
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars Makes great coffee but... We've been using this coffee maker for a couple of weeks, breakfast and mid morning coffee and it makes the smoothest, best tasting coffee we have ever had. It is so good we finally divorced our Mr Coffee coffee maker after several decades of dedicated use. We use the same coffee brand (Italian Roast), filters, and water as we did before and the Bonavita brews a magnitude better quality than our previous coffee maker. I didn't give it 5 stars because the thermal carafe is disappointing. I found it necessary to put hot water in the carafe and let it stand for a few minutes before emptying it and then brewing the coffee or the coffee comes out just warm rather than hot. Also the carafe does not keep the unused coffee hot for very long. This may be because we only make enough coffee for 2 cups at a time rather than making a full pot & sometimes the 2nd cup is not poured for a while. This makes me question the thermal part of the thermal carafe. The other annoyance with the carafe is it is impossible to completely empty it. There is always a little bit of water or coffee in the bottom,no mater how hard I try to get it out. Still, we can deal with that minor inconvenience because the brewed coffee is just awesome, even after being reheated if it needs to be . 8 people found this helpful
Steven Meisel
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent coffee but with a few flaws I bought this coffee maker after eventually becoming frustrated with the Mr. Coffee machines that would not only that 15-20 minutes to brew a pot only to be unable to pour coffee into a cup without dripping all over the table or floor. I selected the Bonavita based on great reviews & testimonials on technology and related review sites and its more than acceptable price point.In general, I am quite pleased. The coffee is ready quickly and every pot is consistent in flavor. Unlike the comments in some other reviews, I have had no problem with the temperature of the brew and the carafe keeps the coffee acceptably warm for several hours. In fact just today my wife slept late and poured herself a cup 6 hours after it was brewed. While it was not steaming hot, it was more than tepid and comfortably drinkable. The machine is simple to use and is actually more compact than my old Mr. Coffee. Importantly, the coffee pours nicely with no spills on the table!Although there is a "pre-infusion" mode I can discern no difference in taste or quality of the coffee, despite the fact that I grind my beans just prior to brewing.Compared with my old machine I find myself using lots more coffee beans/pot. In the old machine I would use 5 tablespoonfuls of beans (ground myself in a cheap blade grinder)/ 8 cups. Many complained the coffee was too strong and at times bitter. In the Bonavita I am using 14-16 tablespoonfuls of ground coffee (as measured by a new burr style grinder) for the same volume. Yet the coffee is rich, tasty, and not bitter. I can only presume the difference relates to the fact that the old machine took forever to make a pot, allowing lots of chemicals that are not intended to be extracted to work their way into the final brew; so it was the "appearance" of strong coffee but not really "good" coffee.All that said, this is not a perfect device.1. The pot only makes 8 cups. While it takes only 6-7 minutes to brew, 8 cups is way too few when hosting a medium size group. 12 cups would be far superior.2. The system is designed so that the filter basket sits on the pot; when the brewing process is completed you need to replace the filter basket with the carafe cover. That sounds easy and is easy. But if you want to start the brew then go take a shower or run a quick errand, your coffee will cool more quickly since the lid is needed to retain the heat.3. The carafe is absolutely impossible to dry, unless you want to use a hair dryer. It is designed with an inner lip making it impossible to totally empty no matter how you shake, pour, or jump on your head. That may seem like a silly problem but leaving water droplets in the carafe forever is an eventual growth medium for bacteria and fungi.If Bonavita can fix these flaws, I would raise the ranking to 5 stars.Edited April 2016: in February the coffee pot quit working: it would brew perhaps 25% of the pot then turn itself off; this was a continual and worsening issue. I attempted to correct the problem by using the descaling chemicals provided with the machine; it didn't work. So I contacted the company with the problem. To my surprise and delight, they sent me a brand new machine by 2 day shipping with no argument, debate, or even a request to return the original machine. KUDOS to Bonavita for OUTSTANDING customer service. You don't see that much in this day and age so when it does happen the company should receive great credit. I have had zero problems with the replacement machine and it continues to make simply outstanding coffee. 11 people found this helpful
Philip R. Fogle
Rated 5 out of 5
July 1, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Expensive but worth it If you truly like the taste of good coffee, this will excite your taste buds. Costly but worth it, purchased to replace a like machine that ultimately died after several years of service. Clean it regularly and it will last quite a long time with daily use.
