Zojirushi Gourmet Duet Dual-Mug Personal Coffee Maker Review
The Zojirushi Gourmet Duet coffee maker is made of plastic and appears to be basically sturdy. The all-plastic construction makes it lightweight. There don't appear to be many breakable parts.
The Zojirushi Gourmet Duet is easy to work with, though the lid to the water reservoir is a bit tight. The buttons are responsive and easy to reach. As a safety feature, however, the buttons won't operate is the unit is too hot (eg if it was just run).
The unit is goof-proof. It's very clear how to use it. Make your coffee and nip out the door with your travel mug!
Zojirushi Gourmet Duet coffee makers use #2 coffee filters. Alternatively, you can purchase and use a reusable gold cone filter. Somewhat inconveniently, the coffee maker does not ship with any filters, so you must go out and buy some.
The Zojirushi Gourmet Duet makes coffee directly into one or two thermal stainless steel mugs, so no the coffee does not burn as it would when sitting in a pot, and once you brew, you're ready to go! The unit itself is very straightforward, with no timer function or external water level gauge.
The mugs themselves are sturdy and good sized, but they do get a bit warm when the coffee's fresh, so it's best to hold them by the handle. The reservoir is not removable and the water level mark is inside the reservoir.
The Zojirushi Gourmet Duet makes a nice cup of coffee. The drip seems just right. There were no grounds in the bottom of the mugs, although the instructions to warn you to use the proper grind or risk grounds in your cup. There isn't a "stop drip" feature, so you can't pull a mug out before it's finished brewing.
I ran 2 full tanks of plain water through the machine before making coffee with it, to clear out the "new machine" smell, and that worked well.
The coffee filter basket has a little handle that makes it easy t remove used grounds and to clean. Other than a recommended monthly cleaning with vinegar, it should be a non-issue to maintain. The mugs act as the carafe for the unit and wash up with warm soapy water. They are also dishwasher-safe.
The Zojirushi Gourmet Duet Dual-Mug Personal coffee maker is about the width of 2 mugs side by side. It will fit easily on a counter. The unit looks nice and neat. It looks like it would work in most any setting and should hold up style-wise.
