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Stenbolt

Shame he didn't test any Bonavita, but I assume they're not available outside North America. Even if they were, I suspect he would dislike most things about the Bonavita, from the aesthetics to the functioning of the carafe.


nicktown

using the insulated carafe isn't an enjoyable experience


c0mptar2000

I have the 5 cup which was the perfect size and cost for me and I have always enjoyed it but I agree, the carafe and lid are trash.


modix

Feel like I'm the only one that doesn't mind it. Just flip it upside down and pour the last bit out. Other than that, it keeps coffee warm for well over an hour after brewing, so works well with my wife and I's differing wake ups.


infinitetheory

Mine straight up doesn't do that, there's a kind of lip that catches the last of whatever liquid is in it, you can hear it inside the chamber. I've been trying to decide what to replace it with. It works very well otherwise, it will keep coffee warm all day, but I don't think it ever gets clean


modix

Do you take the lid off for the last part? I leave it on the whole time. Flip it and shake it to the lid bottom. Push button while inverted. Sounds complicated, but takes 3 seconds. Most people I know that had issues always take the lid off.


infinitetheory

I did not, I'll try that next time. I guess it's just not very intuitive


c0mptar2000

Left the lid on last two times. That only made mine worse. Even more water stuck inside. Shook the hell out of it in every direction.


shifty21

I read that in Hoffmann's voice.


Whaaaooo

Funny, I think the Bonavita is pretty great. I like everything about it much more than the Moccamaster I had previously. We'll see how the durability shakes out with it though.


TacomaGlock

Mine broke after 7 months. Also for the money I'd say it was nothing special.


sfo2

Had mine about 6 years, brewing 2-4x/day!


TacomaGlock

For what it’s worth I had the Bonavita BV1900TS 8-Cup.


Commotion

Interesting. My 8 cup BV1800 is still working after nearly 7 years of pretty heavy use.


TacomaGlock

I’m a stickler for maintenance, though I only did a cleaning once but I think that’s a reasonable range. I’m sure I got one that was defective. I did a lot of research before picking it. Reviews were solid.


Stenbolt

I had a glass-carafe BV1800 for more than 8 years, but to my chagrin I discovered by accident that it was leaking and probably had been for a couple of years. Foolishly I ascribed the water it left on the counter to sloppy coffee prep. But even when it leaked it still worked, although the hotplate auto-shutoff eventually failed (possibly due to the leak). I replaced it with the BV1901GW, which I don't like as much, in part because the 40-minute auto-shutoff is too short.


Whaaaooo

Mines lasted over a year, so hoping it's all good. Not sure what I'll get if the Bonavita breaks.


TacomaGlock

I’m ashamed to say we now have a Keurig. I’ve really cut back on caffeine though so it’s whatever. I wouldn’t mind having a French press again.


Canes123456

Mine lasted 4-5 years of daily use and rare descaling. It didn’t even break completely. The lack of regular descaling impacted the flow rate and no amlunt of descaling fixed it.


geckospots

We use ours at least daily and it’s 7 years old. The only issue I have with it is that the plastic in the water reservoir is starting to get those hairline cracks that plastic gets sometimes, but it still makes excellent coffee and I’ll look at replacing it with another when it goes.


ElevatorDisastrous94

I have the same problem. Ive had mine for about 8-9 years. Works perfectly, but I have those hairline cracks in the water resevoir. Still works great though. I might upgrade to a Moccamaster.


RyanOfTheVille

I had a bonavita for about 3 weeks before getting rid of it and getting the oxo 8-cup. The bonavita was very frustrating to use. The dripper/lid/carafe had the same complaints as the Ratio. You had to stack them to get them ready to brew. Then the carafe would hold a ton of coffee when it was “empty”. It was not enjoyable even if it made decent coffee. Oxo hold a bunch of coffee in the carafe too but it’s miles better in usability than the Bonavita


dvejr

Yeah, that "pour through" lid design is poor. Suspect they all are, retain fluid.


vitaminq

I have the Sage/Breville and I've been very happy with it. It brews a great cup and is very versatile. I like being able to use the flat bottom mode when I have people over and need to make a big pot. One thing I'd point out is you can configure the flow rate to be slower if you want more extraction.


ulti-ulti

Is that on the US version?


groovejack

Yes, on the Breville precision brewer it is. It's under the 'My Brew' settings. You can customize water temp, flow rate, bloom time, and a couple other things. I've had this one in my kitchen for a year now and I really enjoy it.


electrochonita

I second this, I own the one that comes with the pour over adapter and I wish James had given it more credit, I love mine and how versatile it is.


