Customer reviews from mrcoffee.com
Mr. Coffee - Optimal Brew 12-Cup Coffee Maker - Stainless steel
Average customer rating
3.7
(119 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 119 reviews
5 Stars
51
4 Stars
32
3 Stars
9
2 Stars
3
1 Star
24
70%of customers recommend this product.
(
79 out of
113)
Customer Reviews for Mr. Coffee - Optimal Brew 12-Cup Coffee Maker - Stainless steel
Customer Rating
1
Disappointed!
on December 18, 2014
Posted by: chrisypc
from Buffalo, NY, United States
Gender:Female
I received this coffee maker as a sample to review, and I am very unsatisfied with the coffee maker! I don't even know where to begin! Firstly, it is very awkward to put in the coffee filter, it comes out from the side and you have to take out the whole basket, which doesn't sit properly. So putting in the coffee filter was a chore right from the start. Also, the water reservoir was also awkward, the whole lid came off and I wasn't sure if that was even supposed to happen or if it was broken! The carafe was heavy and bulky and the coffee didn't come out well. It was a chore pouring my coffee. The carafe is supposed to show you the amount of coffee inside, but that was nearly impossible to see. The filter pads must be changed frequently and this is time consuming and costly. The whole machine is bulky and takes up too much room on my counter. Overall, very disappointed in this coffee maker.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from mrcoffee.comBy Mr. Coffee, Consumer Care, April 15, 2020
We are extremely sorry to hear about this and even more sorry to disappoint you. This is definitely not the kind of experience that we want you to have. Rest assured that we will work hard not to disappoint you again. Have a great day!
Written by a customer while visiting mrcoffee.com
Customer Rating
1
Never again!
on June 7, 2015
Posted by: leverett
from Covington, PA, United States
Gender:Female
We bought this coffee maker in January of this year to replace a previous Mr. Coffee that was just starting to get old. I have two issues with this coffee pot. The first is the coffee gets cold even before the coffee maker turns itself off at the end of the two hour cycle. The big complaint I have here is the carafe leaks terribly, and when I say terribly, by the end of the pot a cup of coffee has gone down the drain due to have to pour the coffee over the kitchen sink and the amount that leaks. I am not impressed with this coffee make at all.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from mrcoffee.comBy Mr. Coffee, Customer Service, June 8, 2015
Sounds like the worst coffee experience ever. I like my coffee in a cup and not all over the counter, so I understand how you feel. If you could contact Mr. Coffee direct at (800) 672-6333, we can see about fixing this problem today. Thanks!
Written by a customer while visiting mrcoffee.com
Customer Rating
1
Very Disappointed
on March 25, 2015
Posted by: JohnH
from Greenwood Village, CO, United States
Gender:Male
We shopped and shopped for our next coffee maker and purchased the Optimal Brew 12 cup. There is almost nothing that we like about this coffee maker and are about to go out and purchase its replacement and throw the one we have away. It is difficult to use, difficult to make coffee, the carafe is difficult to pour and spills if you do not hold it just right, it doesn't keep the coffee hot so you have to reheat it in the microwave every time, the tabs that are supposed to show you how much coffee is remaining, don't. Just very disappointed.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from mrcoffee.comBy Mr Coffee, Customer Care, March 26, 2015
Thank you for sharing your comments. We certainly understand where you’re coming from, and appreciate you taking the time to give us your feedback. We are constantly working to improve upon and upgrade the quality of our products, and our consumer's input is invaluable to us. We encourage you to contact our customer care team for assistance with your brewer and any options that may be available to you. We can be reached at 1-800-672-6333, and are here for you Monday-Saturday 9am-6pm Eastern. We want to keep you as part of the Mr Coffee family and hope that you will give us another opportunity to earn your trust and business in the future.
Written by a customer while visiting mrcoffee.com
Customer Rating
3
Gets the job done, but with design issues
on December 17, 2014
Posted by: lovemycats725
from Hummelstown, PA, United States
Gender:Female
I was excited to open my Mr. Coffee Optimal Brew, which I received as a free sample in order to provide this review. It comes in a large, sleek box and, when assembled, cuts a dashing figure on my counter. Alas, though, as I read the instructions and started it up, I realized that, while it certainly fulfills its basic role as a maker of coffee, the moniker of "optimal" is somewhat of an overstatement.
Pros: This coffee maker does a fine job of making coffee, though I found no difference between its results and those of my $20 basic Mr. Coffee, its predecessor. Its thermal carafe does a good job of keeping the coffee warm for a while after brewing. It takes standard size filters, a plus since I already have a ton of them. The water container lifts out so you can fill it at the sink if you want. The delay brew feature is nice and works well. It is intuitive to program the time and delay brew.
Cons: Plan for a lot of counter space for this item (mine takes 18") - the filter basket pops out the left side of the machine, and the water measurement lines are on the right side, so you need clear space on both sides, plus it is a wide machine (9").
The filter basket pops (falls) out of the machine, making it prone to being dropped if you're not careful. It has an odd interior water filter which you're supposed to replace monthly (it comes with 1 filter). It is amazingly difficult to attach the water filter, and the filter stays wet all the time, which makes me think it might get moldy if you're not careful.
The water container is on the left side of the machine and opens on the top. The lid over it does not fit well and falls off with a slight bump, possibly into the water. The measurements are on the side, making them awkward to read. The water container does lift out so you can fill it at the sink if you have the vertical space to lift it (it can't be under a cupboard, for example). The numbers are small and white, making them hard to read even if the container is out at the sink.
