i am on my seventh krups model 453. it gets heavy use -- 2-3 pots a day. it's slightly more than wonderful, a truly fine design. alas, it has a major flaw (read other reviews concerning the warmer plate malfunctions). not being an electrician, i finally resolved the problem by buying an inexpensive black&decker (about $15, wal-mart) coffee maker which i use to keep my coffee warm. in other words, i brew using my 453 krups, let it stand about 10-12 minutes, turn the krups OFF and transfer the carafe to the black&decker, my warmer. here's the irony: every relative and friend that i've given a 453 echos my praise for model 453. but krups changed the design. the newer models are worse than terrible; i paid $119 for one, used it about a week and gave it away. it's the model 453, stupids.

I am so disappointed. I loved this coffee but it just stopped working for no apparent reason. After reading the other comments, I realize it is probably a lost cause. This machine is only 1.5 years old. My previous Krups lasted 15 years!

We own a 453, several years old. When it stopped brewing about a year ago, I tinkered with it and determined the problem was a bimetal disc thermostat on the heating element. The bimetal disc had turned "inside out" and so the switch was locked in a permanently open position, preventing current from reaching the heating element.

I actually took the switch apart and sprang the bimetal disc back to its original shape. After reassembly, the Krups worked for several months. Then the same thing happened. So I repaired the switch again. Well, it's died again, but this time I suspect its the timer itself, so I'm ordering another coffee maker.

I wish Amazon still carried this, I'm not happy having to order through Macy's, since they won't ship as quickly, and they'll charge me sales tax, too.

But the coffee maker was great while it lasted, and it lasted several years. It replaced a Braun that also lasted several years, but the hinge on the Braun carafe broke all the time.

Too bad it sounds like a lot of people are losing their Krups because (...)thermo switch goes bad.

I'm legally blind and find this product easy to use. The opening for putting in the water is large enough to prevent spillage. Although there is only one hole for the brewed water, the various brew settings work very well.

The buttons are well marked and the display, which could be a little bigger, is still fairly easy to read.

Now if they would only add an audible tone when brewing is done and a grinder to this pot if would be perfect!

We purchased this coffee maker in September. We were delighted with the coffee that was brewed. This is mid-April and we awoke to find that the coffee maker does not work. The warmer does not warm and the coffee maker does not brew. What a huge disappointment. I researched the maker, but it just goes to show, sometimes, you get a lemon.