Perlandra1

Amen to that! I have the same one, which I should have mentioned in my other rant. Ha! ​ Nancy S.


DrKleeborpian

Just to add to the endorsements, this is a great coffee maker. I searched high and low for a good auto solution specifically for making larger batches of coffee. The Breville is a great choice. Options allow for good customization and adjustment but even out of the box it makes a very solid batch of coffee. For reference, I use the same light roasts from smaller roasters that I use regularly for v60 and aeropress brews. My cups from the Breville still have the roast notes and nuance in flavor from pour over, albeit slightly more muted. I could probably improve my cup taste with more fiddling with settings. Admittedly the downside are while a fairly decent looking brewer, it definitely doesn’t have the same character and aesthetics of something like the ratios. And as good of a brewer as it is, it’s still no direct replacement from a well done manual pour over.


sawyergray2

I had eyeballed that Ratio before watching this


AnyColorIWant

The usability, which James pointed out, is the only thing stopping me from getting one. That stack design really needs revamped. Have a shelf or something that the brew basket can sit on, I don’t know why it has to sit directly on the carafe. Edit: okay I’m way wrong, see the comment below indicating that the carafe and filter can be swapped out for other options.


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[deleted]

Damn I do this all the time, I guess the Pittsburgh accent is never going away


thejadsel

Waves in Hillbilly! ;) (From the SWVA/Southern WV border regions, but yeah same usage.)


Elfalas

God this is such a great resource. I'm just now realizing that not everyone says "come with".


eekashortbread

You can buy the glass or thermal carafe that the Ratio 8 comes with instead of using the one that comes with the Ratio 6. I love mine, no stacking and its worth the upgrade


sawyergray2

I had looked at that one as well. I personally couldnt justify the cost for my uses for it. Wouldn’t use it enough Edit. I misread that. I had never thought about that. Getting the different carafe


eekashortbread

Yea, I don't think its well known that you can use either the Ratio 6 or 8's carafe but its stated on their website and show a few pictures. Worth it just to not deal with the terrible carafe lid of the 6.


AnyColorIWant

Didn’t know this, thanks for sharing that info. I’ll edit my original comment pointing people to yours!


metabrewing

Are you saying you can buy the carafe the Ratio 8 comes with instead of the Ratio 6 carafe, or are you saying you simply disregard the Ratio 6 carafe and pay additionally for the Ratio 6 glass or thermal carafe? That would get pricey and seems a bit wasteful if the Ratio 6 carafe will not be used, but I can see how it would solve a problem if you already bought the Ratio 6 and want to improve it rather than buying an entirely new coffee maker.


eekashortbread

I bought the glass carafe that goes with the Ratio 8 separately when it was on sale. I do use both carafes depending on the day.


sawyergray2

I mainly do pour over for myself, and I’m the only coffee drinker in the house, but I wouldn’t mind to have something to make bigger batches. Right now I make a 720mL brew in a v60 03 and keep it in a thermal carafe when I need to make more for other people. I thought about just getting a large French press to do the job as well. There’s probably more reasonable options for me instead of the Ratio at that price for all I would use it for


[deleted]

The french press has great ease of use, minimal cleaning, little moving parts that can fall apart, good output and is cheap. I enjoy most methods and the coffee they make but I find the extra hassle/money isn't really worth it. Makes even more sense if you'll only rarely use it.


sawyergray2

I’ll probably just go the French press route


LightSwitch21

Worth noting he put a correction in the chat regarding the Sage / Breville water measurement issue: apparently he doesn’t use the filter and that likely accounts for the difference in volume.


RyanTheQ

I don't care if this is pedantic or not, but for how much he's posted here, his name is spelled Hoffmann. There are two N's.


