Coffee makers: the downsides, first

Both Wirecutter and Serious Eats flag the 1-year warranty. Serious Eats says the build feels a little chintzy, with a wobbly brew basket. Durability is negative on Amazon (owners describe it falling apart within two months), and Wirecutter readers report failed units and no replacement parts.

Wirecutter says the carafe lid is hard to grip and needs a strong tug, and descaling takes 45 minutes, more than twice as long as other models.

Wirecutter notes there is no clock or delayed-brew feature, unlike its OXO pick.

Tom's Guide calls it expensive at $369, and its one listed con is the lack of a delayed-brew mode. Food Network's cons are 'Expensive' and 'No auto start'. Value for money is a mixed aspect in Amazon's review summary, with some owners saying it isn't worth the premium.

Serious Eats left the KBGV off its list because a glass carafe on a hot plate can't compete with thermal carafes, and picked the thermal KBGT instead. Wirecutter's pick is also the thermal KBT. Tom's Guide says the US model keeps coffee warm for 100 minutes. Build quality is mixed on Amazon, where some owners call the glass carafe handle flimsy.

Serious Eats says the narrow Moccamaster showerhead only wets part of the coffee bed and causes channeling, and it was never satisfied with the KBGV's showerhead. Tom's Guide notes that the parts are mostly plastic, must be attached in a set order, and that the water tank isn't removable.

Reliability is mixed in Amazon's summary (1.5K mentions, some owners say it stopped brewing), and durability is a negative aspect. Wirecutter readers say their units died after 9-14 months or leaked from the bottom within about three years.

Amazon's summary says owners report the carafe breaking after about 10 months. Wirecutter disliked the screw-on lid with a built-in 'Flavor Straw', which is less convenient and harder to clean than a flip-top.

Wirecutter found coffee turned a little acrid after two hours on the warming plate and that the machine doesn't remember your last settings. Serious Eats found its coffee leaned bitter next to Zojirushi's. A Wirecutter reader says the end-of-brew beep is loud and can't be turned off.

Temperature is a mixed aspect in Amazon's review summary (611 mentions). Several lowest-rated Walmart reviews say the coffee comes out lukewarm or goes cold in the carafe. This conflicts with Serious Eats and Wirecutter, whose carafe tests found it held heat best.

Several 1-star Walmart reviews say the coffee tastes of chemicals, rubber or dish soap, and blame the internal rubber mixing tube. A Wirecutter reader says two units both brewed very bitter coffee. Wirecutter itself found the coffee pleasant but less nuanced than its other picks.

Reliability is mixed on Amazon, with some owners saying it stopped working after a few weeks, and a Walmart reviewer says it quit just after the warranty. Wirecutter says the narrow carafe needs a bottle brush and coffee gunk builds up in the lid's crevices.

Temperature retention is a mixed aspect on Amazon (552 mentions). Low-rated reviews on Walmart (syndicated from oxo.com) say the second cup needs microwaving after 30 minutes. Tom's Guide measured 175°F right after brewing and 165°F after 20 minutes.

Tom's Guide's cons are that the water tank isn't removable, it isn't programmable, and single cups need an uncommon filter size (Kalita Wave 185). Wirecutter also notes it has no auto-brew function.

Leakage is a negative aspect on Amazon (336 mentions). Lowest-rated Walmart reviews describe overflow about every third pot, water on the counter, and a unit that died after three months.

Durability (1.6K mentions) and leakage (1.2K) are negative aspects on Amazon; the summary mentions units breaking down after about three years. Lowest-rated Walmart reviews describe replacement units dying within months and water stuck in the grounds basket or overflowing.

Some 1-star Walmart reviews say fresh coffee is only warm and needs microwaving, or that brewing is loud with clicking noises. This conflicts with Amazon's summary, where temperature is a positive aspect.

Wirecutter (2016 test) struggled with its complicated interface and found the large-handled carafe unwieldy. Food Network says the carafe lid doesn't flip up and the charcoal water filter needs replacing every 60 days. A Walmart reviewer found the tank hard to fill.

Durability is the most-mentioned negative in Amazon's review summary (1.4K mentions), with multiple customers saying it broke within three months.

Leakage is a negative aspect on Amazon (669 mentions), with reports of water leaking all over the place.

Temperature is mixed on Amazon: some say the coffee is super hot, others say it isn't hot enough. Food Network's only listed con is that it has just one brew strength.

Serious Eats measured 156.5°F after 60 minutes, versus 170°F in the OXO 9-Cup. Wirecutter says the carafe lost heat faster than its picks' and was prone to spilling. Coffee temperature is mixed on Amazon, with some saying it cools within 10-20 minutes.

Reliability and build quality are mixed aspects on Amazon, where some owners say it stopped working properly after seven months or that plastic pieces broke off. Wirecutter found the brew-ahead function a bit glitchy.

Wirecutter got flat or inconsistent results on the automatic setting, a 10-minute-15-second full pot, and a hard-to-clean reservoir. Serious Eats says it's very expensive and not worth it if you won't use the special features.