Zojirushi EC-YSC100 Fresh Brew Plus Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker, 10 Cup, Stainless Steel/Black

This truly produces a rich full flavored cup of coffee. It's as if Godzilla himself had eaten a entire crop of coffee beans, digested it within his fire filled bowels and pooped it's earthy bold flavor straight into your cup! All kidding aside, this machine makes a great cup of coffee.This is the most I've ever paid for a coffee maker, but you get what you pay for, no matter how much I try to fight this truth. The quality shows in the design, construction, and taste. The instructions were very clear and detailed, something you rarely see in mass produced Chinese assembly line crap. This is not that. This was well thought out Japanese engineering. The removable water tank was a big plus for me, since I have a Pure filter attached to my kitchen faucet. The basket swings out, making cleaning this a super simple task.The Stainless steel thermal carafe is high quality. I know since I went to Target and looked at many of them. This one has weight to it and keeps your coffee warm for many hours. I've let it sit for 5 hours and still the coffee was Godzilla breath hot. The outside of the carafe stays cool to the touch, which really amazes me, since the coffee was just brewed and piping hot. Although you can let your coffee sit for many hours and still stay hot, don't expect it to taste as good as when it is first brewed. The main advantage of having a thermal carafe is it keeps your java warm without baking it to death like the glass ones do.I previously owned a Cuisinart which lasted about 8 years. It made a decent cup of coffee, but I think the company's quality control has diminished since then, from reading all the recent reviews. I then had gotten a Black n Decker on clearance with a grinder built in at a crazy cheap price. The grinder was nice, but compared to my Zojirushi, the Black n Decker coffee tasted like it was made with a power tool. My glass carafe broke and since the coffee maker was discontinued, I couldn't buy another one. I had to toss the whole thing out after only owning it for 6 months! So my advice is to stay away from clearance coffee machines no matter how much money you think you are saving.Also, I wanted to note that with my older coffee machine, the coffee usually upset my stomach, probably due to drinking baked coffee sitting in the glass carafe. The Zojirushi does not do this and this alone makes having a thermal carafe a big plus in my opinion. If you have the financial means, I recommend throwing down a little more coin and getting this coffee maker over major brand assembly line average quality machines. You won't be disappointed.

I purchased this coffee pot in May 2016. My initial impressions were so favorable that I purchased a second one for our travel trailer, and third for my mother and father in law. For me, the fit and finish right out of the box were very impressive compared to other expensive coffee pots we've owned in the past. Because the water reservoir is easily removed, I immediately enjoyed being able to fill the container without having to pour into the coffee maker then clean up my spills. This reservoir is made of what appears to be very durable plastic, it does not cloud up or crack from heat exposure. It sits very solidly on the counter top and is quite level. Probably one of my many favorite features.On to the controls, which are very intuitive. Positive feel and beeps upon pressing the buttons. The timer feature is easy to use, not requiring some obscure series of keystrokes that I need a reference card to remember.Next is the carafe. This is the absolute best carafe I've had in my home. With exactly two revolutions, the lid comes off and it is very easy to give it a rinse. Two more revolutions and it is back on. It is pleasing to hold and to look at. Most of all, it is one of the very few vacuum sealed stainless coffee carafes on the market. It is because of this that it keeps coffee warm for several hours. I would compare it to my Yeti rambler in terms of performance, but it actually keeps coffee warm longer. If you're wanting more than 7 hours of warm coffee, you could preheat the carafe and probably get there.The hinge connection to the swing out filter holder seems very solid, and in two plus years into ownership of 3 separate machines, I have seen no signs of wear and tear or failure (it was a point of failure on two of our previous Cuisinart machines). This coffee pot uses pleated/flat bottomed rather than conical filters. I use paper filters, and am always careful to shake the grounds back and forth a bit to make them flat (as suggested in the instructions, I presume to avoid a fold in the filter that can result in grounds clogging the anti-drip feature. Initially I was somewhat skeptical about this not having a conical filter, probably some marketeer convinced me conical was superior. I was reassured after my first cup of excellent coffee. My mother in law prefers a reusable filter, she has had no problems with spills or clogging with that approach.Another point of potential failure is the drip prevention system. While I naturally try to be careful with this when replacing the carafe, I've had no problems at all, and others have included the hint to depress the thumb button on the carafe to lower the spring loaded piece a bit on the carafe lid.I do not normally write reviews unless I am supremely impressed with an item, as I just don't have the time. I have to say that there have been many occasions that I've marveled at the thought that was put into every aspect of this coffee maker, and I truly love it. Were it stolen, I would replace it within 24 hours with the same model. Since we have 3 units all purchased in 2016 and have had not a single problem, I cannot speak to the customer service side of this company. In summary, so long as Zojirushi continues to make this unit, I will look no further if I ever have reason to replace my coffee pot. It is a gem!

