I've been using the OXO 9-cup coffee maker for a week now, daily and sometimes in the evening.  The coffee tastes wonderful and stays hot in the thermal carafe for almost six hours.  The carafe has a nice soft and slip resistant handle.  Curb appeal... this brewer is pleasing to the eye and it's cool to watch how the water comes up from a central tube from the tank side to the brewing side.  Great coffee and a show!  I've personally found the ground coffee required is less than what is mentioned in the manual, but this could also be based upon the grind or particular bean.