Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

[UPDATE Apr. 2016]: Nearly a full 6 years later and still going strong. The only problems (if they can even be called that) is the lettering being worn from the buttons and some mild staining on the tea basket. [UPDATE Oct. 2014]: Since reviews are so rarely updated once published, I thought it might be helpful to come back and note that after just over 4 years using this (multiple times per day), it's still going strong. (Touch wood.) I've encountered many kitchen gadgets that would putter-out in half that time. In that, my original review still stands *and* you can add "durable" to the list of its features. Original Review: It's easy to mistake this brewer as fine German engineering, but it's "designed in Australia" and "manufactured in China"--frankly, I have no idea where Germany comes into play or why it's written in the logo on the carafe. (According to astute commenters, Germany comes into play because they manufactured the carafe's glass.) With that said, I've waited a couple of months to write my review because I wanted the "ooh, shiny!" effect to wear off; that way there would be more objectivity based on experience and the gremlins hiding in the gears could be flushed out. When I first opened the package the instruction manual intimidated me because it was the size of a small novel, but after a few minutes it became clear that operation would be much simpler than I anticipated (and it was), and I marveled at the brewer's sleek brushed metal style (it's one kitchen appliance that can be displayed on the counter without embarrassment). While setting it up I took note of the carafe's weight--it's on the hefty side. Since I generally only make 2-4 cups at a time, it's not a big problem, but when making a full pot or cleaning it, two hands are usually necessary for stability. On my first few go 'rounds, I used the preset options until my comfort level improved and with a string of great results under my belt I decided to try some of the custom settings. My favorite so far is the automatic brewing--it's like a personal tea butler. You put in the water and tea, set the timer, go to bed and wake up to hot freshly brewed tea. Now if only it could figure out a way to pour itself, add milk and sugar to my liking, and shuttle itself to my bed.... The only quirk is that if you suffer a power surge or outage lasting more than a few seconds, you'll need to reset the clock. The variable settings, such as changing the brew times in 30 second increments and water temp. in 5 degree increments, allow you to brew tea to suit just about any palate. And once you've found your perfect balance for varietals it remembers your last-used setting so all you need to do is hit the brew tea button. Another bonus is that, in a pinch, it works with tea bags. Typically you'd boil the water (this thing boils 2 cups of water in under a minute, by the way) and then soak the tea bags in the cup. Instead, pluck the strings, pop the bags into the tea basket, press the tea type button, brew time, and brew. While it doesn't match the taste of loose leaf tea, it's still delicious. (Personal tip: Brew the tea bags for a minute longer than you normally would for loose leaf. Your mileage may vary.) Cleaning is easy enough--you fill it up with water or a vinegar dilution, click the hot water button, pour it out and wipe it down--but for someone with large hands, getting into the crannies (i.e. behind the rod which lowers the basket) of the carafe when wiping it down can be difficult. One gremlin I ran into, though, happened when the carafe's lid slipped off the counter and the plastic edge which secures the rubber seal cracked in two places. I was able to jerryrig the plastic back into its holding (still cracked) without harm to the rubber seal, but one would expect a sturdier lid, a lid which could manage a short tumble--less than four feet to the tile floor--unscathed. For me, this was annoying, but minor since it didn't affect the brewer's ability to function. Overall, I'm happy. This brewer has spoiled me more than I expected--a lesson learned while traveling--and if it were a man, I'd seriously consider marriage. And if you have any questions about this brewer or my experiences with it, please leave a comment and I'll do my best to answer.