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#4027978 - 10/27/14 09:26 PM Products that work - Bunn ST Coffee Machine  
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Dart Offline
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Lifer

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Alabaster, AL USA
It's been awhile since we at Entropy Unlimited Labs reviewed a product, as we haven't found anything that not only does what it says it does but does it better than expected.

My old coffee machine was showing its age - it was inconsistent in brewing, the thermal carafe had turned into a joke dribble prop, and it was just not performing. My wife took pity on me and splurged on a high speed Bunn ST coffee maker with thermal carafe.



First off, it's a Bunn, which means that it actually holds the water you'll brew with in a pre-heated tank and the water one puts in to make coffee is for the next pot. Because the water is pre-heated, as soon as one closes the filler lid on the top of the machine it starts brewing.

Three minutes for what they call ten cups but it really more like twelve. This is a very good thing. The upshot isn't just fast coffee, but since it's a continuous pour of hot water on the grounds in a dispersed spray head the coffee is much less bitter and just plain better tasting.

I'm not a coffee snob; or, rather, I'm a reverse coffee snob. Spare me the fancy blends that are nearly burned in a "deep roast" and trying very hard to be eight ounces of espresso instead of just a cup of Joe. Foldger's and Maxwell House "light" or "breakfast" blends are just the right flavors for my tastes. That Gevalia stuff is pretty good, too. The point is that I like the taste of coffee, and the current trend is to take the coffee bean and roast it until it's just bitter. I even like strong coffee, but that's still different than "dark roasted."

A little more coffee is required for a rich cup than with my old maker, as the water is in and out very quickly (which is why it doesn't have a chance to get bitter), and it's hot. Two hundred degrees, which is very European. Indeed, it tastes like it came out of a French press more than an electric maker.

The thermal carafe has one of those "pour through" lids, but despite this keeps the coffee hot for around five hours.

Some instruction manual weirdness comes with it. I laughed at the fact there were no less than four warnings to fill the pre-heater tank before turning it on in various places on the machine, but I guess they're necessary. What made me kind of crazy is there is no on/off switch.

There is, however, a "vacation" switch. Because the water in the tank is always pre-heating, if one is to go on vacation it needs to be temporarily powered down to prevent evaporation within the tank. They have provided a switch for this to turn the power off to the heating elements for when goes on said vacation.

Seriously.

A "vacation" switch.

Not a power switch, or an on/off switch. A vacation switch. Rather inconsistently, it does have a Power On Light. I guess they didn't want to call it a "Work Indicator."



That quirk not withstanding, it's the cat's meow when it comes to coffee makers. And since it's a Bunn I expect it to last a really long time. I don't know how much the wife paid for it, but knowing her it was for about a third of retail.


The opinions of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.

More dumb stuff at http://www.darts-page.com

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#4027979 - 10/27/14 09:31 PM Re: Products that work - Bunn ST Coffee Machine [Re: Dart]  
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Smithcorp Offline
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Nice thread Dart - there should be a review website for products that 'just work'.

#4027994 - 10/27/14 10:17 PM Re: Products that work - Bunn ST Coffee Machine [Re: Dart]  
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6079 Smith
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Quebec, Canada
Originally Posted By: Smithcorp
Nice thread Dart - there should be a review website for products that 'just work'.


I'm going to jump in on this and pimp my favorite "It just works!" product.

Rayovac Indestructable AA flashlight.

2XAA. 100 lumens high and 18 lumens low. Rear clicky with momentary on. Bright enough on high for almost anything you need to do outside, and the low setting is great for around the house. Last for hours and hours on standard batteries. Build tough as a fireplug. You can pound nails with this thing, throw it against a brick wall a hundred times, anything, it just won't break. And it costs about $15.

I own a few "expensive" flashlights, Surefire and 4Sevens, but this one is The Tank. Dollar for dollar, it's the best flashlight ever made.



Question everything!
#4028069 - 10/28/14 01:08 AM Re: Products that work - Bunn ST Coffee Machine [Re: Dart]  
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.Wombat. Offline
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Texas
Just got one of these about a year n a half ago. It replaced my other Bunn that kept me in jitters for 17 years. Good product !
Yea the vacation switch was invented by the same guy who came up with the radial tire pressure gauge.

