KB

I got my KB about 2 months ago and instantly fell in love with it!

I actually bought a replace carafe right after I got it and saw how fragile it was. My only complaint.

Read through the comments on the sub about grind. Grind is important. There are differing opinions about whether you should stir the grounds during the bloom stage to wet them. I do stir the grounds and it made a huge difference. The coffee my machine makes is just as rich as a French press or pour over. It’s so smooth, too. No bitterness, even if I drink the leftovers iced the next day. Hopefully, you can tweak the brew a little and have a better experience. I have a KB, not a KGBV, but the materials (on my machine) are high quality, especially compared to the average newer drip machines. I’m sad to hear your experience is different.

I’m single and only brew 2 cups (500ml) in the KB. The KB is definitely what I would recommend because you can adjust for smaller pots. TBH, I probably don’t ever drink all the coffee but I have zero problem brewing that amount for performance reasons. And the upside is if I do have guests, I can switch it to full brew.

My uncle has the Bonavita and loves it. It does make good coffee. I have the MM KB with the drip lever and I pick the 1/2 pot option and fill it to 4 cups water. I get 1-1/2 cups out of it each morning. I also looked at MM Cup One but this is a better deal since I can make a full pot for company. I also got mine used for about $85.

I had a similar dilemma when researching brewers a few years back. I got the Moccamaster KB with drip-stop basket. I brew 4 cups every day and that's enough for 1.5 cups in the morning. The drip-stop works well with 12-16 ounces of water, allowing it to bloom.

It’s all about tuning it. I have a KB with the manual drip stop switch and I make a delicious 12oz cup every day. I know my grind to get the right flow rate. That being said, I haven’t figured out my grind for larger amounts yet so my half and full pots don’t taste as delicious