When my single-serve coffee maker bit the dust earlier this year, I decided I wanted to go back to a traditional coffee maker and preferably one with a timer, so my coffee would be ready and waiting for me in the morning. I bought an
inexpensive 4 cup model, but it turned out to be a piece of junk, so I decided it was worth it to spend the money on a
Cuisinart Brew Central Coffeemaker (DCC-1200). I haven't been disappointed.
Product DetailsSince I already have a
Cusininart toaster, this fits right in my kitchen. Cuisinart describes this 12-cup stainless steel coffeemaker as one with retro finishing and the latest high tech features. Of course, the feature that interested me the most was its automatic timer function.
Other features include:
1-4 cup setting - provides double heating for smaller pots of coffee
Heater plate control knob - three temperature control settings to keep carafe warm
Brew Pause - stops flow of coffee for up to 30 seconds so that you can pour a cup of coffee
Charcoal Water Filter - helps to eliminate minerals and chemicals that contribute to bad taste
Self Cleaning Feature - tells you when your coffee maker needs to be cleaned due to calcium build-up
Ready tone - Beeps when your coffee is ready
Auto Off - program your coffee maker to turn off, up to 4 hours after brewing
Gold Cone filter - eliminates the need to use paper filters, if you so chose.
The coffeemaker measure 14 inches high, 8 inches wide, and 8 inches deep.
I paid $79.99 for this coffeemaker. I'm sure if you look around, you can find it on sale, but life without a coffeemaker was not an option for me, so I bought this right away.
UsageOf course, electronic controls mean programming. This coffee maker is fairly easy to program but I still had to consult the manual. You see, after turning the control knob to "clock" I expected to easily set the clock but I was a bit frustrated to see nothing happen when I pressed the hour button. What I discovered is that I actually had to hold in the hour button until the digital display started flashing. However, with the "program" function, it is a bit easier to set, as all I have to do is to turn it to "program" and the display starts flashing.
My one gripe is that the print on the controls is quite small. Now, I don't have to wear reading glass yet for normal sized print, but trying to read this tiny print I feel like I need reading glasses.
Before using this you'll need to soak the charcoal filter (initial one is included) before putting it in the filter holder which then slides in a compartment in back of the filter cone. Now, it's not required that you use it. I've never had one in a coffee maker before. But since I'm a bit lazy about using the filtered water from the refrigerator on the opposite side of the kitchen, it's probably a good thing. I've had my coffee maker about 6 months and haven't changed it yet, so I checked and noticed it was quite dirty (they recommend changing it every 60 days or 60 uses.)
I'll also point out that the "self cleaning" light has not yet gone off. This is a little misleading, however. It doesn't actually clean itself. You need to do the usual water/vinegar cleaning as with any other coffee maker.
Making coffee is pretty straightforward. I almost always use the program feature to make my small pot of coffee (I'm the solitary coffee drinker in my house). I scoop in my three scoops of coffee (scoop is included) into the gold filter, pour in the water, flip on the toggle switch to "On" and also press the "1-4 cup" button. When used in this mode, the coffee maker must be set to "Auto On."
The only issues are that the reservoir is a bit difficult to access. It's located in back of the cone filter and I find it difficult to pour water in using the carafe. So I use a Pyrex glass measuring cup, making sure I measure my water exactly as it's impossible to judge by following the numbers in the reservoir. I have my coffee maker on the end of a counter, so I'm able to pour the water in from the side, but if you had this underneath your counter, it would be a bit more cumbersome, I think.
The glass carafe is sleek and stylish and easy to pour from. However, I found that prying the top off can be a bit of a pain. Most carafe lids pops off easily, but I have to slide my finger nail under one edge to get to come off.
Quality of coffeeI'm very pleased with the results! One of the first things I noticed here in Colorado is that cheap coffee makers don't make the water hot enough at this high altitude. Bunn actually has high altitude coffee makers, but they didn't have all the features I wanted, so I opted for this Cuisinart model, hoping that it would perform well. It did! Not only is my coffee piping hot, but it's also rich and flavorful. I find I need less coffee to get a decent cup of coffee than I did with my single serve coffee maker.
I usually am up shortly after my coffee is finished, but there are a few mornings when I sleep in (but those are fewer now since I have a puppy!). Initially I kept the heating plate on "high" but I found that was too hot, as the coffee had a cooked taste. Now I keep it on medium and it keeps it hot enough with getting that burnt taste.
Overall ratingThere are a few things that could be better on this coffeemaker, such as easier-to-read controls and a more accessible reservoir. However, they don't affect the quality of the coffee. I'm pleased with the Auto controls and the hot cup of coffee that awaits me every morning. I'm going with 4 stars.