Last edited by .Wombat.; 10/28/14 01:10 AM.
#4028091 - 10/28/14 02:01 AM Re: Products that work - Bunn ST Coffee Machine [Re: Dart]  
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Lifer
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Have always had Bunnomatic coffee makers. They last 10 to 15 years at least.


Wheels


Cheers wave
Wheelsup_cavu

Mission4Today (Campaigns, Missions, and Skins for IL-2)
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#4028099 - 10/28/14 02:19 AM Re: Products that work - Bunn ST Coffee Machine [Re: Dart]  
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I'd vote for CH Prodcuts HOTAS peripherals for this category. They may not be sexy, they may be plastic, but they just work. Over almost a decade.
Do you know how rare that is for electronics?


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#4028100 - 10/28/14 02:23 AM Re: Products that work - Bunn ST Coffee Machine [Re: Dart]  
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BTW thus thread is a kickass idea. I'm already gonna buy the Rayovac based on Colds review.


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#4028118 - 10/28/14 03:27 AM Re: Products that work - Bunn ST Coffee Machine [Re: Dart]  
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Dart Offline
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Lifer

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Alabaster, AL USA
Along the same lines, the Leatherman Squirt P4:



Note that I'm referring to the model with the pliers on the end, not the shears. They suck.

However, this little sucker is about two and a quarter inches long closed and fits on a keychain just fine. Normally little plier dealies like this are fragile and easy to break if one twists with it when using the pliers, but it's far more robust than it looks.

Not only have I used the pliers on it quite a bit, but the blade is quality steel that holds an edge well, and the punch on it is what I used to make holes in the fabric of my wings when putting in the reinforcing rivets on the ribs!

Even the ring that holds it on one's keychain is quality metal and won't warp or break.

While I just googled and found out the P4 is discontinued, I'm betting the PS4, which looks identical to me, is of the same quality.

Last edited by Dart; 10/28/14 03:29 AM.

The opinions of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.

More dumb stuff at http://www.darts-page.com

From Laser:
"The forum is the place where combat (real time) flight simulator fans come to play turn based strategy combat."
#4028122 - 10/28/14 03:49 AM Re: Products that work - Bunn ST Coffee Machine [Re: Dart]  
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great coffee maker have had it for 3 years no problems

-- we always grind our own coffee beans
-- we always used filtered water (reverse osmosis)
-- we prefer dark French roast
-- we always use 6 oz water/per scoop of coffee


"everything lives by a law, a central balance sustains all"
#4028124 - 10/28/14 04:03 AM Re: Products that work - Bunn ST Coffee Machine [Re: Dart]  
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Bunn is good stuff. My grandfather had a commercial dual carafe unit in his home kitchen, and it always had coffee ready to go.

I have used a percolator for a while now, both stovetop and electric. By putting a regular paper filter in the basket (just tear a small hole in the middle to clear the pipe), I can use regular Folgers Breakfast Blend ground coffee, with near zero grounds leaking through. Something about the flavor I came to like, and I am still with it for homemade coffee. The brew is a bit weaker than most of the heavy, dark types that come from those cup-type coffee makers, but still tastes robust and never gives me caffeine problems.


WARNING: This post contains opinions produced in a facility which also occasionally processes fact products.
#4028125 - 10/28/14 04:07 AM Re: Products that work - Bunn ST Coffee Machine [Re: Dart]  
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This is also a product that werks:


#4028127 - 10/28/14 04:11 AM Re: Products that work - Bunn ST Coffee Machine [Re: Dart]  
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another product that works--Taylor guitars. Going on 20 years old, both of them.


