After extensive testing in the Daily Shot Of Coffee kitchen, the review of the Zojirushi Fresh Brew Thermal 10-Cup Carafe Coffeemaker (EC-BD15) is ready.
Overall, I didn’t just like this coffeemaker, I loved it. There were a few minor drawbacks to it, but nothing serious that would stop me from recommending it to a friend.
It’s a unique looking coffee maker, but everyone that came into my kitchen said that it was everything from “cute” to “cool” to “stylish.”
The one drawback that I saw right away is the height of it, 15.5 inches. It takes up the same amount of counter space as other coffeemakers, but it’s taller. With the cabinets above my kitchen counters, I’m able to open up the lids of most coffeemakers and pour the water in, without having to move it. With the Zojirushi, I did pull it out so that I could lift the lid enough to put the water in.
The water chamber has a water gauge with an orange ball which makes it very easy to read and tell exactly how much water is poured into it. However with the stainless steel carafe, there were no markings, so I didn’t know how much water I poured into the carafe, until I poured that water into the chamber. Nothing too serious, but it was a feature I had grown used to with glass carafe coffeemakers.
I read a complaint on Amazon about the plastic filter basket not fitting perfectly. I had no problems once I figured how it aligned into it’s holder. The paper filters on the other hand, didn’t fit perfectly into the basket. The instructions suggested #4 cone filters, but they were just slightly too tall. Not really a big problem and didn’t interfere with the actual coffee making.
The clock and the programmable function on it couldn’t have been easier to operate. I wish every piece of electronics was as simple to use.
The brewing of the coffee was quick, about three minutes for six cups and about four to five minutes for the full ten cups. Slightly better than other coffee makers I’ve used.
As far as the pause and brew feature, I had no complaints. It didn’t cause any messes. However since the coffee brewed so fast, I never really used it.
The coffee brewed hotter than other coffeemakers that I’ve tried. That brought out more of the flavors that I wasn’t able to taste in lesser quality coffeemakers and one of my favorite features of this machine.
The thermal carafe was easy to pour and didn’t cause any mess, no matter how far I tipped it at an angle, trying to get it to make a mess.
However the top was sometimes slightly difficult to unscrew immediately after the coffee was brewed. I think it’s because it was plastic and expanded with the heat. Again, no big deal and with a little bit of targeted force, I was able to open it.
The thermal carafe kept the coffee hot for hours. I could brew it first thing in the morning and it would still be steaming when I poured a cup after lunch. The best tasting coffee came when I used it within the first hour, but even the several hours later it was good. Plus, it was a lot better than burned coffee from a coffeemaker with a hot plate or reheated coffee from the microwave.
The coffee maker also automatically shuts itself off, which was a nice feature since I seem to have an ability to leave every piece of electronics on in the whole house.
Overall, the minor drawbacks were nothing compared to the positives. The key features that I liked the most was that it was programmable, the brewing process was hotter, which led to better flavor and the thermal carafe kept the coffee warmer for longer.
I’d recommend to anyone that drinks coffee on a regular basis. It’s worth the investment and does come with a one year warranty.
The Good:
- Thermal carafe keeps coffee warm without burning it.
- Coffee brews hotter, bringing out more flavor.
- Easy to set the time and to program it.
The Bad:
- Tall, may not fit under some cabinets.
- Thermal carafe with no marking for cup measurement.
- Coffee filters didn’t fit in perfectly.
Buy the Zojirushi Fresh Brew Thermal 10-Cup Carafe Coffeemaker
Currently $86.99 with free shipping @Amazon.
Disclosure: Zojirushi sent me the Fresh Brew Coffeemaker for review purposes. I didn’t promise them anything beyond that I would review it. Like all of my reviews, the opinions in this article are all mine.
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