Review on ☕ Braun KF7170SI BrewSense Drip Coffeemaker: A Sleek Stainless Steel 12-Cup Brewer by Brenda Thompson

This is a review of the Braun BrewSense 12 Cup Drip Coffee Maker. I'm the guy who measures coffee consumption in pots, not cups. And I love my coffee HOT. And I hate decanters that drip. I've used cheap $14 cans and those over $100 and they all seem to have their pros and cons. This device has more advantages than disadvantages. Reason for my review: My bunn recently expired (it's been used a lot) so I used a spare car from Gevalia which my wife keeps in the pantry. Bunn had no frills (no timer, adjustable heat, no auto shut-off, etc.), but he made the pot quick. I liked that there was no auto shut off as I got carried away with the task and came back three hours later expecting the coffee to be hot (I'm ex-Navy, I don't care if the coffee is hot). well done). The Gevalia I use has a 2 hour auto shut off which frankly annoys me. This Braun also has an automatic shut-off, but you can set it - from five minutes to five hours! (I use the five hour clock). Another feature I like is the temperature control. I love keeping my coffee hot and this machine allows me to heat the hotplate! (There are three settings.) This machine has about the same footprint as the Gevalia, but is MUCH easier to fill without spilling H20. The hole where you add water is much wider. Also, the water tank has graduated "levels" to show you how much water you added to get the right number of cups. Another important advantage is the speed of brewing. I get a 12-cup pan in exactly 10 minutes, but of course if I don't want to wait, the machine allows you to steal a cup without dripping. Another plus is the size of the watch. Really big numbers! To understand the mechanics, you need to study a little. You have to read the instructions pretty carefully, at least I have to because I didn't find things intuitive. Once you understand how the machine works, you'll find that it's easy to use, but again, not exactly intuitive. Overall I've been very satisfied over the past few weeks of using this machine. I give it 4.5 stars (mainly because the electronics require a bit of learning before you can get comfortable with it) but I like the quick brewing, the fact that I can set a 5 hour auto shut off, the fact that I can adjust the temperature setting of the hotplate and have a full 12-cup pot ready to use in just 10 minutes. It's about 40% faster than the Gevalia and almost as fast as the Bunn, but I get a lot more control with this brown. You have lots of controls AND a quick HOT drink I think will serve you well. ***UPDATE (1/20/2019)*** I've been using this machine for four months now and am happy with the kick. This is the best coffee maker I have ever had and I recommend it to anyone who comes to visit. Just one thing you might want to know when using this machine to make coffee: When making a coffee pot, add coffee and water, then press the "on" button and then the "brew" button. And if you want the machine to stay on for the time you choose (mine is 5 hours), press "Auto-Off". (It simmers and stays strong for five hours.) Because I cook multiple pots a day, these buttons get pushed a lot. But after just four months, the words on those buttons are starting to wear off. Apparently the lettering is only on the surface and not on the plastic. To stop the wear and tear, I'm now gently pressing those buttons *under* the lettering. If you do this from the beginning you will have no trouble deleting the letters. And you'll have a *great* coffee maker. :-)