After some exhaustive research (that I had to do on my OWN, thanks Meh ) this appears to be going with about a 5 oz cup as the capacity of the carafe seems to be 40 oz. My Technivoorm goes with the 4oz cup and is thus it’s capacity is misleading.
@username temp control and blooming the grounds which some people swear makes a difference and a nice thermal carafe for $50 doesn’t seem bad at all but… I mean it is possible to buy a normal coffee maker which will make fine coffee for $20 so to each their own.
@Lazarpandar@username The process does a better job of unlocking the flavors. And I’ve been able to improve the quality of the coffee I drink by being attentive to and tweaking my technique. I’m not going to tell someone else what kind of coffee they should drink (honestly, I don’t much care), but for me it’s noticeably, qualitatively different: more flavor, and simultaneously less bitter—which is the trick, if you know anything about how coffee works.
@joelmw@Lazarpandar@username Totally agree. I love my pour-over coffee. I was one who thought it wouldn’t make a difference, but it really does. And of course the beans play a big roll, too. But that’s the fun of it, finding the one (or ones) that really shine.
@joelmw@Lazarpandar@username I just bought an bodum pour-over. It came with only minimal instructions - nothing about the bloom, etc. And of course there are about ten zillion web pages with instructions, all of which are different.
@danpritts@Lazarpandar@username
I can’t remember where I got all of this (some of it is adjusted from experience anyway), but here’s what we use. I’ll be honest, some of this may be bullshit. I’m absolutely open to correction.
Water at 199°. We eventually bought a kettle with a built-in digital thermometer, temperature control and a temperature hold button (so that the water is maintained at the same temperature throughout the process). That temperature seems like a sweet spot for us. If the water is too hot, your coffee will get bitter; too cold and it’ll be weak.
Put filter in place. It looks like you might have a permanent filter, but we use paper with our Chemex. The filters are just a square folded in quarters and opened to a cone. That means there’s a doubled half of the cone, which is placed on the side of the spout (stiffer, so that the spout stays open and air can escape as the carafe fills with liquid; otherwise it can kind of bubble up on the sides, which is messy).
Pour water through filter so that it’s all wet (I wait until it leaches up to the top; you don’t have to actually directly wet that part). At the same time, I fill my coffee cup with some of the same hot water; I dump this just before I pour coffee in it and the coffee stays warmer longer.
Pull out the filter. Before draining the water out, swish it around to warm up the carafe.
Replace filter.
Measure in coffee and shake gently to level (and distribute it evenly). Our son-in-law actually does everything on a scale for precision and consistency: tare the scale before adding coffee; measure to determined weight; and when you add water (that’s later), again fill to determined total weight. We just put about nine rounded scoops for our 10-cup Chemex.
Remember, water at 199°. Wet the grounds gently—so that you’re not moving them around, just getting them wet. They say that when you’re blooming and pouring you should start from the middle and work your way outward, avoiding the filter itself. Make sure that all of the grounds are wet (again, a bit of this can happen by leaching), but don’t oversoak them. This is just about prepping the grounds.
Let the grounds sit for about 30-60 seconds to bloom. If you pay attention, they will actually rise slightly. If they don’t expand, it’s possible that you’ve oversoaked them; not the end of the world, but not ideal.
From there, just pour over the grounds—again, use the same temperature and the same spiral motion, out from the center and back in, avoiding the filter. Of course you’ll have to do this in stages if you have anything other than a single-serve pour over. I’ve got a cup-top pour over at work and it takes less than one full slow pour.
Once we start actually pouring over the coffee (after the bloom), we turn the burner on our glass top stove to just below 2 (goes up to 9) to keep the coffee warm.
I’ll be honest, we’re not always super attentive and maybe don’t do everything perfectly. To me, the most important things are temperature, bloom and a gentle, even pour. IMO, even if we don’t do everything just so, the coffee is still better than by any other method.
@joelmw Wow, thanks for the detailed writeup. I will give it a shot.
I can definitely confirm that temperature matters a ton. Aeropress recommends 175-185F depending on the roast. The coffee is definitely better at that temperature range with that brew method, compared to the typical generic ~200F recommendation.
@joelmw Had this while on vacation this past week in NM. Wish I had brought some home. Not that we don’t have good coffee in NY, but that pinion is great!
@fuzzmanmatt @flehm has a technique that should work for your discriminating palate. You probably shouldn’t be playing with electricity in the first place.
@UncleVinny I suppose I did not fully consider the ramifications of my question when I posed it. You are indeed correct. I suppose I also deserve whatever ills befall me from here on out.
@Bingo Serious answer - coffee from a drip coffee maker with a paper filter will have a different flavor than French press coffee. Generally a French press will leave more sediment behind in the cup, so by comparison a drip coffee maker will have a “cleaner” flavor. To use a clunky analogy, it’s like the difference between crunchy and smooth peanut butter.
@Bingo This might just be my personal experience with different styles, but my feeling is if you tend to like strong flavors and dark roasts, then the french press or espresso maker (pressure brewing with very fine grind) is better, and if you like subtle flavors like single-origin light roasts where there is a distinct character you really want to savor, the pour-over is best.
I used to think that dark-roast and strong flavors meant good coffee (and that can be true), I used to think “light roast” meant “bad, weak coffee.” Until I started discovering really good quality light roast beans and for that, my other methods of espresso machine or french press aren’t the best way to get that so I got a small manual pour-over system.
I would be tempted by this but I am only making coffee for 1 or 2 people, so don’t need the 8-cup size and… too much stuff on my counter already.
If you are the type that uses a traditional “coffee maker” I would say this would be a good upgrade and it seems like a really good deal, especially since it has the double-walled stainless carafe system which is much better than “the burned glass pot system.”
@Bingo as a French press user, I’d say the press is definitely better for stronger brewing. Filtered will give you better overall/subtle flavor. I like both, but generally use the press as I like super strong coffee
@UncleVinny at 8 cups I’ll consider buying this as “taking a step in the right direction” since I currently brew a full 10 cup pot in my office each and every morning
I am really tempted. However, between two kitchens, I currently count 7 coffee making devices on the counters and stove plus numerous other accoutrements (frother, carafes, grinder), and a cabinet dominated by coffee and tea paraphernalia. Yes, I’m starting to wonder if we have a problem (though to be fair, we have four coffee drinkers in the house for the summer).
If I buy this, my wife will probably kill me. Most likely in a caffeine enhanced rage.
@mehcuda67 chemex, gator faux chemex (gift), aeropress, Bonavita Metropolitan, single cup pourover, syphon pot. Friend still owes me a new cold Brewer after a wee shattering incident.
@mehcuda67 came to make this post. Two different Harios, cold brew pitcher, ROK espresso, minipresso, Aeropress, a cezve, a Bialetti, French press…my wife would kill me but this looks very cool and an easy way to make good coffee.
@mehcuda67 Behmor Brazen Plus drip coffee maker, a French press for home, a French press for work, Aeropress, IKEA moka pot, Chemex, Filtron cold brewer, espresso machine, and a Keurig I use for coffee emergencies. At this point I’ve accepted the fact that I’m eventually going to collect one of every different brewing method in existence.
