we've had this coffee maker for about a month now. while i enjoy the concept of being able to have the beans grind directly into a fresh cup of coffee, the machine does take a lot to clean and keep up with. to be fair, we make coffee every day and i can be a bit lazy about maintenance. you have to tend to the water tank level, coffee beans (red light flashes when it's not full enough), coffee grinds container (inside the machine), and water container (also inside the machine) every few days. the coffee machine also takes up a good amount of counter space. in my opinion, the coffee tastes just a step better than ordinary drip coffee, but overall is a good product for people who aren't as lazy as i am. coffee takes a bit longer to make in the morning but well worth the extra (short) wait.