Bottom Line
Choose this budget 12-cup if you want simple auto-brew and reliably hot coffee; Skip if you care about nuanced flavor or hate plastic build and hot-plate cleanup.
Best for
Busy households, offices, or anyone who wants inexpensive, programmable drip coffee with a straightforward interface and a full 12-cup-style carafe for serving multiple people.
Not for
Coffee flavor purists chasing balanced extraction and complex notes, or anyone who dislikes hot plates and wants an insulated carafe and cleaner exterior maintenance.
Verdict
The CM1160B is a feature-packed bargain: it offers true 24-hour programming, a dependable 2-hour auto shutoff, and a hot plate that keeps coffee very warm. Testing and reviewers generally find it fast enough (roughly a cup a minute) and consistent, but flavor is the clear compromise—multiple tasters describe bitterness/astringency and signs of over-extraction, and the hot plate can push brewed coffee toward stale, burnt notes if it sits. The lightweight, mostly plastic build is expected at the price, and cleaning is easy inside, though the hot plate and small crevices can collect stains and grounds. For basic, strong drip coffee on a timer, it delivers.
Pros
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Multiple sources frame it as a bestseller or extremely popular budget coffee maker, including references to high recent sales volume, Amazon best-seller positioning, and Amazon’s Choice-style recognition.
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Positioned as a low-cost programmable drip machine (often cited around the mid-$20s to mid-$30s). Multiple sources frame it as strong value because you get timer programming and auto shutoff at a budget price, with tradeoffs in build materials and cup refinement.
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Setup is straightforward: add water, insert basket and filter, add grounds, and start. Programming is frequently described as easy, with a minor emphasis on properly seating the basket and snapping the lid closed.
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Recognition discussed in reviews centers on marketplace badges and popularity (for example, Amazon’s Choice and best-selling claims). No Specialty Coffee Association certification is indicated, and one lab review notes its brew temperatures average below SCA-recommended ranges.
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Heating is often described as very hot for the price. Testing cites brew water temperatures in the high 170s to low 190s Fahrenheit range, and the hot plate can keep (or even push) coffee temperature up over time. The downside is that too much hot-plate heat can accelerate oxidation and worsen flavor if coffee sits.
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A two-year limited warranty is cited, with guidance to contact customer service for repair or replacement in the event of defects. Replacement carafes/lids are described as purchasable separately.
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Commonly praised for automation: 24-hour programmable auto-brew, QuickTouch-style setup, a 2-hour auto shutoff, and a pause-brew or Sneak-a-Cup function that temporarily stops flow when the carafe is removed (typically around 30 seconds).
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Overall experience is described as simple and beginner-friendly, helped by large/rubberized buttons and easy programming. Minor usability knocks include a dimmer clock, lack of an end-of-brew beep, and exterior areas that take more effort to keep spotless.
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Designed around full-pot drip brewing with a hot plate keep-warm cycle. Reviewers describe it as set-and-forget for morning pots, with the warmer staying on for about two hours before shutting off automatically.
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Marketed and used as a 12-cup class machine with clear water markings. Some testing suggests cup markings can be confusing versus 6-ounce cup conventions and that real-world fills may not match expectations perfectly; user guidance also cautions against brewing very small batches (often not below about 4 cups).
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At least one review explicitly calls out built-in cord storage on the back, helping keep counters tidier when the machine is not in use.
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Speed is generally average-to-good for a budget drip maker. Multiple reviews describe roughly a cup-per-minute pacing; one lab test cites an average brew time around 7:53 for a full pot, and a video walkthrough suggests 4 cups in a little over 4 minutes and 6 cups in about 6 minutes.
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Uses standard basket paper filters and supports a compatible reusable metal filter. Multiple reviews note no included permanent filter, and at least one source reports occasional grounds in the pot, which can depend on filter choice and grind.
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Often described as compact, lightweight, and counter-friendly with a front-facing water window that helps filling in tight spaces. One consistent ergonomic caveat: it needs enough vertical clearance to open the lid, and at least one reviewer notes it may not fit under standard cabinets when open.
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The glass DuraLife-style carafe and handle are generally described as comfortable and pouring is often rated good. The pause-brew/Sneak-a-Cup feature usually prevents major dripping, but reviewers warn you must return the carafe promptly to avoid overflow, and some testing shows minor dribbles.
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Routine maintenance is presented as simple: removable basket and carafe are often described as dishwasher-safe, and descaling can be done via a dedicated cleaning cycle (reported 45–60 minutes, recommended about every 60 days) or a vinegar-water method. Exterior cleaning can be harder due to hot-plate splatter and tight gaps.
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Coffee results skew toward strong, classic diner-style brew. Several sources say it is consistent enough for everyday use, but a major taste critique is bitterness/astringency and signs of over-extraction; one outlet also notes finer flavor notes get lost. A few users report occasional grounds ending up in the pot.
Cons
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Core marketed features are broadly supported by reviews (programmable timer, auto shutoff, pause-brew, keep-warm hot plate). Where expectations can diverge is around cup-count conventions and how strong/uneven the first cup can be if you interrupt brewing, which affects perceived consistency versus claims.
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Box contents are described as basic: coffee maker, glass carafe, removable brew basket, and user manual. Multiple sources note missing extras like paper filters and a coffee scoop, though replacement parts like a carafe or lid can be ordered separately.
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Build is repeatedly characterized as mostly plastic with some stainless accents, which is expected at the budget price. The carafe is described as reinforced glass, and one source suggests a practical lifespan of roughly 3–5 years with proper care; the hot plate area may show cosmetic wear over time.
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Recurring flaws include a mostly plastic feel, a hot plate that can stain or collect a calcified ring, and exterior nooks/crevices where grounds and splatter accumulate. Some users also note the filter basket is awkward to fill (does not sit flat), plus minor quirks like no brew-finished alert and occasional brew-head warping reports.
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Reviewers explicitly mention there is no included coffee scoop (and no mention of built-in scoop storage). If scoop convenience matters, you will need your own measuring scoop and storage solution.
FAQ
Does it use paper filters?
Yes. Multiple reviews describe it using standard basket-style paper filters, and it can also work with a compatible reusable metal filter.
How long does it keep coffee warm?
Reviews consistently describe a keep-warm hot plate that runs for about two hours, followed by automatic shutoff.
How fast does it brew?
Several reviewers report around one cup per minute. One test measured an average full-pot brew time around the 8-minute range, while smaller batches brewed proportionally faster.
Will it fit under kitchen cabinets?
It can be tall with the lid open. One video review notes the open-lid height is about 20.5 inches, which can be too tall for typical 19-inch cabinet clearance.
How do you descale it?
Reviews describe either running a manufacturer cleaning/descaling cycle (about 45–60 minutes) or using a vinegar-and-water approach, then rinsing with one or more full pots of fresh water.
Reviews we analyzed
Video Reviews
Article Reviews
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