Originally we just wanted to get a new Coffee maker with a thermal carafe. My wife and I started research a bunch of different brands and models because we were really unhappy with our cheap coffee makers that we kept buying (and would make a luke warm pot of coffee at best). Finally settled on the Ninja brand because we have had good luck with our other Ninja brand products. Originally we were going to get the cheaper model, but after reviewing this model and the way it handles loose leaf tea, we were interested enough to give it a show. What we thought we would use maybe a few times a month (the tea function) has turned into a daily use for my wife and I. It is absolutely amazing and steeps the tea properly every time based on the type of tea. We have been able to cut back Soda and other beverage consumptions and have started to see the health bonuses of this.