Cuisinart SS-700 Single Serve Brewing System, Silver DISCONTINUED BY MANUFACTURER

... this would almost be the system that would result.These are the things I absolutely love about the Cuisinart SS-700:1. I get a perfect cup of coffee every time. If the coffee isn't perfect, it's the brand and grind of coffee, not the brewer, that made it taste bad.2. Easy cleanup! This system is far easier to clean than the 20-year old ADC coffeemaker it replaced.3. Makes up to 12 ounce cup for a single serving, which fills the largest, oversized mug in my extensive mug collection. This will be perfect for hot chocolate this winter!4. No overheated, burnt, leftover coffee to throw out since I brew only what I need when I need it.5. The hot water service is great for tea and instant soups.6. The rinse feature should be available on ALL Keurigs! As it is, the rinse feature cleanses remains of flavored coffees and other K-Cups and pods from the filter cup. It also serves as a kind of early warning system for pump problems.7. Plenty of supported serving sizes from 4 - 12 ounces along with menu features easily configured to any user's preference.Now, some not so good things:1. I have already experienced a plugged water injector in the top needle. Easily cleared, but made me feel I had gotten one of the older versions that has caused some problems for other users of this product.2. It seems to be getting noisier the longer I use it. When it was new, it barely whispered as the water pump pulled water into the heater reservoir. Now, it's starting to buzz from pump vibration and external parts are visibly vibrating with the motor. Is this a failure point? Time will tell.3. Even though a travel mug can be placed under the brew head if the drain tray cover is removed, the surface of the tray and its support are not level, so the travel mug won't stand level either, making for a potential tip over spill if the user isn't watchful.4. Cleaning the filter cup around the lower needle can be exciting if you forget it's there.My overall impression of this system is that it offers a lot for the money, though I would love to see it start to drop in price in the future. I am wary of the pump issues that other users have experienced, and if this system ever suffers from those problems, I'll update this review because I think by now that Keurig should have identified and corrected those weaknesses in their systems. In fact, that is one reason I went with the Cuisinart instead of a Keurig brand - the pump in the Cuisinart is supposed to be much better than in the Keurig brand systems.This purchase was one I made with mixed feelings. I was tired of throwing away coffee that had been sitting in the carafe on a hot burner for hours because no one wanted to drink old, burnt coffee. But, this was an expensive alternative, and the possibility of other issues with this system has me wary. If it hadn't been for the same system in my dog's cardiologists' waiting room (yes, my dog has not one, but two cardiologists!) introducing me to the best cup of coffee I had had in a very long time, I probably would still be using the ol' automatic drip coffeemaker. But, so far, so good. I am enjoying a fresh cup of perfect coffee before the commute to work each morning now, and I don't have to worry about wasting the rest of the pot. I really like how easy it is to clean. If I can get the same kind of life out of this system as I did with the ADC this system replaces, then I'll be totally pleased, and will have to re-evaluate my 4 star rating.

i have tried original K machines and find this one to be best in the category. if you are looking for a single serve "K universe" maker then give this one some serious consideration. If you want a great cup of coffee and are willing to do a little work (5~10 minutes) then look into an Aeropress. if you want something that can make a good cup in under a minute this is your ticket.i wanted something that could just pump out a good cup with little fuss. i also wanted something that could dispense hot water for instant use (cocoa and teas etc). i know you can use the other machines to dispense hot water by brewing an empty slot, but ehh the button makes me feel better. having used the original K machines i know that they have troubles with consistent quality tasting brew. yes there are other makers but i like Cuisinart equipment and this one keeps my respect.this model has an 80oz water tank where most top out at 70oz. it also has a water filter to help ensure quality tasting brews. you have an option to have the machine turn on at a certain time and off at a certain time. you can choose the brew temp (170-192F) i recommend keeping hotter for dark roasts and lower for teas and lighter coffees. you can set a default cup size,this sets how much water is taken in to be preheated for dispersal, you can choose from 6,8,10, or 12oz cups to brew at any time before you brew. you can set it up turn off from 1-9 hours after the brew cycle is complete. there is also a rinse feature that i use after i remove the spent cup to ensure the cleanliness of the unit. the "my k cup" is stored on the right side and allows you to make your own coffee or tea, there is even a setting for iced tea on the cup size, this works great and will fill the space until your favorite company makes a k cup. there are many great tasting k cup varieties out there but you just have to try to see what you like. but like many k machines the cup size will determine the taste you get.on that note; i have noticed on this machine that the 8oz gives a strong "military grade" flavor. the 10 and 12oz will take the intensity down some but not as much as some other machines. the brew temp will help with the flavor a lot (again 192 for dark roasts and the 170 range for lighter flavors and teas). i prefer the 10oz cup to get a good sized cup with good flavor across all the flavor ranges. many k machines tend to make all the coffees bland and make you wonder why you invested in a single serve machine. i have run ~100 cups through this machine and found the quality much higher than the competition.this machine was easy to assemble but please ensure you clean the machine prior to first brew. i filled the tank with 40oz of hot water and some lemon juice and ran it without the filter through the rinse cycle on 12oz cup 3 times to help clean out all the shipping gunk. then washed out the tank with hot water again then placed the filter in and refilled the tank to make my first brew. some have stated that the tank will start to leak it you remove it to fill it, but just leave it attached and use a class to fill up the tank and this should fix that issue. you can take the overflow plate off and place a travel mug under it directly (7.25 inches tall or less).for the price i believe this should be your first choice of a K Machine.

It's only been up and running for two days, but so far so good. I only gave it 4 stars because I have not had it that long.

Great Product