We've had this for 1-and-a-half months, and love it. First, our Cafe Specialty (matte black) coffee maker is an elegant-looking machine, and seems well made. Though it is more a dark charcoal color than "matte black," it looks great next to our black refrigerator and granite counter. More importantly, once I figured out the ratio of coffee-to-water (about 3 pots to get it right) and which setting ("gold" works best for me) to use, this machine produces consistently excellent tasting coffee. I have the stainless steel carafe, and it really does keep the coffee hot for about an hour. As important, the coffee stays fresh-tasting for an hour -- no bitterness or over-cooked taste. I do use baking soda, hot water, and a dish brush to clean the coffee stains from the inside of the carafe about once a month. The stains weren't bad, but I wanted to get to them before they built up much. I make 8 cups every morning, using a burr grinder, and the Cafe Specialty brews quickly -- about 5 minutes and 45 seconds from beginning to end (it's done when a cool-sounding chime goes off). I haven't run the cleaning solution through the coffee maker yet, but will be doing so soon. I love this thing...love the taste of the coffee, and highly recommend it.

I purchased this to replace an older pot that had started leaking. I was attracted to the SCA approval, as well as some reviews by magazines that rated this as one of the best drip pots out there. I got the one with the thermal carafe, as we usually leave a pot going all day, and the insulated carafe does a better job of keeping it warm without affecting the flavor than a hot plate, which my old one had.

After a few weeks of using it, I have to say it's great. It makes a really good cup of coffee... noticeably better than my old drip pot, which was also expensive when I bought it. No mess at all. Everything is well sealed, and the carafe pours neatly, which was an issue with my old one, which spilled when full. Likewise, my old pot spewed steam everywhere while brewing, so I'd have to pull it out from under the kitchen cabinets while brewing to keep the underside from getting soaked. This one doesn't do that. The carafe keeps the coffee warm for hours, and I like that it can make partial pots while maintaining the flavor profile, which my old pot struggled to do - it was either make a full pot or get watery coffee. As a result we'd keep a Keurig around for the occasional single cup. It hasn't gotten used since we got this one.

A couple of minor nits to pick:
1) The sealed carafe is great for keeping the coffee warm, but as the pot and carafe are both well sealed, there is no coffee smell while it's brewing. That's a bit annoying since the smell of the coffee helps wake me up in the morning. It also means that since the carafe isn't see through and is cold to the touch even when full, it's hard to tell if the coffee has been made. My wife usually wakes up well after me, and there have been a few times where she didn't realize I had made coffee for her.

2) Note that this is a '10 cup' pot, which means it makes 5 mugs of coffee. If you have two people splitting it, you'll be fighting over the last cup. Most older pots, including the one we had, were 12 cup.

3) Not the end of the world, but the water container isn't removable, so you have to use another container to fill it up.

4) It would be nice if there was a cheaper version without the WiFi connectivity, which I honestly can't think of any use for. I have to stand in front of the pot to put water and coffee in it, and it has a timer function that I can set while I'm doing that if I chose to use that feature. I see zero advantage in the WiFi and will never use it. Just one more thing to add cost and to eventually break.

Don't hesitate to get this smart coffee pot. It is beautiful, easy to operate and set up. Most importantly it makes a great tasting cup of coffee ☕ï¸
I did the usual vinegar water run through of a new coffee pot, then 2 brew cycles with plain water to get the plastic newness out of any first coffee brews. Doing this also helps me familiarize with how the system works. Then I set up wifi (easy) and set it to brew at 8 a.m. on gold setting. I ground the coffee, put water in and woke up to the aroma of coffee brewing. I love that if I wake up earlier than the brew time is set for, I can go into the ap and start coffee from wherever I am.
I also have a smart Cafe range I love and microwave so that is what led me to the coffee pot in same series. The copper accents are as quality as what is on my range and microwave. I've seen some reviews saying it's cheaply made but I don't see that on mine at all. It's a heavy sturdy well made copper handle yet light to lift. Accents are all same good quality as on my appliances.
The stainless steel pot has a mouth wide enough to get in there and clean too. (The stainless steel I had before had such a small opening that it was very hard to clean.) So I noticed that right away. There are useful settings such as cleaning you can also set from app.
The water canister is not removable and the ONLY feature I would change about it is that as others have said, this is such a convenient part of a coffee system missing on this one. I just use my old Ninja system one to fill it. The cups are not the same amount though, about a half cup off.
There is also a removable filter in the water resivour but I haven't found out where to buy for replacement yet. I think this is a great part to have for great tasting coffee and filters should be connected to buying the system. I use the filtered water from my refrigerator to fill my coffee resivore and this is extra filtering. Our water here in Washington State is pure but hard!
Over all best looking and tasting coffee pot we've ever had. It was a little more than I usually soend on a coffee pot but worth it!
I'll update in a few months how it's doing but I'm sure I will feel the same way!
Edit 3 months later:

I wanted to come back and say, after having this a few months, they should design the water holder with a vent that allows airflow because it stays fogged up and a humid environment like this is can lead to bacteria growth. They should just make it removable to clean but at least a vent!
Filters for water were also hard to find but we did find them on Amazon. Otherwise still happy with it.

