I love my Zojirushi coffee maker.  I had a Zojirushi for 4 years and never had a bit of trouble with it until I left the lid open and didn't move the hot water wand (for lack  of the proper word) over the basket with the coffee grounds.  The water in the reservior became super heated and burned out the heating element.  It was totally my fault, just a slip of the brain.  So I had to go looking for a new coffee maker.  There just isn't anything out there to compare.  We drink tea in the mornings and I can remove the basket to make hot water in the same stainless steel carafe that I use...