Zojirushi EC-DAC50BA ZUTTO Coffee Maker 5 Cups, Black, PFAS-free

I bought my Zojirushi EC-DAC50BA ZUTTO coffee maker back in 2015, and it is still making a great cup of coffee. At this point, it has outlasted several kitchen gadgets and probably deserves its own little retirement plaque. This is a perfect coffee maker for two people. In real-world use, it usually makes about two normal mugs of coffee, maybe three depending on your mug size and how optimistic you are feeling in the morning. There are no fancy controls, no touchscreen, no app, no “coffee lifestyle ecosystem.” It is basically an on/off button, and honestly, I appreciate that. You turn it on, it makes coffee, and it does the job well. What makes this machine special is that it actually gets the water hot enough. A lot of cheaper coffee makers seem to miss that part, and the coffee ends up tasting weak or under-extracted. This one heats the water properly, which helps activate the coffee grounds and brings out a much better flavor. The coffee pot itself does feel a little thin and fragile, which would be my main con. That said, mine has somehow survived since 2015, so maybe it is tougher than it looks. Another small issue is that after years of constant use, the removable water compartment has developed a tiny drip/leak, probably from the gasket wearing down. But after 10+ years of service, I am not really going to knock it for that. One other thing that could be a pro, con, or neutral point depending on how you look at it: it has a small water filter that needs to be replaced occasionally. That is not a big deal, especially if you already use filtered water. Overall, this is a great little coffee maker. It is simple, compact, reliable, and makes good coffee. Like most things from Zojirushi, it feels thoughtfully designed and built to last. Highly recommended.

April 2022 "I will never buy a coffee maker with a glass caraffe that sits on a warming burner." That's what I used to believe; and mostly I still do. But sometimes there are reasons to believe otherwise. After two weeks of daily use I've learned to manage this coffee machine's quirks. It's not the perfect coffeemaker if you are making coffee for a crowd; but if you are pleased to drink just one or two (small) cups at a time and are willing to be meticulous in dealing with it, this can be an excellent choice. Here's my story. Going from two pots of coffee a day to eight ounces of coffee a day can be difficult. I needed a little help from my coffee machine. I needed something that made sense of the idea of making two cups of coffee at a time. Few coffee machines do. The most distinct characteristic of this machine is that it is small. Its small footprint unclutters the counter just a bit, which I appreciate. I'm enough of a foodie that for great coffee if I had to buy a behomoth of a machine to make the perfect small cup of coffee, I would consider it. Until recently I would drink six or ten cups of coffee in a day, so a large machine worked for me. I've had maybe six pretty good coffee makers over the last two decades, and have grown pretty picky about coffee. I buy varietal beans, roast them, and grind them in a Baratza burr grinder with forty grind size settings. I've avoided coffee makers with a glass caraffes that rest in contact with a burner because leaving fresh brewed coffee on the burner always causes coffee to scorch. A vacuum insulated caraffe does not scorch. So that's what I've always bought. Never would I have considered the Zojirushi if I expected to brew more coffee than I would drink at one time. But that is exactly my use case for this coffee machine. If I drink all the coffee right after it brews, the burner can help the pot get up to temperature, meaning the coffee will not have to be reheated right after brewing - as I had been doing with my old coffee maker in order to get it to a good temperature for adding cream. I brew the coffee, serve it, and turn off the warming burner immediately. The one time I forgot to do this, I noticed that the clever engineers at Zojirushi had regulated the temperature of the burner to be low enough not to burn the coffee into horrid resin-smelling char. My first several batches out of this machine were weak and under-extracted. I noticed that brew time is short, about two minutes, and I ground my coffee finer. I tamp it lightly into the filter to create a little more flow resistance. These practices made a big difference. I also decided to preheat the water in a microwave until it is nearly boiling. This might slightly shorten the brew time it but, more importantly it increases the temperature of the water near the start of the cycle. Here at a mile above sea level I needed all the temperature I could get for such a short brew cycle. I also began the practice of adding a pinch of salt to the coffee grinds because coffee tastes less bitter with a little salt. Also coffee causes one to excrete salt; so there were health benefits to the practice. Once I had dialed in all the elements of the process I realized that I was making better coffee than I ever had before. I was paying a little more attention to the ritual of making it - an appropriate way to approach using a Japanese coffee machine. And I was enoying this single cup of coffee more than I had been enjoying two pots a day. Big bonus, in grinding the coffee finer and drinking less I had cut my coffee bean utilization by considerably more than 85%. ---- December 2024 After nearly two years of use I am moving on. Mechanically, there is nothing conspicously wrong with the machine, although I find the coffee consistently weak. A special feature of this machine that I have come to enjoy involves incorporating the unscorched dried coffee from the bottom of the caraffe from one day's coffee into the next day's - not a feature every glass caraffe coffee maker could do gracefully. It is a testament to the fine temperature control of that heating element. This machine makes passable coffee; but at a high altitude and it struggles to get water hot enough for good extraction, even with preheating. I have learned to make pour-over coffee and in my first try I was able to get coffee I like a lot more than what this machine turns out - stronger with just a hint more bitterness and sourness. The small caraffe with the drop-in cone filter holder is ideally suited to the this: so at least for a while I intend to use the caraffe from this machine to make my pour-over coffee using boiling water (which at my altitude is about 95ºC.)

