Coffeemaker suggestions?

[yendi]

So our beloved coffeemaker of four+ years appears to be mostly dead*. It's a Cuisinart 12-cup Thermal coffeemaker, and although we've got enough Amazon credit to just get a new one (it's actually gone up a whopping $1 since we bought it), I figured I'd poll the LJ hive mind for coffeemaker suggestions. We've liked the coffeemaker over the years, but did experience (about once every two months) the problems other folks cite in the reviews

We definitely want a "traditional" coffeemaker (not a french press, etc), and we want to go thermal (no constant heating element burning the coffee once it's brewed). We can probably go down to a ten-cup maker, but it's nice to have the flexibility of 12. We grind beans right before brewing, but I'm NOT a fan of the combo grind-and-brew units, as cleanup on these is awful.

Price-wise, I'd like to keep it around the $100 mark (and as I said, we're paying with Amazon credit and not cash, so things I can't buy at Amazon aren't really stuff I'd consider). We've got a little flexibility, though.

Brand-wise, I've had two Cuisinarts, and loved them, but am not fanatically loyal.

So, anyone got any personal experience with a good thermal carafe cofeemaker? Yes, I can read the reviews on Amazon, so I'm looking for anecdata here.

*This weekend, it finally brewed coffee after six tries. Today, it hasn't yet, but it might.

Comments

[michaeldthomas.livejournal.com]

It was a very good coffeemaker. Sorry. :(

[yendi]

It lived a long and fruitful life, and I'll honor it by raising a mug to it tomorrow.

[glowkitty]

This one looks pretty good. My boss just got another thermal Bunn model that's only 8-cup, but she really enjoys it.

[yendi]

The Bunns are tempting (heh), but they seem a little pricey in light of the problems some folks are reporting. But I might wishlist one for down the road. Thanks!

[losgunna.livejournal.com]

Cuisinart coffemakers have gone way down in quality. This is speaking as somebody who sells them and gets returns on them all the time. It's not one that you'd be looking at (it's not thermal) but one of the models has come back from several people because it caught fire.

[yendi]

Wow! That's really too bad. They'd been solid for a while, but all companies go through less-than-stellar periods, alas.

[jeff-morris.livejournal.com]

If your family is actively using the complete 12-cups...dear god, and my family thinks I'M addicted... :)

I realize this isn't in the realm of what you're asking...but I converted to Keurig two years ago and I love it. It's nice that I don't feel obligated to finish a brewed pot...mind you, I much prefer the one in St. Louis, which has the water reservoir, as opposed to my Omaha base-level machine.

[yendi]

We don't always go 12 cups, but at least half on weekdays. Honestly, if the Keurigs were cheaper (both hardware and software-wise), and less prone to problems, I'd consider one.

[sparkfrost.livejournal.com]

Your insistence on a traditional coffeemaker is hampering my efforts to go all coffee snob on you! Alas.

Bodum tends to put out good products, though I've not used an at-home brewer of theirs. I'll be honest, my little Mr. Coffee worked just fine, and there are some thermal 8 and 10 cup brewers on Amazon for well under $50 that have solid reviews.

[yendi]

*nod* I'd love to have the time and patience to go all coffee-snob and be proper about drinking coffee, but time and quantity are both limiting factors.

I went with one of the sub-$50 ones, as good brewing and thermal are really the big things for me (since I grind, automatic starting doesn't mean much, for example).