A High-Quality Commercial Coffee Maker for your Home
If you're searching for a top-of-the-line coffee maker, you'll be very satisfied with the Wilbur Curtis CAFE1DB. Make no mistake, this is a high-quality commercial machine that does one thing and one thing best: make coffee. Unlike all other Wilbur Curtis coffee makers, this one can be used in the home because it is a "Pour-Over" machine that does not need to be connected to a water line by a plumber. It is made in the U.S.A. and the quality of the manufacturing is evident from the moment you take it out of the box. You won't find any convenience features that you'd find on a consumer coffee maker. There is no automatic brewing feature (so there's no clock), it won't grind the beans for you, and it won't shut off the flow so you can remove the pot while it's brewing. I don't find these lack of features to be too inconvenient, however, because it takes less than 3 minutes to brew a whole pot of coffee. The machine can accomplish this because the 1550W heater keeps the water in the tank at a constant 200 degrees F. When you pour cold, fresh water into the machine, it displaces the hot water in the tank and brewing is instantaneous. (There isn't even an "on-off" switch, the machine is always on as long as it's plugged in.) This is an advantage that the CAFE1DB has over consumer coffee makers: Consumer machines typically have lower wattage heaters, and must start the brewing process with the cold water in the tank, so the coffee is never as hot as you'd get in a cafe - The Curtis machine maintains a temperature of 200F in the tank at all times, so the brewed coffee is always super hot. The downside to this, of course, is that the machine will cycle the heater every 10 minutes or so to keep the water hot, so there's a nearly-constant energy draw. I recommend unplugging the machine if you're going on a trip or if you don't use the machine every day. For me, it's worth it for the piping-hot, delicious coffee this machine produces. (There is an on-off switch for the heating plate, so you can turn it on before brewing to preheat the coffee pot as well!) This machine does NOT come with a coffee bowl, so you'll have to order one seperately. Wilbur Curtis only sells them in packs ranging from 3 pots to 24, so I ordered the smallest 3-pack that cost about $26.00. I also replaced the plastic brew cone that comes with the unit with a stainless steel one that fits perfectly and looks amazing (Model number WC-3316). The brew cone is deeper than most consumer brew cones, so be sure to order a package of CR-10 paper coffee filters that will fit perfectly. I would say that if you want the best possible coffee, and to own a machine that will last long enough to be able to pass down to your grandchildren, this is the one. Read more