Gevalia Coffee For Two Coffeemaker

I don't drink coffee a lot, but I do go through phases where I just want a cup of coffee every morning. Just because I don't drink it a lot doesn't mean I don't enjoy a good cup of coffee. I enjoy coffee so much that I asked my mom for a coffee grinder for my birthday last year so I could enjoy my coffee when it's fresh ground. Yes, I like a lot of flavored coffees, and I think that's because I drink it to enjoy the taste, not because I need something to keep me awake. God knows I don't need anymore help staying awake. Of course I mostly buy decaf.

Anyway the reason for this post isn't because I want to ramble about how much I like coffee. I want to ramble about how much I loathe my current coffeemaker. A few months ago hubby broke my old coffeemaker. It was the typical pot style that made 12 cups, and it was a cheap one that I got at the Dollar General for maybe $8, but it did the job perfectly. When hubby broke it his Grandma passed on a Gevalia coffeemaker she'd just purchased but never used.

This one is the Gevalia Coffee For Two Coffeemaker that comes with two thermal mugs.

The Good:

-The ability to brew one or two cups depending on how much you need.

-The ability to brew directly into your thermal mug. You don't have to transfer your coffee from the pot to the mug.

-The brewing chambers snap off for easy cleanup and can be placed in the dishwasher.

-The coffee for each cup is separated in the brewing chambers, so you have the ability to brew two different kinds at once. I can brew decaf french vanilla for me while hubby gets regular caffeinated coffee.


The Bad:

-The included coffee scoop is supposed to measure out 1 serving. 1 serving with this scoop in the 14 oz thermal mug produces coffee that looks like water with a drop of brown food coloring. I don't drink strong coffee, but I can't drink coffee that looks like water either. It took multiple tries to figure out exactly how much coffee I would need.

-The filters do not stay in place in the filter compartment when the water runs through leaving you with a huge mess of grains in the bottom of your coffee. Sometimes the coffee will clog (doesn't matter if it's pre-ground or ground at home) in the bottom of the filter causing all of the brewed coffee to overflow from the filter cup onto the counter in a huge mess. Of course the cat is always there trying to get his coffee fix licking up the mess as quick as possible!

-The included Gevalia filters were horrible. Only about half of my coffee would brew before the filter would break sending all of the grounds flying into the coffee. Purchasing replacement filters from my local grocery store helped some with this, but I still have occasional breakage.

-The mugs are cheaply made. I hand wash my thermal mugs, but after less than a month's use (4-5 times) the plastic interior separated from the metal exterior. I have to wash each separately to avoid mildew, then I have to put my thermal mugs back together after both pieces dry. During use if you accidentally pick up the mug by the top rim the metal part will fall off.

I've tried many different methods to get my coffee to brew with this coffeemaker without making a mess. I've finally found that the only way I can do so without the filter busting or overflowing is to disregard the fill line on the coffeemaker. Instead I have to add the water to brew in thirds. This means I have to stand over the coffeemaker adding more water every minute or two. This doesn't always work though. Just this morning I ended up straining my coffee into a coffee mug because only half way through the brew cycle the filter burst (a Gevalia filter and Gevalia french vanilla coffee ground coffee).

Easy of Use:
Brew Time (when working correctly):
Features:
Works Properly:
Informal Critique's Overall Rating: