Beautiful Coffee Maker Review: Just a Pretty Face?

Chances are, when you think of Drew Barrymore, movies like E.T. and Charlie’s Angels spring to mind. However, in today’s Beautiful Coffee Maker review I’ll be ignoring her acting career and focusing instead on another of her projects.

As it turns out, Drew Barrymore has launched a successful line of kitchen appliances, including a much-hyped 14-cup drip coffee machine. It’s taken me a while to get around to checking this thing out, but I must say my interest is piqued. And not just because Drew had a role in Donnie Darko, one of my favorite movies!

I fully intend on buying the Beautiful Coffee Maker to test out. In the meantime, let’s get this first-look review started!

A simple and attractive drip coffee maker

Beautiful 14-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker

Lives up to its name!

Attractive design

Touchscreen display

Powerful heating system

Easy to use

Flimsy plastic construction

CHECK PRICE

Overview: Beautiful Coffee Maker Review

As I mentioned above, Drew Barrymore has an extensive line of kitchen gadgets, including an air fryer and a few different coffee makers. It used to be the case that these were only available at Walmart, but you can now shop Drew’s line on Amazon too.

The Beautiful 14-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker costs a not insubstantial $N/A, so I’m really interested to see whether it’s worth the financial investment.

I mean, the thing certainly lives up to its name – this is a sleek, streamlined drip coffee machine with a retro coffee maker vibe that’s very much in style right now. Plus, there are just the right amount of classy accents to make it stand out from the crowd. In saying that, I’m mainly referring to the gold-colored carafe handle.

Available in a range of subtle colors, the Beautiful Coffee Maker features a soft matte finish. However, let’s not imagine for a second that this is a high-end stainless steel appliance. Rather, Drew Barrymore’s coffee maker is mostly rather cheap plastic.

One of the Beautiful Coffee Maker’s standout features is its touchscreen interface, which features soft LED lighting. I’ll discuss that in more detail a little later. There’s also a powerful 1200-watt heating system on board, which certainly sounds promising.

Still, I can’t get away from feeling like this could be a case of style over substance. Then again, I’m more than willing to be proven wrong. After all, I’m always looking for a (relatively) affordable drip coffee machine that looks good in my kitchen and can deliver consistent results.

Beautiful Coffee Maker Features

Let’s continue this initial Beautiful Coffee Maker review by taking a closer look at what makes the thing tick.

Size and Design

As I’ve already pointed out, no one could accuse Drew Barymore of releasing a coffee maker that’ll fade into the background. With its smooth lines and fashionable design, the Beautiful Coffee Maker is certainly eye-catching.

That said, you’ll need plenty of counter space if you want this thing sitting pretty in your kitchen – the Beautiful Coffee Maker isn’t exactly compact. As for its construction, there’s way too much plastic in evidence for my liking. And having checked out several customer reviews, it seems like the machine feels a little flimsy. Still, I’ll wait until I’ve tested the thing out before passing judgment.

What is nice to see is that the Beautiful Coffee Maker comes with a charcoal filter for the water tank. After all, good coffee always starts with filtered water as well as high-quality coffee beans.

Colors

If you’re determined to own a drip machine that’ll fit nicely with your kitchen decor, don’t worry – Drew has you covered. The Beautiful Coffee Maker is available in a wide range of stylish colors:

Personally, I’m a fan of the Sage Green model. Still, I also appreciate the Porcini Taupe version. And only because I like to imagine the person responsible for dreaming up that name presenting the idea to the team with a straight face.

User Interface

Rather than the usual dials and buttons found on most machines, the Beautiful Coffee Maker features a “Soft Glow” touchscreen display. This isn’t an actual screen – rather, there are LED sensor buttons for brewing and programming, as well as a digital clock.

Although the user interface seems like it’s very easy to navigate, I have heard that the display is rather dim, making it hard to see what’s going on. Again, I’ll reserve judgment until I’ve conducted a thorough test of the machine.

Reusable Filter

The Beautiful Coffee Maker comes with a reusable gold tone filter, which is certainly nice to have. After all, paper filters cost money and everyone has experienced the horror of waking up to find they’ve run out!

Personally, I find that making coffee with a mesh filter means I’ll find a little too much sediment in my cup. Fortunately, the Beautiful Coffee Maker accepts paper coffee filters, so you’ll have the option to brew a cleaner cup if you wish.

Carafe

Regular Coffeeness readers will know that I always prefer a coffee maker with a thermal carafe. That’s because your fresh coffee will stay nice and hot without the need for a warming plate. Still, you have to spend a lot more than the Beautiful Coffee Maker’s asking price for the privilege.

Drew Barrymore’s machine comes with a stylish glass carafe with a borosilicate base. It also features an ergonomic handle made from gold colored stainless steel. According to the manufacturer, this carafe has a “perfect pour” spout, meaning your kitchen counter won’t suffer the effects of excess drips and spills.

That sounds great in theory, but many customers have complained that in reality the spout ain’t as perfect as all that. I’ll be sure to investigate during my hands-on Drew Barrymore coffee maker review!

Brew Capacity

Thanks to its generous 14-cup capacity, the Beautiful by Drew Barrymore Coffee Maker is ideal for families or those who like to throw coffee parties. What’s more, the machine’s powerful 1200-watt heating system means it’s capable of brewing all 14 cups in less than 14 minutes. That sounds pretty impressive to me, and I’ll be sure to have my timer at the ready during my testing.

Incidentally, the Beautiful Coffee Maker also has a 1-4 cup function for smaller batches. Oh, and there’s also the ubiquitous “brew pause” feature, which allows you to sneak a cup mid-brew. Though why anyone would want to drink under-extracted hot coffee is beyond me.

Customizable Brew Strength

The Beautiful Coffee Maker offers three brew strength settings: Regular, Bold and Gourmet. Of course, I can’t yet comment on how these affect coffee taste, although I have experienced similar features on other coffee machines. I imagine each setting adjusts brew temperature and flow rate, but there isn’t any information out there to confirm my theory.

Programmable Features

I’m well aware that lots of you like to wake up to freshly brewed coffee without having to lift a finger. So you’ll be happy to hear that the Beautiful Coffee Maker can be programmed up to 24 hours in advance. Still, allow me to remind you that coffee grounds start to suffer the effects of oxidation very quickly. Just sayin’.

Another handy programmable feature of this drip machine is the keep warm function, which can be set to last for up to four hours. Then again, if you’ve ever experienced gas station coffee that’s been sitting on a hot plate all morning, you’ll think twice about letting your brew hang out for that long!

How to Use the Beautiful Coffee Maker

To be honest, I don’t think anyone would have a hard time using the Beautiful Coffee Maker. Still, I’ll give you a quick rundown on what to expect from your new coffee maker. For starters, clean all removable parts, including the carafe and its lid. Then, brew a couple of pots using water only.

Once that’s done, install the charcoal filter and add fresh, cold water to the reservoir. If you’re brewing a 14-cup full pot, fill the reservoir all the way. For a smaller batch, make sure to fill at least to the 2-cup line.

Next, bust out your burr coffee grinder and grind your favorite coffee beans. The manufacturer recommends using the included coffee scoop and adding one scoop of ground coffee per cup. However, there’s nothing to stop you from using your preferred coffee to water ratio. In that case, you’ll need your coffee scale.

You should select your preferred brew strength first, by pressing the SELECT button. And If you’re brewing a smaller batch, make sure to press SELECT until the 1-4 cups light illuminates. Now it’s simply a case of pressing the BREW/OFF button.

As for programming , I’ll leave it to the user manual to explain the ins and outs of setting a brew time and keeping your coffee warm.

Beautiful Coffee Maker Cleaning

You can bet your bottom dollar that a clean coffee maker will produce the best tasting results. With that in mind, make sure to fully rinse the reusable gold filter basket after each use. While you’re at it, rinse the glass coffee pot with hot, soapy water at least once a week. Oh, and I’d recommend keeping the carafe away from the dishwasher, no matter what anyone says.

What’s really cool is that the Beautiful Coffee Maker will know when it’s time for a deep cleaning cycle. It’ll let you know via the “clean” light. This is when you’ll need to spend a little time descaling your coffee maker.

Again, I won’t bore you with the details in this Beautiful Coffee Maker review. Suffice to say, it’ll just be a case of running a mix of white vinegar and water through the machine.

Beautiful Coffee Maker Specifications

Beautiful Coffee Maker vs Cuisinart 14-Cup Coffee Maker

Costing $99.95, the Cuisinart DCC 3200 14-Cup Coffee Maker is a wee bit more expensive than Drew’s Beautiful Coffee Maker. Then again, Cuisinart is a trusted brand, known for producing durable and reliable kitchen appliances.

Sure, the Cuisinart DCC 3200 isn’t as pretty as the Beautiful Coffee Maker, but I found it to be a true workhorse during my testing. This machine produces excellent coffee and couldn’t be easier to use. And although it’s another plastic coffee maker, it feels solid and well-built.

Other than that, both machines offer the same features, including a charcoal water filter, 14-cup capacity and multiple brew strength options.

Once I’ve actually put Drew Barrymore’s coffee maker through its paces, I’ll have a clearer idea of whether it can compete with a machine like the Cuisinart DCC 3200. For now, though, I’ll say that those looking for a 14-cup coffee maker can’t go wrong with the Cuisinart.

See Also: Cuisinart 14 Cup Coffee Maker Review

Beautiful vs Cuisinart Comparison Chart

Verdict: Beautiful Coffee Maker Review

A simple and attractive drip coffee maker

Beautiful 14-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker

Lives up to its name!

Attractive design

Touchscreen display

Powerful heating system

Easy to use

Flimsy plastic construction

CHECK PRICE

I’ll admit that I’m still a little dubious about this machine at the end of my initial Beautiful Coffee Maker review. As I mentioned earlier, I suspect that this stylish beauty might just be an underperforming novelty.

All will be revealed once I’ve got my hands on the thing, but I actually have high hopes for the Drew Barrymore coffee maker. After all, I’m an optimist at heart, and I’m always open to being proven wrong.

I’ll update this review once I’ve tested the Beautiful Coffee Maker, so keep checking back if you’re interested in what I have to say. In the meantime, I’m off to watch Donnie Darko for the hundredth time!

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