Hamilton Beach Programmable Front-Fill Coffee Maker with Thermal Carafe (46391), 12 Cup Capacity, Black and Stainless

A few years ago, I purchased a basic Keurig coffee maker upon the recommendation of my daughters who have used them for years. I had been using a smaller drip coffee maker, and thought the Keurig would be more convenient for me. I was immediately disappointed.I never cared for the taste of the coffee brewed by the Keurig, and the cost for the individual K-cup packets was ridiculous. And using the optional basket for brewing with regular coffee, while much more economical, it was a very unacceptable and inconvenient hassle.The Hamilton Beach coffee maker has allowed me to enjoy the taste and convenience of using a good quality drip coffee maker again. The programming feature means the coffee is freshly brewed and ready when I wake up in the morning. I can fill my thermos to take to work, and have enough left to enjoy a cup before leaving the house. I can also set up the coffee maker for the next morning and hit the program button so I don’t have to try to remember to do this in the evening. I also appreciate the insulated carafe, the fact that it is not hot to the touch is a definite bonus. And I am a fan of the brewer turning off at the end of the brew cycle because the system is immediately cool to the touch, and with the limited counter space we have in the kitchen, it’s pretty common to be bumping and touching the coffee maker.When deciding whether or not to make this purchase, I read many of the customer reviews and noted a often repeated comment about the carafe dripping when pouring. I have experienced this a couple times, but have been able to minimize the dripping or eliminate it by paying closer attention to how I pour the coffee. About the only negatives I can find is the need to nearly completely invert the carafe to empty it (traditional glass carafes generally empty without needing to turn them all the way over), and the fact that the only way I can see how much liquid is left in the carafe is by removing the locking lid to look inside. This final con could be fixed by providing a view window to the side of the carafe. This window can be kept relatively narrow which would have minimal effect on the thermal quality of the carafe.Oh, and the locking lid on the carafe is greatly appreciated. It took a little bit to get used to hitting the correct place to seat the locking tab when placing the lid on the carafe, but since the pot has to be completely inverted when pouring the last of the coffee into a cup, not worrying about the lid opening or falling off is a plus. And the front fill for the coffee, filter and water allows me to set the coffee maker under the overhead cabinets and fill without pulling it out.Overall, I love this coffee maker and would highly recommend it to anyone considering pulling the trigger on a decision whether to buy or not.

Well, this died after 15 months of use. Needless to say, I won't be purchasing any Hamilton Beach products in the future.I had high hopes for this coffee maker that began to die shortly after unpackaging and setup. All of this is due to the carafe itself. Hamilton Beach stripped away all the benefits of a thermal carafe for no good reason.The carafe can be considered a thermal carafe but it's not as well insulated as much of it's competition. For example, it is simply not cool to the touch on the outside like most others. Being able to take the carafe and set it down on a table, etc is one of the benefits of a thermal carafe that is lost here. In fact, despite this having a thermal carafe, there's a heated plate that the carafe sits on which is completely unnecessary for a thermal carafe. It's defaulted to a 1 hr heat time but the coffee stays warm in the carafe for multiple hours without being heated so it's just a complete waste on so many levels. I immediately set it to just 10 mins and my coffee stays warm for at least 2 hours.After the first few days i didn't understand what anyone was talking about with the dripping and spilling issues. And then, after a couple days, that's all the carafe does. I tried pouring heavy. I tried pouring light. Nothing worked. I do notice that a fuller carafe is less likely to spill and/or create smaller spills. But as you empty it, it will no doubt make a big mess on your counter. I really wanted to think that i was going to find the magic way to hold and pour it to tell everyone else they were crazy but it's just a terrible design. And because this drips so badly and there's a heated plate, it drips and burns onto the plate requiring further scrubbing and cleaning aside from my counters.

I have only used the coffee maker for a week. Time will tell if I re-rate this unit.Two issues:1. The charcoal filter continued to leach charcoal into the water to be used to brew the coffee.2. Once while pouring a cup of coffee from a full carafe the carafe dripped on the counter top. After cleaning the mess, I removed the lid and closed it again. Reseating the lid seem to correct the issue.These two issues will be monitored and I may change my rating.On the positive side, the unit has a few very nice features which I use and appreciate.The front fill feature is much appreciated in my situation. Both the water and ground coffee may be filled from the front. This is very useful for counter tops with cabinets above.The adjustable brew strength is also a nice touch. I like a strong brew and this unit comes through.I will revist my review in a few weeks. If necessary I may change it but so far, so good.

I have been purchasing Hamilton Beach coffee makers for as long as I can remember. They are always well-made and last a long time. When my old one brewed its last pot, I immediately purchased this one.I absolutely love the thermal carafe! It keeps the coffee nice and hot — without running up your electric bill. It has some great features that make filling a breeze. The brewing functions are easy to use, the buttons are just the right size and the display is clear and readable.However, this particular model has a design peculiarity that is unbelievably annoying. When you brew a full pot of coffee there is no way to pour a cup of coffee without it dribbling down the pot and spilling all over the counter. I have been trying for months, and even the merest trickle drips all over the place. I can’t get the angle right. So frustrating!Apart from this, it is a fantastic coffee maker. If I needed to buy a new coffee maker I probably would still purchase this one despite the fact that it dribbles even more than my dog drools. Just have a tea towel on the counter to catch the spillage when you pour the first 2 or 3 cups.

Easy to use. I like the fact that I can see and control the number of cups of water that i put into it. I like that I can fill it from the front as well as from the back. It keeps the coffee hot for hours. I also like the large capacity of 12 cups, and excellent choice.

Uso esta cafetera para preparar el café de la tarde, la puedo dejar programada y lista desde la mañanaY a media tarde el café estará listo.Es un poco tardada puesto que le toma 15 mins para tener listo el café de 3 tazas pero el saborEs muy superior al que mi cafetera anterior podía sacarle al café, además su jarra tipo termoNo quema el café aunque lo tome 2 horas después de preparado

Lots of likes, and no dislikes

Excelente de uso rudo

Overall it’s a great coffee maker, however it does have 1 significant flaw, and that being the coffee pot itself. Anytime you go to pour from the pot, it spills EVERYWHERE. Liquid runs all along the outside bottom of the pot as you poor making a mess almost every time.