CW15-APS

Overview

The BUNN CW15-APS Airpot System is a commercial pourover coffee brewer that brews directly into an airpot. The airpot can be moved to a serving area, keeping coffee available for service without leaving it in the brewer. BUNN describes the CW15-APS as an airpot-dispensed coffee brewer; retailer descriptions specify short-term storage in airpots.

The brewer uses a pourover water source, is electric, and is listed at 120 volts. BUNN identifies the CW15-APS with model number 23001.0000. The supplied BUNN operating guide covers C, CT and CWTF series equipment, including APS models; where instructions below come from that series guide, they are identified as such.

Key Features

• Airpot brewing: Coffee brews directly into an airpot for portable service and short-term holding.
• Pourover operation: Product specifications identify the water source as pourover.
• Compact listed width: The product is listed as 9 inches wide.
• Stainless-steel construction: A retailer description identifies all-stainless-steel construction.
• Listed certifications: The supplied product search information identifies NSF and UL.

Specifications

• Manufacturer: BUNN
• Model: CW15-APS
• BUNN model / UPC code: 23001.0000
• Retail item number: 234230010000
• Equipment type: Airpot-dispensed coffee brewer
• Power type: Electric
• Voltage: 120 V
• Water source: Pourover
• Style: Single
• Coffee filter size: 9 3/4 inches x 4 1/4–4 1/2 inches
• Listed warmers: A retailer specification lists two warmers. The supplied BUNN series manual defines APS as an airpot server with no warmers, so the sources conflict on this specification.
• Dimensions in BUNN product data: 24.1 inches high x 9.0 inches wide x 19.4 inches deep.
• Dimensions in retailer listing: 23 5/8 inches high x 9 inches wide x 18 1/2 inches deep. This differs from the BUNN dimensions above.
• Shipping weight: 31.22 lb, as listed by a retailer.
• Construction: All stainless steel, as described by a retailer.
• Certifications stated in the supplied sources: NSF and UL.

Installation & Requirements

The series operating guide states that covered equipment is for indoor use on a sturdy counter. The CW15-APS product specifications identify it as a 120 V electric brewer with a pourover water source. The supplied sources do not give an amperage for this model, nor do they provide model-specific clearance or ventilation requirements.

The series guide describes plumbing requirements for some models and notes that the hot-water faucet, where present, requires a working water supply line. The CW15-APS is identified in the product specifications as pourover; the available information does not establish that this model has a hot-water faucet or require a plumbed connection for its pourover brewing. Follow the instructions supplied for the specific unit and consult qualified service personnel for electrical inspection, testing or repair.

Operation

Preparing a brew

The BUNN series guide gives the following coffee-brewing procedure for covered brewers:

• Place a BUNN paper filter in the funnel.
• Add fresh coffee to the filter and level the bed of grounds by gently shaking it.
• Slide the funnel into the funnel rails.
• Place an empty dispenser beneath the funnel. For the CW15-APS, the product purpose is brewing into an airpot.
• Set the ON/OFF switch to the ON position, then momentarily press and release the brew-start switch. Do not hold the start switch.
• When brewing is complete, discard the used grounds and filter.

The guide says the ON/OFF switch must be ON to start and complete a brew cycle. Turning the ON/LOWER switch off after a cycle has started does not immediately stop water flow; water continues until the tank siphons down to its proper level. The series guide also cautions that the brewer is heated at all times and should be kept away from combustibles.

Water and brew results

For proper extraction, the guide calls for BUNN paper filters, a fine or drip grind, a clean sprayhead, and a filter centred in the funnel. Level the grounds by gently shaking the funnel. The guide's suggested sprayhead check is to look for a dimple in the coffee bed corresponding to each sprayhead hole. It also describes checking the water temperature below the sprayhead during a brew cycle; the reading should not be less than 195°F (76°C). The guide recommends having a pressure regulator installed if water pressure fluctuates.

The guide describes a flip-lid pour-in feature on some covered equipment: pour water only through it, never coffee, and do not use the pour-in feature and start switch simultaneously because hot water may overflow. The supplied sources do not confirm that this feature is present on the CW15-APS, so do not assume it applies to this model.

Cleaning & Maintenance

The operating guide recommends cleaning exterior surfaces with a damp cloth rinsed in mild, non-abrasive liquid detergent. Take care around the heater switch while wiping so it is not accidentally turned off. Clean the sprayhead holes; the manual notes that a properly cleaned sprayhead leaves a dimple in the bed of coffee grounds for each hole.

For sprayhead-tube cleaning, the guide instructs the operator to remove the sprayhead and insert the supplied deliming spring all the way into the sprayhead tube. When properly inserted, no more than two inches of spring should remain visible. Saw the spring back and forth five or six times. In hard-water areas, the guide says this cleaning may need to be done daily; it takes less than a minute and helps prevent lime problems in the brewer.

The guide says the faucet aerator may be removed for cleaning by unscrewing the aerator assembly counterclockwise from the bottom. It warns not to disassemble the rest of the faucet assembly until the brewer is disconnected from the water line. The source does not establish that the CW15-APS has a faucet, so this faucet-specific instruction applies only if the unit has that component.

Troubleshooting

The following checks and remedies are from the supplied BUNN C, CT and CWTF series guide, which includes APS models. Disconnect the brewer when servicing unless the manual specifically calls for electrical tests. Electrical inspection, testing and repair should be performed only by qualified service personnel.

• Brew cycle will not start: The guide lists the ON/LOWER switch being off, no power, or no water as possible causes. Turn on the switch and main power; check that the power cord is secure and check circuit breakers or fuses. Confirm that water lines and valves are open and check for a plugged water filter.
• Water is not hot: Check whether the heater switch is off and turn it on. The guide warns that leaving the tank-heater switch off results in brewing with cold water.
• Inconsistent beverage level: The guide lists lime buildup or fluctuating water pressure. Use the deliming spring and clean the sprayhead; if pressure fluctuates, have a pressure regulator installed.
• Consistently low or high beverage level: The guide identifies timer adjustment as the probable cause and directs the operator to adjust the timer.
• Spitting or excessive steaming: The guide identifies lime buildup. Use the deliming spring and clean the sprayhead.
• Dripping from the sprayhead: The guide lists the siphon system and says the brewer must be level or slightly lower in front to siphon properly.
• Brew cycle starts when the ON/LOWER switch is turned on: On twin models, the guide identifies an auxiliary brew-start switch as a possible cause and advises moving objects away so they do not activate it. The CW15-APS is listed as single, so the twin-specific auxiliary-switch cause should not be assumed to apply.
• Weak beverage: Check the filter type, coffee grind, sprayhead cleanliness, funnel loading and water temperature. The guide specifies BUNN paper filters, a fine or drip grind, a clean sprayhead, a centred filter with level grounds, and a sprayhead water-temperature reading of at least 195°F (76°C).
• Dry coffee grounds remain in the funnel: The guide lists funnel loading or the sprayhead. Centre the paper filter, level the grounds by gently shaking, and use a clean sprayhead.

If the problem remains after the guide's troubleshooting steps, contact BUNN technical service. The guide cautions that solenoid removal requires interrupting the water supply to the valve and that damage may result if solenoids are energized for more than ten minutes without a water supply.

Applications

The CW15-APS suits commercial service points that need coffee brewed into a portable airpot: for example, a café counter, meeting room, breakfast station or catered event. An airpot can be carried to where guests are being served, while the brewer remains at its counter location. The sources describe the airpot as a portable insulated server for keeping coffee at optimal flavour for hours; the retailer describes its use for short-term storage.