KitchenAid 12 Cup Drip Coffee Maker with Spiral Showerhead - KCM1208

I literally was about to write a long term (5 year) review on how great my last coffee maker was when it started leaking! It still worked great and brewed good coffee but there was a hose split way up in the top of the machine where it went into the lid/drip head and isn't easy, if even possible, to fix. So I was on the hunt for a new pot and found this one. Had it for 4 months now so not a great deal of time to go on but figured I'd write a review on my current thoughts. First, I avoided buying it initially due to the fact that I look for consistent complaints on a product and the number of them when making a decision on a purchase and this one was the carafe cracking or shattering. Incidentally, after reading reviews on the last coffee maker I had, the leaking was a consistent complaint! Anyway...I had my selection down to about 3 different machines but my first pick didn't have the color I wanted available and the other 2 had issues with either the readout getting condensation in it or not working at all after a short time or the machine itself quit working too soon. Kept coming back to the KitchenAid despite the carafe concerns and decided to take the chance as I'm always super careful with them anyway since I'm already concerned about breaking the glass. So far 4 months in and alls well in that area! I really like how the reservoir is separate and can be pulled out for filling/cleaning even though I just fill it from a jug. It's easy to fill from a container and separates the coffee/filter from any chance of splash. I do wish it was a different color since we have a teal accent theme for the kitchen but the last coffee maker was black and stainless steel so not a huge deal. I do like the design-looks like their mixer which we also have- although it is bigger front to back than your average machine. The features are nice, especially the cleaning feature which I just recently used. It lets you know when it's time to run a clean cycle and it does take a while-at least 20-30 minutes for a pot not just a regular brew cycle! It has a beep when you turn it on and 3 beeps when its done brewing that you can't turn off unfortunately but it's fairly muted so not that bad. My last one was thankfully able to be turned off because it was obnoxiously loud! It uses cone paper filters (#4 I believe?) or reusable mesh which is what I use. The basket is easily removable for cleaning as well. Now for my biggest complaint/warning-the design of the lid allows for a good amount of condensation retention and nowhere for it to go so it will leak down the side or sides when you open it, be ready! I always have a dishrag in hand to shove under the lid behind the brew basket when I open it and leave it there for a few minutes opening it halfway and fully open to catch the runoff, then wipe the inside of the lid down. Personally not a deal breaker but it is annoying and I've noticed others had the same complaint. So far I'm very happy with this coffee maker, has some pluses over my last one and a couple minuses but overall I think the only thing that would make the choice of this one over the last one tough is that the last one could brew 14 cups where most only brew 12, this one included.

Year Year Review: Still like everything about this pot, highly recommend. .. Two Month review, what we’ve learned. This is an above average coffee maker. We have owned everything from Mr. Coffee to Cuisinart. Removable water reservoir – Nice lift handle to remove and replace. Lid is an exact fit, tilt it up just a bit and it will sit right in place. Easy to clean. Basket – Use the lift ring to put the basket back in place, it will line up perfect and drop in place, it does not like the get close and release method. Pot – No plastic taste others reported, but we did run the clean cycle before first use, read the manual for cleaning instructions, cleaning proportion was a surprise vs. other brewers. Daily Cleaning – No issues for us, let the pot cool down, one drop of dawn, sprayer used to mix up dawn/water then a wash rag around and around, pot is as clean as the day purchased. Cleaning – an icon will lite up after 100 brews to clean the appliance, use the manual. We really like this feature. In the past we did our best to remember to clean the brewer once a month…most of the time we remembered. :-) Alarm – When the bottom is pressed to set the alarm to brew based on the alarm time, it will display the alarm clock time for about ten seconds, this allows you to review the am/pm (who hasn’t gotten that wrong after resetting time after a power outage). The alarm is in edit mode so making adjustments is easy pease. Pot – Oversized spout is GREAT helps prevent the drool/drips on the counter when the pot is full. Burner – It is oversized but not greatly just enough to allow for expansion and contraction, brewer this is replacing was an exact fit after six months of use, the pot no longer sits flat on the burner, pot will not stay warm. Reheat – if you drink coffee most or all of the day, the two-hour keep warm timer with auto shut off that most brewers have can be a pain. This brewer shows a count down, nice, very nice feature. Important note!! This brewer is engineered to monitor for no water in the heating “pipes” and it will auto shut off to prevent damage to the heater/burner etc. At first this was a pain, a real turn off, thought about returning the product. Then I got to thinking, what was the problem with previous brewers, they start leaking or the warmer burns out….Hmm…To avoid the auto shut off mentioned above…before turning the warmer back on because you still have half a pot to drink, add about a finger of water (1/2” ??) to the water reservoir. This is not enough to change the taste of the current pot but its enough to fill the “pipes” and the timer will set for another two hours. Beep – Yes it beeps when it is ready and when the warming timer runs out and it turns off. Nope don’t think there is a way to disable it. If there is absolutely no noise in the house and doors/windows are closed, I can hear it in the next room, but not two rooms away where my home office is. In fact, it is quieter than others we have owned. I like hearing the beep ten minutes before its time to get, I wake with a smile on my face knowing the coffee is ready.

