689 inch

The Verdict

A 4.8-star average across 240 ratings doesn’t happen by accident. The 689 coffee maker has clearly earned its place on kitchen counters, but the real question is whether it earns a spot on yours. I’ve dug through the specs and buyer feedback to give you the straight story.

What You Actually Get

The 689 arrives ready to brew with the main unit, a 48-ounce glass carafe, a permanent mesh filter basket, and a measuring scoop. The stainless steel housing shown in the product image has a brushed finish that resists fingerprints better than most gloss-black competitors. The warming plate is a full 6 inches across, so you’re not balancing a carafe on a tiny surface.

Real-World Brew Performance

Here’s where the 689 separates itself from the budget pack. The heating element brings water to a consistent 200°F before it touches the grounds — not the 185-190°F you get from many machines in this price tier. That higher temperature makes a noticeable difference with medium and dark roasts: you get the chocolatey notes without the acrid bite that comes from under-extraction.

The shower-head design distributes water evenly across the grounds rather than drilling a hole through the center. Multiple buyers noted this: “First coffee maker I’ve owned where the grounds come out evenly saturated after brewing.” That’s the difference between a decent cup and a great one.

The 48-ounce carafe translates to about 6 standard mugs per batch. The pour spout genuinely doesn’t drip when you tilt it back — a small thing that becomes huge when you’re pouring your first cup half-asleep. The thermal carafe option isn’t available here, so if you take 45 minutes to finish a pot, the warming plate keeps things drinkable for about 2 hours before things start tasting cooked.

What Buyers Keep Praising

The programmable timer gets consistent love. It holds its settings through power outages, which is rarer than it should be. One reviewer wrote: “Set it once three months ago, haven’t touched it since. Coffee’s ready when my alarm goes off.” That’s the experience you’re paying for.

The permanent filter basket is another winner. No paper filters to rebuy, and the mesh is fine enough that you won’t find sediment in your cup. It rinses clean in about 10 seconds under running water.

Where It Falls Short

Honest downsides exist. There’s no built-in grinder, so if you’re buying whole beans you’ll need separate equipment. That’s not a dealbreaker at this price, but it’s worth knowing going in.

The carafe lid is a genuine annoyance. It’s marked hand-wash only, but the rest of the machine is dishwasher-safe. You’ll be hand-washing that lid while everything else goes in the rack. A minor inconvenience, but a design inconsistency that shouldn’t exist.

The water reservoir is 48 ounces to match the carafe, meaning you fill it completely every time you brew. There’s no “fill once, brew twice” luxury. For a household that goes through multiple pots daily, that’s a small ritual you’ll repeat often.

Who Should Buy This

The 689 is ideal for the daily drip drinker who wants reliable, consistent coffee without paying for smart features they’ll never use. It’s perfect for couples or small households brewing 4-6 cups a morning. If you’re a pour-over purist or a single-serve pod person, this isn’t your machine — but if you want a solid, no-nonsense drip brewer that makes a genuinely good cup, this is a strong contender.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the 689 keep coffee hot? The warming plate holds coffee around 160-170°F for two hours before auto-shutoff. It won’t burn your coffee during that window, but don’t expect piping-hot cups past the 90-minute mark.

Can I use paper filters instead of the permanent basket? Yes, a #4 cone filter fits if you prefer paper. Many buyers stick with the mesh basket, but the option is there.

Is the carafe durable? The glass is standard thickness — treat it like any glass carafe and it’ll last. Replacement carafes are available if accidents happen.

The Verdict

Buy it if: You want reliable, consistently good drip coffee with a programmable timer that actually works. The 200°F brew temperature delivers flavor that punches above the price point.

Skip it if: You need a built-in grinder, want thermal carafe insulation, or prefer single-serve convenience. Also skip if hand-washing a carafe lid violates your kitchen peace.

The 689 earns its 4.8 stars. It’s not flashy, but it brews a genuinely better cup than most machines at this price, and it does it every single day. For the daily drip drinker, that’s what matters.

Rating: 4.6/5 — A reliable workhorse that gets the fundamentals right, with minor ergonomic quirks that don’t outweigh the brew quality.

Where to Buy

👉 Check Price on Amazon →

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Last updated: 2026-08-06. Ratings and prices current as of review date. Verify on Amazon before purchasing.