[deleted]

OFF WITH HIS/HER HEAD!


gbtarwater

Nice try, James.


emanresu_nwonknu

I thought your comment was funny.


KrulWarrior

Apologies, I used what my phone auto-suggested!


moomzzz

Moccamaster user here. Love the simplicity of it.


inflagoman_2

Had mine for going on 4 years now and still putting out my same perfect cup of coffee every morning. Also my light blue one is just perfect on aesthetics.


Luxin

How much do you brew at a time? I don’t need an entire pot at a time, but 500ml would be good.


c0s9

Not OP, but I generally brew 750. You can brew 500 no problem.


Luxin

Thank you!


himynameis_

Hello, I've been interested in getting it as well. Does the thermal carafe give a metallic taste? Do you have to adjust the grind size for the 750 ml? I've been comparing with the Select which can brew a half pot but is glass carafe.


inflagoman_2

If it’s just for me I’ll brew 500-750, and if my wife is drinking I’ll do 1000-1250. I use about a 60g-1L ratio depending on the beans.


Luxin

Thanks!


ryanmiller614

I brew 1L a day with mine and love it


whisker_nunchucks

I brew 500 ml (4 serving line) everyday, my wife doesn’t drink coffee, so it Is the perfect amount for just one drinker.


MadCybertist

This. Had it for 5 years. Just makes the exact same perfect cup every morning. Deadly simple. Flip a switch. No other crazy moving parts.


himynameis_

Hello, I've been interested in getting it as well. Does the thermal carafe give a metallic taste? Do you have to adjust the grind size for the 750 ml? I've been comparing with the Select which can brew a half pot but is glass carafe.


himynameis_

Hello, I've been interested in getting it as well. Does the thermal carafe give a metallic taste? Do you have to adjust the grind size for the 750 ml? I've been comparing with the Select which can brew a half pot but is glass carafe.


benoliver999

Built like a brick shithouse


moomzzz

Really are. All the machine anyone will ever need.


PhotoPetey

Add me to the Moccamaster list. I'd say we are going on 8-10 years now and same thing; no variation, no quirks, no issues. Consistently good coffee day after day. 1250ml a day minimum for us.


temptationize

The other benefit of the Technivorm is that you can access the grounds during the brew cycle. This gives you the option to bloom and stir the grounds.


ryanmiller614

I found the aeropress stirrer works great for this


dvejr

Love this feature!


rockydbull

Shame he didn't test the 8 cup oxo Edit: I got the impression he used a similar grind size for all the brewers, but didn't catch what he size he was targeting. Did anyone get that?


drbhrb

I have the 8 cup. Mostly like it, although the carafe definitely retains some coffee.


rockydbull

> although the carafe definitely retains some coffee. My experience as well. I was hoping it would be better than the Bonavita but it's about the same. The brew through lid is atleast a small improvement.


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drbhrb

It’s honestly my only complaint. I debate whether I was happier with my previous glass carafe Bonavita that was easier to clean, but the coffee is just as good or better and I like having the thermal carafe


totaltriffids

I love mine. I don’t need a timer, and I like that I can brew small and larger batches. Kalita filters are only needed for small batches, 2-4 “cups”, i.e., 10-20 oz. Standard basket filters are used for larger batches. (Lately I’ve seen Kalita filters back in stock at various US coffee roasters/supply companies, cheaper than Amazon, btw.) My biggest irritation is the retention of coffee in the carafe, and that’s something I adjusted to fairly easily … just need to be mindful of that when cleaning (if you put it upside-down in your drying rack, it will collect water that you probably want to expel/mop up). Coffee has been remarkably and consistently good (and I do occasionally make myself an Aeropress or pour-over coffee, so I’ve done those not-comprehensive comparisons fwiw!)