Stu_O
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars Great coffee, but regular maintenance is the key. Having purchased only drip machines costing less than $50 previously, it was a leap of faith on our part to spend the asking price for the Bonavita. But we did, based on the many positive reviews here on Amazon and a review by America's Test Kitchen. We also noticed negative reviews that likely were the result of operator error or failure to keep the machine's brewer free of mineral deposits. To prevent that issue, we brewed a pot of water treated with Urnex Dezcal on the first of each month, followed by flushing with three pots of plain water. It also helped that we used only bottled drinking water or water from our kitchen RO system. Once per week, we cleaned the carafe and lid by brewing a pot of clear water with one Urnex TABZ tablet in the filter holder. Doing this made the coffee taste much better - you wouldn't believe how quickly rancid coffee oils build in the carafe or how much they affect flavor. Complaints of excessive noise probably are due to the fact that the machine brews at temperatures closer to boiling than many others, resulting in the bubbling sounds.Best flavor results (our opinion) came from using the "Golden Cup" ratio of water to coffee (2 tablespoons of ground coffee to each 6-ounce cup of water), and using medium grind prepared with a burr grinder. But wait - the water reservoir on this and many other drip machines is marked in 5-ounce cups, not 6-ounce. So just figure 10 level tablespoons to each 30 ounces of water, which will be just shy of the 6-cup mark on the reservoir. Use slightly more or less water to adjust brew strength.The carafe - It's a steel-lined carafe which keeps coffee reasonably hot for as long as most folks would consider drinking it. One hour is past brewed coffee's best-by period in our opinion. A claim that coffee brewed at breakfast in this carafe was still hot and delicious at dinner time? You be the judge of that one...Pros - very hot coffee brew that extracts a deep, rich flavor (depending on the water/coffee ratio). Many of the external parts are user-replaceable if broken, and disassembly for thorough cleaning is a breeze.Negatives - At the point where the water reservoir meets the shower head, escaping heat eventually causes many small cracks to appear on the reservoir. However, the "cracks" don't go all the way through the plastic, so the damage is only cosmetic.Bottom line - We often found our previous coffee makers lasted well beyond our interest in using them further. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case with the Bonavita. It produced delicious, hot coffee. But after only about 2 1/2 years, the heating element has failed, rendering the entire coffeemaker useless. Frankly speaking, many drip machines we've owned previously produced perfectly acceptable (though not gourmet) brew while costing less and lasting far longer than the Bonavita BV1900TS. It's a good machine. But at this price, I can't recommend it. 6 people found this helpful
Dale Reid
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars Better, but still not at all perfect. I have used this for about a month, brewing one to five times per day.I replaced a Cusinart glass carafe, heater based until that kept coffee hot but seemed to not only have variable quality despite painstaking measurements, and of course after a very brief time, seemed to burn or bitter any coffee remaining in the carafe.This unit had high reviews, and I agree with most of what has been said about it.The Good: Exceptionally consistent results from brew to brew. I had always been a bit puzzled why using exact weights of both coffee and water, the Cuisinart seemed to be unpredictable. This one is dead on, time after time.The aroma that fills the kitchen while brewing is always enticing. There is some escape of steam and aromatics from the top of the grind basket, so this is understandable, and adds to the expectation of a good cup in just a bit.It does brew fast. It brews hot, measuring at the low to mid 190s as the water comes out and also when the temperature of the brew in the carafe is taken.No worries about breaking any glass with this heavier metal carafe.It's shorter than my old Cuisinart, and fits nicely into the little garage we use to hide stuff we use but don't want on display.The water tank is accurate and easy to see. But who cares after you have determined which fill line you'll use, and then just fill to that level every time.The option to heat the grinds with an initial 30 seconds of slower infusion is great.The screw on cover always threads into the top of the carafe perfectly without cross-threading and seats solidly without any leaks.The Not So Goods:This is a metal, non-glass, carafe and despite those glowing reports on how hot it keeps the coffee, I've found that coming back in ten minutes to top off your cup or get the second cup, the coffee has significantly cooled to below what I enjoy drinking. This was a disappointment and wonder if the glass lined thermos-bottle like carafes could be used with this brewer to get the hot coffee I desire. I've tried using my InSinkRator sink hot water dispenser to preheat the metal carafe with a cup or so of near-boiling water to help but even that seems not to keep the coffee as hot as expected.The carafe is very heavy, but how often does one pour coffee? I can see someone with hand problems and a full pot may have some trouble with stability.The screw