For a price of less than $ 70, the Zojirushi EC-DAC50 Zutto 5-Cup Drip Coffeemaker offers quite exceptional value. It is a Japanese product from start to finish, from inception and design to engineering, so how does it rate compared to more established brands?
Above all, I am going to call this product Zutto, rather than repeating its full name from time to time (sighs of relief everywhere!).
Power and capacity
For such a compact coffeemaker, the Zutto has all the power you need to give you a great coffee experience. It prepares very hot coffee for 5 cups (unlike the traditional 4), thanks to its 650 watt motor, and its hot plate heats the carafe during preparation and then keeps the coffee hot.
A word of caution here: Most coffee makers tend to exaggerate the number of cups they can produce in one sitting, and Zojirushi is no exception. Their cups are 5 ounces each, not exactly generous. Nonetheless, the tank capacity is 23 ounces and you can get two decent cups of coffee from a single brew.
Simple and fast
The Zutto has a 3-5 minute brew cycle, though it’s closer to 8 minutes if you wait until the last drip has fallen from the filter into what Zojinishi calls the decanter (the jug).
Few complain about how long this takes – not many coffee makers are faster, and in any case it takes enough time for the ground coffee to release its flavor while the hot water is filtered.
Zutto’s simple design helps here. It is quite unique in that the filter cone is inside the decanter, rather than just on top of it. When you take the jug to serve the coffee, you take the filter with you. Therefore, any drops of coffee that are late while you are serving will fall into the carafe and not onto the warming plate. Very cool.
There is nothing to program, no LCD screens, no bells and whistles. Simply fill the reservoir with water, check that the filter is in place, add your coffee grounds, and press a button on the device. It couldn’t be easier.
What about cleaning?
The downside to any coffee maker must include cleanliness. The combination of coffee grounds and hot water means there is always a lot of dirt and scale buildup. But the Zutto must be the easiest coffeemaker to clean.
For starters, the water reservoir can be easily removed to fill from the tap or for cleaning. I already mentioned that the filter cone is inside the jug so you only need to wash or rinse them at a time.
You can keep your Zutto in top condition simply by rinsing it with water before using it for the first time and periodically during your ownership.
And Filters ..?
Filters are, to some extent, personal. Some always use paper filters, while others prefer the ease of permanent gold filters.
The Zutto has a paper cone filter No. 2, but you can use a gold filter as long as you naturally hold the jug handle to prevent it from slipping while pouring. A simple perforated lid fits over the top, making everything easy to clean.
The charcoal filter, like the carafe, can be easily replaced. Coal, being a natural substance, will need to be replaced from time to time (two years, according to Zojirushi).
Features and Specifications:
- Model No: EC-DAC50
- Removable water tank
- Carbon water filter
- Automatic keep warm
- cULus listed
- Capacity: 5 cups / 23 ounces / 2 cups
- Dimensions (W x D x H): 8-7 / 8 x 6 x 10-3 / 4 inches
- Electrical Rating: 120 Volts / 650 Watts
- Replacement carbon filter: 8-ECA-P320 (lasts up to 2 years with normal use)
- Silver color
- Warranty: 1 year limited
Pros
- Compact.
- Easy to clean, especially since the filter cone is inside the decanter.
- Removable water tank.
- Capacity is 5 5oz cups, a more convenient brew size.
Cons
- It doesn’t turn off automatically, so you need to remember to turn it off when you’re done, or you could have a “burnt” taste in your next cup.
Customer reviews and ratings
This product averages more than 4 out of 5 stars on Amazon as of this writing, from more than 520 reviewers. Most users love its design and compactness, as well as the fact that the Zutto makes great tasting coffee, including iced coffee.
The 5-cup capacity is also appreciated for the extra amount of brewed coffee.
One or two reviewers have complained about bad tasting coffee, but they are a small minority. They may be among those who do not read the user manual correctly, especially when it advises you to clean the machine from time to time to preserve the taste of the coffee.
It is also important to allow the brew cycle to complete completely before pouring, so you get the full flavor and also to prevent the grinds from getting into the cone, jug, and cup.
Conclution
The Zutto is designed differently from almost any other coffee maker. It is compact, elegant and pleasing to the eye.
The Zojirushi EC-DAC50 Zutto 5-Cup Drip Coffeemaker is also very easy to clean and maintain in top condition, leading some owners to continue to use it every day 5 years after purchase, a very rare achievement among women. coffee makers.