@mehcuda67 Oh, man, I thought I was bad. Well, I guess if you count the fleet of Saeco’s that needed service that I never got serviced and just bought new stuff instead, that’s pretty bad too.
@mehcuda67@pmarin@NullPointer@gimpeyjoe@mehcuda67@stevekirks We have fewer functioning devices, and pretty much only use our Chemex at home (I have a hand crafted–by the the SIL no less–pour over setup at work), but it seems to me that if you enjoy coffee and take pleasure from the different varieties of brew, it’s more a reasonable investment in a fun hobby and recreational activity than a waste of money. With the bonus that it also produces a decent beverage and, arguably, nutritional supplement.
Good coffee makes many other things better (e.g., desserts, reading, morning conversation) too.
@joelmw@mehcuda67@NullPointer@pmarin@stevekirks My usual line is that, as a lapsed Catholic, I miss a good ritual. So, Coffee, Tea, Cocktails, Music, I enjoy going through motions. I still keep the easy ways to do all of that around and don’t turn my nose up at the less fancy.
So, it’s murky, but Motif seems to share some lineage with Bonavita, who’s products I, some jerk on the internet, whole-throatedly recommend. Massdrop says Bonavita makes them, cnet says Motif is made by the company that markets Bonavita.
IN 4 1. I am a coffee snob and this is the cheapest I have ever seen a machine offered that brews to snob standards (ideal brewing temp, pre-infuse, wide stance shower head) plus has a thermal carafe. Plus, its new not refurb. I do not know if the coffee-snob features really makes for a better brew, but its one less thing for me to obsess over every morning. Not a MEH product, a very good product.
I have a 20 year old Krups (see coffee snob poll discussion) which seems like it will never die, but I must face the fact that one of times the cats knock it off the counter it will not survive, and this looks like a good simple replacement. So I’m in.
/giphy delirious-transient-barbarian
@stolicat That is a weird order word combo, though I have no idea what the giphy picture relates to it. I think the delirious transient barbarian needs some strong coffee!
I an very concerned for that nice young lady! Being scalded at 198-205 degrees can’t be good for the skin…
She’s going to need some aloe for sure. Plus, I hope they gave her time to “bloom”
In for one. I’ve been looking at these for a long time but kinda forgot about it. Love to brew Pour Over in the cooler times of the year. Anyone know what kind of paper filters it takes?
A #4 cone for 8 cups? “Better” coffee makers use a #6. This was the standard laid down by Melitta decades back.
I even have an ancient Melitta ONE cup “personal travel” maker that uses a #1 filter!
I had a lovely 70’s Krups that looked a lot like this unit, but with a #6 cone.
My coffee make tells me when it is time to decalcify: It gurgles!
You may think mesh filters are great…until you put in something that is ground too fine and it clogs. Plug paper absorbs some oils that pass through the plastic mesh.
Does it have a timer/clock so you can set it up before you go to bed and the coffee is ready when you wake up? That’s a deal maker or breaker for me. I’m too sleepy to make coffee before I’ve had my coffee.
@allergycheryl Why not set it all up and just switch it on when you stagger into the kitchen in the morning? Probably by the time you take care of other “first thing in the morning” activities it will be ready.
@radi0j0hn you overestimate my ability to function without coffee. Just pouring it in the cup is hard enough, don’t ask me to operate machinery!!! Egads!
BTW, it’s not a “pour over!” With a real pour over, you need to manually pour over! It’s just a kinda nice $49 drip coffee maker made in China that will last for a while. Let’s cut the BS and call it was it is.
@radi0j0hn Umm. Lighten up, dude. Did you read the whole “product story” in the description? It rants on about exactly that, “how can you call it pour-over,” etc. This is a $120+ machine, similar apparently to units selling for $200-350. I agree those prices are ridiculous. But in the end, yes, it’s $49. It’s made in China just like the ones that sell for $350. And none of them come with a barrista to decant your hot water for you.
Fun side note from watching that video, it looks like you can lift the lid to the drip while it’s dripping if you wanted to agitate the grounds, which you can do with Technovorm, but not with my Bonavita. This is a thing that I have not cared about, but some people did.
@gimpeyjoe That’s a good point, Yes, it looks like that “top cover sleeve” I would call it can be removed while the drip pipe is in place.
As much as I said earlier that I didn’t want or need this, it’s getting harder to resist and now I know I’m not the only one that apparently has to have one (or more) of every type of coffee-making device.
@gimpeyjoe@PocketWocket Have you ever tried a pour-over with a dark(er) roast with 180-185 degree water? Once you do, you’ll be like me and giving counter space to the temp-controlled gooseneck pot and not this thing. If all I ever drank was medium roast, I would love the convenience of this item, but I like varied roasts, so I like varied temps.
@Jonas4321@PocketWocket I mean, the caffeine table is already a digital temp gooseneck, scale, grinder, and autodrip. I’ll grant you that I don’t do much in the darker roast, but I prefer to keep my temp constant and vary the other… variables.
@gimpeyjoe@PocketWocket I prefer a medium roast Guatemalan to just about anything else, but I HIGHLY recommend trying out a dark roast at 180 in an Aeropress (which, troublingly, was noted as a missing item in your arsenal ). It is an awesome experience.
@Jonas4321@PocketWocket I agree on the versatility of the aeropress, I have one at work and one at home. I only mentioned what’s on the table. The rest I keep on the shelf above (see an earlier comment for the full list of brewing methods on hand)
Tempted, even though I make perfectly decent pour-overs with my Hario. If the weather were cooler, I’d be all over this, but it’s all cold brew for me right now.
After having the virtues of a Moccamaster explained to me by a Swede, I’ve had one in my “things to buy if I want to splurge” list for a while, but haven’t pulled the trigger yet. This one is only $50, has the insulated carafe I prefer to a heated plate, and seems to be a good “try this before dropping $300 for something that might not be that much better than my French press.”
On the other hand, I already have several prep methods, lack counter space (the Breville espresso machine doesn’t help), and only make coffee for me (pretty much only drink 8-10oz after meals).
It’s a pour over… machine. A machine … for pour overs.
At least the cold brew machine I saw the other day was a novel take on the process, supposedly cutting brewing time by 11.5 hours.
But y’all. The best thing about pour over is that the entire rig can be stored on top of a coffee cup, thereby taking up zero otherwise useful cubic inches.
The second best thing is that the whole apparatus can be chucked into the dishwasher.
A pour over machine. With a plug and everything. Get off my goddamn lawn.
Imagine you dated a person you really liked and then they moved in with, say, the President, and became a clone of them.
That’s how I’ve felt about Woot becoming Amazoned. Thank you, Matt, for helping me once again become a happy impulse buyer.
I’m a coffee snob, and just this morning, I was commenting to my wife that we needed to ditch our Cuisinart and get a quality coffee maker with a thermal carafe. Obviously, Meh was listening in on the smart speaker that we don’t really have one of, and put this offer up here and got CNET to tell me about it.
I’m not always this paranoid, just when I have too much coffee. Not that anyone can have too much coffee.