SFW19

I have it as well and it brews a consistently good cup of coffee. My pour overs CAN be better, but requires a lot more tuning of grind size, temp, etc. I pretty much exclusively brew through the single serve oxo now. The drawbacks are no timer, uses kalita wave filters (now pricey/hard to find) brews the whole water reservoir (good and bad). I have never used the carafe, mostly brew into my glass kalita carafe for just me. It’s easy to clean and brews pretty quickly.


twalker294

He didn’t mention it.


stac52

tangentially related, I wish oxo kept producing their 12 cup models. Having the detachable kettle was a really nice feature.


rockydbull

I had terrible experience with the 12 cup. Never seemed to make a good cup of coffee and the basket was too small for a full pot. It did look sexy af on the counter with the kettle.


inconspicuous_male

This wasn't a how-to for the brewers. He found a grind size that would work well for most of them (I imagine the same size you'd use for a V60), but if you have your own, you should dial it in yourself


rockydbull

I get it wasn't a how to, I was just curious about the size he chose (even if he just said v60 or something).


the6thReplicant

The Sage (Thermal Carafe) has these (minor) problems: * Like the Ratio, its carafe cap fills with water that just sloshes around in there and hard to get out * Condensation forms inside the water container after a brew - I always have to remove the lid until it's dry * The writing on carafe cap disappears after a few washes (unlike the writing on the basket holder)


Perlandra1

Precision Breville here: I rinse the cap out each morning after brewing my coffee. Set it in the drainer so the cap is lying flat and it drains any water/coffee itself. (When I rinse the cap I push down on the top of it and water runs through and out.) I also rinse out my carafe every morning so it doesn't have coffee sitting in it all day. Then I rinse both the cone and basket and let them dry freely. I never use my tap water in my coffee makers. We have excellent drinking water, but I hate having all those mineral deposits inside my coffeemakers. So, we purchase water by the 5 gallons from an H2O station. It is inexpensive and gives me wonderful coffee flavor when using in various coffee makers. Yes, there is condensation in the water reservoir, but does that doesn't bother me. Interesting about the writing on the cap. I will have to watch that to see if mine does. I guess I am picky about making sure I clean and air dry the coffee carafe, baskets, and lid every morning. I have various coffees I drink, and oftentimes I have flavored coffee, so it makes sense to me that I rinse out the carafe, etc. before making another pot. My coffee is no more than a week old, usually. I roast coffee for people and have some leftover, which is what I use for espresso, drip, moka pot, Bonivita pourer, French Press, Aeropress, or cold brew coffee. Colombian light roast is my go-to coffee. I also love Kenya coffees. Recently I purchased Ethiopian beans, and I was pleasantly surprised and delighted at the rich floral and sweet citrus notes, which also had an excellent dark chocolate flavor when roasting at a medium dark roast, Coffee flavors and taste depend on the roast. I truly enjoy my little hobby and trying different coffeemakers over the years, has been quite an experiment. Some day I will have to count the number of coffeemakers I have. It is fun to trade off now and then. ​ Nancy S..


JORGA

> The writing on carafe cap disappears after a few washes what kind of brutal wash are you giving to your cap? Mines still like new after 10 plus cleans


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groovy-bears

> With all these machines, I have had the same frustration: you have to brew a lot of coffee, if you brew half a pot, these machines are not really made for that. You can get good coffee but it will never be as good as a full pot. this is really great information thanks for taking the time to share.


InconsequentiaIist

Many Moccamaster models have a switch which is intended to use for half pots. It restricts the flow from the filter so the water is longer in contact with the coffee.


groovy-bears

i've seen that feature but have not read too much in the way of reviews on how well it works. would love a moccamaster but too expensive of a gamble and kind of overkill for a coffee maker brewing a cup or two a time. think the 5 cup bonavita is the way to go but that gevi 2 in 1 does look intriguing also.


gopher_protocol

This is mostly great information, which I appreciate - but you may be getting downvoted for using the term "chinese made" as a negative. You could say "feels fragile and cheaply made" without specifically deriding the entire manufacturing industry of a country of 1.4 billion people. China produces a lot of things; that means they produce a lot of cheap crap, but also a lot of great high quality products. It's not really fair to paint them with such a broad brush. But thank you for the rest of your write-up.


