For a price of less than $70, the Zojirushi EC-DAC50 Zutto 5-Cup Drip Coffeemaker offers quite an exceptional value. It’s a Japanese product through and through, from inception and design to engineering, so how does it rate compared to more established brands?
In general, I’m going to call this product Zutto, instead of repeating its full name from time to time (sighs of relief!).
power and capacity
For such a compact coffee maker, the Zutto has all the power you need to give you a great coffee experience. It prepares very hot coffee for 5 cups (as opposed to the traditional 4), thanks to its 650-watt motor, and its heating plate heats the carafe during preparation and then keeps the coffee hot.
A word of caution here: most coffee makers tend to exaggerate the number of cups they can produce in a single sitting, and Zojirushi is no exception. His mugs measure 5 ounces each, which isn’t exactly generous. However, the reservoir capacity is 23 ounces and you can get two decent cups of coffee out of a single brew.
Simplicity and Speed
The Zutto boasts a 3-5 minute brew cycle, though it’s closer to 8 minutes if you wait until the last drop has fallen from the filter into what Zojinishi calls the decanter (the carafe).
Few complain about the time it takes to do this: not many coffee machines are faster, and in any case, you need plenty of time for the ground coffee to release its flavor while the hot water seeps through.
Zutto’s simple design helps here. It’s quite unique in that the filter cone is inside the carafe, rather than just sitting on top of it. When you take the carafe to pour your coffee, you take the filter with it. Therefore, any late-arriving coffee drips that occur while you are pouring the coffee fall into the carafe and not the warming plate. Very cool.
There’s nothing to program, no LCD screens, no bells and whistles. Simply fill the reservoir with water, check that the filter is in place, add your ground coffee, and press the button on the device. It couldn’t be simpler.
What about cleaning?
The downside of any coffee maker must include cleanliness. The combination of ground coffee and hot water means there is always a lot of dirt and scale buildup. But the Zutto has to be the easiest coffee maker to clean.
For starters, the water tank can be easily removed for filling from the tap or for cleaning. I already mentioned that the filter cone is inside the carafe, so you just need to wash or rinse them together.
You can keep your Zutto in top condition simply by rinsing it with water before first use and periodically for as long as you own it.
and filters…
Filters are to some extent a personal thing. Some always use paper filters, while others prefer the ease of permanent gold filters.
The Zutto has a #2 paper cone filter, but you can use a gold filter as long as you hold the handle of the carafe naturally to prevent it from slipping out while pouring. A simple perforated lid fits on top, making everything easy to clean.
The charcoal filter, like the carafe, can be easily replaced. Charcoal, being a natural substance, will need to be replaced every so often (two years, according to Zojirushi).
Features and specifications:
- Model Number: EC-DAC50
- removable water tank
- carbon water filter
- keep warm automatically
- cULus listed
- Capacity: 5 cups / 23 ounces / 2 cups
- Dimensions (W x D x H): 8-7/8 x 6 x 10-3/4 inches
- Electrical Rating: 120 volts / 650 watts
- Replacement Charcoal Filter: 8-ECA-P320 (lasts up to 2 years with normal use)
- Silver color
- Warranty: 1 year limited
advantages
- Compact.
- Easy to clean, especially since the filter cone is located inside the carafe.
- Removable water tank.
- Capacity is 5 5 oz cups, a more convenient brew size.
Cons
- No auto shutoff, so you have to remember to turn it off when you’re done, or you could have a “burnt” taste in your next cup.
Customer reviews and scores
This product averages more than 4 stars out of 5 on Amazon at the time of writing, from more than 520 reviewers. Most users love its compact design and size, as well as the fact that Zutto makes great-tasting coffee, including iced coffee.
The 5-cup capacity is also appreciated for the extra amount of coffee brewed.
One or two reviewers have complained about the bad taste of the coffee, but they are a small minority. You may be among those who do not read the User Manual properly, particularly when you are advised to clean the machine from time to time to preserve the flavor of the coffee.
It’s also important to allow the brew cycle to complete before pouring, to get the full flavor, and also to prevent grind from getting into the cone, pitcher, and cup.
Conclution
The Zutto is designed differently than almost any other coffee maker. It is compact, elegant and pleasing to the eye.
The Zojirushi EC-DAC50 Zutto 5-Cup Drip Coffee Maker is also very easy to clean and maintain in top condition, leading some owners to continue using it every day for 5 years after purchasing it, a very rare achievement among coffee makers. .