on top MUST be in place to pour. I thought initially that I'd let the pot brew, pull the carafe and the brew basket, set the basket and wet grounds into the sink, and just pour the first cup (or only cup if your cup is large and you brewed a partial carafe) without screwing the top on but no, it has no real pour spout molded into the lip to pour without having a mess on the counter. While not a big deal, it is a bit of a disappointment for those of us who want to brew and pour the whole amount at one time. Having to screw the top on means a few more seconds, and another part to wash well which could be avoided many times.Speaking of washing, the top of the carafe is almost big enough to get a nice cloth into for washing and drying. But the inside lip is weird and prevents all the coffee to be poured out, and also after cleaning and rinsing, one would think that you could just upend the carafe onto a towel and have it drain. Nope, it keeps a couple of tablespoons of water inside, necessitating you to let it air dry or get a towel rolled up and try to blot it dry inside. This was very surprising and I'm not happy leaving that much water to evaporate and also to grow whatever might over the day it would take to dry naturally.Overall, its an improvement over the Cuisinart on most areas, but it isn't the final pot that one will ever buy. Despite all the hoopla over how great this is, more work in the development lab is needed to get rid of these little irritants. 4 people found this helpful
macy
Rated 5 out of 5
July 1, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Customer service This is a great coffee maker,however customer service is difficult. It stopped working after 17 months. I sent a copy of the invoice and the 2-year warranty. I explained my descaling process and after several emails,they agreed to send a replacement. I have had some cheaper makers that lasted longer and I am disappointed about how long it has taken(2 months) to receive a replacement.
Debra Noe
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars One little issue... The coffee maker is great - everything said about it is true - except it takes more grounds to get the same flavor as a pour over. I use 2 to 2 1/2 heaping tablespoons of grounds per cup with a pour over. I have to use 3 heaping tablespoons per cup to get the same result with this coffee maker. It's better than any auto coffee maker I've ever had; the coffee is super hot, the carafe works really well, but it takes more coffee to get there. So, when it's just my husband and me, I still do pour over, but when I have guests, this coffee maker is the best I've owned!
Alex K.Alex K.
Rated 1 out of 5
July 1, 2023
1.0 out of 5 stars GOOD AT FIRST THEN GARBAGE GARBAGE GARBAGE. BUYER BEWARE I bought this coffeemaker almost a year ago on Amazon and I have a lot to say. Long story short, I think it's a great design and it makes excellent coffee, but unfortunately it doesn't seem to be made to last very long. Sometimes I wonder, if I had paid full price on Bonavita's website would I have gotten a better quality coffeemaker. I feel like mine was somehow part of a large number of rejects that sat in a warehouse for many years, perhaps enduring long periods of extreme temperatures or something, only to be sold for less than half the price on Amazon (it was like $97 when I bought it - and I see the same one is now $149). First, when I ordered and received it, they sent me one that seemed used - with water stains everywhere, and grime all over the inside, and instruction manual that had been soaked in water and dried, all crumpled and wrinkly; again could have either been used or stored poorly. So I sent it back, got a refund, and tried ordering one more time. The second one I got, which I have now, came obviously brand new - so I felt better about it initially; though I later realized the descaling powder packet they sent with it had an expiration date of 2016(!!!!!!!!!!!) and at the time it was the end of 2019. What does that mean exactly? Hmmmm. Well, the expired descaling powder didn't work, and I had to use a different powder to clean it out. And after about 11 months, it's still making great coffee. But here's another issue - the clear plastic water reservoir on the machine, which is never subject to extreme temperatures in my home, has numerous cracks in the plastic around the top edge (if I think of it I'll take pictures of these cracks and upload them). When I first discovered these cracks, I thought that was the end of the coffee pot. However, miraculously, the cracks are all on the outside and the inside of the reservoir is still sealed. So it works. Another issue I had happened while descaling it - when descaling powder is in the coffee pot, it stopped brewing before the reservoir emptied; and it seemed like if you ran the coffee pot several times in a row, it would work less and less well, having more and more trouble completing the brewing process. This still sometimes happens when I use descaling powder - but I only notice it then. Again though, not a good sign or very confidence building; seems cheap and weak (perhaps it just gets too hot and needs to rest though). The steel carafe is great. Love how the basket attaches to the carafe to make the coffee, and you're forced to remove it to add the lid and pour; nice because I don't leave old coffee grounds sitting in it for long. In any case, we will see how long this thing lasts. With all the evidence that this is probably part of some big