I have had this coffee maker for two months, and I hate it. My wife and I drink a lot of coffee in the mornings, and we have found that when we make a large (12 cup) pot with this machine, the grounds go everywhere. There are little nooks and crannies that fill up with grounds and are hard to get at, and at this point the machine is taking about 30 minutes to make a pot of coffee. The charcoal filter gets clogged up and is more of a hindrance than a help. If you're making a small pot, it's hard to see how much water you have put into the machine -- there is no side window on the water compartment. To add insult to injury, the warming pad does not keep the coffee hot -- after pouring myself a cup I have to put it into the microwave for 15 seconds to get it hot. All in all, I have found this to be a high-priced turkey, and at this point I'm considering tossing it and buying a simpler, less expensive coffee maker.