First off, this little thing makes an incredible cup of coffee! Not sure how it pulls it off, but the flavor rivals my aeropress (dare I say better?), and that's not something any other auto drip has been able to accomplish in my testing. It's inexpensive, but I wouldn't call it cheap. I dinged it a star as it is surprisingly lightweight and cheap feeling. While I knew it would be tiny (it is), it just has a pretty flimsy hand-feel to it. I'll be shocked if this thing lasts a couple years, but, who knows, maybe I'll be delightfully surprised. Even so, as soon as this one breaks down, I will be buying another. It excels at making coffee taste great, and that's what's most important. For those wondering, I have found that a 16:1 ratio gives the best flavor. At the 5 cup line (657g of water) I'm brewing 41g of coffee. I grind fresh and have my Encore grinder set at 20. Perfection. Comes out hot and tasty. I do not recommend using the hot plate, but rather pouring any unused coffee from your first cup into a stainless mug/carafe to keep it warm until your next cup. Oh, I will also add that the flavor/taste is EXACTLY the same whether I'm brewing 5 cups or 3 cups or 2 cups. This is a small batch brewer, perfect for me and my wife (roughly 23oz for full carafe at 5 cup line). I've had machines that make a pretty good full batch but struggle with smaller batches. Not so with this guy - perfect cup every time no matter how much I brew.

This was rated very highly I believe by America's Test Kitchen. I thought since I only make coffee for me, and 10-12 cup coffee maker is kind of ridiculous. I love the simplicity of design on this. No coffee actually goes through the machine. Just filtered water. It is nice to be able to remove the water container from the maker and put it under the water spout of my refrigerator (no more spills). Just put a filter in the top of the pot, add coffee, and turn on. So simple, no port and starboard attachments, no clocks, timers, alexa, lasers or any other doohickies. Just water, filter, coffee, and flip the switch. Am. Test Kitchen stated that the heated water temp that drips on the coffee grinds was near perfect for brewed coffee. I would agree that the coffee it makes is quite good (never tested the temp but the results have never given me a reason to). The coffee is never burnt of odd tasting. Just a consistent quality cup every time. Cleaning is super easy too. This Japanese company knows what it is doing. I have a stainless vacuum sealed 20oz coffee mug from them that is AMAZING. The absolute best on the market. I strongly suggest you try it out. They are so much lighter than anything else and still keep my coffee HOT (not just warm) from 7:30am to at least 2:30pm. That kind of clever engineering and design is what made me eager to try this coffee pot. I am glad I did. I use it daily and love it.

I don’t often write reviews, but have been so pleased with this “Zutto” 5-cup coffee maker by Zojirushi that I had to share my impressions. I bought it because I wanted to go back to a machine using paper filters, to maximize the health benefits of coffee (unfiltered or wire mesh filters don’t filter out oils that can increase cholesterol production). The Zutto is a great example of how wonderful a simple design can be. It looks great on the counter, but behind the simplicity are a series of obvious design decisions that contribute to a great experience: The built-in water filter is hidden from view, cleaning the water and lasting for up to two years; the one-button on/off switch is the epitome of simplicity; the carafe is carefully crafted (placement of the drip-filter mechanism in the carafe keeps the machine clean) and special attention must have been given to the spout because it never gets messy, leading to an easy pour with no “after dribbles” (I looked up Zojirushi’s origins and believe this stems from their history in designing glass containers); and finally, the removable water canister is not only easy-to-fill, the design features a clever inset that prevents spillage when you need to pour water out). The coffee tastes great and I believe this comes down to a combination of the filter and carefully regulated temperature. If you’re looking for a small, basic machine, this one is well worth it.

