Hi Guys, today I’m reviewing the Hamilton Beach 2-Way FlexBrew Coffeemaker. LINK TO Coffeemaker: http://amzn.to/1H6MH6v.
It allows you to brew a pot of coffee or a single serving.
It’s not too big or small – 13.5 inches tall and 9.25 inches wide. The coffee maker comes with a glass carafe that holds up to 12 cups. A brew basket – you can use a paper filter or permanent filter in the basket before brewing. Removable single-serve pack holder – when you brew a single cup, put your coffee pack in here and hole will be punched in the bottom of the pack before brewing. Yes, it is compatible with K cups. Brew using a maximum of 10 ounces of water. The single-serve brew basket is for brewing a single cup with ground coffee or a soft pod. This holds a maximum of 3 tablespoons. Brew using a maximum of 14 ounces of water. This is the multilevel cup rest. Leave this here if you’re using a travel mug. Flip this up if you’re using a shorter mug. Make sure it snaps into place.
There’s the brew selector which you can dial to the right for single-serve or left for a pot of coffee. The display has brew options. You can choose single-serve pack or ground mode when brewing a single cup. You can choose regular or bold when using the carafe side.
The program button lets you set a time for the unit to automatically brew coffee on the carafe side. You cannot program the single serve side.
The water window clearly shows how much water is in the reservoir. There is cord stuff storage in the back of the unit. It’s exactly what it sounds like, you stuff the cord into the slot.
First I’ll brew a single cup. Turn the dial to single-serve. Press brew options to select Gound mode. Remove the brew basket handle. To remove the single-serve pack holder, grap the cup, slide back and lift. Add ground coffee to your basket, put it in the handle and slide it back. If you’re using a pack, press the handle down which punctures the foil lid on the pack. Fill the reservoir with a maximum of 14 ounces of water. Place your mug on the rest. Press the on butter and a blue light will come on. The warming plate is hot even when you’re brewing the single-serve. When it’s finished brewing, the coffee maker will automatically shut off and the light will go off. You will also hear 3 beeps. The coffee is hot and tastes like a decent cup of coffee. It took about 3 minutes to make 8 ounces.
Next I’ll brew 4 cups of coffee using the carafe. I’m using a paper filter and ground coffee. Pouring 4 cups of water into the reservoir. Place the carafe on the warming plate. Turn the dial to carafe and press brew. Regular is the default setting. Choose bold if you want a stronger cup of coffee. Press On to brew. The bold mode will take longer to brew. The coffee maker remembers the last brew option you selected so remember to change the mode when you brew next time if you need to. If you unplug the coffee maker, it will default to regular mode. Only one side will brew at a time. The coffee was done in 6 minutes.
All parts except carafe are top-rack dishwasher safe. The manual says not to use “sani” setting when using the dishwasher because it could cause damage. I generally wash parts in warm, soapy water because it’s easier and you don’t have to worry about any parts melting or bending due to the heat of the dishwasher. Once a month, use ½ cup vinegar and ½ cup water to clean the carafe side. Run 2 or 3 cycles of plain water afterwards.
So, there’s a lot going on in this coffee maker. You do have to remember to choose the right side and brew. I know it’s a simple thing, but when you’re half awake in the morning, I can see somebody forgetting to choose the correct side and plain water comes out on the opposite side. If you’re always in a rush and want a super fast cup of coffee, then this is not going to work for you. But if you’re looking for a standard coffee maker that has the flexibility of brewing 12 cups or just one cup, then this is a pretty good option. The price is reasonable at around $90.
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