Review on Hamilton Beach 49981A Coffee Single by Amber White

When reviewing a product, I always read one star reviews first. In this case, there are two common complaints that were nasty enough to make me suspicious, but I took to pounce with the idea of returning it if I didn't like it. Unpacking: The product was not in the inner plastic bag and was covered with a light layer of dust when removed from the box. Don't worry, everything has been thoroughly cleaned before first use. No strong plastic odor has been detected at this point, but that's a common theme for one-star reviews. Appearance and Quality: Slightly taller than our defunct Keurig, but with stainless steel details and accents it looks classy in the kitchen. There have been some complaints about it being mostly plastic. It doesn't matter since most coffee makers under $500 are mostly made of plastic. I am really impressed with the quality of the device for the price. It looks well made and the few detachable parts fit together nicely. Easy to Use: Water is poured from the top and hot coffee is poured into your mug. If you try to overfill it, there's a connector on the back of the water tank that will create a puddle on your table (stupid defence). The simple visual cues on the basket make it very easy to add just the right amount. There is a BOLD setting on the brew switch because yes, and I don't know what the other setting does, but it's not used in my house. The device switches off automatically. Flavor: Perfect every time. I pour a little more water into the funnel than I want in my cup because the coffee grounds will soak up a little. It took me about two tries to calculate the number of bases I wanted for my suit. Coffee from it is 7 degrees hotter than from my old Keurig (measured with a digital kitchen thermometer). We've already made a dozen cups of coffee and haven't noticed any plastic smell or taste. I have no doubts about the veracity of the claims of others, and perhaps as a result the manufacturer changed materials. Clean up: Here I will address the second common complaint in one star reviews; Mold. All detachable parts are easily accessible up to the sink. The earth is shaken out into garbage or compost. This must be done after each use. This takes 30 seconds. Do that. As far as mold growing in the water tank, all I can say is that I've been making coffee at home a few times a day for 30 years and have NEVER had mold in or near my coffee pot or anywhere - or even in my kitchen. .But here I answered with four stars against five: the drip tray does not separate from the cleaner. It's a minor thing, but as you may know, it can get quite smelly if not looked after regularly, and it drips for a minute every few seconds when you're done preparing your cup. So put another cup underneath when you clean if you don't wait. My only real complaint is that the coffee sloshes out of my cup as it drips. Shorter cups can be accommodated by moving the shelf closer to the basket, but my cup is on the bottom because it's too tall to use the shelf and short enough to splash while brewing. Conclusion: You will hardly find a better one-cup coffee machine in this price range.