Black & Decker DCM500B SmartBrew 5-Cup Coffeemaker, Black
by Black & Decker
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Our Price: $19.53 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $19.52 (click here) Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Black & Decker DCM500B SmartBrew 5-Cup Coffeemaker, Black
Customer Review: Makes a great pot of coffee
Summary: 5 Stars
I've just had this about a week, but so far am very pleased. My mother has an older model 4-cup Black & Decker coffee maker that makes great coffee and I was hoping for the same from this newer model. I've not been disappointed. The spray head has holes in a circle that sprays the water over all the coffee grounds, extracting more flavor than the ones with only one hole. One reviewer complained that it takes too long to make a pot of coffee, but I'm quite satisfied. A coffeemaker that cycles through too quickly doesn't extract the full flavor needed to make a good cup of coffee.
Yes, the carafe does drip a bit when pouring, but only if I'm in a hurry and pour too fast. When I pour the water into the reservoir I tip the carafe to the side and can pour much more quickly without any drips.
The plastic doesn't seem quite as sturdy as my Mother's older model, and I guess time will tell how it holds up. For now I'm very happy with it, though, especially for a coffeemaker below [..].
UPDATE: I'm still enjoying this little coffeemaker almost a year later. It's held up very well from daily use. Occasionally I run a cup of white distilled vinegar through it and that clears any mineral deposits from the water that have built up and clogged the holes. I've also discovered that if I tip the lid up slightly while pouring it doesn't drip at all. All in all I've been very pleased with this product.
Customer Review: Avoid this one
Summary: 1 Stars
My mother-in-law bought this to make coffee for visitors. It worked fine at first but, after one or two months of use, started to experience water leaks of increasing severity. At first there were drips outside of the carafe. Then the leaks streamed around the carafe and out of body joints. We put the whole machine on a metal tray--to make clean-up easier. Finally it got so bad that, fearing an encounter with boiling hot water and/or the risk of an electrical shock, we stopped using it.
In the end, I was able to make coffee by removing the filter basket (it's a circular one-piece with a tiny hole in the middle) from the machine and placing the basket carefully on top of an empty mug. I then inserted a filter, coffee, and poured in hot water from a stove-top kettle. While this sounds ridiculous, it's a lot easier and less stressful than facing unpredictable streams of boiling water and the rancid smells of coffee residue trapped in the seams of the machine.
My recommendation: avoid this machine. It's disturbing that Black and Decker would produce a product so dangerous and lacking in quality.
Customer Review: Started strong, now dripping
Summary: 2 Stars
When I first bought this 5-cup coffee maker, I was so thrilled I purchased 2 more as gifts. It's just 6 months later, and all 3 of us are experiencing hot water and some coffee liquid falling outside the carafe. I'm disappointed in this brand, which I trusted. Looking more closely inside, the poor design which houses the filter holder is the issue. I won't be buying another B&D again.Customer Review: somewhat disappointed
Summary: 3 Stars
I bought this little coffeemaker for my college-aged daughter. She said she loved it for the small cups she could make in a hurry, but it broke in less than a year--I think! She says it's been almost 2 yrs., so maybe I'm wrong. Just to be sure, though, I think I'll try another brand since I now have to buy her another coffeemaker!
Customer Review: Excellent small coffee maker!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great little coffee maker, and does a better job overall than my old 12 cup Braun coffee maker ever did. Makes good coffee, and the warming plate keeps it warm -- actually, hot! I had been looking around for a small coffee maker, and on a recent trip to Walmart, I saw this on the display shelf with the other coffee makers. It seemed to be a bit sturdier and better-quality than the competing Mr. Coffee 4-5 cup. Of course there seemed to be a zillion of those in stock, but I could not find a single one of the B&D SmartBrew on the shelf. I almost gave up, until I went 2 aisles over, and lo and behold, way up on the top shelf, there was ONE SmartBrew left! After looking around for half hour for a sales person to get it down off the shelf, I finally found someone. The best part is, it cost less than the Mr. Coffee. If you're looking for a small coffee maker, this is a great choice. And, no offense to Amazon, but I paid much less at Walmart. Let's just say it cost me slightly under $10.00 for mine! ;o)