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[Canadian John]

 For the last few days I have been searching drip coffee machines. We don't need one @ the moment, just prepping. The last two we had/have are a large grocery store brand no longer available. The last one

lasted ~ 11 years and was used daily. Replacement carafes were available up to a few years ago. # 2(same model) is a few years into service. How much longer it will go is questionable. They make good coffee   

too. They are 12C units, fed filtered water and descaled 2 - 3X/YR using a 50% vinegar solution.

No matter where I searched I never found any majoritty good reviews..The problems were, leaks, stopped working not hot any more and-FIRES..The company contacts were all about the same. LONG wait times

and poor service..The warranties were good(on paper).The problem is the customer pays shipping to and $20 to the company for its return, this coupled with lost time, makes returning the unit not worth the

hassle.

Cuisinart, that I used to think highly of is a let down. Customers with units that have died after many years of daily use finally died. A direct replacement was purchased on past performance only to let down with

some of the above mentioned problems.

Consumer Reports lists all but one manufacturer as average to poor with only one as being reliable. @ $400 + the M M is unaffordable and requires a $$$ only descaler every 100 brew.sessions. They don't allow

reusable filters either. I emailed the company with a few questions and wasn't answered. So much for service from a high end company..

No companies have replacement parts except for some that have baskets and carafes..It's a throw away world.

Does any other have any suggestions?  My criteria is: 10 - 14C size, 12C desirable. Filter; cone, able to use reusable. Simple on/off switch. Don't need clock or timer. If a reliable unit has it, OK. Carafe. I like glass

as long as replacements are not over priced + available. The thermo SS carafes could be ok if easily cleaned, dont leak(pouring) and keep the coffee hot for 2 Hrs..

One option I have considered is buy what I feel is good. If it fails during warranty + I can't return it to the store where I bought it for an exchange or credit OK, otherwise into the land fill it goes-not my style.
                                                                              CONTINUED BELOW..

[Canadian John]

 
 Other options are the more labour intensive French press and the pour over. They have different flavor profiles that I am not a fan of..Guess I am too old school expecting things to be repairable and last..

Enough said.

[pmillen]

We don't drink much coffee any more and we threw out more than we drank.  So a few years ago we switched to a Keurig.  Now we just brew a cup as we want one and never throw any out.  After testing several coffee brands we found a few that we like.

[hughver]

Not sure that this meets your criteria, but I've been using Saeco super automatic coffee makers for the last 20 years combined with imported Italian beans, best cup of coffee anywhere. 

[JimAZ]

We went through several expensive, supposedly high end, coffee makers only to have issues like leaking, short life span, stopping in the middle of the cycle, etc.  Finally through run my hands in defeat.  Ended up with a very basic 12 cup Mr Coffee for $17.  Kept a nice carafe from one of the previous machine and pour coffee into it at end of cycle instead of letting it sit baking on the burner.  It’s been going over 9 months so far.  When it dies I’ll just replace it with another, only out $17 instead of $100+.

[Canadian John]

We went through several expensive, supposedly high end, coffee makers only to have issues like leaking, short life span, stopping in the middle of the cycle, etc.  Finally through run my hands in defeat.  Ended up with a very basic 12 cup Mr Coffee for $17.  Kept a nice carafe from one of the previous machine and pour coffee into it at end of cycle instead of letting it sit baking on the burner.  It’s been going over 9 months so far.  When it dies I’ll just replace it with another, only out $17 instead of $100+.

  Jim, that's exactly what I was referring to. I was thinking of going that route and may have to. I just find it hard to fathom there aren't any reliable drip coffee makers out there..Why are they all competing to see which one can be the worst?

[Osborn Cox]

We have hard water and went through several Kuerigs and Cuisinart coffee makers that didn’t last very long.     We bought a Bunn several years ago and have been happy with it.    No timer or other features, but It always has hot water ready to go, so it brews a pot in less than 5 mins and we use it it just for hot water for tea, etc. often as well.   I would buy another one, and that’s the first time I can say that about any coffee maker we’ve owned.

[Kristin Meredith]

We have hard water.  I have a very modest price coffee maker and about every 4 months have to run a pot full of white vinegar thru it to remove the scale and get it back to perking along.

[hughver]

We have hard water.  I have a very modest price coffee maker and about every 4 months have to run a pot full of white vinegar thru it to remove the scale and get it back to perking along.

Here in AZ we have very hard water, virtually every home has a water softener and an RO (reverse osmosis) system. We use the RO system for cooking, drinking, ice making and coffee. I very seldom have to descale the coffee maker.

[Brushpopper]

We did away with our Kuerig for some reason.  I liked it but it was gone one day and my wife had gone to Walmart (I think) and got a Black and Decker rig for $10.  It has a paper filter, 12 cup capacity and can programmed to come on at a specific time.  My brother bought the same one before we did and he's had his for quite a while now.  Makes coffee good enough for us using RO water. 

I save the used grounds to put on my tomato and pepper plants every now and then.  My brother used to teach high school biology and says they help release the nitrogen in the soil.  They also keep cats from burying the stuff they bury where we don't want them too.  Right by my barn seems to be the preferred spot.  Beats throwing the grounds away in the trash.

[Canadian John]

We have hard water.  I have a very modest price coffee maker and about every 4 months have to run a pot full of white vinegar thru it to remove the scale and get it back to perking along.

Descale OK. The thing is, it keeps working.

[Canadian John]

We did away with our Kuerig for some reason.  I liked it but it was gone one day and my wife had gone to Walmart (I think) and got a Black and Decker rig for $10.  It has a paper filter, 12 cup capacity and can programmed to come on at a specific time.  My brother bought the same one before we did and he's had his for quite a while now.  Makes coffee good enough for us using RO water. 

I save the used grounds to put on my tomato and pepper plants every now and then.  My brother used to teach high school biology and says they help release the nitrogen in the soil.  They also keep cats from burying the stuff they bury where we don't want them too.  Right by my barn seems to be the preferred spot.  Beats throwing the grounds away in the trash.

The grounds are a great fertilizer for sure. They go into my home composter.. For ANTS: The grounds are a super deterrent - they don't like them and steer clear.

[Bentley]

I would like one of the Keurig if they would make an individual pouch with about 3 times the coffee in it!

[ICIdaho]

It seems the more money we spent on a coffee pot, the more problems they had.  We had a cheap Mr. Coffee that refused to die, but brewed so slow that it ended up at the cabin, but is still going.  We have a Cuisinart that is probably close to 10 years old with no issues.

[Th3Batman86]

While I do not have a dog in this fight so to speak I can give my opinion because well, that is what the internet is for. We do not drink a lot of coffee at home. We have an old Cuisanart that is fine for when we use it. My wife is a daily espresso drinker so that is the machine that gets use. All of that said, I have a friend that drinks way too much coffee. He and his wife use their machine probably twice a day every day. It is a Technivorm Moccamaster. I'm thinking that might be the M M you were alluding to in your write up as being too expensive and needing descaling. If that is the case and that doesn't interest you I'm sorry for suggesting it. I can just tell you that they use it daily for at least 4 years now since their last Bunn quit. Also, they just use a #4 cone filter so you could use a reusable one no problem.

I can also say, that were I to buy one, I would buy it from Seattle Coffee Gear. I did a lot of searching when I bought my wife's breville espresso machine last year and I chose them. They have a great website with fair prices. They are responsive to questions, they have a good Youtube presence with reviews of things, and they have an in house repair facility. Technivorm offers a 5 year warranty and SCG sells extended warranties.

Like I said, I'm not buying one, I just know that if I were going to, that is the one I would buy and that is the place I would buy it.

Cheers!