Hamilton Beach Brewstation 12 Cup Coffee Maker Review

Hamilton Beach BrewStation Coffee Maker

The Hamilton Beach Brewstation Coffee Maker is a very attractive coffee maker and will match any kitchen being an all black color.  It will brew up to 12 cups of coffee at a time.  It is simple to brew coffee with and dispenses one cup of coffee at a time. There is no "pot" and no warming tray which provide for less features to break on the appliance. You simply get a cup of coffee when you want it.

To set up the machine you must first clean it. You will need to remove the filter basket and the coffee tank and wash with soap and water, dry and put back together. These pieces are made of a pvc material and lock right into place. The lid to the coffee maker sits on top of the filter basket and is opened by simply lifting it up and back down to close it.

The Hamilton Beach BrewStation Coffee Maker comes with the above mentioned filter basket, coffee tank, a coffee scoop, a package of cleaner and of course the main unit. The main unit is large, has rubberized circular thingies on the bottom which prevent slipping while on your counter top and is a very nice feature to have when using this in a travel trailer. It has only a 3-ft. power cord which could be a little longer for cabinets that don't have a lot of electrical plugs or for using in travel trailers.

To brew coffee, you fill up the coffee tank and pour into the reservoir. You can brew up to 12 cups of coffee which can be measured by the markings in your tank. After the coffee has brewed you can tell how many cups is left by the visible clear window. To get a cup of coffee, you hold your cup against the dispenser button gently and your coffee will begin to fill your cup. When you have the desired amount, remove the cup. There is a small drip tray at the bottom of the coffemaker but it doesn't appear to be able to hold very much liquid at all. It uses typical coffee filters, no special size or brand needed.

It has an on/off button and automatic shut off feature that shuts the machine off after two hours. 

My Experience With The BrewStation

So far I have been impressed with the Hamilton Beach BrewStation Coffee Maker. It brews a good cup of coffee and it is super easy to use. We have used it on several camping trips so far and it has not failed to deliver a great cup of coffee yet.

I like the way the coffee stays a nice temperature even after it has been brewed for an hour. It also doesn't take on a stale taste if you turn the BrewStation back on after the two hour cut off. It just continues to keep the coffee at a nice and even "just right" temperature.

I love the fact that there is no glass pot or carafe that goes with the unit. I always end up breaking them and then having to find a replacement.

Washing this unit is very easy. The filter can be placed in the dishwasher but the manufacturer recommends a hand washing only for the coffee tank. A packet of descaler cleanser is included to give the machine a good cleaning from the inside. You use this by adding the descaler and turning the unit on for 20 seconds and then back off. You let the unit sit for 20 minutes to allow the descaler to do its job. Then you will add a tank of water only and let it run through the machine and repeat with a second tank to make sure you get everything out of the unit.

The only things I would change about this unit is the length of the power cord to be at least 4 feet instead of the 3 ft. length. The other thing that didn't impress me is the drip tray. It is only like 2 inches by 1.5 inches in diameter. I don't see how it will hold very much liquid if you have a nice spill or eventually have a gasket wear out that will cause a constant drip..

On our last trip out my husband decided that we would leave this unit on the counter top instead of putting it up. The padding on the bottom does an excellent job of gripping and the coffeemaker rode well on the counter without moving an inch during travel. That was impressive!

We have encountered a leak or drip after several years of using this coffee maker.  My husband took the unit apart and cleaned it.  Coffee grounds were up in and around the gasket causing the unit to drip.  Now it is back into perfect working condition.

Recommendation

You bet!  We have had our Hamilton Beach Brewmaster (12 cup) for over 5 years now and have had very little problems with it.  It has lasted this long because it didn't have a glass pot with it for me to break.  Thumbs up to Hamilton Beach. for a nicely designed coffee maker.