Bonavita 8 Cup Model BV1900TS: Complex Flavors with Simple Brewing

The Bottom Line

A reliable brewer with some solid features that offer great taste, the Bonavita 8 cup Model VB1900TS comes in with mid-range affordability. As for brewing a non-bitter, non-acidic cup of coffee, it works great.

This is partially attributed to the Pre-Infusion “bloom” feature. The simple design means that there are few bells and whistles, which works out well for those who are rather bleary eyed in the morning and just want their coffee to brew itself.

Bonavita BV1900TS 8-Cup Carafe Coffee Brewer, Stainless Steel available on Amazon

Bonavita’s previous model, the 1800, had a cone shaped basket which made even saturation of the grounds, but that has been fixed in this model which now boasts a flat bottomed basket.

In addition, the 12-hole showerhead feature allows for equal distribution of the water throughout the grounds, the extract the best possible flavor without bitterness or acidity.

Amazon reviewers seem to generally like this Bonavita BV1900TS model as it receives high marks from most users.

At a Glance

• One touch brew
• Automatic shutoff
• Optimal brewing temperature at 195-205ºF
• Optional pre-infusion “blooming” mode
• Large showerhead for even saturation (removable for cleaning)
• Flat bottomed filter basked works with showerhead for uniformity of extraction
• Stainless steel lined thermal carafe
• Water reservoir marked for ease of measuring
• Dishwasher safe elements including carafe lid, filter basket and showerhead
• SCAA recognized as part of the Certified Home Brewer Program
• 2 year warranty
• BPA Free

Dimensions

Height: 12.2 inches
Width: 6.8 inches
Depth: 12.4 inches
Weight: 6.1 pounds (8.2 pounds shipping weight)

Pros

Optional Pre-Infusion “Bloom”: One of the most important parts of brewing a good cup of coffee is the Pre-Infusion phase.
Sure, it adds a couple more minutes to the brewing process, but it buys you a significant amount of taste.

By allowing the CO2 a bit of time to release from fresh grounds before brewing, you gain a whole myriad of flavors.

But, if you’re using coffee that’s not-so-freshly-ground, then you have the option to turn this feature off and it really won’t make much of a difference in the way your coffee tastes.

If you’re trying to save time by grinding your beans the night before….then go ahead and turn this feature off to save that extra two minutes!

Brewing Temperature of between 195 and 205ºF: To even earn the possibility of being considered for the SCAA certification, a brewer must heat the water to this range before brewing.

Large showerhead and flat bottom filter basket: Allows for more even distribution of the water (cheaper coffee makers just shoot the water right down the middle) in order to extract the best flavor from the grounds.

Stainless steel lined carafe: Keeps the coffee warm for about an hour. (But who wants to drink coffee that’s over an hour old anyway?!)

Cons

Brewing basket placement: Once your coffee is brewed, you have to remove the basket from the carafe. But where do you put it? Sure, you can set it on a plate or on the counter, but it just takes up counter space and is a little cluttered and messy.

Carafe lip design: On the inside of the carafe, there’s a small lip that seems to get in the way of emptying the pot completely. This is true when you try to pour the last drops of coffee out of the pot, as well as when you are drying the pot after cleaning.

Comparison to Similar Products

For the price, this Bonavita 1900TS offers some solid features with simplicity and it’s definitely an upgrade from the Bonavita 1800 (which is not certified by the SCAA).

Compared to the Bunn Phase Brew the BV1900TS is better and sits in the same affordability range.

It also outperforms the KitchenAid Pour Over KCM0802 for about the same price.

But, also in the same price range, you could upgrade to the Behmor Brazen Plus, which is chock full of extra features and has significantly more capabilities to make adjustments in the way you want your coffee to brew.

Techniques, Tips, and Tricks

The instructions for the Pre-Infusion mode are a little confusing. The basic gist is that you need to hold the programming button down for 5 seconds in order to either activate or deactivate the Pre-Infusion cycle.

If you hold the button down for 5 seconds and it blinks twice, you have activate the setting. If it blinks once, you have deactivated the setting. This will remain in the brewer’s memory until you change it or unplug the unit. Then press the power button once more (without holding) to begin brewing.

You can know if the Pre-Infusion cycle is working during brewing because the light will blink throughout the brewing cycle. If the light is solid during brewing, then the Pre-Infusion cycle is not activated.

Conclusion

Of course, the choice depends on how fancy you want your brewer to be, and how much of the brewing process you want to be automated for you.If you’re looking for a no-nonsense brewer that performs solidly with a great-tasting cup of coffee due to the Pre-Infusion option, then this Bonavita BV1900TS is a great choice.

An upscale coffeemaker with a price to match, this is one of the better machines capable of extracting all of the nuances from your beans. It’s a buy.

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Looking for more great coffeemaker reviews? Then check out all of Foodal’s recommended models now.  Also be sure to check out our complete drip coffee maker buying guide for advice in choosing the best model for you.