Hamilton Beach Grind and Brew Coffee Maker Model 49989 Review

For a great cup of coffee made from fresh ground beans, the Hamilton Beach  Grind and Brew Coffee Maker (Model 49989) is a possibility.

Plusses:
+ You can brew one cup or two at the same time
+ The coffee brews directly into the cup or cups--there is no carafe to wash.
+ The cup base is adjustable (two positions) to accommodate regular and tall cups or mugs.
+ You can make coffee either by grinding fresh coffee beans or by using pre-ground coffee.

Minuses:
- The grind function sounds like an air raid siren. It's very loud and runs twice for each brew.
- There is no hot plate to keep the coffee hot before you want to drink it. In a way, that makes sense, because when you brew just one cup, you probably want to enjoy it right away.
- Because the coffee brews directly into a cup (which is often cold) and not into a heated carafe, I find it necessary to heat the coffee for 36 seconds in the microwave oven. (Why 36? The 30 second button leaves the mug at the back of the oven with the handle away from me. 36 seconds rotates the mug back around to the front. If you don't have a rotating plate you won't have this problem.)
- Because the coffee is diverted sideways in case you want to put two mugs side by side for a two-cup brew, it's necessary to position one cup for a one-cup brew carefully so there is no dripping outside the mug.
- With a small mug, the coffee sometimes splashes out onto the counter.

Overall, the Hamilton Beach Grind and Brew coffee maker makes very good coffee, reasonably quickly, and is easy to clean and maintain. The noise of the grinder is the major negative.