About.com Rating
The Behmor® Brazen® Plus is no ordinary drip brewer and that in itself peeked my interest. It's also priced on the high side and that made me want to take it for a spin, to see what makes it tick and whether this customizable brewer could deliver on its claims. My full evaluation follows.
Product description:
- Behmor®Brazen® Plus Customizable Temperature Control Brew System
- Brew up to 8 (5oz ) cups in a 40 oz stainless carafe
- Temperature control: set preferred temperature from 190°F - 210°F (88°C - 99°C)
- Programmable; set a brewing time
- Ideal coffee extraction: coffee grounds are fully saturated; oversized shower head; pulsing water flow
- Elevation calibration: adjust brew temperature based on your elevation above sea level
- Thermal carafe (40 oz) with brew-through lid
- Pre-soak setting
- Stainless steel water reservoir
- Gold tone permanent basket style filter (or use paper filters in the filter holder)
- Memory save: settings remain after power outage
- Sleep mode
- Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) certified for brewing quality
- 2 Year warranty
- MSRP: $229
- Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.
- Buy from Amazon
How the Brazen Plus performed:
You can't rush a good cup of coffee. If you're the rushy type who really wants a reason to slow down to smell the coffee and start the day on a more relaxed note, this brewer is for you. How you start your day, tends to set the pace going forward.
So a good cup of Joe can make a big difference.
The unique design of this brewer reminds me of an hourglass and maybe 'time' was the inspiration for this stylish brewer, which places the stainless steel water reservoir on top and takes longer to brew than the average drip model. And the brewing results are definitely worth the wait. Because it's programmable, you don't have to get up earlier in the morning and it brews quietly if the rest of the family is still sleeping.
The brewed results are amazing and coffee shop worthy. We started out using all the recommended steps, including 16 tablespoons of premium coarse/drip coffee grounds for each pot and default settings. That resulted in a very nice extra bold cup, so we decided to cut back on coffee and adjust some settings.
We tried three heaping scoops - what we usually use in our regular 8-cup brewer. That's probably one third of the recommended amount, plus we used the most economical coffee we had on hand, just for curiosity sake. A few adjustments were made for altitude, presoak time and temperature. This yielded an awesome cup of coffee - what we'd call a medium bold.
While I still believe it takes quality coffee to brew an excellent cup, this brewer emphasizes that it's not just about the beans, but how they are brewed. And it gives you choices, you just have to take the time needed to set it up, then explore at will till you find the perfect combination of temperature and presoak time to satisfy your taste buds.
Here's a few things to note, including some cons:
- It's a tall brewer, but does fit under standard upper cabinets and steam does not go up into the wood. There's a trade-off here though, the steam collects on the underside of the reservoir cover. Watch when you lift that cover, so that it does not drip all over.
- The carafe is short in volume by close to an ounce, compared to the max water fill line. Not really noticeable when brewing, since some moisture stays in the coffee grounds, but if running water through it initially to set up, the carafe will overflow a little. One way around this is to fill the brewer with the carafe.
- The carafe pours well if the cover is on properly. It does not close completely, but keeps coffee hot for more than an hour and a half, which is good.
- The mesh gold filter is nicely over-sized - great for those who want to use the recommended amount of coffee, or more.
- A large water reservoir on top makes the brewer top heavy. For your safety, do not move the coffee maker once water starts to heat up.
- Pour water into the reservoir from the side to avoid dripping on the control panel.
- Per manufacturer, do NOT use vinegar to clean this coffee maker. Use only a coffee maker cleaner such as Dezcal as recommended.
- Reading the manual is important if you want to understand all your options.
- Handwash the carafe (also recommended). Read my pros and cons on thermal carafes
This brewer can deliver a great cup of coffee and if you like control, you'll love the customizable features. It certainly has a unique brewing system that combines (your) ideal temperature, presoak time and a pulse brewing to reap good results.
Overall, we love the coffee results from this brewer and how it looks. The eight cup capacity does suit us but it may not be ideal for every couple. We do tend to waste less coffee by using an 8-cup brewer.
It is on the high side pricewise but it depends how much you're willing to pay for a custom home brew. That said, we did achieve great coffee using an economical blend, so that could translate into savings. Brewed results are also comparable to what we get with our single serve capsules, so more savings there. In short, usage and results justify the cost.