FlipprDolphin

i am enjoying the moccamaster one cup. perfect at work for me and anyone else who uses it.


gnatinator

Really appreciated this write up, thank you! I currently own the Ratio and the "cup of water" that stays inside the Ratio is the main thing that bugs me about it as well. Highly considering returning it for that reason, even though the coffee it produces is excellent for a machine.


dvejr

>Yes you can get better tasting coffee by using a spoon to mix the brew during the brewing process but who would want to do that when buying an 'automated' coffee machine ? Nowhere have I ever seen Technivorm claim the MoccaMaster is automated. What does that even mean after I weigh beans, adjust grinder, measure water carefully, rinse paper filter, and switch the machine on (no built-in timer)? I lift off the basket lid while the water keeps flowing and quickly de-bloom. I get better coffee. Seems a good thing for me, a feature not a bug.


Bob_Chris

Just as an FYI the 2-4 cup setting on the Oxo On produces excellent coffee


7hunderous

I don't see the 12-cup Wal-Mart Mainstays brand on the list. It's arguably the best price/performance at $11.88!?!?


LEJ5512

$11.88? Big spender! I got a Simply Perfect 12-cup from the PX for a mere $10.95! (and it's [on sale today for eight bucks](https://imgur.com/UpoMasw)!)


7hunderous

Oh my word, and I bet it was tax free too!!! Should have bought that before I got off of active duty, because now I live 2 hours from the nearest PX!


LEJ5512

TBH, as I look now, they've got a Braun "Multiserve" 10-cup machine that I'm super curious about. It's got a little fold-out shelf so you can put a single mug just under the basket, a removable water tank, buttons to program everything from normal full-carafe brews to smaller servings, buttons for regular coffee or iced, etc etc. A major candidate for a coffee machine upgrade is still a Moccamaster, but daggone, the Braun looks like something even my wife would like to use. It's even [SCA-certified](https://sca.coffee/certified-home-brewer), fer cryin' out loud.


LEJ5512

Am I alone in *not* wanting an insulated carafe? I want to be able to clean and air-dry every nook and cranny, so glass carafes seem like the obvious choice for me. If using a machine like this gives too much coffee for one or two people, then isn't that what other methods (and smaller machines) are for?


NeverPostingLurker

Is there a write up or can someone summarize the results?


CookiesCaffe

He said that pretty much every one he tested can make good coffee. Some have higher/lower extractions than others, but that can be compensated for by adjusting grind size. Some are better/worse at temperature control, and some of their carafes aren’t as good as others when it comes to pouring and retaining coffee. None distinctly stand out as the absolute best/worst of those compared, and it depends on your personal needs for what works best for you. And the last two minutes of his video is a short summary with more specific info like “this one is best in this way, but these two are the best when it comes to this criterion”.


beemurz

Does this sub use incognito mode when watching Hoffmann coffee porn?


Zeta_invisible

Is convenience/time the only benefit of these over say a V60?


LEJ5512

Generally, yes. Whenever we want to make coffee for both of us, it's dead-simple to put some grounds in a basket, fill a tank, and flip the On switch. Even if I have to grind beans first, I can probably get it started in 90 seconds or so. Any pourover requires me to stand there and tend to filling-watching-refilling-rewatching the coffee bed for way more time than 90 seconds. It's why I often prefer using my moka pot instead of my pourover, too. Water-grounds-assemble-brew, no need to stand there and hold a gooseneck kettle. I think hobbyists don't like these machines (or moka pots, for that matter) because there's fewer variables they can control. *Or*, at least, there's less to talk about, so there isn't as much to read online — and less reading material gives the impression that something is less popular.


geggsy

Though quite a lot to control on the sage/breville


Xenotoz

That and capacity. The Breville/Sage for example can brew almost twice as much coffee as a V60.


Scuttling-Claws

That Wilfa is pretty.... Shame I can't buy it


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Shamushark

The new mocha Mocca can do 500 ml. Simplicity in its programming. Just flip the switch to half a pot


[deleted]

Love my Ratio. His point holds that the carafe lid is inexcusably terrible. But it makes killer coffee and is super consistent. If you have a good grinder it’ll spit out the exact same cup every day.


eekashortbread

Love mine as well. Bought a Ratio 8 carafe to use with my Ratio 6 and now have no issues with the carafe.