stock of rejects that was stored in non-ideal conditions and later sold on Amazon, well I guess it explains why it costs so much here than the Bonavita website. Still, would I pay full price for it on the Bonavita website? I don't know; I'd be nervous that I was wrong, and that these things are just cheap no matter where you buy them. Hmmmm. Shrug emoji.Update 1/2/21: The cracks in the water reservoir have finally worn through and I can no longer fill it without leaking. So despite my, um, charitable initial review I now have to conclude that this is a piece of JUNK and one would not be advise to spend any amount of money on it, and certainly not the $97 I paid for it. For that price it should have lasted at least 3 years. And it lasted barely one year before becoming another thing for the garbage pile. So thanks for nothing. 1 star. Never buying this crap brand again. Looking forward to the Oxo coffee maker I just ordered from Target. it ain't no lie, baby, BYE BYE BYE. 3 people found this helpful
Robert M Foster
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars The BEST Coffee Maker ever, customer support leaves much to be desired My roommate works in High End Coffee Sourcing, scouring the world for the best beans for a local bougie coffee chain and this is the coffee maker he uses at home. For the amount of work it is amazing, combine it with a burr grinder plus good beans plus filtered water and you will be producing fantastic cups every morning.That being said, my unit arrived defective (the heating element is staying on after it finishes brewing) and trying to reach customer service has been a pain.Will update review and stars with how the process ends up working out. 3 people found this helpful
MCCurley
Rated 3 out of 5
July 1, 2023
3.0 out of 5 stars Poorly designed lid/carafe We bought this in June 2020. We are now on the third lid at $22 a piece. The plastic thumb depressor to pout the coffee is thin and breaks. For the carafe itself... as others have noted, it is strangely difficult to get the rinse water out of it. This is a shame - I have owned Bonavita products for years and the brewer itself is good quality.
Publius
Rated 5 out of 5
July 1, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Love this Coffeemaker This brews the very best cup of coffee when paired with Caribou coffee. Best combination I have found. I also use the Breville Smart Grinder to do my beans. Took me a long time to get this combination and now I’m in heaven cause zi can have the best cup of coffee each day. I’m happy.
Aaron L. Richardson
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars Not a Pour Over, but Pretty Close As something of a minor coffee snob (who spent a few years of their 20's employed as a barista), I did a lot of research to try and find a maker that creates the best cup of coffee without breaking the bank. Though there were a couple contenders, ultimately I decided on the Bonovita, and I'm happy with the decision.One of the big draws was the pre-infuse option, which attempts to approximate the pour over method used in brewing. On the weekends, I've made a tradition to brew coffee with my Chemex, and even went so far as to order a small goose neck pouring kettle. This is because I've fallen in love with the way the Chemex brews coffee. Now I don't want this to seem like a review for Chemex, I'll just say that any machine that tries to replicate this kind of brewing method has my attention.Now, let me be upfront, this machine makes a great cup of coffee, and it's certainly stepped up my weekday coffee enjoyment. But it's not without it's flaws, hence the 4 star rating.- First, i'm really not a fan of the basket sitting on top of the carafe. It's turned out to be less annoying than I anticipated, mostly because I keep a tray nearby to put it on when I'm ready to pour coffee, but honestly it just feels like an unnecessary design.- The 40 minute hot plate time just isn't long enough for me. I understand this decision a little bit more, as they don't want the coffee to get burnt, but in terms of practicality, it's just not ideal for me. My wife leaves for work about an hour and a half before I do, which means my coffee sits well past the timer and starts getting cold. We've resorted to pouring my coffee in a steel carafe to stay hot for me, but like I said, not ideal.- With the aforementioned desire to have this machine replicate my Chemex coffee, this isn't really happening right out of the gate, and turns into a bit of a rabbit hole in order to find the right formula. One issue is that the machine has to be absolutely level in order for the hot water to pour out of all the holes in the spout, otherwise the water drains to one side more than the other, and you get an uneven pour. Try as I might, sitting with the level and sticking folded pieces of paper underneath to get it just right, I've still not been able to reliably get this to pour out of all the holes, so I've given up. I'm not sure the coffee suffers too much, but you can notice in the pre-infusion that not all of the grounds get even saturated.All in all, as I said in the beginning, I'm happy with the maker, and honestly I'm probably being a bit nitpicky with trying to get the perfect pour. I think I just let my expectations soar expecting a machine to give me the perfect pour over style brew that I delight in on the weekends. I wouldn't say this machine does that, but it nonetheless it still makes a good cup of joe, and the price isn't bad for what it gives.
