This coffeemaker makes a great pot of coffee & the advance timer function is a real advantage.Waking up to coffee already made is mighty convenient. The functions are relatively easy to program, though the image of machine w/names of parts should have been put on the facing page of the usage instructions.The water gauge has constant air bubbles (very annoying) so amount of water has to be reckoned by the pot. The "finished brewing" alert is so faint that if one isn't directly next to the pot,it can't be heard. Minor annoyances,I grant,but need to be addressed.

I just went to Big Lots and bought the FME4, as advertised for $30.00. Wow, it's been a long time since I had coffee this hot. Had to buy a new pot because my less than a year old Cuisinart was leaking as soon as I filled the reservoir. It never did make coffee this hot! No, it is not the strongest material, but since every pot I buy begins o leak after a year or less, I am tired of paying big bucks. It's working great for me.

I originally was very pleased with Krups my first coffee maker lasted 11 years. When it was time to buy a new machine it was a "no brainer" for me stick with Krups.

Because of my rave reviews for Krups my in-laws also purchased the same model. After a year, just when their warranty expired so did their coffee maker. First it was a leaky water level gauge and then it was their computer chip.

After 2 years of great coffee my water gauge started to leak. I called Krups and told the representative of my in-laws experience and my difficulty. I told them I thought it was a defective part. They stated I would have to pay to have it fixed. Normally I would have no problem paying for repairs, but with a name like Krups I don't think it should leak. It is my feeling that they have a faulty part and they are not standing behind their product.

If you are looking for a pretty machine with an OK machine life this coffee maker will do for you. But if you are looking for Quality Control and a Company that backs their product--Look Elsewhere.

I purchased this Krups FME4-14 12 cup Coffeemaker in May of 2008, and from the very beginning the first pot of coffee tasted like "plastic". I cleaned the pot several times with plain distilled water, but to date each pot of coffee still tastes like plastic. If that were not bad enough, the painted coating on the control buttons which is silver is peeling off. I called Krups and they said I would have to have it serviced at my expense. I previous coffeemaker which was a Braun, lasted three years without any problems what so ever....I will never purchase another Krups coffeemaker again, due to the poor workmanship and the lack of customer service. I'm still waiting for a follow-up call from Krups and it's been 10 days.

I bought this unit less than a year ago. An important feature for me is an auto shutoff that allows more than two hours. This model was adjustable up to 5 hours, so that was a personal plus. When I first got it, there was a strong plastictaste in the coffee. I ran clear water through it five or six times, but the bad taste remained. Thankfully, it went away after a few weeks of use. Beyond that point, the coffee maker worked fine and the coffee tasted good. Today it suddenly stopped working. I went to get a cup of coffee and it was cold. The unit said it was on, but the burner was cold. I emptied it and tried to run wather through it - lights go on, but it doesn't do anything. The good news - it's still under warranty. The bad news - I have to send it to a service center for repair or replacement. The closest service center to me is about 300 miles away. So obviously, the easy answer is ... I'll have to buy a new coffee maker. But it won't be a Krups!