Abstract: A coffee maker has a housing having a upstanding tower, a carafe support platform extending horizontally forward from the lower end of the tower, and a fixed, tubular filter basket support extending horizontally forward from the upper end of the housing above the platform. A horizontal filter basket cover, including a water spreader, is disposed above the filter basket support and carried by the housing for pivotal movement about a vertical axis. A cover pivotal about a horizontal axis is provided over a water reservoir defined by the housing. A valve mechanism is provided that operates upon pivoting of the filter basket cover to selectively permit heated water to be supplied to the water spreader, thereby preventing burns from heated water when the water spreader is not located above the filter basket support. The coffee maker also includes an electronic controller having a control pad on the front surface of the housing platform. A pivotal cover is provided to shield the control pad from spilled coffee.