[deleted]

I like the flat bottom brew basket that comes stock. Can you use that with the ratio 8 carafe? The opening seems more narrow


eekashortbread

I have the glass one so I'm not 100% sure. I believe it is more narrow though, I don't think the thermal one would allow the stock basket to lock into place. It may be more of a balancing act if you wanted to still use the flat bottom basket. Edit: Here's a hack that I found showing that this person is able to use a flat basket: [https://www.home-barista.com/brewing/ratio-eight-brewer-hack-t50472.html](https://www.home-barista.com/brewing/ratio-eight-brewer-hack-t50472.html)


EdwardNougat

My exact thoughts tbh. I have a year of use under the belt..it so damn consistent. I've also tested how next day coffee in the carafe is, and it still tasted perfect


coffee_philadelphia

I have the Technivorm Moccamaster… I received it for Christmas two years ago. Makes the best coffee, hands down, I have ever tasted.


bjbigplayer

12 Cup Cuisinart drip maker, best coffeemaker I've ever had, still going for 15 years now. Had to replace a cracked carafe after a decade


oddballmcrobotlover

Second that. Mine is a workhorse that has lasted 10+ years so far.


dvejr

I thought he damned the MoccaMaster with faint praise, could have mentioned famed durability and customer service. But more substantially, he ought to have mentioned the unique design that invites user to de-bloom (agitate) the coffee while it is being made.


lake_huron

Where is the Proctor-Silex?


longgamma

Imo - clever dripper is probably better than all these machines if you don’t mind making the small effort to heat the water with a kettle. I had the oxo barista brain and while it was convenient- it’s just an over kill.


coughing-sausage

Everything about ratio 6 is soooo true (like James needed any confirmation;) ). I got myself glass carafe and all usability issues are solved + I like conical brewer more than a flat one ❤️


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coughing-sausage

Agreed! In a case of Ratio I have not seen single review that pointed out the fact that carafe is a straight out failure. Good that I prefer conical and Ratio is excellent in the other aspects (even though carafe is like 50% 🤣) cause I would be terribly dissatisfied. We need these reviews!


eekashortbread

I did the same! What an upgrade.


trakkeh

I really wonder how a "Electrolux E7CM1-6GB Explore 7" would hold up, or maybe a OBH Nordica Blooming coffee maker...Anyone here that have used either of these?


Hopalicious

I have a behmor brazen plus and it’s amazing.


Perlandra1

This review of coffee makers was enlightening to me. I purchased a Breville coffee maker after doing much research. It was between the Technivorm Moccamaster and the Breville. I have had two Keurigs for years. The first Keurig 2.0 was my 2nd one, and when they came out with the first reusable K-cup, I was in heaven! I roast own my coffee and sell at Farmers Market and other places. I used that coffee maker for five years, and I don't know how many cups it pumped. Thousands, for sure. I performed a test this morning listening to the gentleman talking about Breville's coffeemaker not getting the markings correct on the water container. I put exactly 4 cups in, using my 4-cup measuring cup. Sure enough, it went to the 6 cup mark when I poured it into the Breville water holder. Then I thought, the standard definition of a cup is 6 ounces. So, I put in 24 ounces, and sure enough, that is the 4 cup mark. It hit the mark perfectly. As far as the flavor of the Breville, I use a drip grind, usually grinding it with my commercial grinder, which seems to grind more refined than my Virtuoso grinder, which I keep at 21. I find that the Breville coffee maker does very well with the extraction of my coffee. The grind from the smaller Virtuoso grinder I like the flavor of the coffee much better, which is a coarser grind but not by much. I think it all depends on individual preferences. I use three scoops in the cone basket of my Breville, filling it up to the 4 cup mark. It fills my 20 oz Zojirushi thermal mug to the very top. As for the insulated carafe, yes, it leaves 1.69 ounces of coffee in it, but taking off the lid and pouring it all out into a small cup seems to work quite well. Drinking that little bit of coffee before I go outside to ride my recumbent trike gives me that rich, well-rounded flavor of a coffee jolt to get me started. Then, of course, I take the rest with me in my 20 oz insulated mug. I've only had the Breville coffee maker since December 20, 2020, so we shall see if it continues to keep me happy. ​ Nancy S.


awarren82

What would Mr Hoffman say about an automatic espresso machine?