@dsdbuyer Sure - you figure the time you want coffee, subtract 20 minutes, set your alarm, get up, go downstairs, grind beans, add water, start coffee maker, wait 7 minutes, enjoy!
@ybmuG So how are you enjoying the coffee maker? I like mine. Now I’m shopping for whole beans like a Juan Valdez, except they won’t let me take my burro into Wal-Mart.
@therealjrn we really like it. The higher temp brew is key. And stronger is not bitter so it works better for both me and the wife. Who knew a coffee maker could be a marriage aid?
HA! I never even thought of that
Reminds me when I was working at a restaurant and the chef needed a small flat-head screwdriver to fix the scale. I said “I have a small flat-head.” The jokes lasted at least a year on that one… It’s the unintended ones that are the funniest.
@bxm83 Mine’s kind of the same. Just brewed first cup of coffee after cleaning it and especially the pour over button seems a bit sticky. Hopefully just not quit hitting it right, and not an overall flaw.
@G1@therealjrn
I’ve never posted a picture here. Hopefully it works. The right personal button is sunken in a bit. I can still press it but it’s a little fickle to activate. The brew button is a little better.
@bxm83@G1 Not bad for a first effort! The forum post edit window has a thing for posting pictures on the toolbar. It looks like a little picture of mountains and the moon. If you’re posting from a phone, hold it in landscape mode so the toolbar will show is what I hear.
But, back to your button, it definitely looks smooshed in. Hm. For 50 clams, I’d write into support to see if they can switch out your brewer or something. If it was a $12 Mr. Coffee, I’d do otherwise.
@therealjrn Thank you for that. I was pushing hard/holding the buttons (lights) and was pretty upset at this apparent flaw. My wife’s already lukewarm to the machine and I would never hear the end of a hard button press.
@randompersona Any day now, if not already. Did you know each sale has an estimated delivery date right up there on the page? I’ve save you the trouble though, it says:
Estimated Delivery
Monday, July 22nd - Thursday, July 25th
@rlux Just got mine today, and you saved me a picture. Mine was also packed in the manufacturer’s box with no outer box or cushioning and sustained the exact same damage.
Yeah, all in all this has not been ideal. I think this is the second purchase I’ve made on Meh, and it hasn’t been a good outcome.
Things break in shipping, I get it. But most companies usually handle it much better than Meh.
Option 1: Mail back the broken one and we’ll refund what you paid. So I’m essentially losing money and definitely time dealing with Meh, as I get to spend the time packaging it up and driving to fedex, only to get exactly what I paid back.
Option 2: Mail it back, hope another is available, and not have resolution for probably a few weeks at best. If one isn’t available, I’m back to option 1.
Pretty disappointing. Hindsight being 20/20, I should have just bought a comparable system for full price off Amazon, even if it had arrived broken, it would be resolved by now.
Those are generally our options for replacement. We do require the original item back before we can process a refund or return.
After evaluating the damage sustained to some units, we’re able to make some exceptions to getting these back before taking action. The rep you’ve been working with has issued a refund for your order and will reply to your case soon. No return needed.
@MCaulkes update. I contacted meh again and instead of a refund they shipped me another. This time it arrived inside of another box and undamaged! Yay meh! Thanks for the speedy customer service
I just got mine. Packaging was in perfect condition. All the parts and pieces were also fine. I noticed that all the packaging was cardboard instead of styrofoam. I appreciate they are trying to be environmentally friendly but from the reports of broken machines it sounds like they need better packaging engineers.
It will take a little practice to figure out the best water-grounds ratio. My first pot came out strong but not bitter so I have to conclude the water temperature is right. The showerhead is pretty good. The carafe is impressive for an inexpensive machine. When it’s full of coffee it’s cold to the touch on the outside. The only downside so far is that the opening on the carafe is very small and cleaning it will require a bottle brush.
I was so looking forward to using this, but looks like you did a “meh” job in packaging it and you were stupid enough to give it to USPS to deliver. Postal Service took over a week to transport, they crushed the box and broke the coffeemaker. Seriously, there is no room for snark when you are shipping the goods. Pay attention!
@rgburch Meh has got a real problem with the shipping of this product by USPS without proper packaging. Mine arrived today in the original product box with no outer box or cushioning and also broken! I hope they have a supply of replacements!
@Thumperchick I did that right away, the package is on its way back to Meh, just delivered it to Fedex for shipping. I hope you have additional stock to replace it.
@Thumperchick Thank you! This is not the first (nor last) package that the clowns at USPS have crushed (or lost). Sadly, they do that. But Meh Customer Service has been top notch from first contact. My e-mail reply to Meh that it was with Fedex was immediately followed by email notice of my replacement order. Thank you.
@hrobinson4 You need to contact them through proper channels- click on I Need Help With This on your order. They’ll get back to you. It may take a couple of days.
Good product. Performs as advertised. Made a great cup of coffee first time out. Need to work on getting the ideal amount of coffee per the amount of water. Several apps out there that will help with that.
At $50 I feel that this was an absolute steal! Thanks MEH.
@edfessler - I’m curious about the apps? So far I have had good results with my standard approach, one tbsp per 2 cups water plus one for the pot, but I’d be willing to tweak for better results.
@aetris First let me qualify that people like me are a little crazy when it comes to coffee and making that special cup.
I have an app - CoffeeNotes - that I’ve used for years to help with the proper brewing of coffee. I don’t think that this app is available any more.
What it does basically, is help with the proper portion of water to the amount and grind of the coffee you are using. It extends this formula to drip, pour over and french press methods of preparation. An example of how it works: on this coffee maker it suggests 2.05 ounces of medium grind coffee (I have a scale) for 1000 ml of water. So far that seems to produce a good result. Also of note, I’m using the pre-soak button for the brewing of my coffee.
I have searched for other coffee apps like the one I have. There is a very good one for the iphone, but the android apps aren’t as good as the one I have.
Hope this helps.
Impressed. Made a pot of too-strong coffee yesterday afternoon and this morning the half that was left was still luke-warm in the pot. Pretty good! I made a fresh pot with 3 of the standard scoop we use that says it’s a “standard coffee measure.” Got it from a local coffee and supply place years ago. Anyway, 3 scoops to 1.3L of water makes a nice, flavorful cup without being weak or harsh. Hopefully this machine lasts because I like it!
I’ve made 4 cycles of coffee in this since @Seeds and I received it on Monday. With the exception of the control buttons recoiling from my touch and tilting themselves into the machine on first use it’s been a dream. Solid cup of coffee and stays hot for a long time with the included carafe which btw is sturdy enough to kill a full grown man and still be presentable for tea without having to spend the afternoon banging out dents.
The coffee is great. The coffeemaker? It may be the flimsiest ever made. The plastic components have no rigidity, and after brewing four pots of coffee, the carafe handle snapped. While being washed. By hand! So it’s probably good that Meh only sells things for a day. Otherwise, the number of Motif product failures would probably overwhelm them.
Motif Essential coffee brewer was not assembled correctly. Bezel around on/off switches will come off it I don’t keep it pushed back. Probably is missing a retaining clip. Since the switches control 1465 watts of power, I want something between my damp finger and the wiring.
Three messages on Motif’s answering machine and one email to Meh have elicited no response.
