This is, in general, the most economical type of coffee maker. The 10 and 12-cup coffee makers are among the most popular units in this type. Smaller models are also made available for small families. For hotels and dormitories, 4-cup coffee makers are ideal. If you re purchasing a drip coffee maker, you need to make a choice between glass and thermal carafe. You also need to consider the warranty policy offered, unless you are willing to buy a replacement immediately after a problem arises with the machine you bought. But the thing is a machine is a machine. Meaning, it can malfunction or its carafe might leak anytime. Defective machines are possible even if they are new. When purchasing a personal drip and espresso machine with steam wand, it is necessary to connect it to the filtered water valve. This machine maintains a certain temperature and utilises pressurised water. The temperature valve must be calibrated to ensure that its boiling point is neither lukewarm nor scalding hot. If you think you can t avoid spills, then pour a cup in your sink. 2. Moisture There are also instances when the coffee basket retains so much moisture which results in moisture dripping on the hot plate after the carafe is removed. While this is not much of a problem, it can be annoying on your part since this means extra cleaning. In March 2008, Howard D. Schultz, the chief executive of Starbucks announced that as part of their effort to sell better tasting coffee, the corporation had purchased the Seattle-based Coffee Equipment Company to have all future clover coffee makers appear only in Starbucks. This business decision had stunned the coffee industry and many coffee connoisseurs. To prevent overheating, some designs have added features like sensors and fuses that detect the temperature of the coil. Machine Flaws and Solutions One problem with electric drip coffee makers is that the coffee often stays on the burner too long (usually longer than 10 minutes) which changes the quality of the coffee.