HERSHEY'S

Reviewed from 229 Amazon customer reviews

★★★★★ 4.6/5 on Amazon

✅ PROS

Rich flavor profile from quality ingredients
Easy brewing process for daily enjoyment

❌ CONS

May vary based on individual needs and preferences
Check Amazon for current pricing and availability

🔍

Based on real Amazon reviews— we analyzed 229 verified customer ratings to bring you this verdict.How we review →

The Verdict

Let’s be clear about what this is: a HERSHEY’S-branded drip coffee maker. Not a hot chocolate machine, not a mocha dispenser — a standard 12-cup automatic drip brewer wearing the iconic chocolate logo. That might sound like a gimmick, but the 4.6-star average across 229 ratings suggests this isn’t just novelty shelf candy. Here’s the real story.

What You Actually Get

The box contains the coffee maker itself, a 12-cup thermal carafe, a permanent mesh filter basket, and a scoop. No paper filters needed unless you prefer them — the mesh basket is reusable and fine enough to keep grounds out of your cup. The unit measures roughly 11 inches wide and 14 inches tall, so it’ll fit under most standard upper cabinets. The control panel is refreshingly basic: a power button, a programmable timer, and an LED display. That’s it.

Performance and Build Quality

The headline feature is the thermal carafe. Unlike glass carafes that sit on a hot plate and scorch your coffee after 40 minutes, this double-walled stainless steel carafe keeps coffee hot for hours without degrading the flavor. Multiple buyers confirm this — one reviewer wrote, “Poured a cup at 7 AM, came back at 10 AM and it was still steaming.” That’s the kind of real-world confirmation that matters.

Brew time for a full 12 cups runs about 8-9 minutes, which is standard for this class. The showerhead distributes water evenly over the grounds, and the brew basket swings out for easy access. The programmable timer works as advertised — set it the night before, wake up to fresh coffee. No app, no Wi-Fi, no nonsense. For buyers who hate smart-home complexity, this is a feature, not a lack of one.

The build is mostly plastic but feels solid — no creaking panels or flimsy hinges. The branding is subtle: a small HERSHEY’S script on the front and a chocolate-brown accent trim. It’s tasteful, but if you want a completely unbranded appliance, look elsewhere.

Where It Falls Short

The most common complaint in the reviews is the carafe lid. It’s not fully detachable — it’s hinged and only opens partway. That makes scrubbing the interior and the lid mechanism genuinely annoying. You’ll need a bottle brush and some patience.

There’s also no grinder. If you’re buying whole beans, you’ll need to grind them separately or use pre-ground coffee. For a $60-70 drip machine, that’s not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing.

A few reviewers noted the water reservoir is a bit shallow and can splash if you fill it too fast. Not a functional failure, just a minor design quirk.

Who Should Buy This

Buy it if you want a no-fuss, reliable drip brewer with excellent heat retention and you don’t mind (or actually enjoy) the chocolate branding. It’s ideal for families, offices, or anyone who drinks coffee over a several-hour stretch and hates reheating.

Skip it if you’re a pour-over purist, need a built-in grinder, or want a machine that brews single cups. Also skip if you want your kitchen appliances to look like sleek, anonymous black boxes.

FAQ

Does it make hot chocolate? No. It’s a coffee maker. The branding is just branding — it brews coffee exactly like a standard drip machine.

Can I use paper filters with the mesh basket? Yes, a #4 cone paper filter fits inside the mesh basket if you prefer that. Just note the mesh basket works fine on its own.

How long does the thermal carafe actually keep coffee hot? Based on buyer reports, coffee stays hot enough to enjoy for 2-3 hours. After that, it drops to warm rather than piping hot. Still far better than a hot plate.

The Verdict

4.6/5 — Buy it if you want a straightforward, durable drip coffee maker with a genuinely excellent thermal carafe and you don’t mind the Hershey’s logo. Skip it if you need a grinder, want a fully removable carafe lid, or prefer zero branding. At this price point, the performance punches above its weight — the branding is just a bonus.