Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

(sorry for the length of this....my first review but I thought my experience would help) The B145 is a commercial-grade model and not intended for home use, as clearly repeated on Keurig's website and on the packaging. My purchase, and my remedy below, were done at my discretion. I researched Keurigs for several months before pulling the trigger. We have an original (older) B40 at our office that pumps out 20-25 cups per day and still runs like a champ after years of use. Since this is a consumer-grade unit, I was optimistic on the projected longevity. It has the older pump and yes, it makes a fair share of noise which would probably get old running early in the morning. I read tons of reviews on Amazon and was interested in the quieter B60 or B70 before reading all the stories about pump issues. After reading reviews and watching Youtube videos on the sound comparisons between old & new pumps, I decided to try the B145. I ordered it from a popular local office store (with online coupon code...check those out) for a great price. I knew it would be the noisier pump but wanted the reliability without having to fuss with the pump to keep it primed. When you want coffee in the morning, you really aren't in the mood to plead with the machine, right? It arrived the next day and I set it up. I read a couple of reviews about the B145 not priming for the first time...unfortunately mine was one of those. I didn't feel like hauling it back to the store and being inquisitive, I figured I couldn't make it any worse by tinkering (my own choice, I'm not suggesting anyone do the same). Since this model has the drain feature, I managed to get it primed after about 15 minutes of tinkering by doing the following: The unit tried to pull in water but there appeared to have been an air-lock in the line so I held the return nozzle closed while it tried to pull in water. *** Please note, this machine DOES make substantial noise when it is dry...this is normal with ANY pump that is run dry. After about 30 seconds of little-to-no water being pulled from the tank, I shut it off, set it for drain and initially held the return nozzle for a second or two while attempting to drain. It spit some air and a little water into the tank before running empty. I then reset for an initial prime and watching the water level in the tank, it pulled in a little more water this time. I had to repeat this sequence about 3-4 times and each time it pulled in more water (and drained when the valve was reversed). I knew the boiler was full as it was now pulling in the same amount of water during each drain & prime. I put an empty cup under the spout (no K-cup in the holder) and pressed Brew. Voila...a full cup of hot water! *** Please note, once the pump is primed, this machine makes MUCH less noise than when empty. In fact, it makes alot less noise than our older B40 at the office. One tip I found was to place a suitable-sized pot holder or rubber mouse pad underneath and the machine does not vibrate anything on the counter. I've operated both the older and newer models and was pleased to learn that once primed, this model only makes a low hum when running (comparable to the newer style pumps). My opinion is the possible air-lock problem probably affects several models of Keurig brewers, thus the frustrations by owners. These small bladder-style pumps do not like air bubbles in the supply line, whether it's during initial prime or after months/years of use. Clearing the air-lock seems to fix every one of the pump-plagued units that have been repaired from what I've reviewed. My feeling is that if Keurig can implement a fix to keep this condition from occuring on both consumer and commercial-grade models, they would have much happier customers. The partial-cup complaint can also be due to a clog in the K-cup needle(s), fixed with a straightened paper clip. Obviously, if you're under warranty, you should consider that route before attempting repairs yourself. I love this machine and have coupled it with an Ekobrew refillable so I can use any coffee variety. My machine heats up in the morning from cold in about 1 minute, so a timer is not needed. It has an auto-shutoff option, a descale indicator and three cup sizes to choose from so nothing else is needed. Even with my initial problem, I wouldn't have made a different choice. I only gave 4 stars due to the out-of-the-box experience, but now this machine works perfectly! Keurig B145 OfficePRO Brewing System ekobrew Cup, Refillable K-Cup For Keurig K-Cup Brewers, Brown, 1-Count