It's just OK, and I ended up returning it and getting the Mr. Coffee for 1/2 the price. Why didn't I like it? 1. There is no auto-off, which is a huge safety issue if someone in your house - not naming names! - forgets to turn it off as the day goes on. 2. There is no auto-pause, meaning that you can't sneak in a cup 1/2 way through brewing. And when they do - not naming names! - it creates a stain on the heating plate. 3. The carafe itself felt really thin & fragile. So, yes it works, but I was expecting much more.

Wow! This is a great little coffee maker! It is just my wife and I that drink coffee - me a lot of it, she just one cup a day. We had a cheap Mr. Coffee that lasted us 4 years but we were never happy with it. Despite this, we are still coffee fanatics, and we frequent Starbucks and other coffee houses in our travels. The Zutto rocks! The old coffee maker dispersed hot water at a measured 190 degrees and the in-carafe temperature was a steady 170 degrees. The Zutto makes hot coffee! It disperses water at 205 degrees and keeps it hot in the carafe at a steady 185 degrees. So, there is a huge difference in the temperature. The first thing we noticed was the strong aroma of the brewed coffee in our kitchen. The Zutto is brilliantly designed, and I'm an aerospace engineer that is really picky. I was ready to try a Technivorm at considerably higher cost, but it was still a bit too big for our needs, but the Zutto took care of our concerns. Specifically we needed a 4 - 6 cup machine with a cone filter. I didn't want timers and all that other stuff, just more to break, and they always do break as we have found over the years. The Zutto is well made in materials, fit, and function, the carafe does not drip, the removable tank actually makes filling much easier than pouring, and the cone-in-the-carafe eliminates all messes. It brews a full pot in just 6 minutes. Just perfect. A very minor nit would be that the handle is only attached to the carafe by one metal band at the top, so the handle slightly rocks back and forth a bit, but it is still solid. Thanks to all the other reviewers for helping me guide my decision! You can't possibly go wrong with this great coffee maker. Update: After a few weeks of heavy use, here is an update. First, the coffee is obviously very hot compared to the old MC. My wife and I notice that the coffee is still steaming in the cup - we never had steam in the cup after pouring. The coffee definitely tastes great. We have tried Starbucks, Costco brand (which we love and have heard it is actually SB), and various local roasted coffees - all brew up very nicely. Five cups seems to brew more full-bodied than just two cups, for obvious reasons of overall exposure of the coffee to hot water, but two cups still tastes great. Another tiny nit is that when you push the water reservoir into the machine it tilts the machine a bit because the feet are not pushed out the edge enough, so you sometimes have to hold the machine to push the reservoir into place. There is zero mess with this coffee maker! The fact of having the enclosed filter basket inside the carafe keeps the exterior of the machine completely clean. There are no drops falling onto the hotplate either. The plastic used in the machine does not stain with coffee either. So the exterior of the machine is completely clean all the time - this is very, very nice. There are many variables to coffee making, so best to try to control each variable to the extent possible for consistency and to figure out what needs to be adjusted. Strongly recommend this coffee maker. Update: 18 months later, the handle on the pot broke off. We ordered a new one for $25 and upon inspection the new one seems to be much more solid than the original. In fact, I recall my wife and I both commenting when we got the machine that the handle seemed flimsy and not solidly secured to the pot. So, I think the original was not assembled properly or was defective right from the start. The bottom part of the handle should tightly hug the glass pot. So, if you buy this coffee maker, make sure that the handle is secured very tightly and snuggly to the pot. It should not wiggle (ours always wiggled right out of the box, but the new one is solidly attached). The quality of the coffee, which is still perfect, outweighs this minor issue. So, still a solid BUY recommendation, provided you confirm the pot is solid! Happy coffee time!