Mobo ASUS MAXIMUS IV EXTREME (REV 3.0)
Memory CORSAIR XMS3 8GB DDR3
GPU 2 EVGA 680 FTW 4GB
CPU Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz)
Drives 2 HITACHI Deskstar 3TB 2 Crucial 256 GB SSD Displays 3 HP ZR30w 30" monitors
UPS Cyberpower PP2200SW
PSU Antec High Current Pro HCP-1200 1200W
Case COOLER MASTER CM Storm Trooper
Drive LITE-ON Black 12X Blu-ray
CPU cooler Noctua 6 Dual Heatpipe
Fans COOLER MASTER SickleFlow 120
OS Windows 7 Premium
#4028130 - 10/28/14 04:34 AM Re: Products that work - Bunn ST Coffee Machine [Re: Dart]  
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Rain-X. Both the original and the windshield wash to help maintain it between applications.
I have used it for years. It works as advertised.

Last edited by Rumpelhardt; 10/28/14 04:35 AM.

Resident Bitter Clinger
#4028133 - 10/28/14 04:46 AM Re: Products that work - Bunn ST Coffee Machine [Re: Dart]  
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A French Press just works and works quite well. biggrin


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#4028136 - 10/28/14 05:03 AM Re: Products that work - Bunn ST Coffee Machine [Re: Dart]  
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Aeropress just works better... yep

#4028141 - 10/28/14 05:41 AM Re: Products that work - Bunn ST Coffee Machine [Re: Dart]  
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Beat the Kobayashi Maru
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We have that same Cuisenart, but now we just use it when we have company.
Switched to Keurig, but when my wife took that to work, we got the Bunn equivalent. Uses Keurig cups but also has a better system for using regular coffee than the basket Keurig uses. Makes the BEST coffee! No tank, you match the water to the mug. I always got stuck refilling the Keurig tank anyway. LOL
The Bunn plus my French Market coffee makes me happy. biggrin
No paper filter to remove the tasty oils.



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#4028142 - 10/28/14 05:56 AM Re: Products that work - Bunn ST Coffee Machine [Re: Dart]  
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Beat the Kobayashi Maru
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For it just works...your basic Kindle. Yeah, could say "a print book", but the basic Kindle being tech that works so well at what it does without trying to do it all half-assed like smart phones, a battery that lasts months, easier to read than a print book....very impressive.

1964 Gillette Slim Adjustable. Not mine pictured here, but the same. Your basic safety razor, but exceptional. Beats out the multiblade razors although it might take an extra minute to use. Works just as well, or better if you take your time, and costs CENTS to refill instead of $5 per refill. I've had modern versions, by Merkur and Parker but the old one I found at a flea market for $2 is still by far the best. Yes, I thoroughly sterilized it. LOL



·Steam: Raw Kryptonite ·MWO & Elite Dangerous: Defcon Won ·Meager youtube channel
·Intel i5-9600K ·EVGA GTX1070 FTW 8GB ·EVGA CLC 120 Cooler
·16 GB Patriot Memory VIPER 4 3000MHz ·GIGABYTE Z390 AORUS PRO WiFi Mobo
· CORSAIR CARBIDE AIR 540 case ·BenQ BL3200PT monitor
#4028176 - 10/28/14 10:36 AM Re: Products that work - Bunn ST Coffee Machine [Re: No Name]  
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6079 Smith
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Quebec, Canada
Originally Posted By: peppergomez
BTW thus thread is a kickass idea. I'm already gonna buy the Rayovac based on Colds review.


There is a whole family of Rayovac Indestructibles. Rayovac.com shows them all. Check out the torture test videos on YouTube, some of them are a riot and you won't believe what these flashlight can survive.

There is a new 250 lumen high, 40 lumen low, 2xD cell Indestructible that has excellent runtimes. Haven't seen it on the shelf here yet, but I'm grabbing it as soon as I do. It's about $30. That's an amazing price for those specs and build quality.


Question everything!
#4028208 - 10/28/14 12:32 PM Re: Products that work - Bunn ST Coffee Machine [Re: Dart]  
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Entil'zha
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Rayovac should build smartphones...



The Jedi Master


The anteater is wearing the bagel because he's a reindeer princess. -- my 4 yr old daughter
#4028247 - 10/28/14 01:27 PM Re: Products that work - Bunn ST Coffee Machine [Re: Dart]  
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I remember once i used my dad's old shaving razor - it wasn't a safety razor and i took a big hunk of skin off my face ...of course it started bleeding quickly and i fainted and hit the floor


"everything lives by a law, a central balance sustains all"
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