Krups Simply Brew Coffee Maker

BREW PERFORMANCE: Fell short of recommended guidelines of 195°F or more, maintained for five or six minutes. CONVENIENCE: Fairly convenient to use, based on how easy it was to understand the controls, fill the reservoir, insert the filter, gauge the amount of remaining coffee, and clean the machine. CARAFE HANDLING: The carafe was especially easy to use, based on how comfortable we found its handle, whether it dripped while pouring, its overall balance when full, and how hard it was to empty.

The Krups Simply Brew is part of the Coffee Makers test program at Consumer Reports. In our lab tests, Drip Coffee Makers models like the Simply Brew are rated on multiple criteria, such as those listed below.

Brew performance: The ability to reach 195° to 205° F for five or six minutes, the industry standard for optimal brewing and an indication of the coffee's concentration.

Convenience: Reflects ease of filling the reservoir, placing the filter, gauging the amount of coffee remaining, and cleaning up. It also reflects how clear we judged the controls.

Carafe handling: Covers handle comfort, tendency to drip while pouring, balance of a full carafe, and how easy it was to empty the last liquid. Models with no score here brew into single-serve cups or are self-serve models. The latter hold the coffee in a tank; you fill your cup by pressing it against the dispenser lever.