Zojirushi Zutto EC-DAC50 Coffee Maker

This machine makes the best drip coffee I have ever had. It replaced a Cuisinart, which made perfectly good coffee, but this one is simply amazing. Not only is the coffee great, but I'm able to use 20% less coffee and still get a very strong brew.

There are no fancy electronic features on this coffee maker - no clock, timer, auto-shutoff, nothing like that. Personally, I can live without this stuff since it brews a pot in only about 5 minutes anyway. It does have a removable water tank, which I find is very convenient - and neat. The neatness of the design is actually its best feature; since the coffee basket is in the pot rather than the machine everything stays clean. You DO need to keep your thumb on the lid when you pour that last cup or the basket will fall out, but you only make this mistake once :)

The coffee is very hot - hotter than the initial brew temperature even after sitting on the warming plate for an hour, so I suspect that Zojiurshi has upped the temperature based on feedback from customers. Also, as reported by other reviewers, the handle of the pot is held on by just one metal band rather than the usual two. So far (6 weeks) it's fine, and it looks great, but I suspect that may be the next improvement. The only other thing I can think of to say would be that the parts aren't dishwasher safe; this may be common across other brands, I don't know.

All in all, I think this is the best small coffee maker on the market.

I bought this coffee maker based on the reputation of Zojirushi and the reviews on Amazon.com. Although not made in Japan, the unit is still nicely made. The only issue is the metal band around the glass pot. It seems weak and flimsy and most likely to crack the pot over time. The best price I could find on this coffee maker was here on Amazon.ca. All the chinese supermarket stores and pacific mall in Markham, Ontario were selling it for [...] + tax.

If you are looking for the best small coffee maker search no further. This machine has it all: simple ingenious design, very easy to use, and most importantly makes great tasting hot coffee at an affordable price.