Abstract: A brew basket for a brewing apparatus includes a splash protection structure to protect against spilling when the brew basket is removed prematurely with hot brewing liquid therein. The structure is a splash reservoir formed near the handle of the brew basket, extending the interior surface of the brew basket radially outward at the site of the compartment where the basket is pulled out of the brewing apparatus. A well or reservoir attenuates a wave of liquid created by pulling the basket out by directing the wave to the reservoir rather than impact the side wall of the basket, where hot liquid would then tend to splash or spill out.

Abstract: An automatic drip coffee maker makes drip coffee by providing a relatively small water reservoir that holds less than the total quantity of water. The coffee maker automatically transfers the remainder of the total quantity of water to the beverage storage container. The coffee maker also automatically heats the water in the reservoir and transfers it to a basket of ground coffee to make a concentrated brew which drips into the storage space which already contains a quantity of water sufficient to dilute the concentrated brew to a desired drinking strength. The same beverage strength is produced over a narrow range of brewing times for a wide range of cups brewed. The coffee maker is significantly smaller overall than conventionally configured drip coffee makers. The convenience of conventional coffee makers is maintained, e.g. structural components to be handled by the user do not exceed those of a conventional percolator. Other than one or more bimetal thermostats, there are no moving parts.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for improving coffee grounds usage wherein a removable insert means is provided for confining coffee grounds within a substantially annular area of a coffee grounds receptacle. In an alternative embodiment, a coffee grounds receptacle for a coffee maker is provided, having an inner spacer means whereby coffee grounds are confined to an annular area between the inner spacer means and the outer wall of the receptacle. In each of the embodiments, the insert means or the coffee grounds receptacle is provided with an aperture means for accommodating a tube conveying rising hot liquid to an area above the coffee grounds, and further includes a plug for the aperture means so that the insert or coffee grounds receptacle is adapted to be used in a drip-type coffee maker.