Hamilton Beach BrewStation 48274 - 6 cup

The BrewStation 6-cup Coffeemaker (MODEL: 48274) is a convenient way to make your coffee with its one-hand dispensing feature, efficiently brewing 6 cups of coffee per cycle. A programmable digital clock with automatic shut-off makes sure that you don’t burn your coffee.

The coffee maker produces excellent coffee in a stylish and space-saving design that easily fits on any kitchen counter. For coffee-lovers who do not want to waste one drop of coffee, this model is a good choice.

Key features

- The coffee maker features a programmable timer and a clock.
- It has no carafe, which translates to no pouring and no spills.
- It comes with a removable water reservoir.
- It comes with a well-lit display.
- The heater keeps the brewed coffee warm.

Advantages

The main advantage is the convenient one-hand dispensing feature. The six-cup capacity is also a benefit for those who like coffee but do not consume large amounts every day. This is good for a two-person apartment or for a household where only one or two people drink coffee, since they do not have to waste a entire pot of coffee on themselves.

The programmable timer gets the coffee maker working as you wake up, and with no glass carafe, there is no risk for broken containers, no pouring and no spills. The space-saving design also makes it perfect for those living in small apartments where space is essential, especially in very small kitchen counters.

Clean-up is also easy because there are no carafes to clean and the filters just need one dump to remove the grounds before a quick rinse.

Disadvantages

One of the main disadvantages is that you need to go through three complete cycles when washing the coffee maker. And because it has a 6-cup capacity, this model is obviously not very practical for bigger households with a lot of coffee drinkers.

The design is also another source of irritation for some. The spout is located pretty close to the front wall that it is impossible to fill up a cup or a mug without spilling and making a mess.

The arm that dispenses water is also a bit flimsy and is often the first component that breaks down after several uses.

Some consumers are also disappointed to find out that are no water level marker visible from the outside and that it is difficult to view the clock with no light since the clock is not backlit.

Pros
- clean-up is easy
- reasonable height allows it to fit nicely under the kitchen cabinet
- quick brewing time at just 5 minutes
- keeps coffee warm for several hours without any burnt or plastic taste
- programming is easy to use
- user-friendly design
- no carafe that needs cleaning
- tank is out of sight and easy to clean

Cons
- brews coffee at a low temperature of 152 degrees (the addition of creamer brings it down even more)
- bottom side of the covers tends to accumulate with fine coffee grounds
- not suitable for bigger households
- plastic arm that dispenses water tends to leak when not placed properly over the basket - plastic arm looks flimsy and easy to break
- hot water tends to run through the coffee grounds too quickly to allow it to steep
- spout is too close to the concave front wall, making filling thick-rimmed mugs impossible to do without spilling
- lid does not close down properly and when lifted, tends to dribble distillation down the back of the machine
- instructions in the manual are incomplete and confusing