I've had this coffee maker for some time now (since August 2015). I've waited to write a review because I wanted to see how it held up. Well, it has.Although this is perhaps not the most stylish coffee maker on the market, it does have sort of an industrial vibe about it. Make no mistake, this is a well made, no nonsense machine. I have been using it almost daily for over three years and it still makes great coffee. Zojirushi is famous for their vacuum carafes and this coffee maker is true to that tradition. The coffee will stay hot for hours. There is no external heating element, the carafe does it all. The top screws on, so there is no chance of a lid coming loose and causing a spill.The main concern I had initially was with the swing out basket assembly. It is plastic, with a spring loaded drip valve to the carafe. It is, however, much stronger than it first appears. I have had no problems with it since I got the unit. One thing I do recommend is to get a wire filter basket instead of using paper filters. In the long run it is much cheaper, you can use the grounds in your garden, and I think the coffee is better tasting.Zojirushi is well known for its commercial products. This coffee maker certainly shows that parentage. It's no nonsense and it works. The reservoir, which is detachable, holds enough water for 10 cups. There is a clock/timer, a button for a cleaning cycle, and a chime when the coffee is ready (this can be turned off), but no other bells and whistles. Remember to keep the carafe and basket clean and you should enjoy great coffee.

UPDATE 2022: Five years in and this unit is still rocking our morning coffee. Great machine. Absolutely would by again.-------Searched a dizzying range of machine reviews for all the major brands. My criteria were to have a thermal carafe, timer, and good, HOT coffee. I have slowly been losing faith in the quality of the traditional American "premium" brands, as they all seem more intent on taking cost out of their products rather than on ensuring true functionality and longevity.So I settled on the Zojirushi and so far, am quite happy I did. It quickly and quietly brews coffee with excellent body and is a true under cabinet machine, due to the swing out filter holder and the removable water tank. The manual recommends preheating the carafe with hot water, but I find that completely unnecessary, as coffee stays hot for at least a couple hours. The unit itself feels well built, with none of the usual "waiting for it to break" components. It also has a silent mode, with no irritating and (for me) unnecessary beeps or tones. Happy coffee times so far!

This is a superb coffee maker. Yes, it is pricey, but it is worth it. The unit makes great coffee that keeps warm for hours in the stainless steel carafe. I don’t bother taking the water reservoir out of the unit. All you need to do is lift off the lid and pour in water from a jug. The number of cups is clearly marked with large numerals, making it easy to read. The swing out filter basket is convenient and easy to fill and empty. This is a sturdily built unit with a nice, slightly retro, industrial appearance. And best of all, it makes great coffee. Worth the money.

Good for us - pros : we used to have an 8 cup coffee maker for years which wasn't quite enough for 2 people on a Sunday morning - this makes a perfect amount; low profile - we had to fit it below a 15" cupboard valance and it fits perfectly; my wife assures me that it makes a fine 2 cups of coffee when she needs a solo pot; the carafe pours nicely and easily. Cons : oddly once a pot has gone through, the clock remains with 4 dash marks indicating that the coffee maker is finished and it won't return to the clock mode until you physically press the 'clear' button. No big deal though - just an irritation.

I've been using it for the last 3 weeks and so far, it makes really good coffee. It is a bit noisy when brewing but I'm up anyway so that water dripping noise doesn't bother me.The only thing that seems rather flimsy is where the small spring dome in the coffee ground basket makes contact with the stainless steel carafe. Just sliding the carafe back into position, it gets hung up on the little spring dome at the bottom of the coffee grounds basket. I can see with prolonged use, that this could break. Not sure if anyone else has already experienced this and I hope it doesn't happen, considering what this cost. You would think it would be a better design so that something that simple works better.