BLACK+DECKER 12-Cup Thermal Coffee Maker, Keep Coffee Hot with Insulated Stainless Steel Carafe, Digital Controls, Easy to Clean.

I am an avid researcher when making a purchase, especially when it's as critical as our daily coffee supply- lol! So when our third rather expensive Keurig died very early I decided we'd spend no more money on that brand. I was looking for the versatility of brewing a whole pot or a smaller portion AND the idea of a thermal carafe instead of a hot plate was very appealing. I looked at many, many brands and models ranging in price from $ to $$$. I read reviews, I watched videos, I looked up anything and everything I could. This little machine continued to offer features that I really liked without bells and whistles I would rarely use. We are a plain yet picky coffee drinking household and we nurse a pot all day long (one of us is day shift and the other night shift so it's always "morning wake up time" around here). As one who nputs milk in their coffee, I'll admit to being doubtful that I'd find a coffeemaker with a thermal carafe that would maintain a drinkable temperature (once milk was added to the cup) for very long and I hate microwaving my coffee. So I read reviews saying this carafe "kept coffee hot for hours" with a strong dose of skepticism. WOW! Has this exceeded expectations! Four hours after brewing the very last cup of the pot was still quite hot enough to steam and be very nicely drinkable after I added the milk. So, here is my run down of the lovely features this model offers:1. Capacity - It holds a full 12 cups which gets us through a day here. Everyone should remember that a "cup" when measuring coffee is actually 5oz. and not 8oz. So 60 oz. of water goes in and 60 oz. of coffee comes out (yes, the engineer in the house measured) which is more than our much more $$ Keurig could ever say.2. Ease of Use - The brew, size and programming options are quite straightforward to operate, not only in compexity but in button size and readablity, which is helpful when my elderly father wants to help prepare the next mornings coffee.3. Build Quality and Design - The machine fits easily under my kitchen cabinets, and takes up much less counter space than my Keurig. The markings on the water reservoir are easy to see. TIP: Do use a pitcher other than the carafe to fill the reservoir, not because the carafe doesn't pour well (IT POURS GREAT!), but because it is just easier if you are working under cabinets to pour from something smaller.4. The carafe - This could go under design, but it's honestly such a great feature it deserves its own note. It is clearly a quality thermal container and very easy to pour from and it's wide mouth when you take the lid off makes it extremely easy to clean (no need for that narrow brush when washing, you can get your entire hand in there, even my husband's larger hands find it easy to clean). And here is the tip that I've been most grateful for from other reviews: After brewing is complete, REMOVE the carafe from the coffeemaker tray. When it is on the tray the "brew through" feature of the lid is automatically open slightly (to allow for brewing) and I'm sure this could speed heat loss. We simply take the pot and move it over to the counter and hours later it's still plenty hot, yet the cool-touch handle and sides of the carafe are not too warm to handle easily. We have not needed to put a hotpad underneath the carafe when on the counter. Also, the spout pours nice and neatly, unlike other coffeemakers we've had where you were cleaning up drips each time you poured a cup.All this to say, if you want a quality, easy to use and easy to maintain machine AND actual value for your money, purchase this machine! I'm so glad I did!!!

Read the directions!Function: The B&D Model 2046S brews great coffee. At 12 cups its capacity was larger than I preferred (6 cups yields 3 mugs), but the hint to "use the Strong setting for fewer cups" works great.The large opening to the water reservoir makes it easy to fill, and the window makes it easy to see the water volume inside. The carafe opening is large enough for my hand to fit into, so I can easily clean and dry it each use.The stainless steel carafe has a plastic lid that works fine; twists into place to seal; has a push button to use when pouring coffee (the directions weren't overly clear, but I looked it over carefully, and it was easy to see how it works - but it was not intuitively obvious).One may want the carafe to hold and keep the coffee hotter. If so, pre-heating with hot water makes sense. However, WITHOUT PRE-HEATING, the coffee has been hot enough for my preference.Minor Limitations: (1) The basket has a spring-loaded piece on the bottom that controls the drip into the carafe, so it will not sit level on the counter, where I prefer to add coffee grounds. Solution: I'm more careful not to spill grounds when filling the basket filter as it is mounted in its place in the machine. (2) The Vortex Technology filler system in the lid requires a little more detailed cleaning (than a quick swipe) after it brews a pot, but not terrible.I have only used the coffee maker two days, thus have not used the Auto-Clean system, nor have I used the programmable timer (I want freshly ground coffee, and want to keep the machine dry between brews for sanitary reasons). I was concerned about the ease of using the manual start sequence, but all I have to do is push the Strong setting button and push the "Power" button. The brewing time is not the fastest, but it is effective and a relatively quiet brewing process. My previous Black & Decker lasted over 20 years before the tank failed, and I have hopes that this one will last many years too.Packaging was superb! The machine and carafe were securely packed, but easy to unpack. Well designed!