What’s the next option?
This is my first purchase from Meh, and I’m not favorably impressed.
@HSNoble May be late on this, but did you contact Motif directly? There’s a warranty contact page (http://www.motifcoffee.com/support/warranty) on their website and they are VERY fast to get back and take care of you. My second one had a defective brew switch and they replied within an hour or two, on a Saturday, and are sending a replacement. No need to engage Meh on this one.
This is the best deal! Arrived in great condition and works fantastically! I don’t buy just any old coffee brewer. This basically is what I use when company arrives and are looking for coffee. Otherwise, I use the old pour over method!
I am liking this machine so far; coffee is good but not liking the fragility of the plastic parts (it is what it is). Only problem I’m having is with the carafe. I don’t know if I have a defective one or what, but the coffee doesn’t stay hot at all. Within an hour or so the coffee inside is lukewarm. The lid seems attached snugly so not sure what else I might be doing wrong.
@metageist If you put the carafe in the microwave for 60 seconds before you brew, it “primes” the self-heating function…
/giphy just kidding don’t do it
I love this coffee maker. I read reviews about the water not being hot enough. That is absolutely not true for mine. I also use it as a pour over directly into cup, just have to hold down the part that the coffee pot normally pushes in. I also like watching it brew the coffee. I’ve removed the part that goes over the grounds so I can watch it saturate it. TMI ? It’s a great machine.
This is the greatest coffee maker and we’ve tried them all. Smooth rich flavor with no bite or acid taste. Much hotter than others to start with and stays warm and fresh tasting for hours in the thermal carafe. AND, the price was amazing.
I like to use the product for a while before reviewing. Had it for almost 6 months, and it’s my favorite coffee maker I ever had. Makes strong rich coffee, but the thermal metal pot which keeps the coffee fresh and hot/warm for hours is the difference maker. I could enjoy drinking coffee for hours. Just make sure everything is properly lock in before brewing, otherwise it will overflow.
@j37hr0@marl1122 We got ours in October from Morningsave, with a coupon ftw. Really loving it, both the form factor and the big improvement in our brew. The only thing I can complain about is that it cost us another $100 for a coffee grinder, it seemed like a necessary step up.
@j37hr0@marl1122 From what I’ve seen, $100 doesn’t buy a ceramic burr. The one we got has a steel burr. We’ve only just tried it out today, it seems fine for our purposes. And no, no Starbucks. We’re trying out the whole-bean version of the local coffee we’ve been having ground at the store for years.
Specs
What’s in the Box?
Price Comparison
$190 at Williams Sonoma
$137.99 at Amazon
Manufacturer Link
Warranty
2-year limited warranty
Estimated Delivery
Monday, July 13th - Thursday, July 16th
yawn… good night.
@jsh139 you up now?
@Bigbearballs Yep. And got my coffee, too.
8 cups American or European?
After some exhaustive research (that I had to do on my OWN, thanks Meh
) this appears to be going with about a 5 oz cup as the capacity of the carafe seems to be 40 oz. My Technivoorm goes with the 4oz cup and is thus it’s capacity is misleading.
/giphy torn-firm-cheetah
@nolrak what’s going on there?
@Bigbearballs @nolrak cats being cats. I can only assume you’ve never had one
@nolrak
After pouring over this, I decided I didn’t need it.
Latest coffee gimmick is here?
Doesn’t seem much different from regular coffee makers
@username temp control and blooming the grounds which some people swear makes a difference and a nice thermal carafe for $50 doesn’t seem bad at all but… I mean it is possible to buy a normal coffee maker which will make fine coffee for $20 so to each their own.
@Lazarpandar @username The process does a better job of unlocking the flavors. And I’ve been able to improve the quality of the coffee I drink by being attentive to and tweaking my technique. I’m not going to tell someone else what kind of coffee they should drink (honestly, I don’t much care), but for me it’s noticeably, qualitatively different: more flavor, and simultaneously less bitter—which is the trick, if you know anything about how coffee works.
@joelmw @Lazarpandar @username Totally agree. I love my pour-over coffee. I was one who thought it wouldn’t make a difference, but it really does. And of course the beans play a big roll, too. But that’s the fun of it, finding the one (or ones) that really shine.
@joelmw @Lazarpandar @username I just bought an bodum pour-over. It came with only minimal instructions - nothing about the bloom, etc. And of course there are about ten zillion web pages with instructions, all of which are different.
Do you have a guide you can recommend?
@danpritts @Lazarpandar @username
I can’t remember where I got all of this (some of it is adjusted from experience anyway), but here’s what we use. I’ll be honest, some of this may be bullshit. I’m absolutely open to correction.
I’ll be honest, we’re not always super attentive and maybe don’t do everything perfectly. To me, the most important things are temperature, bloom and a gentle, even pour. IMO, even if we don’t do everything just so, the coffee is still better than by any other method.
This is the coffee we use. It at least has been available at Costco in Colorado Springs.
@joelmw Wow, thanks for the detailed writeup. I will give it a shot.
I can definitely confirm that temperature matters a ton. Aeropress recommends 175-185F depending on the roast. The coffee is definitely better at that temperature range with that brew method, compared to the typical generic ~200F recommendation.
@joelmw Had this while on vacation this past week in NM. Wish I had brought some home. Not that we don’t have good coffee in NY, but that pinion is great!
I eat my coffee grounds dry, why would I want to get them wet?
@flehm I’d recommend whole bean. Nice and crunchy.
Will this help my Folgers taste better?
@fuzzmanmatt uhhmm… who drinks Folgers for flavor?
@fuzzmanmatt @hchavers At least it won’t taste worse.
@fuzzmanmatt @hchavers @mehcuda67 Folgers tastes best when it’s overextracted all to hell in a big old percolator
@fuzzmanmatt @hchavers Found the coffee snob!
(I kid, I kid)
@nolrak hee hee … you said percolator
@fuzzmanmatt
@flehm has a technique that should work for your discriminating palate. You probably shouldn’t be playing with electricity in the first place.
@fuzzmanmatt @hchavers @mehcuda67 @nolrak agree
Serious question because I don’t feel like researching this on my own - why would this be better than a regular french press?
@Bingo you’re basically begging the most insufferable people in the Meh forums to talk to you. At length. Is that what you want!?
@Bingo Serious response because I don’t feel like typing out a long reply on my own. It is better because.
@UncleVinny I suppose I did not fully consider the ramifications of my question when I posed it. You are indeed correct. I suppose I also deserve whatever ills befall me from here on out.
@mz I fully accept that I deserved that.
@Bingo @UncleVinny There are insufferable people here? I thought I was safe!!!
@Bingo Serious answer - coffee from a drip coffee maker with a paper filter will have a different flavor than French press coffee. Generally a French press will leave more sediment behind in the cup, so by comparison a drip coffee maker will have a “cleaner” flavor. To use a clunky analogy, it’s like the difference between crunchy and smooth peanut butter.
@Bingo This might just be my personal experience with different styles, but my feeling is if you tend to like strong flavors and dark roasts, then the french press or espresso maker (pressure brewing with very fine grind) is better, and if you like subtle flavors like single-origin light roasts where there is a distinct character you really want to savor, the pour-over is best.
