Bella Professional 12-Cup Coffee Maker 90017 Review

Sensio's Bella Professional™ Coffee Maker has a commercial grade die-cast construction that looks stunning. But does it make a good cup of coffee and how will the finish hold up? I put it through a home test to find out.

How the Bella Professional Coffeemaker Performed

June 2009 Though this coffee maker has a very commanding style, it actually has a smaller footprint on the counter than some 12-cup models. The water level indicator is inside of the reservoir and while it was easy to fill and not a problem for us, a short person may find this inconvenient. The filter holder has a good fit, but when replacing it after cleaning, it must drop down properly into place, or it will activate the drip stop function, the filter will fill with coffee and then overflow. It helps to hold the basket handle up when inserting it into place. How to properly seat it, is covered in detail in the manual. Otherwise, it works very well and the filter drops right into the holder, making it quick to get a pot of coffee ready to brew.

When it comes to making coffee, this coffee maker gets top marks and the cone-shaped filter design seems to enhance the brewing results. We were able to reduce the amount of coffee we usually use and still get a great cup of coffee. The carafe pours well - it has a nicely-shaped pouring spout. The programmable function works nicely as does the auto shut-off but controls did seem a little confusing at first.

As far as maintenance, most of the exterior wipes easily, except for the front panel where the controls are located. This stainless panel tends to gather smudges and takes more effort to keep clean, but I gave it a quick wipe with a stainless appliance cleaner and it restored the shine and helps to maintain it.

Overall Impression

I like the overall design of the Bella Professional Coffee Maker but especially its coffee brewing (top feature) and filter design. This coffee maker uses less coffee and that's a bonus. The carafe handling and pouring is excellent and getting it ready to brew is quick and easy. It also looks great on the counter.

The bottom line - it looks good, brews great coffee, has all the features I'd want and it's durable. Be prepared though, to read the manual and spend a little time learning how it works and keeping the front panel clean. As far as price, it's a little on the high side but comparable to some high-end models.

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