Coffee & Espresso Makers Tips

Mr. Coffee FTX20 / FTX23 12-Cup Coffee Maker Key FeaturesTypeCoffee MakerBuilt-in Water FilterWith Built-in Water FilterCapacity12 CupOp...

FTX23 NOW IN COFFEEPOT HEAVEN Mr. Coffee FTX20 / FTX23 12 Cup Coffee Maker While looking for a black coffeepot to go with my kitchen decor, I noticed the FTX23. The design caught my eye, as...

I think my first introduction to Mr. Coffee, was in the movie Spaceballs. It stood next to Mr. Radar, and it received a lot of attention from Dark Helmet. After growing older, and having more responsibilities that have led to considerably less sleep, I needed to buy a coffee maker for my kitchen. Like most people, I work maddening hours, and have a dirtball boss who’s always looking over my shoulder. I have a mortgage to pay, along with food for my 2.5 kids and 1.3 dogs. So after much research and shopping around, I decided to buy this Mr. Coffee machine.

There are plenty of coffee makers to choose from, with lots of different options. Its almost like buying a car, and I didn’t want to get stuck with a Daihatsu Rocky. I also didn’t want to spend a fortune for a kitchen appliance, even though some of these coffee makers can retrieve the newspaper and tranquilize the dog at the same time. This machine at $49.99 seemed to offer everything I wanted, as there are plenty of neat features. There is a clock /Fresh Brew Timer display, programmable timer for delayed brewing, Pause and Serve,Warming Plate Temperature Selector, as well as a Brew Strength Button. In addition to all of these features, it has a nuclear green display that gives the kitchen an eerie Three Mile Island glow. I like this, as it is futuristic.

This is a large coffee machine, so make sure your cabinets are high enough for it to go under. The glass carafe will handle up to twelve cups of java, and I like the quality of it. Its not flimsy in any regard, and the machine itself appears to have built by the folks at Mr. Goodwrench. It is very easy to use, and the clock and programmable delay are a breeze to set up. This is the main reason I bought it, as I can have it make coffee at my designated time everyday. This also helps with its rather long brew times.

If you want a fast cup of coffee, do not buy this machine, unless you don’t mind the Pause and Serve Feature. This only allows for 30 seconds, so be sure to get that cup filled up fast. This has got to be the slowest coffee machine I’ve ever used, although it has sped up over time.(I guess it is a bit like a car, in the fact that it needs to be broken in) Expect at least 5 minutes for 4 cups brewed, and it makes a rather disconcerting “Blub Blub Blub” sound while working. If you like your coffee strong, and want to brew it with the “Stronger Brew Button”, expect to wait a little bit longer.

This is another feature that I enjoy. Some people are content with a regular strength cup of coffee, but I want the equivalent of Liquid Crack in the morning.(”I love the smell of battery acid in the morning!”) The Strong Brew Button is a lifesaver, and it really does add a lot of muscle to the coffee. This is worth the extra wait, as this stuff seems to walk away during the process. Its very dark, and full of flavor everytime. This is too strong for a lot of people, so first start with the regular brew, which is also fine for most serving occasions. The machine will beep when finished, which also saves you from having to crane your neck around the kitchen door ,to see if your coffee is ready.

I’m happy that this machine is easy to use, and the instructions that are inside the box, are clear enough to avoid any mistakes. Loading the coffee and filter into it creates no problems, and clean up is as simple as it can possibly be. My major complaint with it, is the mess you can cause while pouring the water into the reservoir. This is located on the top rear side of the machine. Be careful not to pour too much water in at any time, as it can overflow in no time. The vents on top allow for splashing back of the water as well, which can be annoying, and lead to undesired kitchen clean up. Hopefully the brainiac engineers at Mr. Coffee will resolve this problem.

Final Thoughts

This has been a reliable addition to my kitchen, and has been a big help in making my mornings less miserable. Its very user friendly, and works well with my medium ground coffee beans. I still like how it looks on the counter, and how my coffee is already brewed, before I walk out the door to the dungeon everyday. This product can be purchased at major retailers, and has been one of my favorite appliances. I send my kindest regards to Mr. Coffee for a job well done, and I’m also pleased with their coffee bean grinder that I purchased to go along with this machine.

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Mr. Coffee Coffee Maker Stainless Steel Mr. Coffee FTX20 / FTX23 12 Cup Coffee Maker