6 month review: June 2023
Have had a few problems with the wifi randomly disconnecting my coffee maker so I have to go in and do it all over. Also minor glitches when you cancel a pre set. The App doesn't like you to cancel and you have to unplug and reset.
I've gotten zero support from GE about the vent issue in water chamber. I simply leave the lid propped open to dry it out after coffee brews. Despite this effort, I've found mold in the filter area when changing water filter. I now remove that filter daily when drying out water chamber.
This coffee pot is a lot of maintenance for such an expense! So far I'm still using it but would not buy again unless GE fixes the water chamber issue. Either removable water chamber or a VENT.

After about six years of faithful service from my Bunn coffee maker, it decided to start leaking. Not bad considering we make at least one pot of coffee a day, and often 2-3 pots on Saturdays. As much as I loved the Bunn, I was ready for a coffee maker I could program to start brewing while I was getting ready in the morning, and didn't take up quite so much counter space. I had one specific requirement for out new coffee maker. It needed to be SCA Golden Cup certified. After much research it came down to this GE Cafe and the Breville coffee maker that was also Golden Cup certified. The ultimate deciding factors were that the GE Cafe (as expensive as it is) was still about $100 less than the Breville, and it was compatible with my SmartHQ app that I already use with my GE range.

I ordered the white Cafe. Not the color choice I really wanted, but definitely easier to convince my wife to purchase it than to spend and additional $40-$50 to get either black or stainless. I know it will take extra care over time to prevent (or, at least slow down) the coffee stains... but it is, what it is. What it is, is a beautiful piece of equipment that certainly dresses up my 80's countertop and log walls. Right out of the box the coffee maker feels very high quality. It was very easy to set up as well. The instructions were easy to follow, and within minutes I had it connected to SmartHQ and brewing the first pot of coffee.

Speaking of coffee, it is fantastic. Even though the instructions did not specifically say to, I did run a pot of water through the coffee maker before brewing my first pot of coffee. For my first pot, I followed the instructions to the letter. I used 1 scoop of coffee per cup. I chose the Gold setting to brew according to SCA standards. The coffee that came out was strong, but not bitter. It was stronger than my wife and I both prefer, but still extremely pleasant to drink. Every pot I have made since then has used the ration of 1 scoop for every 2 cups of coffee. That equates to 1TBSP per cup. Not near as strong and black, but still an absolutely perfect cup of coffee to start the day with.

I know the SmartHQ is an added bonus that is certainly not necessary. However, I find it very easy to use. I used it to set up an auto-brew schedule for Mon-Fri, and another for Sundays. For Saturday, I don't have auto-brew set, but it is still nice to sit in bed, pull up the app on my iPhone and tell it to start brewing the pot I set up the night before. I know I will have a hot pot of coffee waiting on me.

I have only been using the Cafe for just over a week, so I certainly can't speak to reliability over the long haul. I have my reminders set to update this review in 6 months and a year. I will try to update with either pluses or minuses based on how reliably the Cafe is still working for us.

I recently acquired this programmable coffee machine, and it has significantly elevated my morning coffee routine. From its sleek design to its impressive functionality, this machine has quickly become an indispensable part of my kitchen.

The programmable feature is a game-changer. Being able to set it the night before and wake up to the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee is a delightful experience. The intuitive interface makes it easy to customize brew strength, temperature, and even the brewing time, catering to individual preferences with precision.

The coffee quality is outstanding. The machine ensures a consistent brew every time, extracting the full flavor profile of the beans. Whether I'm in the mood for a bold espresso shot or a milder cup, this coffee maker delivers with perfection. The built-in grinder adds an extra layer of convenience, allowing me to enjoy the freshness of ground beans with each brew.

Cleaning is a breeze, thanks to the removable components and user-friendly design. The durable construction and high-quality materials inspire confidence in the longevity of this machine.

What truly sets this coffee maker apart is its versatility. It accommodates various coffee styles, from single-serve options to a full carafe for entertaining guests. The programmable settings ensure that every cup is tailored to individual preferences, providing a personalized coffee experience.

In summary, if you're a coffee enthusiast seeking a programmable coffee machine that combines convenience, customization, and exceptional brew quality, this is the one to invest in. It has undoubtedly transformed my mornings into a ritual of indulgence, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone passionate about their coffee.