Simplicity, reliability, a good cup of joe.
Pros:
Simple to use, lasts for years, and it's cheap.
Cons:
Doesn't brew coffee super hot.
The Bottom Line:
Buy it while you can, it's been discontinued. It works great, and it will last for years.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
The Braun Aromaster is about as good as it gets in auto-drip coffee makers. It is the Sherman tank of coffee makers. For around $20 you get a basic unit with a manual on/off switch, swing-out basket, and the only carafe I have ever come across that doesn't slop coffee all over the place when pouring (others require very deliberate care when pouring).
There are no fancy buttons, no timers, no "flavor control" options, and no lights to let you know when to clean it. You just add water, filter, and coffee, and flip the switch. The only complaints I've ever heard about this coffee maker from other owners are that the switch is easy to bump, thereby turning the coffee maker on accidentally; and it doesn't brew coffee quite as hot as it could, though this may be the older 750 watt models (it has since been updated to a 900 watt). I would agree that it doesn't brew coffee at the optimum temperature, but then very few auto-drip coffee makers do. And those that do, are often short lived.
My brother has had his Braun Aromaster for twelve years, and it shows no signs that it's about to give up the farm; still brews as good as the day it was made. I owned one for 15 years, and finally burned out the switch by forgetting to place the carafe under the filter basket, letting coffee overflow onto the hotplate. I have moved on to other methods of coffee brewing, and prefer a smaller auto drip coffee maker for my own use, so I have no need for a new one.
The Braun takes up little counter space. Its footprint is about six by eight inches, and it stands around twelve inches tall. The excess cord can be stored inside the coffee maker itself. The swingout basket accepts readily available #4 Melitta style filters, but the coffee maker comes with a permenant gold tone filter, so there isn't even any real need to ever by coffee filters. $20 to start, and all you need to buy is coffee for the next ten to fifteen years. How's that for value?
Also, the Braun Aromaster has a minimum of moving parts. The stopper in the basket that opens and closes to let coffee drip, then closes when you want to "sneak a cup" is just a simple rubber stopper actuated with a spring lever. It's simple to clean, and lasts forever. Like I said previously; this is the Sherman tank of coffee makers.
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