IN JULY 2019 I WROTE: This makes delicious coffee that is an absolute pleasure to use. I have had every price range of coffee makers and when I moved recently, it was time for a new one. This is amazing and worth every penny. The small capacity is perfect for morning brews and in small amounts. Very accurate for taste, therefore. So simple to clean. I only use bottled water in this machine and the taste is terrific. ONE STAR REVIEW! THE POT IS CHEAPLY MADE, CUSTOMER SERVICE KNOWS THIS: It has been exactly 6-months since I purchased this coffee pot. About one week ago, the pot stopped working correctly even though I carefully took care of it. It only made between 3.5-4 cups of coffee that was extremely bitter. There were times when the pot did not work at all. Long story short, I have used very high-end coffee makers in the past and yes, I have a very solid college education...so I do know how to properly use one. So, I called into Amazon...long story short...the Amazon rep was required to call Zojirushi US in CA. The customer service fellow at Zojirushi was rude...over-talked me...acted as though I could not read nor understand their coffee maker instructions. Questioned everything as if I was to blame! I even stated to them that I thought it was an anomaly as the coffee maker was wonderful until then. Just a fluke...or so I thought. That was when I was told sorry, the pot only has a 30-day warranty and I would have to pay to have it fixed. Um...no.... The customer service rep was flip and said sorry...too bad. Nothing we can do. I pointed out that Amazon confirmed that I had purchased this within 1 year's time...and elsewhere their **online** warranty claim is for that length of time. I was told sharply from Zojirushi rep that they were filing a complaint against Amazon's rep. That wasn't fair...Amazon was doing a good job I thought. Ah...the story goes on but you get the gist. (1 week later I was called back by the reps a second time as a "courtesy" asking to "fix" my coffee pot for an upcharge. I already had the replacement from Amazon! Thank you Amazon for following through). My family and I have purchased Zojirushi products for many years...decades in fact...even sought out their products when they were difficult to find. However, this week, Amazon sided with me and sent me a new pot for free. Thank you Amazon!!! However, I publically declare that i will never purchase another Zojirushi product again...they have obviously changed. Yes! I have the replacement coffee pot and using it daily. It is fabulous and I would write the initial review all over again. However, only time will tell if this replacement will last over 6 months or not!! I suspect it will not...now that I have had a good dose of the attitude issues from the customer service staff at Zojirushi. I think these are made to last but a short time...and I suspect I am not the only one complaining! Thank you for considering my review! ---- I am a very long-time Amazon subscriber and consumer and with big THANK YOU to AMAZON for your great support!

Yes, this is a wonderful coffeemaker. This is a second one purchased. Easy to use. Uses cone filters which I prefer over baskets. Looks great on the counter. The reservoir removes to add specific water levels for either iced or hot coffee. By far the best coffeemaker for my needs.

Produce un muy buen café, estoy muy contento con este producto (ya tengo más de un mes de uso).

I been very picky with coffee makers. We just moved to new place and I was dreaming about good coffee maker. I like my coffee to taste good, and be hot, so I was very particular about my pick. Few things that were important for me when looking for new coffee maker were: size, simplicity, nice design, good ratings, great coffee. After weeks of searching I end up getting Zojirushi. The price is good, size is great, very compact and super easy to clean. The coffee is fantastic, hot, and brewed quickly. Please note that 5-cup is really 2 mugs. I wish it was 4 mugs instead but ah well, can't have it all. At the end of the day, when I pour 2 cups, I usually start another pot of coffee, since myself and my bf like to drink 2 large cups in the morning. So far the coffee maker is great, and it meets all my expectations. I noticed few people commenting about less amount of coffee used with this particular model, and I must agree. Coffee comes out strong and very flavourful, so you can get away with putting less in. Over all, great product, beautiful design, fantastic coffee. Future improvement? I would love to see automatic switch-off function, but that's about it :)

Cette cafetière est parfaite! Elle est compacte et mignonne comme tout, elle est facile à utiliser et entretenir, et ne prend pas toute la place sur le comptoir. Cette cafetière est épurée, il n’y a pas de gadgets et d’accessoires inutiles, le café est excellent et juste à la bonne température. Le seul minuscule point négatif c’est qu’il n’y a pas d’arrêt automatique du réchaud après 1-2 heures, donc il ne faut pas oublier d’éteindre la cafetière après utilisation mais c’est un tout petit détail…

Compré está cafetera por las opiniones y apenas la he usado una vez pero me gustó. Es igual a las imágenes. Se ve de buena calidad. Hace buen café. Buena temperatura. Fácil de usar. Hasta el momento la recomiendo.