A small coffee maker is ideal for a couple, more compact on the counter and also less coffee waste. Not being familiar with the Bonavita line, I was anxious to take their 8-cup brewer for a spin.
Product Despcription
- Bonavita® 8-Cup Coffee Maker BV1800 with glass carafe
- 1400 Watt heater raises water to ideal temperature 205°F / 96°C
- High quality glass carafe
- Engineered for precise water and coffee grounds contact time
- Shower head drip
- Clear marked water tank
- Separate 55W keep warm heater
- Brews 8 cups (5 oz. cups)
- 2-hour Keep Warm with auto shut off
- 2 year warranty
- Uses #4 cone paper filter
- High quality stainless steel finish
- Dimensions: 12” H X 10.75” L X 6.5” W
- Bonavita recommends using Melitta® filters; a starter pack of #4 filters included
- Learn more from the manufacturer
- MSRP: $149.99
How the Bonavita Performed
November 27, 2012
My first impression lifting this Bonavita from the box was - what a sweet little brewer. And it just gets cuter by the cup. It is pretty, but when you're serious about coffee, looks aren't enough. It's taste that rules and this brewer makes superb coffee - every single time. We used our usual coffee - Folgers® and results were similar to premium coffee shop boldness and flavor.
It has some good features that combined, work together to deliver great coffee. The filter is cone-shaped and the shower head drip is wide, so there's a good saturation of grounds. This brewer also has a very hot water heater (1400W), so the coffee is piping hot and the separate keep warm heater maintains it at that nice drinking temperature. We used less coffee with this brewer and still got a nice bold cup. The carafe pours without dripping, regardless of how slow or fast you pour - bonus.
Besides a good coffee taste and auto-shut-off, this brewer avoids frills and concentrates on essentials to deliver good results. So it's a back-to-basics kind of set-up and the easiest we have used. The water tank is clear, well marked and easy to fill. It helps too that the unit has a lower profile than most, so you can easily see where you're pouring. And there's an off/on switch. Even though set up includes the usual steps - pour water, rinse/empty carafe and add grounds to filter, the process seems much quicker than with the average brewer. So faced with a choice of three coffee makers on the counter, we tend to reach for this little 8-cup brewer most of the time.
I did wonder about the filter basket system which is designed to sit on the carafe. This style has been around for decades. I remember having one of these plastic filter holders to brew a single cup of drip coffee right into a mug, way back when. This is really an inexpensive accessory for this chic, top of the line coffee maker. But it works and does it beautifully. Give it a couple seconds though when brewing is complete to finish flowing into the carafe, if you want to avoid a drip, since there's no pause feature. Note that the filter basket must be removed from the carafe, before you can pour a cup.
#4 Cone shaped filters are recommended for use with this coffee maker and because of the smaller 8-cup capacity, you need to fold once on the seam or you can cut off about 1/4" from the top. Alternatively, I did use some #2 smaller cone filters, but if grounds ever impeded the flow-through, you could have a mess. So best to use the #4's as recommended. Just in case you're getting the impression that this is a tiny brewer, note that the Bonavita brews eight 5 oz cups, so the carafe holds a full 40 ounces (1.2L).
My first impression lifting this Bonavita from the box was - what a sweet little brewer. And it just gets cuter by the cup. It is pretty, but when you're serious about coffee, looks aren't enough. It's taste that rules and this brewer makes superb coffee - every single time. We used our usual coffee - Folgers® and results were similar to premium coffee shop boldness and flavor.
It has some good features that combined, work together to deliver great coffee. The filter is cone-shaped and the shower head drip is wide, so there's a good saturation of grounds. This brewer also has a very hot water heater (1400W), so the coffee is piping hot and the separate keep warm heater maintains it at that nice drinking temperature. We used less coffee with this brewer and still got a nice bold cup. The carafe pours without dripping, regardless of how slow or fast you pour - bonus.
Besides a good coffee taste and auto-shut-off, this brewer avoids frills and concentrates on essentials to deliver good results. So it's a back-to-basics kind of set-up and the easiest we have used. The water tank is clear, well marked and easy to fill. It helps too that the unit has a lower profile than most, so you can easily see where you're pouring. And there's an off/on switch. Even though set up includes the usual steps - pour water, rinse/empty carafe and add grounds to filter, the process seems much quicker than with the average brewer. So faced with a choice of three coffee makers on the counter, we tend to reach for this little 8-cup brewer most of the time.
I did wonder about the filter basket system which is designed to sit on the carafe. This style has been around for decades. I remember having one of these plastic filter holders to brew a single cup of drip coffee right into a mug, way back when. This is really an inexpensive accessory for this chic, top of the line coffee maker. But it works and does it beautifully. Give it a couple seconds though when brewing is complete to finish flowing into the carafe, if you want to avoid a drip, since there's no pause feature. Note that the filter basket must be removed from the carafe, before you can pour a cup.
#4 Cone shaped filters are recommended for use with this coffee maker and because of the smaller 8-cup capacity, you need to fold once on the seam or you can cut off about 1/4" from the top. Alternatively, I did use some #2 smaller cone filters, but if grounds ever impeded the flow-through, you could have a mess. So best to use the #4's as recommended. Just in case you're getting the impression that this is a tiny brewer, note that the Bonavita brews eight 5 oz cups, so the carafe holds a full 40 ounces (1.2L).
Overall Impression
If you're looking for great coffee that's piping hot and an easy/quick set-up in the morning, this Bonavita is an excellent choice. It has a small footprint on the counter, so ideal too for small kitchens, the dorm room, senior's residence or RV. Although I find the price hefty for a no-frills brewer, it does have some good basic features that deliver excellent results for the coffee lover. The slight downgrade in rating is simply due to the price, because we love this little brewer. Even the filter basket - it somehow grew on us.
When deciding on coffee maker capacity, consider how much coffee you drink as well as waste, on a regular basis. We used to always purchase 12-cup brewers. That would be ample when we have company, but a smaller coffee maker in the 8-10 cup range is more suitable otherwise. The solution? Having a smaller, compact brewer for everyday and a back-up larger model that we can pull out as needed. This has resulted in less coffee waste and easier handling all around.
When deciding on coffee maker capacity, consider how much coffee you drink as well as waste, on a regular basis. We used to always purchase 12-cup brewers. That would be ample when we have company, but a smaller coffee maker in the 8-10 cup range is more suitable otherwise. The solution? Having a smaller, compact brewer for everyday and a back-up larger model that we can pull out as needed. This has resulted in less coffee waste and easier handling all around.
About the Company and Related Resources
Bonavita® also markets the 8-cup brewer with a thermal carafe. Learn more. Besides coffee makers, Bonavita makes a small line of kettles.
Compare Prices of Bonavita Products
Compare Prices of Coffee Makers
Read More About Coffee Makers:
Coffee Maker 101
How to Buy a Coffee Grinder
Online Resources for Coffees, Teas, K-Cups, Pods and more
Read Coffee Maker Reviews
How to Clean a Coffee Maker With Vinegar
Coffee Filter Types
Go to Home Page
Compare Prices of Bonavita Products
Compare Prices of Coffee Makers
Read More About Coffee Makers:
Coffee Maker 101
How to Buy a Coffee Grinder
Online Resources for Coffees, Teas, K-Cups, Pods and more
Read Coffee Maker Reviews
How to Clean a Coffee Maker With Vinegar
Coffee Filter Types
Go to Home Page
Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.
