Community Forums

Virginia · 02-21-2008, 08:29 AM

Comes the time to bite the bullet - we need a new coffee pot in the coach. Was going to get the Black and Decker under the cupboard mounted one but the reviews were terrible! Does anyone have the new one from Camping World - the Contoure? It is costly but has some advantages like locking parts to keep them from falling out - This certainly isn't as important as some of the items here on the forum but as a coffee drinker - it is pretty high on my list ---

Virginia · 02-21-2008, 08:29 AM

Comes the time to bite the bullet - we need a new coffee pot in the coach. Was going to get the Black and Decker under the cupboard mounted one but the reviews were terrible! Does anyone have the new one from Camping World - the Contoure? It is costly but has some advantages like locking parts to keep them from falling out - This certainly isn't as important as some of the items here on the forum but as a coffee drinker - it is pretty high on my list ---

bjbkkb · 02-21-2008, 09:02 AM

Virginia & Steve, I use the Mr. Coffee with a thermal carafe that I took from home. If I have to make while I am driving I use the generator and put the coffee machine in the sink so it won't move around. I find with the thermal carafe though it will stay warm for several hours and I don't have to worry about the metal thermal carafe breaking.

Frankie · 02-21-2008, 09:30 AM

Coffee is an importaint part of our rv life.I have boughten several differant kinds , black and decker being one of them.We liked it a lot,no space for it in new MH. I ended up with the Tassimo and we love it.Not cheap but makes a great cup o joe.

Pusherman · 02-21-2008, 09:52 AM

I mounted the Black and Decker Space Saver coffee pot in my new coach a year ago. These models have the feature where you pull the pot from the warmer while it's still brewing a lever will release a spring-loaded device on the brew basket to stop it from draining onto a hot burner.

Be aware that the older versions (2006 circa) have a problem where the coffee basket will creep out from the coffee maker due to the pressue the pot exerts on the little arm while in place on the burner, which effectively moves the lever on the brew basket to close the drain.

Doesn't sound like a problem, right? What happens is the brew basket overflows while brewing and you have a huge mess on your hand.

Black and Decker doesn't publicly acknowledge a problem with their design, but they'll send you a new brew basket (which in my case did not fix the problem).

I looked at the new design for these pots, and they have added 2 dimples, one on each side of the brew basket, which positively keeps the brew basket in place so this problem doesn't occur.

When shopping for this pot, make sure it has the dimples in the brew basket for a positive detent when the brew basket is inserted in the coffee maker. I've recently seen them at Wally World.

P.S. I solved my problem by taking the spring and the mechanism off the brew basket. I no longer have the feature where you can pour yourself a cup of coffee while still brewing, but nor do I have a potential overflow problem from the brew basket any more.

The brew of the coffee is fine, by the way. We like it for locating it off the counter (permanently).

swansnest · 02-21-2008, 10:40 AM

Pusherman - That is interesting to read your post. We bought the B&D 1 1/2 yrs ago and mounted under the cabinet just to discover exactly as you stated "the coffee basket creeps out" and what a mess with coffee & grounds all over the place!

B&D never acknowledged that there was a problem and I tried all sorts of things to try and stop it from happening, but to no avail. (I never thought of taking the spring mechanism off!)

We were going to return it but of course the box was thrown away as soon as we mounted it. To make matters worse - my husband unmounted it and left it on the counter. Yep, you guessed it. It went flying off and broke the carafe! We were stupid enough to pay B&D $25 for a new carafe.

We ended up buying a Hamilton Beach Brew Station which holds the coffee in an enclosed brewing station and a keep -warm heater that doesn't scorch the coffee. It brews up to a full pot and dispenses one cup at a time so that you can enjoy flavorful coffee on demand with no glass carafe to break.

We went through about 3 coffee makers before finally settling for this and it makes a pretty good brew.

Virginia & Steve - If you are going to be at the Pomona Rally I will give you our B&D if you want it. Tris would love to get it out of the garage cupboard! Just let me know before the weekend.

Barbaraok · 02-21-2008, 01:27 PM

We got one of the Cuisinart Coffee makers with NO carafe. There is an internal holding tank and you dispense one cup at a time. It is velcroed to the counter - - only once did it come off and fall over onto the couch, during a PANIC stop in Chicago. The cats got a cold coffee bath!

Luckily there wasn't much coffee left, but did have to vacumn coffee grounds when we finally stopped for the night that I didn't get with the initial mop up.