I used to think that dark-roast and strong flavors meant good coffee (and that can be true), I used to think “light roast” meant “bad, weak coffee.” Until I started discovering really good quality light roast beans and for that, my other methods of espresso machine or french press aren’t the best way to get that so I got a small manual pour-over system.
I would be tempted by this but I am only making coffee for 1 or 2 people, so don’t need the 8-cup size and… too much stuff on my counter already.
If you are the type that uses a traditional “coffee maker” I would say this would be a good upgrade and it seems like a really good deal, especially since it has the double-walled stainless carafe system which is much better than “the burned glass pot system.”
@Bingo as a French press user, I’d say the press is definitely better for stronger brewing. Filtered will give you better overall/subtle flavor. I like both, but generally use the press as I like super strong coffee
I refuse to spend any more money on coffee that isn’t coffee. Or half-and-half.
My last coffee maker I got off Meh gave out. So whatever, sure.
so basically it brews a single commuter cup without a fancy spill-proof cap or timer.
@alacrity 40 oz is a heck of a big commuter cup
@nolrak the real issue is finding a car with a cup holder big enough.
@alacrity @nolrak there’s left over for the rest of the morning so you don’t have to drink the work coffee
@alacrity @nolrak @unksol Work coffee is the worst.
@alacrity @fuzzmanmatt @unksol This is why I brew my own personal pot of work coffee
I heard that Bialetti is in trouble. Maybe you could make a buy-out offer on their authentic original not-a-copy Moka pots.
The copywriter said the coffee maker was tested. I call B.S. The write-up is much too mundane to be caffeinated.
@hchavers but there is a typo in the first sentence of the bullet points (Every vs Ever), so maybe they were caffeinated?
@jhinra Translation: It only produces a “y” amount of caffeine.
The first and second photos seem to show a 10 cup capacity on the tank, but the third and fifth clearly show 8.
Also, why hasn’t my IRK arrived yet?!
@nolrak asking the critical questions. 8 cups is just a light breeze, but 10 is a nice steady wind to escort you out into your workday.
@nolrak And explain this picture!
@nolrak specs say 8 cup capacity twice, but I’ll check with meh.
@therealjrn clearly that’s a lady who takes her coffee with the proper amount of seriousness
@RiotDemon it’s really not all that critical since I already clicked Buy, I’m just currently playing the role of That Guy
@UncleVinny at 8 cups I’ll consider buying this as “taking a step in the right direction” since I currently brew a full 10 cup pot in my office each and every morning
@nolrak dear That Guy - ours is the 8 cup capacity with black markings on the tank.
@nolrak @therealjrn Obviously, that girl’s hot…
Right around 200°F I would think.
I am really tempted. However, between two kitchens, I currently count 7 coffee making devices on the counters and stove plus numerous other accoutrements (frother, carafes, grinder), and a cabinet dominated by coffee and tea paraphernalia. Yes, I’m starting to wonder if we have a problem (though to be fair, we have four coffee drinkers in the house for the summer).
If I buy this, my wife will probably kill me. Most likely in a caffeine enhanced rage.
@mehcuda67 I have similar problems. French press, Chemex, percolator, Aeropress, generic drip coffee maker. The generic brews a petty good cuppa…
@mehcuda67 chemex, gator faux chemex (gift), aeropress, Bonavita Metropolitan, single cup pourover, syphon pot. Friend still owes me a new cold Brewer after a wee shattering incident.
@mehcuda67 came to make this post. Two different Harios, cold brew pitcher, ROK espresso, minipresso, Aeropress, a cezve, a Bialetti, French press…my wife would kill me but this looks very cool and an easy way to make good coffee.
@mehcuda67 Behmor Brazen Plus drip coffee maker, a French press for home, a French press for work, Aeropress, IKEA moka pot, Chemex, Filtron cold brewer, espresso machine, and a Keurig I use for coffee emergencies. At this point I’ve accepted the fact that I’m eventually going to collect one of every different brewing method in existence.
@mehcuda67 Oh, man, I thought I was bad. Well, I guess if you count the fleet of Saeco’s that needed service that I never got serviced and just bought new stuff instead, that’s pretty bad too.
@mehcuda67 @pmarin @NullPointer @gimpeyjoe @mehcuda67 @stevekirks We have fewer functioning devices, and pretty much only use our Chemex at home (I have a hand crafted–by the the SIL no less–pour over setup at work), but it seems to me that if you enjoy coffee and take pleasure from the different varieties of brew, it’s more a reasonable investment in a fun hobby and recreational activity than a waste of money. With the bonus that it also produces a decent beverage and, arguably, nutritional supplement.
Good coffee makes many other things better (e.g., desserts, reading, morning conversation) too.
/giphy go team coffee
@joelmw @mehcuda67 @NullPointer @pmarin @stevekirks My usual line is that, as a lapsed Catholic, I miss a good ritual. So, Coffee, Tea, Cocktails, Music, I enjoy going through motions. I still keep the easy ways to do all of that around and don’t turn my nose up at the less fancy.
@mehcuda67 I also have a drinking problem
*Throws scalding cup of coffee directly into face for the the sake of comedy
**Immediately regrets it
@mehcuda67 @NullPointer your “my people.”
Cheaper than my k cup machine. Can’t be as good. /s
@Rossome you are correct…it will be better since Kcups are expensive crap coffee
So, it’s murky, but Motif seems to share some lineage with Bonavita, who’s products I, some jerk on the internet, whole-throatedly recommend. Massdrop says Bonavita makes them, cnet says Motif is made by the company that markets Bonavita.
Seriously what is with this upward slope in prices and items meh?
Is there a reusable filter for this thing? Do we get 2 year manufacture warranty too?
@Bigbearballs hey dummy, it’s a 2 year warranty but still would like to know about the reusable filter.
@Bigbearballs Says it comes with starter pack of Melitta #4 paper, so I would expect any #4 reusable to fit, like CoffeeSock or Crucial.
@tet3 thank you, i’m going to try these out
IN 4 1. I am a coffee snob and this is the cheapest I have ever seen a machine offered that brews to snob standards (ideal brewing temp, pre-infuse, wide stance shower head) plus has a thermal carafe. Plus, its new not refurb. I do not know if the coffee-snob features really makes for a better brew, but its one less thing for me to obsess over every morning. Not a MEH product, a very good product.
@ggrochr It’s tempting us too.
I have a 20 year old Krups (see coffee snob poll discussion) which seems like it will never die, but I must face the fact that one of times the cats knock it off the counter it will not survive, and this looks like a good simple replacement. So I’m in.
/giphy delirious-transient-barbarian
@stolicat That is a weird order word combo, though I have no idea what the giphy picture relates to it. I think the delirious transient barbarian needs some strong coffee!
@pmarin @stolicat An orca playing with its food!
I an very concerned for that nice young lady! Being scalded at 198-205 degrees can’t be good for the skin…
She’s going to need some aloe for sure. Plus, I hope they gave her time to “bloom”
/buy
@Seeds It worked! Your order number is: halting-nauseating-thread
/image halting nauseating thread
/giphy halting nauseating thread
@Seeds new favorite GIF right there
/giphy original-generous-elephant
awesome deal. Thanks Meh!
EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!
@mediocrebot
Has the world ended? A legit great deal on a product that will provide me with legit great coffee? Happy Friday!!
/giphy dependable woolen wheel
@rlux aaawwww I
turtles!
Does it come with the fairy action figure?
In for one. I’ve been looking at these for a long time but kinda forgot about it. Love to brew Pour Over in the cooler times of the year. Anyone know what kind of paper filters it takes?
@burkthomas Per the manual on their site for that model it says Melitta #4’s. Question withdrawn.
A #4 cone for 8 cups? “Better” coffee makers use a #6. This was the standard laid down by Melitta decades back.
I even have an ancient Melitta ONE cup “personal travel” maker that uses a #1 filter!
I had a lovely 70’s Krups that looked a lot like this unit, but with a #6 cone.
My coffee make tells me when it is time to decalcify: It gurgles!
You may think mesh filters are great…until you put in something that is ground too fine and it clogs. Plug paper absorbs some oils that pass through the plastic mesh.
Does it have a timer/clock so you can set it up before you go to bed and the coffee is ready when you wake up? That’s a deal maker or breaker for me. I’m too sleepy to make coffee before I’ve had my coffee.
@allergycheryl Why not set it all up and just switch it on when you stagger into the kitchen in the morning? Probably by the time you take care of other “first thing in the morning” activities it will be ready.
@radi0j0hn you overestimate my ability to function without coffee. Just pouring it in the cup is hard enough, don’t ask me to operate machinery!!! Egads!
@allergycheryl https://www.amazon.com/Century-Heavy-Digital-Programmable-Timer/dp/B00MVF16JG
BTW, it’s not a “pour over!” With a real pour over, you need to manually pour over! It’s just a kinda nice $49 drip coffee maker made in China that will last for a while. Let’s cut the BS and call it was it is.
@radi0j0hn Umm. Lighten up, dude. Did you read the whole “product story” in the description? It rants on about exactly that, “how can you call it pour-over,” etc. This is a $120+ machine, similar apparently to units selling for $200-350. I agree those prices are ridiculous. But in the end, yes, it’s $49. It’s made in China just like the ones that sell for $350. And none of them come with a barrista to decant your hot water for you.
First time, giving Meh a shot
@rogerthat54
/giphy welcome
@rogerthat54
/giphy one of us
@rogerthat54
I’ve always wanted a Moccamaster, but I’ve wanted $300 in my pocket more.
/giphy laden-hissing-dumpling
I feel like if I bought this I’d have to stop buying Great Value brand coffee.
Fun side note from watching that video, it looks like you can lift the lid to the drip while it’s dripping if you wanted to agitate the grounds, which you can do with Technovorm, but not with my Bonavita. This is a thing that I have not cared about, but some people did.
@gimpeyjoe That’s a good point, Yes, it looks like that “top cover sleeve” I would call it can be removed while the drip pipe is in place.
As much as I said earlier that I didn’t want or need this, it’s getting harder to resist and now I know I’m not the only one that apparently has to have one (or more) of every type of coffee-making device.
Been wanting to replace my $16 Mr. Coffee that seriously overheats the water.
/giphy glittery-gratifying-cockroach
@tweezak cockroaches taste better with coffee.
I admit it, my pour overs taste like shit. It’s time to get the robots involved.
/giphy hungry-notorious-rib
/buy
@pmarin It worked! Your order number is: vivacious-goofy-art
/image vivacious goofy art
I already have a Moccamaster, this sounds as good or better.
Be gone Mr. Coffee
/giphy spotty-abundant-fact
Does anyone know if you can adjust water temperature on this?
@PocketWocket negative, the 198-205 range is static (as static as a range can be, anyway). This is for reasons.
@gimpeyjoe @PocketWocket Have you ever tried a pour-over with a dark(er) roast with 180-185 degree water? Once you do, you’ll be like me and giving counter space to the temp-controlled gooseneck pot and not this thing. If all I ever drank was medium roast, I would love the convenience of this item, but I like varied roasts, so I like varied temps.
@Jonas4321 @PocketWocket I mean, the caffeine table is already a digital temp gooseneck, scale, grinder, and autodrip. I’ll grant you that I don’t do much in the darker roast, but I prefer to keep my temp constant and vary the other… variables.
@gimpeyjoe @PocketWocket I prefer a medium roast Guatemalan to just about anything else, but I HIGHLY recommend trying out a dark roast at 180 in an Aeropress (which, troublingly, was noted as a missing item in your arsenal
). It is an awesome experience.
EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!
@Jonas4321 @PocketWocket I agree on the versatility of the aeropress, I have one at work and one at home. I only mentioned what’s on the table. The rest I keep on the shelf above (see an earlier comment for the full list of brewing methods on hand)
/buy
@Iceluigi It worked! Your order number is: lush-concerned-idea
/image lush concerned idea
OK Fine. Fine, dammit.
/buy
@therealjrn It worked! Your order number is: gigantic-overt-otter
/image gigantic overt otter
@mediocrebot Whaaat?
/giphy gigantic overt otter
If I can’t shower under this thing like that woman in one of the photos, I’m going to be very disappointed once it arrives.
Tempted, even though I make perfectly decent pour-overs with my Hario. If the weather were cooler, I’d be all over this, but it’s all cold brew for me right now.
/giphy wacky-nauseating-lamp
I just came to ask:
What kind of ridiculous marketing moron committee came up with the name “Technivorm Moccamaster??”
That’s just terrible.
Why is it that you can go to a 5 star restaurant and they have crappy coffee
@mbovelsk or a five star hotel.
@mbovelsk It was great yesterday!
I hope I like it.
me too
Ugh, this is tough.
After having the virtues of a Moccamaster explained to me by a Swede, I’ve had one in my “things to buy if I want to splurge” list for a while, but haven’t pulled the trigger yet. This one is only $50, has the insulated carafe I prefer to a heated plate, and seems to be a good “try this before dropping $300 for something that might not be that much better than my French press.”
On the other hand, I already have several prep methods, lack counter space (the Breville espresso machine doesn’t help), and only make coffee for me (pretty much only drink 8-10oz after meals).
@Kabn You have an espresso machine and, presumably, a Koolaid pitcher and a scrap of muslin. That covers the spectrum.
If you yearn for new experiences, fifty bucks will buy you nearly a half pound of kopi luwak.
(jkjkjk don’t do that)
Oooooo…doughnuts!!!
s/fedora/trilby/. Effin’ poseur.
/giphy deranged-somber-trade
/giphy steadfast-rested-owner
Oh well, I canceled my membership, and have now purchased membership again. I can’t wait to try this.
@j37hr0
It’s a pour over… machine. A machine … for pour overs.
At least the cold brew machine I saw the other day was a novel take on the process, supposedly cutting brewing time by 11.5 hours.
But y’all. The best thing about pour over is that the entire rig can be stored on top of a coffee cup, thereby taking up zero otherwise useful cubic inches.
The second best thing is that the whole apparatus can be chucked into the dishwasher.
