Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsGreat coffee maker
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2022
I've now had this coffee maker for a while, and ultimately I'm very happy with it. Most importantly, this thing makes a really great cup of coffee. I've had, and/or used, a ridiculous number of coffee makers from just about every manufacturer. Among the SCA recommended models specifically, including those from Moccamaster, I don't think any other machine produces a better cup of coffee than what's brewed by this Zwilling. I think many of the SCA recommended coffee makers produce coffee that's as good as the Zwilling's, but none are better. So in other words, the coffee from this machine is as good as it gets and the price is actually quite a value.
The build quality seems good so I'm optimistic about the overall durability and longevity (although I'll update this review if it turns out otherwise). For those who may be clumsy, like me, the glass carafe doesn't seem particularly fragile so I'm not worried about breaking it. The carafe is glass though, so it's certainly breakable, but I don't think unreasonably so. The overall design is aesthetically pleasing, and it's practical too, easy to use and maintain.
This machine has far more positives than negatives, and it makes good coffee, so I'm not going to list out the "pros" but I'll call out some "cons":
-the clock can only be set in 24-hr time, which I don't really mind, but I'm guessing others may prefer 12-hr time. My theory is that most people who buy this machine won't mind because they won't be using the programmatic brew start. I say that because coffee is so much better if you grind immediately before brewing vs. grinding the night before. However, I've tried it, and the delayed/scheduled/programmatic brewing works as anticipated.
-the hotplate doesn't stay hot for very long. This is a problem with any "quality" coffee maker because manufacturers don't want to encourage stale or burnt coffee. However, I think my Moccamaster managed this problem slightly better. The issue is that coffee doesn't taste great after sitting around +60 min. after brewing, especially if it's burning on a hot plate. My previous coffee maker, the Moccamaster, held coffee warm for about 90 min. but this Zwilling only holds coffee warm for about 30 min. That being said, the Zwilling seems to be more effective because the coffee remains pleasingly warm, whereas the Moccamaster's "warming" never seemed very warm (note: I didn't want a machine with a thermal carafe because I think that they're hard to clean, and I think you get better taste by brewing into glass (it's a personal preference). When I want to hold coffee warm for longer periods then I'll pour it into a thermal carafe/thermos/Hydroflask, or just brew a new pot for warm and fresh (better tasting) coffee.)
-I can't easily find how many ounces are in a "cup," which made it hard to measure the right amount of coffee without weighing. I think each cup is about 5oz, but I'm not certain because I recently purchased the Zwilling grinder so I don't need to measure out the coffee anymore (the grinder does that for you). I highly recommend buying Zwilling's grinder to go with the machine).
Would I buy again? Absolutely. I was only considering SCA approved coffee makers, and among those, my decision came down to Moccamaster vs. Zwilling. I had a Moccamaster previously, and the coffee was good, but not any better than this Zwilling. The Zwilling cost less, and the aesthetic fit better with my kitchen, which is why I ended up purchasing it and would choose to purchase again if needed.
