Meryl's Notes Blog

I accidentally broke the coffee pot from my trusty coffee maker. I don’t know how long we’ve had it, but I know the Braun KF-187 (view larger image) coffee maker is a rare breed. We have an older KF-140 Braun (view larger image) coffee maker that we’re using as its replacement. It took only one use for me to see how the little things make a difference.

• Filter basket handle: Makes it easier to open and close basket.
• Green light: Alerts us when the coffee is ready.
• 1 - 3 cup button: I only make one cup of coffee and this button prevents burning when there is not much coffee in the pot.
• “Right feel” carafe: The pot felt nicer to hold, the lid was easy to get on and off, and it was just the right shape. The one I’m using now feels square and clunky, and it’s tricky to get its lid back on.
• Water level indicator shows small water amounts: When I made the first couple of cups using the KF-140, the ball indicator didn’t budge. So I thought I didn’t have enough water when I did. I rarely made too much coffee with the KF-187 as its indicator was reliable.

It also has a auto on feature, but I haven’t used for over two years that since I wake up at different times. The lesson here is that the little things make a difference.

I’ve been looking at current coffee makers and think many of them have too many features and their bodies feels like cheap plastic. I opened the lid to the water reservoir to see how they feel. A couple of them didn’t open and close smoothly and some felt like lightweight cheap plastic.

I love geeky and techie things, but a coffee maker doesn’t need most of those useless features. It’s a shame Braun didn’t keep making more FlavorSelect models since they were popular.

Older gadgets like VCRs lasted longer than the new ones. As companies find ways to make things cheaper, they also sacrifice quality. We had an older VCR that outlasted two or three newer ones. When a VCR lasted over a year, it was a miracle.

While I can order a replacement carafe, I decided it’s time to let the coffee maker go. It was getting worn out from so much use.