A pour over machine. With a plug and everything. Get off my goddamn lawn.
Imagine you dated a person you really liked and then they moved in with, say, the President, and became a clone of them.
That’s how I’ve felt about Woot becoming Amazoned. Thank you, Matt, for helping me once again become a happy impulse buyer.
I’m a coffee snob, and just this morning, I was commenting to my wife that we needed to ditch our Cuisinart and get a quality coffee maker with a thermal carafe. Obviously, Meh was listening in on the smart speaker that we don’t really have one of, and put this offer up here and got CNET to tell me about it.
I’m not always this paranoid, just when I have too much coffee. Not that anyone can have too much coffee.
Current recommendation is 4 or more cups per day unless you have reflux which excludes 99.8% of you.
Can it be programed to start at set time
@dsdbuyer nope
@dsdbuyer Sure - you figure the time you want coffee, subtract 20 minutes, set your alarm, get up, go downstairs, grind beans, add water, start coffee maker, wait 7 minutes, enjoy!
Am I the only one that feels like Irk should be posing under the waterfall in the last pic?
/giphy coffee-time
So this was my first Meh purchase, my Mehden voyage, as it were. Very excited, especially as our Bunn leaks about 2 cups every pot…
@ybmuG Congratulations!
…and my deepest condolences…
@therealjrn I feel like I’ve started either an exciting journey to anti-retail bliss, or a really dark road to hoarding…
@ybmuG lol
@ybmuG Now you can tell people you joined meh because your Bunn was leaking. It might be a first!
@mehcuda67 my post below was meant for you - dang phone screwed up the reply.
@ybmuG So how are you enjoying the coffee maker? I like mine. Now I’m shopping for whole beans like a Juan Valdez, except they won’t let me take my burro into Wal-Mart.
@therealjrn we really like it. The higher temp brew is key. And stronger is not bitter so it works better for both me and the wife. Who knew a coffee maker could be a marriage aid?
HA! I never even thought of that
Reminds me when I was working at a restaurant and the chef needed a small flat-head screwdriver to fix the scale. I said “I have a small flat-head.” The jokes lasted at least a year on that one… It’s the unintended ones that are the funniest.
/giphy preferable-lowly-playground
I just got mine in today. The power buttons seem wonky though. The clean button clicks when pressed but the two top buttons seem stuck pushed in.
@bxm83 Don’t press on the light-up part, press next to it maybe?
@bxm83 Mine’s kind of the same. Just brewed first cup of coffee after cleaning it and especially the pour over button seems a bit sticky. Hopefully just not quit hitting it right, and not an overall flaw.
@bxm83 Yes. What’s the trick?
@bxm83 @G1
@G1 @therealjrn
I’ve never posted a picture here. Hopefully it works. The right personal button is sunken in a bit. I can still press it but it’s a little fickle to activate. The brew button is a little better.
https://imgur.com/a/2EOCU4L
@bxm83 @G1 Not bad for a first effort! The forum post edit window has a thing for posting pictures on the toolbar. It looks like a little picture of mountains and the moon. If you’re posting from a phone, hold it in landscape mode so the toolbar will show is what I hear.
But, back to your button, it definitely looks smooshed in. Hm. For 50 clams, I’d write into support to see if they can switch out your brewer or something. If it was a $12 Mr. Coffee, I’d do otherwise.
@therealjrn Thank you for that. I was pushing hard/holding the buttons (lights) and was pretty upset at this apparent flaw. My wife’s already lukewarm to the machine and I would never hear the end of a hard button press.
@tweezak : )
When are these shipping?
@randompersona Any day now, if not already. Did you know each sale has an estimated delivery date right up there on the page? I’ve save you the trouble though, it says:
I literally just got mine, thanks Meh!
Son of a @&$%. My Motif just arrived and the plastic water dispenser is
. 
@rlux Sonofa…
@rlux if you haven’t already:
Meh.com/support
@RiotDemon yep, did that. thanks.
@rlux Just got mine today, and you saved me a picture. Mine was also packed in the manufacturer’s box with no outer box or cushioning and sustained the exact same damage.
@redlex now we know why it’s Meh.
@rlux that sucks.
Looks like you’ve already written into support. So we’ll work on getting you one less busted.
Only our second day with our new brewer but we love it so far! Coffee tastes like coffee! It’s quick, hot and a quiet machine.
Mine arrived, the handle of the carafe was snapped off
How does Meh normally handle these things? Will I need to pack it back up and mail it back? will they send a new carafe?
@MCaulkes It probably depends? You can contact them at https://meh.com/support
or click “I Need Help With This” on your order page.
@MCaulkes same problem here. They gave me a shipping label to send it back for a refund…I just want a working unit
@MCaulkes @sammydog01 Future IRK contents on their way home!
Yeah, all in all this has not been ideal. I think this is the second purchase I’ve made on Meh, and it hasn’t been a good outcome.
Things break in shipping, I get it. But most companies usually handle it much better than Meh.
Option 1: Mail back the broken one and we’ll refund what you paid. So I’m essentially losing money and definitely time dealing with Meh, as I get to spend the time packaging it up and driving to fedex, only to get exactly what I paid back.
Option 2: Mail it back, hope another is available, and not have resolution for probably a few weeks at best. If one isn’t available, I’m back to option 1.
Pretty disappointing. Hindsight being 20/20, I should have just bought a comparable system for full price off Amazon, even if it had arrived broken, it would be resolved by now.
@MCaulkes -
Those are generally our options for replacement. We do require the original item back before we can process a refund or return.
After evaluating the damage sustained to some units, we’re able to make some exceptions to getting these back before taking action. The rep you’ve been working with has issued a refund for your order and will reply to your case soon. No return needed.
@MCaulkes update. I contacted meh again and instead of a refund they shipped me another. This time it arrived inside of another box and undamaged! Yay meh! Thanks for the speedy customer service
@MCaulkes I just opened my Irk-tober package, and I think I got your brewer with the broken handle carafe!
I just got mine. Packaging was in perfect condition. All the parts and pieces were also fine. I noticed that all the packaging was cardboard instead of styrofoam. I appreciate they are trying to be environmentally friendly but from the reports of broken machines it sounds like they need better packaging engineers.
It will take a little practice to figure out the best water-grounds ratio. My first pot came out strong but not bitter so I have to conclude the water temperature is right. The showerhead is pretty good. The carafe is impressive for an inexpensive machine. When it’s full of coffee it’s cold to the touch on the outside. The only downside so far is that the opening on the carafe is very small and cleaning it will require a bottle brush.
I was so looking forward to using this, but looks like you did a “meh” job in packaging it and you were stupid enough to give it to USPS to deliver. Postal Service took over a week to transport, they crushed the box and broke the coffeemaker. Seriously, there is no room for snark when you are shipping the goods. Pay attention!
@rgburch Oh, hey…calm down…why don’t you fix yourself a nice cup of coff…er…water?
@rgburch Meh has got a real problem with the shipping of this product by USPS without proper packaging. Mine arrived today in the original product box with no outer box or cushioning and also broken! I hope they have a supply of replacements!
Hi @rgburch - It’s worth noting that the vast majority of our items ship via USPS, or a method that hands off to USPS for delivery.