Hugh H. Hart
Rated 3 out of 5
July 1, 2023
3.0 out of 5 stars Bad changes to old version Had previous Bonavita for years and loved it. New one has a couple of improvements, but the marks for number of cups are very difficult to see - I have to get my eyes level with marks and the light has to be just right to see them. Easier on old model. Also, new model has only even number of cups marked (4, 6, 8) so one has to guess when making 5 or 7 cups. Very inconvenient. Because of these two changes I would not buy it again.
Amazon Customer
Rated 3 out of 5
July 1, 2023
3.0 out of 5 stars Excellent brewer, but failed after 6 months This coffee maker brews coffer to our taste as well or better than any other machine we have owned over the last 40+ YEARS. Unfortunately, it stopped working after 6 months. Getting it working again was a learning experience I’d like to share.I bought this ‘Used-like new’ from Amazon Warehouse, with its promise of Satisfaction Guaranteed. The item showed no signs of having been unpacked, let alone used, so I was satisfied. I assumed that I would be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, and did not purchase a third-party warranty. The design is good except for minor quibbles about the raised pot center that makes cleaning more difficult and moderately rapid pot heat loss. The brewer worked well for six months, producing excellent coffee, and then stopped. Bonavita, when contacted, would not authorize a warranty repair because the machine was bought used. It may be there, but I could not find information for non-warranty repair on their website. By then I was also well beyond Amazon’s Satisfaction Guaranteed period.I did the repair myself for less than $20, including new tools. I bought a 100 piece security bit set at the H*F* tool store for $10 that included the tri-blade bit (like a Mercedes star) needed to remove the bottom plate screws and used a coupon for a free volt-ohm meter.The three most common problems for coffee brewers are a stuck ball valve due to mineral deposits, a blown thermal fuse due to a failed thermostat, and a blown thermal fuse due to some other cause. Other, rarer failure causes would be too expensive to repair, so I concentrated on these.After removing the bottom, I removed the hose clamp from the translucent white tube. A quick blow and suck on the tube showed that the ball valve was working properly and there was no scale build-up. The thermal fuse was right behind the hose, covered with a white, woven, insulating tube, and held against the metal heating element by a spring clamp. I checked for continuity across the fuse with my free ohmmeter (measure from heating element electrode to the correct power cord plug blade) and found a high (near infinite) resistance/open circuit/blown fuse. I ordered new 172C degree thermal fuses (same as 169C) and 18-22 gauge uninsulated butt connectors on Amazon, crimped a new fuse in place of the blown one, and reassembled the brewer. I set it on a stone countertop, plugged it in so that I had easy access to the plug, and ran several pots of water through the brew cycle, ready to unplug in case of fire! The unit has worked well ever since, and I have enough fuses to repeat the repair four more times. If the repair had not worked or the thermal fuse had blown again, I would have tried to replace the thermostat, but these tend to be proprietary, whereas thermal fuses are generic, as long as you get the right temperature.I take off two stars for the brewer failing within two years of manufacture (a date code is stamped on the bottom), another for Bonavita not offering to repair a nearly new product, and a fourth for Amazon not being clearer that their Like-New warehouse products are not covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. I add one star back for my naïve assumptions concerning warranties and guarantees, and another for not purchasing a third party warranty. I do recommend the Bonavita BV 1900TS, but buy a new one or get a third party warranty. A search of the internet shows that I was not the only one with this problem. Also, I will probably continue to use Amazon Prime for another 20 years, but as a slightly more informed customer. 3 people found this helpful
C. BagshawC. Bagshaw
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars The Trick to Cleaning your Bonavita Coffee Maker How to clean your Bonavita Coffee MakerI’m writing this review to let everyone in on the trick to properly cleaning the Bonavita coffee maker. I’m on my 2nd Bonavita Coffee maker and one of the things that I found that goes wrong is that once it begins to get dirty, it fails to produce hot water and starts to produce a lot of steam instead. This means, you end up with lots of steam during the brewing cycle and very little (strong) coffee when complete. I have used URNEX cleaning powder and CLR as well. Both work fine for the job of cleaning but it doesn’t always solve the steam issue. Just recently I cleaned it and figured out the trick to really returning the Bonavita back to its proper operation. Start by following the directions on your coffee machine cleaning powder or solution. Once you