This coffee maker is a nice upgrade from our previous one. The color scheme and aesthetic fits in well with our other appliances. There are nice features that allow tuning your brewing just right, such as the ability to adjust the time and temperature of the hot plate as well as adjusting the brew strength. The addition of the optional filter is also nice. I also like that the lid of the carafe locks; I use my coffee maker to also brew ice tea, so its nice to know the lid won't fly off when pouring the tea into my pitchers. 
The only criticism is the water tank has a tight opening, which sometimes results in spilled water. I wish it was just a little easier to get to without the lid being in the way.