We probably should have put the box in a box, though.
If you haven’t already - please write in to https://meh.com/support so we can help with your order.
@Thumperchick I did that right away, the package is on its way back to Meh, just delivered it to Fedex for shipping. I hope you have additional stock to replace it.
@rgburch if only someone had the ability to check on that case for you…
@Thumperchick Thank you! This is not the first (nor last) package that the clowns at USPS have crushed (or lost). Sadly, they do that. But Meh Customer Service has been top notch from first contact. My e-mail reply to Meh that it was with Fedex was immediately followed by email notice of my replacement order. Thank you.
@rgburch love it when a plan comes together.
/giphy fistbump
If a Meh rep submitted a response to this blog, I would consider buying from them. Deals are great, but feeling like a sucker is much worse.
tata
@hrobinson4 You need to contact them through proper channels- click on I Need Help With This on your order. They’ll get back to you. It may take a couple of days.
@hrobinson4 Wait…this is blogging? I don’t think I like blogging.
@hrobinson4 pfft. Meh employees interacting with customers…
Good product. Performs as advertised. Made a great cup of coffee first time out. Need to work on getting the ideal amount of coffee per the amount of water. Several apps out there that will help with that.
At $50 I feel that this was an absolute steal! Thanks MEH.
@edfessler - I’m curious about the apps? So far I have had good results with my standard approach, one tbsp per 2 cups water plus one for the pot, but I’d be willing to tweak for better results.
@aetris First let me qualify that people like me are a little crazy when it comes to coffee and making that special cup.
I have an app - CoffeeNotes - that I’ve used for years to help with the proper brewing of coffee. I don’t think that this app is available any more.
What it does basically, is help with the proper portion of water to the amount and grind of the coffee you are using. It extends this formula to drip, pour over and french press methods of preparation. An example of how it works: on this coffee maker it suggests 2.05 ounces of medium grind coffee (I have a scale) for 1000 ml of water. So far that seems to produce a good result. Also of note, I’m using the pre-soak button for the brewing of my coffee.
I have searched for other coffee apps like the one I have. There is a very good one for the iphone, but the android apps aren’t as good as the one I have.
Hope this helps.
@edfessler - Thanks, I may give that a try, but that’s 4 tablespoons of coffee to 4 cups of water - that’d be pretty strong for me!
@aetris Go slow. Increase by a small amount each time until you arrive at the drink you like.
Impressed. Made a pot of too-strong coffee yesterday afternoon and this morning the half that was left was still luke-warm in the pot. Pretty good! I made a fresh pot with 3 of the standard scoop we use that says it’s a “standard coffee measure.” Got it from a local coffee and supply place years ago. Anyway, 3 scoops to 1.3L of water makes a nice, flavorful cup without being weak or harsh. Hopefully this machine lasts because I like it!
I’ve made 4 cycles of coffee in this since @Seeds and I received it on Monday. With the exception of the control buttons recoiling from my touch and tilting themselves into the machine on first use it’s been a dream. Solid cup of coffee and stays hot for a long time with the included carafe which btw is sturdy enough to kill a full grown man and still be presentable for tea without having to spend the afternoon banging out dents.
I feel so lucky.
Motif arrived unbroken.
Happy coffee pot.
The coffee is great. The coffeemaker? It may be the flimsiest ever made. The plastic components have no rigidity, and after brewing four pots of coffee, the carafe handle snapped. While being washed. By hand! So it’s probably good that Meh only sells things for a day. Otherwise, the number of Motif product failures would probably overwhelm them.
I’ve only had it a few days so perhaps this is early, but holy shit I love this coffee maker you guys!
Motif Essential coffee brewer was not assembled correctly. Bezel around on/off switches will come off it I don’t keep it pushed back. Probably is missing a retaining clip. Since the switches control 1465 watts of power, I want something between my damp finger and the wiring.
Three messages on Motif’s answering machine and one email to Meh have elicited no response.
What’s the next option?
This is my first purchase from Meh, and I’m not favorably impressed.
@HSNoble how long has is it been since you contacted meh?
@Seeds Meh’s webmail system did not send me a copy, so I’m going to guess it was last Tuesday, July 23.
@HSNoble May be late on this, but did you contact Motif directly? There’s a warranty contact page (http://www.motifcoffee.com/support/warranty) on their website and they are VERY fast to get back and take care of you. My second one had a defective brew switch and they replied within an hour or two, on a Saturday, and are sending a replacement. No need to engage Meh on this one.
This is the best deal! Arrived in great condition and works fantastically! I don’t buy just any old coffee brewer. This basically is what I use when company arrives and are looking for coffee. Otherwise, I use the old pour over method!
I am liking this machine so far; coffee is good but not liking the fragility of the plastic parts (it is what it is). Only problem I’m having is with the carafe. I don’t know if I have a defective one or what, but the coffee doesn’t stay hot at all. Within an hour or so the coffee inside is lukewarm. The lid seems attached snugly so not sure what else I might be doing wrong.
@metageist If you put the carafe in the microwave for 60 seconds before you brew, it “primes” the self-heating function…
/giphy just kidding don’t do it
@ybmuG
/giphy microwave explosion
@ybmuG I hear that works for iPhones too.
/image iPhone Wave
/image iPhone Wave doesn’t work
@metageist Maybe contact Motif and see what they have to say?
http://www.motifcoffee.com/more/contact
I love this coffee maker. I read reviews about the water not being hot enough. That is absolutely not true for mine. I also use it as a pour over directly into cup, just have to hold down the part that the coffee pot normally pushes in. I also like watching it brew the coffee. I’ve removed the part that goes over the grounds so I can watch it saturate it. TMI ? It’s a great machine.
This is the greatest coffee maker and we’ve tried them all. Smooth rich flavor with no bite or acid taste. Much hotter than others to start with and stays warm and fresh tasting for hours in the thermal carafe. AND, the price was amazing.
I like to use the product for a while before reviewing. Had it for almost 6 months, and it’s my favorite coffee maker I ever had. Makes strong rich coffee, but the thermal metal pot which keeps the coffee fresh and hot/warm for hours is the difference maker. I could enjoy drinking coffee for hours. Just make sure everything is properly lock in before brewing, otherwise it will overflow.
@marl1122 it’s my favorite coffee maker ever.
@j37hr0 @marl1122 We got ours in October from Morningsave, with a coupon ftw. Really loving it, both the form factor and the big improvement in our brew. The only thing I can complain about is that it cost us another $100 for a coffee grinder, it seemed like a necessary step up.
@InFrom @marl1122 oh, for sure you need a grinder. Ceramic conical burr. And fresh roasted beans from a local roaster. None of that Starbucks nonsense.
@j37hr0 @marl1122 From what I’ve seen, $100 doesn’t buy a ceramic burr. The one we got has a steel burr. We’ve only just tried it out today, it seems fine for our purposes. And no, no Starbucks. We’re trying out the whole-bean version of the local coffee we’ve been having ground at the store for years.
@InFrom @j37hr0 @marl1122 Here’s my lo-tech solution. It is a conical burr and also can’t touch it for $100, btw.
Not my actual one, but the same model.