I'm a drip coffee pot fan. I've had 1000 dollar espresso machines, Keurig's with pods and everything else. But I like drip makers, and this is the best one I've ever had and best looking by far.... I usually get the cheaper Cuisinart drip makers and those are pretty good. I don't think any drip coffee maker lasts over 18 months, so I have had a lot of drip coffee makers. I also don't like thermos carafes. I want glass. This KitchenAid is outstanding. I love the wide nozzle head that drips the coffee on a much wider zone of grinds, the removable water tank with measurements printed on it and the filter with cup measuring notches. (Drip makers without removeable tanks are hard to keep clean and can get scum inside.) There is one glaring problem that other reviewers mentioned but I did not understand until it happened to me on the first (and every) batch. After making the coffee and it is time to open the lid and remove the filter with used grinds, you flip up the hinged lid and about 3 teaspoons of clean water drips out onto the edge of the filter housing and down both sides of the coffee maker. So before I open the lid, I have a dish rag in my hand to wipe that water before it runs down the outside of the container. Not a big deal but I was amazed that this could get by KitchenAid QC. But I give it 5 stars because all drip coffee makers have faults, and this one makes the best pot of coffee I have ever had - I bet because of the big wide drip nozzle that drips coffee across the whole filter. But that nozzle housing holds residual water after the coffee making is done, and when you open that lid the water spills out where it should not.

So I don't usually write reviews. When I do its because I find a products is a great value or particularly disappointing. I suppose that makes me common. So with my morning coffee I'm going to write this. The maker is good looking, I like its features etc., and importantly its makes good coffee fast. I purchased it for our condo. Thats important because our space is not big and after I pour a coffee I'll often sit at our kitchen island or in the living room well within ear shot of the kitchen. So you ask ; "what is your damn problem?" . Well the hot plate makes an irregular but loud and incessant clicking sound! I'm guessing Its an expansion of the plastic that surrounds the metal disk. The maker is of course nearly all plastic. Seriously ! I'm 66 with undoubtable hearing loss and this is bugging the heck out of me 25 feet away. I enjoy an undistracted read with my first cup of coffee, so now I'm pretty bummed. Its a shame I like everything else about this maker and foolishly I tossed out the packaging. What should I do? Order another one, toss this in that box to return. Just hope number two can keep coffee warm without the clicking ? Anyway I would not have purchased this coffee maker if I knew it was a noisemaker too . I thought I better speak up and let unsuspecting people know so here you go. Good luck out there. Wow So I looked up my purchase to write a review it looks like this old review was never sent ! OK then ,perfect because here is a review of number two ! on the replacement unit I purchased . I had learned to live with the reported click and now I cant say really recall the noise the first unit made. As it happened I ordered another unit because the first carafe broke and I couldn't find a replacement one ANYWHERE! . So I bought the same unit again. What can I say , its workeds quick, its not expensive and the color grey was perfect in our kitchen. Well unit two, purchased 5 months ago, just quit working. I suppose if I had a correct tip screw driver I could pull off the base plate and try to identify the problem but today I'll go to Target and buy either a top brand beast or just a good old Mr. Coffee very dissappointing

Makes good coffee, color is nice. Still adjusting to the programming and button locations. It does fit under a cabinet, but you’ll need to slide it out to replace the filter and put in grounds, it’s top load. Makes a full 12 cups.

First off, this thing is beautiful! The matte grey is a nice addition to our kitchen, perfectly complementing our grey air fryer. It's sleek design and sturdy glass carafe not only look great but also function flawlessly, pouring smoothly without any drips. BTW, did you happen to notice how the fold-down handle on the water container matches the metal band on the coffeemaker providing a seamless continuation of industrial design? I did :) Nice! The coffee comes out hot and fresh every time. I particularly appreciate the digital display that shows the remaining time on the warming function, ensuring my coffee stays at the perfect temperature without any guesswork. A standout feature is the dual brew buttons, one on the front and another on the side. This thoughtful design allows for flexible placement under cabinets, making it convenient to operate the machine from different angles. Kudos to KitchenAid for this smart engineering! Cons after months of use: When you list the top to get after your spent ground, it holds a lot of condensation, and drips a good amount of water. I usually grab a paper towel when I go for the grounds.

I used my first one for over 5 years. I used it everyday sometimes twice a day. I highly recommend!

Is this a good product overall? Pros: * Easy to use & programming is not complicated. * The detachable water container is nice & easy to read water levels. * The alarm that lets you know its ready is low pitch & not loud & annoying. * It makes good coffee, very clean taste. * Build quality, Good to Fair. * Coffee screen is this intact after 16 months & hasn't come lose from the plastic holder. Cons: * The water container lid falls into the container more often then you would think, it gets annoying when you have to fish the lid out of the water from time to time. This is operator error but it's easily done. At first it was no big deal found it kind of amusing but now starting to get on my nerves. * Coffee only stays on for 2hrs, wish it was 4hrs. * Glass coffee craft could be a bit thicker. I placed it on the counter & it cracked at the base 3 weeks after purchase, yes its glass & I was aware to put it down gently & it still cracked, had to buy a 3rd party replacement. Kitchen Aid does not sell a replacement. 3rd party craft has even thinner glass then the original, so be EXTRA careful. Would I purchase again? Hard to say...You be the judge. I've had it for 16 months & its still working. I think its a tad overpriced, I feel it should be in the $70 to $80 range, my thoughts of course.