Capresso MT600 10-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker with Stainless-Steel Thermal Carafe

Gorgeous machine. Weak and tepid coffee.
The Capresso MT-600 was introduced to replace the older MT-500 model. Both models have essentially the same functions and features, but there are two differences:

* The MT-500 has an aluminum die-cast housing. The MT-600 has a milled steel housing.
* The MT-500 was made in Portugal. The MT-600 is made in China.

I recently purchased the MT-600 to replace a Mr. Coffee automatic drip that served me well for over 15 years. I decided on the MT-600 because I wanted a thermal carafe and a built-in water filter. I also had faith in the Capresso brand because both my sisters have owned the Capresso CoffeeTEC model for many years, and their machines make absolutely fantastic drip coffee.

So I was very disappointed when I found that the Capresso MT-600 makes weak and lukewarm coffee. I read the directions carefully to make sure I was using the machine precisely as designed. I tried different beans and grinds to strengthen the coffee. I pre-heated the carafe...

MT600 versus ST600
We had a Capresso ST600 stainless coffee maker for MANY years. It had a clock, feature to set the time to start your coffee in the morning, a filter, and a warning to let you know when to change the filter. To brew the best coffee, we filled the water tank using a hose type faucet from the sink and put it directly into the coffee maker. We did not fill the carafe and then pour it in. This cools down the carafe and consequently the coffee that you brew. We used unbleached paper filters and ground the coffee fresh in the morning and did not use the overnight timer. You turned the top of the carafe to a particular spot to brew and it rested on the counter top and was pushed into the ST600. It would only brew when the carafe made contact with a switch inside. Unit worked fine.

We figured the MT600 would be a natural replacement but were concerned about all the negative reviews about leaks, pouring spout problems, cold coffee and the like. We went to the Happy Cook who...

Best Coffee Maker Ever!
I've had them all - KitchenAid, Braun, Krups, Cuisinart, Capresso ST600 and the new MT600 tops them all!

The Good:

Piping Hot Coffee - 180 degrees in the Carafe after brewing.
Hot brew temperature really pulls the flavor out of the coffee.
Cone Shaped Filter (I do not like the basket type).
Easy to use timer.
Brews fast, 10 cups in about 6 minutes.
Stainless Steel Heating System.
Small footprint on counter, only 8" x 9" x 14".
Carafe does not drip when pouring.
Carafe keeps coffee hot for hours.
Cord storage in the body.
Very classy looking on the counter.

The Bad:

Water level indicator on the side is difficult to see while pouring water in the reservoir.

This is a great choice if you are looking for a Thermal Carafe unit that brews coffee hot enough to not require microwaving.

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