have completed the brew of this solution it’s time to rinse. Typically, you will run two more full tanks of fresh water to rinse the Bonavita completely. At this point you might think you are done, but you’re only halfway. In my zeal to really rinse the solution out, I decided that I would simply place the coffee maker in my sink and rinse out the reservoir using the faucet. At this point, I found that you can remove the entire top of the coffee maker by gently working your fingers around the top, unseating it from the reservoir. Once you have done this, you can place the unit in your sink under the faucet and run a stream of water down the plastic steamer tube into the heating container. Once this is full, turn it upside down in the sink to drain it back out. If you’re like me, you will see a large quantity of black and white particulates in your sink. Repeat this operation until you no longer see any more coming out. At this point, remove the plastic shower head that is snapped into the underside of top head. Slowly work your fingers around the shower head and separate the 2 sides. Clean everything out of this part as well. Now, reverse you work and reassemble the shower head and slowly work the top unit back onto the coffee maker. Dry the unit with the towel and run a pot of water through to rinse again. You should see that your brew cycle is steam free (until the very end) and very fast. Give it a shot, I think you’ll be happy you took the extra time. 343 people found this helpful
KevinkarKevinkar
Rated 2 out of 5
July 1, 2023
2.0 out of 5 stars EDITED - Do not buy - Bonavita has apparently gone out of business UPDATE 9/18/22 - Bonavita has returned as a restructured company selling the very same products as before so, if you like the product and want to buy, go ahead. Be aware that anyone who purchased products before the restructuring are out of luck insofar as warranty service goes. My coffee maker I review here was still within the original 2-year warranty but the "new" company refused to honor it due to that being "the previous company's problem." So I am stuck with a broken thermal carafe. I won't be buying Bonavita products in the future if that's how they treat their customers.UPDATE - 2/15/22 - Apparently Bonavita has gone out of business. Their website is down and no one answers any e-mails or warranty requests. While their coffee makers were well regarded in the coffee community, I guess they were unable to remain successful. So, if you still want one, go ahead and buy one but know the warranty will not be honored and you're not likely to get spare parts or any other service from now on. So, take my previous information below with a grain of salt.Upon receipt, I saw that the top section of the brewer was loose and did not sit flush on the top of the brewer. I checked the connection and saw a small plastic tab on the top section was broken so the top was only held on with one tab. Broken from the factory. Strike one.Instead of simply sending it back to Amazon I contacted Bonavita for warranty service and they did not initially honor my Amazon receipt but also required me to provide a photo of the brewer in my kitchen. I thought that was a bit wonky but provided the pictures and they sent a replacement top in a few days. So strike two for requiring a photo but minus half a strike for sending a replacement right away.Sadly, though the brewer generally works fine, the plastic ring on the top of the carafe has since developed cracks and they are getting big enough so that it appears the handle and ring combination will eventually break off the lower metal carafe. I have never seen this in any other coffee brewer I've had over the last 30 years. All I do is place it on the brewer, let the coffee drip into it, pour it out into my cup, rinse it and put it back on the brewer base. I definitely don't abuse it. These are probably just heat-induced stress cracks but they shouldn't be there.I contacted Bonavita TWICE now and they have not replied in two weeks to my warranty claim for service. Strike three.I doubt a replacement will last more than 16 months unless they somehow made a major design change that prevents these cracks from developing. So I'm not happy with this outcome knowing a simple replacement will probably result in the same outcome.I compare this to a couple of Mr. Coffee brewers and a Black and Decker brewer I had over the last 40 years, all of which lasted easily 12-15 years each before wearing out. And those brewers were just $20 each! I expected this $160 brewer to last a bit longer than 16 months.I'll revise this if Bonavita replies to my claim but I still expected a longer lived brewer for this price. 5 people found this helpful
bella
Rated 4 out of 5
July 1, 2023
4.0 out of 5 stars Good coffee This makes good coffee but the drawbacks are that the pot does not make enough for 4 regular sized portions. Keeps it hot too but second cups are small. It says it makes 8 cups…but those must be very small. The price is also quite high but I figured that a good cup of coffe in the morning is one of my regular pleasures.Would have given it a 5 star rating if it made more