Barb

Virginia · 02-21-2008, 01:54 PM

Thanks for the info on the B&D's - I'll keep my eyes open - I think this Contoure has a smaller footprint than the B&D - Swansnest - Thanks for the offer but we won't be in Pomona - still a member of the working class and am chained to my desk Mon-Fri usually - Barbara and David - did you have many problems getting your cats used to the ride? We have two rescued Pixie Bobs and have taken them twice - it is somewhat of a struggle to get them into the cages to go out to the MH but they eventually calm down some - I guess the key probably is to just keep taking them (they have come a LONG way from when we first brought them home)

sal avitabile · 02-21-2008, 03:28 PM

along with the list of other complaints ,it was the worst pouring carafe I ever had ,I called B&D
and they sent me a different coffee maker the only thing I had to send back was the plug off the wire and also it is very big and takes a lot of room under the cabinet ,I now had a 12 cup B&D and It takes A lot less room.
Thanks Sal Avitabile

Barbaraok · 02-21-2008, 05:26 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Virginia & Steve:
Thanks for the info on the B&D's - I'll keep my eyes open - I think this Contoure has a smaller footprint than the B&D - Swansnest - Thanks for the offer but we won't be in Pomona - still a member of the working class and am chained to my desk Mon-Fri usually - Barbara and David - did you have many problems getting your cats used to the ride? We have two rescued Pixie Bobs and have taken them twice - it is somewhat of a struggle to get them into the cages to go out to the MH but they eventually calm down some - I guess the key probably is to just keep taking them (they have come a LONG way from when we first brought them home) </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Since we're fulltimers, they really didn't have a choice. They still get upset if we get their carriers out and put them in the car - they assume that they are headed for the vets! But as for the MH - it's their home, so when the engine starts to purr, they hop up on the couch, curl up and sleep most of the way.

Barb

Jeff and Cheryl · 02-21-2008, 06:06 PM

Virginia and Steve,

Like you, I'm still chained to the desk. Also we have a cat that goes with us. Bri usually rides under the DS sofa, usually about where the front tire is. We stop, out she comes. If we have time to stop then we must have time to pet and feed her! The first night on the road is usually a short sleep night as she will sonar the length of the coach (several times), race the length of the coach, explore the nooks and crannies. On one occassion we had the slide in then went outside for a few minutes. Came back inside, ran the slide out. Didn't see the cat for several hours. Started looking around, pulled out several drawers and found paw prints in the dust under the stove. She has gotten up inside the slide-out.Pulled out a drawer under the sink and was able to get her out. Now, when we have the slide in, we put pillows in the gap, no more loosing the cat

hrhuggie · 02-21-2008, 11:07 PM

I will second the Mr Coffee with thermal Carafe. We love it, you can set the time so it is hot and ready for you in the am or can adjust the strength of the coffee by a simple touch of the button (of course you can always add or delete more coffee too

) The thermal carafe will keep your coffee hot for a long time. We just set ours on a non slip pad on the counter and have never had it move even in hard stops.

NeilV · 02-23-2008, 02:23 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by swansnest:
Pusherman - That is interesting to read your post. We bought the B&D 1 1/2 yrs ago and mounted under the cabinet just to discover exactly as you stated "the coffee basket creeps out" and what a mess with coffee & grounds all over the place!

B&D never acknowledged that there was a problem and I tried all sorts of things to try and stop it from happening, but to no avail. (I never thought of taking the spring mechanism off!)

</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Had the same experience as the rest with the B&D so I added a modified plastic compartment door catch to hold the basket in place and a TV Grips strap to hold the carafe from falling out, using short SS screws on both along with the adhesive mounting pads, and all is well.

Similar compartment door catch just shorten the mounting base by about 1/4 inch and taper the mounting base from the full thickness at the hinge to nothing at the end. Mount it on the left side of the machine sticking out the front far enough to catch the edge of the basket:
http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm/Outdo...r-Catch/skunum=11666

TV Grips for carafe:
http://www.thumblockbyfsi.com/thumblockproduct.html

Extra length straps:
http://www.thumblockbyfsi.com/thumblockproduca.html

The newer carafe design pours better but the dimples in the newer basket design after a little use don't continue to hold as well as they should and still creep.

Add a Cusinart Burr Grinder ($25 at you local Sam's Club), some Organic Medium Roast along with Natural Brew Brown Unbleached Filters and we are ready to roll.

Doggie · 03-15-2008, 06:03 AM

I have an old Mr. Coffee machine and love it. It rides in the sink when I'm driving. I boondock most of the time and rather than fire up one of the generators to make coffee I usually heat water in a Coleman percolator pot on the propane stove, then pour the hot water into the glass Mr. Coffee pot and back through the loaded Mr. Coffee basket into the Coleman pot. I use a folded up paper tower to keep the drain hole in the coffee basket open. I pour a fresh cup, load my Stanley thermos and keep the balance of the coffee in the Coleman pot for reheating.
I have fresh hot coffee available anytime and haven't wasted a drop in over 3 years.