Are Rowenta filter coffee machines good?
Rowenta filter coffee machines are good if you want a thermal carafe at a fair price, but the choice is very small. The brand is far better known for irons, steam generators and vacuum cleaners, and its filter coffee line is a sideline next to sister brands Krups and Moulinex. What it does offer is sensible: the CT381810 brews 15 cups from a 1.25 l tank into an insulated jug.
The thermal carafe is the main strength. Coffee stays hot for a couple of hours without sitting on a hot plate, so the last cup tastes close to the first. The machine draws 850 W and switches itself off after brewing, which keeps running costs low.
The limitation is flexibility. There is no timer, so you do not wake up to ready coffee, and the 850 W heater fills a jug more slowly than 1,000–1,600 W machines. For programming or a built-in grinder, you need to look beyond Rowenta.
What are the main advantages of Rowenta filter coffee machines?
The main advantages of Rowenta filter coffee machines are as follows:
- Thermal carafe: The CT381810 brews into an insulated jug instead of a glass pot on a hot plate. Coffee stays hot for hours and does not burn or turn bitter.
- Family-size pot: With 15 cups from a 1.25 l tank, the CT381810 serves four or five people in one brew. Nobody waits for a second cycle at breakfast.
- Low energy use: The CT381810 draws 850 W and switches off after brewing. The insulated jug does the keeping warm, so no heater stays on while you drink.
- Simple operation: One switch starts the CT381810, and pre-ground coffee goes into a standard paper filter. There is no display to set and nothing to programme.
- Portable jug: The CT381810 jug goes straight to the table or a meeting room. You pour away from the machine and keep the kitchen counter free.
What are the main disadvantages of Rowenta filter coffee machines?
The main disadvantages of Rowenta filter coffee machines are the following:
- No timer: The CT381810 has no programmable start. You have to be in the kitchen to press the button each morning.
- Slower brewing: At 850 W, the CT381810 takes longer to fill its jug than 1,000 W machines. Expect a few extra minutes per full pot.
- Narrow choice: Rowenta's filter line is thin, and the CT381810 stands mostly alone. A smaller pot, a grinder or a premium steel version means switching brand.
- Jug cleaning: Thermal jugs like the one on the CT381810 have a narrow neck and a valve lid. Coffee oils build up inside, so the jug needs a bottle brush and a cleaning tablet every week or two.
- Cooler first cup: Coffee in the CT381810 jug comes out a few degrees cooler than from a hot plate, since nothing reheats it. Rinsing the jug with hot water before brewing makes a noticeable difference.