The carafe is very heavy, even empty, and you have to press a button on top of it with your thumb to make the coffee pour which hurts my hand. Even with the button pushed, the coffee is very slow to pour. You also cannot see through the carafe to tell how much coffee you have. To compensate, there are 4 indicators in the lid which are supposed to light up to show you how full the carafe is. These are on top of the lid, so you have to pull the coffee maker out of the machine in order to see them. Plus, they barely light up, even in the pitch black in which I pour my first cup. There is also an unprogrammable alarm which goes off when your coffee is done brewing, which scares my cat every time.
The display shows all the pertinent information, though the size and brightness of each piece of information is exactly the opposite of what you'd expect. Indicators that are on for a long time and not really important during most of it, such as that you've set the delay brew feature, are super bright and illuminate my whole kitchen at night. More important indicators to me, such as whether the heat function is still on, are tiny and barely lit.
Summary: As with everything in life, it's the little things that matter, and it's all the little things that somehow went awry with the Mr. Coffee Optimal Brew.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from mrcoffee.comBy Mr. Coffee, Consumer Care, April 15, 2020
We want to thank you for bringing this to our attention. We are always looking for ways to better our product, and your feedback is an invaluable part of that process. If there's anything that we can do to help you, please give us a call at 1-800-672-6333. For your convenience, our Consumer Care Team is available Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, EST. Have a great day!
Written by a customer while visiting mrcoffee.com
Customer Rating
1
Shrill beeping after brewing
on February 28, 2016
Posted by: Lori Eberhart Hampton
from Herrin, IL, United States
Gender:Female
The first 5 pots of coffee were excellent. However, this morning, the coffee pot finished brewing and then maintained a continual shrill beeping sound. I have unplugged the machine, reset the clock, and done everything I can think of without taking it apart. Every time I press the 'Brew Now' button, all I get is a flashing LED, not red, and this shrill sound. HELP!
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
(click to see the video)
Response from mrcoffee.comBy Customer Care, Mr. Coffee, March 1, 2016
We would certainly like to look into this further for you and encourage you to give us a call at 1-800-672-6333. We are here to help Monday-Saturday, 9am-6pm Eastern.
Written by a customer while visiting mrcoffee.com
Customer Rating
4
Very good overall, with a couple of design flaws
on November 18, 2014
Posted by: Dr Ed
from Santa Cruz, CA, United States
Gender:Male
Verified Purchase:Yes
This is our first carafe coffee maker and we are delighted with it so far. Positives: Very fast brewing; convenient to use and clean. BUT - here are some things to watch for or that could be improved:
1. The indicator to determine how full the carafe is very hard to read. It requires just the right amount of ambient lighting. Also, the plastic sticks that transmit the indicator become stained with coffee and therefore not very effective.
2. The filter basket does not rest upright on the counter because of a small mechanism at the bottom of the basket - so when filling, you need to prop it up against something.
3. Most important: If you like strong coffee, you need to use much more than the 1 ½ tsp per cup that is recommended. If you use more coffee, the grounds are likely to spill over the paper filter after they have been moistened. Not a huge problem, but the coffee is really too weak at the recommended level.
4. The coffee stays hot for about 1 hr, 45 min. Thereafter, you have to microwave to get a hot cup of coffee. It helps if you rinse the carafe with very hot water prior to brewing, but this isn't possible if you use the timer.
1. The indicator to determine how full the carafe is very hard to read. It requires just the right amount of ambient lighting. Also, the plastic sticks that transmit the indicator become stained with coffee and therefore not very effective.
2. The filter basket does not rest upright on the counter because of a small mechanism at the bottom of the basket - so when filling, you need to prop it up against something.
3. Most important: If you like strong coffee, you need to use much more than the 1 ½ tsp per cup that is recommended. If you use more coffee, the grounds are likely to spill over the paper filter after they have been moistened. Not a huge problem, but the coffee is really too weak at the recommended level.
4. The coffee stays hot for about 1 hr, 45 min. Thereafter, you have to microwave to get a hot cup of coffee. It helps if you rinse the carafe with very hot water prior to brewing, but this isn't possible if you use the timer.
Bottom line - a very good coffee maker that could be great with a couple of design tweaks.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting mrcoffee.com
Customer Rating
1
POOR
on December 2, 2015
Posted by: Tess
from Missouri City, MO, United States
Gender:Female
NOT IMPRESSED...POOR PRODUCT...TOO BULKY...WATER RESERVE FLIMSEY
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from mrcoffee.comBy Mr. Coffee, Customer Care, December 9, 2015
We have high expectations for our products here at Mr. Coffee, and would like the opportunity to turn your experience around with your coffee maker. Please contact our Customer Service Team at 1-800-672-6333, so that we can ensure that you are completely satisfied with your coffee maker. We are available to help Monday-Saturday, 9am-6pm Eastern. We can certainly get you back up and running!
Written by a customer while visiting mrcoffee.com
Customer Rating
1
Mr coffee
on December 7, 2015
Posted by: Bonn
from SC, United States
Gender:Female
I've had several Mr Coffee's, this one is the least liked.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from mrcoffee.comBy Mr. Coffee, Customer Care, December 14, 2015
We appreciate having you as a member of our Mr. Coffee family, and would like to change your experience with your coffee maker. Please reach out to our Customer Service Team at (800) 672-6333, so that we can resolve this issue for you. We are available to help Monday-Saturday, 9am-6pm Eastern. Thank you for trusting us to fix this for you.
Written by a customer while visiting mrcoffee.com