Hi all~
Just wanted to give a quick counter balance to the sole review here.
This is our third 30+ cup urn purchased in the past 3 years or so. We received our coffee maker within 2 days of ordering using Amazon Prime.
The Maxi-Matic itself appears very attractive. We purchased it based on the insulating factor included in its design. We primarily use our coffee makers as hot water units for tea and french press. They run 24 hours a day under frequent use. We do not plan to use it as a coffee percolator.
Our household was happy to see the unit heats water to a higher temperature than many coffee makers and so far it seems to maintain the hot temp under its warming cycle. It is plenty hot enough to steep tea and coffee in our presses.
We did not find the machine to be noisy at all. In fact I think it is quieter than the Continental Electrics and West Bend brands we had previously.
I should also mention we can actually keep another 8-10 cups of water in the tank when not using the coffee pan.
We only buy stainless steel now after reading articles that suggest aluminum coffee makers leech more minerals and/or side-products that may be harmful to health.
I cannot speak to the previous reviewer's complaint about the percolating stem. To me it looks the same as most I've seen.
We purchased directly from Amazon so we are reassured that our 30 day return guarantee will give us sufficient time to see if there are any kinks.I'll report back if we find any serious ones.
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UPDATE May 10, 2010-- Sadly, our spigot handle broke off. It is clearly a weakness for this unit. Actually, a couple of months ago, half of the handle portion broke off, but we could still manage to use it without too much trouble. A few days ago the rest of the spigot handle broke vertically in half, separating & falling off, rendering the urn unusable. We've had it just about 5-6 months.
The urn heats so well though compared to the 2 or 3 others we've had- perfectly for a large hot water service pot for tea station, that we are ordering another. Figured the cost for mailing the unit back under warranty probably is not worthwhile. May do it later to have a back up.
We will reinforce the spigot on the new pot.
Down to 2 stars from 4.
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UPDATE Nov 29, 2009-- Continues to work very well. Maintains a hot heat through the day. No issues to make me dissatisfied at this point.
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Maxi-Matic CCM-07X Elite Cuisine 40-Cup Coffee Urn, ChromeProduct Description: Elite by Maxi-Matic's 40-cup large capacity coffee urn is perfect for office use or at large gatherings. Built in stainless steel filter and chrome finish exterior for easy cleaning. Double thermal layer for extra insulating to ensure you enjoy hot and fresh coffee. Safety-lock on cover to prevent accidental spills. Automatic shut-off and keep-warm feature. Convenient water level indicator. Convenient coffee dispenser with continuous pouring feature. 1000-watt.
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I've tried several of the various coffees for Tassimo machines; Gevalia, Henry's, Starbucks, Maxwell House, Carte Noir. The Gevalia Signature Blend is my favorite. I wouldn't consider it a mild coffee, I think it's a bit closer to medium. It has a rich flavor that doesn't come across as being burnt or bitter (like some other coffees do), and is quite smooth. The discs control the temperature and size of the serving, and I find these discs to be quite good in those regards, making a hot cup of coffee that fills a mug to a comfortable level. I've owned my machine for over three years now, and these discs have consistently brewed an excellent cup of coffee. I heartily recommend them.
