Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Coffee Maker with Thermal Carafe and Two Travel Mugs
by Hamilton Beach
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Product Summary
Manufacturer: Hamilton BeachBrand: Hamilton Beach
Release Date: 2003-10-15
Model: 45234.00
Color: Stainless / Black
Product features:
- Coffeemaker features 10-cup thermal carafe and 2 travel mugs
- 3 brewing options: into the carafe, or one or both mugs
- Programmable clock, automatic shutoff, water filter
- Thermos mugs with 360-degree sipping are dishwasher-safe
- Measures 14-1/2 by 10 by 8-1/2 inches; 2-year warranty
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Coffee Maker with Thermal Carafe and Two Travel Mugs
Customer Review: The NEW version is great. Avoid the early models.
Summary: 5 Stars
After eight months, we're still really happy with this purchase. I grew up with Mr. Coffee coffeemakers and I was loyal for many years - mainly because of the price but also because I just assumed that all made-at-home coffee tasted the same. When the last one began to die (the dreaded leaky reservoir syndrome), I hopped online and began to read reviews.
We wanted a unit with a clock and an automatic timer. After reading several reviews however, I added a thermal carafe to the list. Even with an auto shut-off feature, the Mr. Coffee would burn the coffee after an hour or so. We also did not want to spend more than $40-$50, but this changed quickly when I realized how pricey coffeemakers had become. The final criterion was that it had to be somewhat attractive.
Pros:
(1) Taste. There is no other way to describe it. This thing makes coffee that tastes like it was brewed in a nicer restaurant. It might be the cone filter. Even visitors comment on our coffee. We just buy a pre-ground, name-brand Colombian coffee and use tap water. There is no good reason why it should taste this good. It has to be the coffeemaker.
(2) The thermal carafe keeps coffee hot for hours. When preparing coffee to brew for the following morning, steam rises from the old coffee that I dump. It's probably not hot enough to drink but it's still impressive.
(3) The carafe handle is thick and sturdy. There are no flimsy parts.
(4) Nice aesthetics. The black-and-brushed-aluminum design is a nice look.
Cons: (very minor)
(1) Only 8-cup capacity. Not as big a deal as we thought it would be.
(2) LCD clock display instead of LED display. I like being able to see the time in the dark and Mr. Coffee was always good about this. However, our new microwave has an LED clock so it worked out. Perhaps they could backlight the LCD.
(3) The removable coffee filter basket has a swing-up handle, which means you need to use both hands to dump it. The fixed handle on the Mr. Coffee allowed one-hand dumping.
(4) No Pause-and-Serve feature. You also have to wait a minute after it stops brewing before removing the carafe (the light turns off when it is safe) or else risk being dripped on. Again, it's not anything we run into frequently but it's worth noting.
Miscellaneous:
(1) Comes with two thermal mugs, but we have never used them. Note that the earlier models came with plastic-lined mugs that had a novel 360-degree drinking feature. We discovered this when we accidentally bought one without the clock feature at a deep discount store (I didn't read the box in the store). We returned it and bought the higher-end unit online. The new mugs are insulated aluminum and now have standard sliding-style openings.
(2) Comes with a fancy water filter - again, we've never used it.
(3) Cone filters. These initially scared me. I have used basket filters all my life and I was afraid that cone filters needed to be folded by hand, like back in chemistry class. Today, cone filters are pre-formed and my phobia is cured.
(4) The unit is 14-1/2" tall. It fits under our cabinets easily although one reviewer said it wouldn't fit under hers. Measure your counter space first.
(5) Coffee pours onto and through the carafe lid via two holes. The bottom of the carafe lid has a rubbery o-ring that requires frequent cleaning or else it will stain (but it snaps on and off very easily). Arrows on the carafe lid indicate when it is open or closed. After a few weeks though, you learn the positions by feel.
(6) Last but not least, there are three ways to make coffee spill onto your cabinets if you are not careful (I've done each once):
a) Overfilling the reservoir - it is oversized for when you use larger mugs, but the carafe only accepts 8 cups, so don't fill past the "8-cup" mark!
b) Don't forget to pour out the old coffee first, which is easy to do with a non-see-through carafe.
c) Always screw on the carafe lid until it stops turning; otherwise the coffee won't drain through properly. However, this is hard to do because the carafe fits in so snugly. If the lid is screwed on only half-way, the carafe won't even fit in under the unit.
In a nutshell, Stay-or-Go makes great tasting coffee and usually costs less than $60 for the high-end model. Just make sure you get a newer model since the early (2004) models seem to have had design problems. And while it is not perfect, four stars are just not enough, not at this price.
UPDATE: The age of the model is distinguishable by the travel mugs. The older model had mugs with protruding handles (as in the current photo on Amazon); the new models contain travel mugs with no handles, just a rubberized grip ring around each mug.
UPDATE 2: The photo on Amazon is now updated to show the new mugs (without mug handles), as of August 2006.
More Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Coffee Maker with Thermal Carafe and Two Travel Mugs reviews:
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Description of Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Coffee Maker with Thermal Carafe and Two Travel Mugs
The Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Coffee Maker is the perfect addition for the coffee lover on the go. Brew into one or two stainless steel wrapped travel coffee mugs when you are on the go. For weekends or parties, brew into the 8 cup thermal carafe when its time to stay at home.With its programmable clock, this versatile coffeemaker not only has hot java waiting in the morning but can brew the coffee directly into either the 10-cup, glass-lined carafe, or one or both of the Thermos-brand travel mugs. Hamilton Beach makes the brewing process easy: a guide inside the water reservoir features mug symbols for the precise amount of water to add, and scalloped ridges on the coffeemaker base indicate exactly where to position the mugs. Care should be taken to ensure the coffeemaker is resting on a level surface, since a slight tilt could result in uneven distribution when both mugs are used simultaneously. A mug is placed under the brew basket with its lid screwed on tightly--a 360-degree ring of holes around the mug lid allows the coffee to enter during brewing. In addition, the holes enable the user to drink from any side, whether the handle is grasped by the left or right hand, a convenience that many car cup holders overlook.
Each mug features a stainless-steel exterior, plastic interior, and handle generous enough for a gloved hand, ideal for cold winter commutes. When preheated with hot water, the carafe keeps coffee piping hot and looks elegant enough for serving at a fancy event. Other features of the Stay Or Go machine include simple-to-use on/off, programming, and hour and minute buttons, a cone-shaped filter basket with handle (requires No. 4 paper filters, not included), and a water filter to remove chlorine taste. For best results, the carafe, mugs, and filter basket should be washed by hand, although the stainless-steel mugs are dishwasher-safe on the top rack. The coffeemaker measures 14-1/2 by 10 by 8-1/2 inches, and is covered by a two-year warranty against defects. --Ann Bieri
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