Cuisinart Burr Coffee Grinder

Cuisinart Electric Knife

Since I was casually shopping for a new coffeemaker, I often browsed through the small kitchen appliance sections at department stores, kitchen stores, and wholesale clubs to see what was available and at what price. Cuisinart was always prominently displayed, and this model met all the criteria: nice quality, thermal carafe, and 12-cup capacity.

We did not want the grind and brew style coffeemaker because we prefer to use a burr grinder.

How much did it cost?

I found it at Sams Club for $69.

Features, as listed on the box

~ Double-wall insulated stainless thermal carafe
~ Fully programmable
~ Automatically shuts off when brew cycle is complete
~ Stays hot for hours
~ Brews Fresh, Stays Fresh: The patented lid helps create better tasting coffee by sealing out air, which can cause a bitter taste. A double-wall insulated stainless steel thermal carafe retains heat and just-brewed flavor for hours.
~ Simply Serve: No need ever to turn or adjust our patented lid. Coffee drips through as it brews and pours out as you serve.
~ Brew for a Crowd: The large carafe holds up to 12 cups of coffee.

Preparation for Use
Before making the first pot of coffee, it is recommended that you complete a brew cycle without using coffee or a filter.

You might want to read the manual first

Although the basic procedures are what you would expect with any coffeemaker, it is worth a few minutes of your time to read the clearly-written instruction book that is included. There are some minor yet important differences because of the thermal carafe and brew-through lid.

Making Coffee

1) Place the coffeemaker on a solid flat surface and plug it into a 120V outlet.
2) Lift the lid and fill the reservoir with enough cold tap water to brew up to 12 cups of coffee. The water level indicator is on the left side.
3) If desired, pre-warm the carafe by running hot water through it.
4) Put the lid back on the carafe and turn it in the direction of CLOSE arrow until it fits tightly and POUR arrow is aligned with the spout.
5) Return the empty thermal carafe to platform. Be certain that thermal carafe lid is in closed position and is securely in place during brewing cycle.
6) Open filter basket by grasping basket handle and swinging outward. Insert a filter and make sure it fits snugly in basket.
7) Place two level tablespoons of ground coffee per cup into the filter and return basket to closed position. To ensure safe operation, make sure the basket is closed securely. Then close the lid.
8) With thermal carafe and basket securely in place, press the on button.
9) The Brew-Through lid allows coffee to drip from coffeemaker through closed lid. When the cycle is complete, the lid will seal to preserve coffee freshness and temperature.
10) An audible beep tone will signal when the cycle is complete.

Our experience so far

If I had read the booklet before making my first pot of coffee, I would have known to turn the lid onto the carafe until the POUR label lined up with the spout before placing the carafe on the platform and pressing the on button. I did not do that, and the result was that a fast dribble of coffee came out from under the basket area each time I removed the pot from its platform to pour coffee. So I read the instructions and tried again. Amazing! No more dribble.

When the coffee is finished brewing, the coffeemaker beeps five times to let you know. Then the lid seals and it automatically turns itself off. I really like that feature. The carafe keeps the coffee warm and fresh for hours. It is not exposed to air, and it does not sit on a warming plate to keep warm. So you will not get that stale coffee taste when you go back for another cup later.

I prefer to grind our coffee beans just prior to brewing coffee. So I have not yet tried to use the programming feature. But it programs the same as most any other coffeemaker.

Brew Pause Feature

The brew pause feature will automatically activate if you remove the carafe from the heater plate during a brew cycle. The coffee will stop flowing and resume again when the carafe is returned to the heater pad. However, it must be returned within 30 seconds to prevent basket overflow. The manual also notes that coffee poured mid-cycle will likely vary in strength from finished brew.

Cleaning and Maintenance

The base may be cleaned with a clean, damp cloth and wiped dry. The basket, carafe and lid may be washed in hot, soapy water and rinsed thoroughly. It is recommended that you do not put them in the dishwasher. And, of course, you should not use scouring agents or harsh cleansers on any part of the coffeemaker.

To prevent mineral buildup that could clog the coffeemaker, the manual recommends that you clean it monthly by running a solution of vinegar and water through a brew cycle, followed by two to three cycles of plain cold tap water.

Are we happy with our purchase?

Yes! The coffee flavor is definitely improved. There is less bitterness.
It also looks right at home sitting on the kitchen counter top beside the Cuisinart Burr Grinder.


Recommended:
Yes