yakkowarner's Full Review: Cuisinart DGB-300 10-Cup Coffee Maker
I was using a standard coffee maker with the old style filters throughout my college years and I was getting pretty sick of it. I knew I needed a cone filter compatible coffee maker but I did not know what model. So after about 6 months of looking at different models, and drooling at the 300 dollar model at Gloria Jeans, I decided this was my best option for the price. Since then I have been pretty happy with the decision.
What is it?
This is one of the most automated coffeemakers you can buy and it is the cheapest I have seen for what it does. But compared to a standard cone filter coffee maker it is not cheap. This unit has a 10 cup capacity, has a built in grinder, coffee bar flavor system, cone filter system, timer, clock, and temperature controls. I was very disappointed to find it did not have a “clean kitchen” button.
What does it come with
Gold Filter- This is a permanent filter that you wash after you use it. I am not happy with it because you get some residual grounds in your coffee. A paper filter works much better. But if you want to save a few bucks a year it is still a good investment. You can buy this filter separately if you wish for your current cone coffee maker.
Scoop- Simple plastic coffee measuring scoop. One scoop per cup of water.
How it works.
This is a drip coffee maker with a built in grinder. First you set up the programming (time, timer, temperature, etc.) Then you put the water in the back of the machine (2-10 cups). Then you put the whole beans in the grinder or ground coffee in the basket, just make sure you put a filter in first. Close the machine and hit the button or let the timer turn it on for you.
The water goes through 2 channels. The first channel is through the ground coffee. The second channel is a detour that forces the water to avoid the ground and go straight into the coffee pot. You can select the flow rate of the latter channel but only a little water will be redirected no matter what you do.
How I make coffee.
I always use bottled water because our tap water has a lot of chlorine in it. I use a coffee scoop and use one scoop per cup of water. I also make over 4 cups of coffee at a time.
How good is the coffee?
The coffee is as good or better than any other home coffee maker I have tried. The combination of the coffee bar flavor system and a cone filter seem to make it a smoother tasting coffee. When I compare it to my old, non-cone, coffee maker I notice a big difference in the taste. But if you do not get your fresh coffee in a protected container then the coffee will start to taste off in the same hour you made it.
How to clean it and how easy is it?
Cleaning it is a pain because of the amount of parts involved.
-First I take out the entire basket unit (this contains the grinder and filter holder.)
-I then take off the grinder cap and wash it out in the sink.
-Then take off the filter unit cap and wash it out.
-Remove the filter and trash it, or wash it if it is the permanent filter.
-Now I run the entire base unit under the faucet and wash off any loose grounds.
-Reassemble.
How well does the grinder work?
The grinder is a simple spinning blade much like your ten dollar cylindrical coffee grinder. The reason it works is because there is a wall with holes on the side of the grinder. When the coffee beans are reduced to just the right size they fly though the holes and are deposited into the filter. Only a few spare grounds are left in the grinding unit, nothing out of the ordinary.
What are the safety features?
The entire unit has to be put together perfectly for the unit to work. Ex. If the grinder lid is off then the unit will not operate. This is a good feature unless you want coffee ground or bubbling water all over the inside of the unit.
Unique Features
Timer: You set the timer like you would an alarm clock. It starts brewing at the assigned time.
On/Off grinder: You can shut off the grinding system if you are using pre-ground coffee.
Water flow detour/ Coffee Bar Flavor System: You set the flow depending on how much coffee you are making. This causes some water to miss the coffee grounds and go directly to the coffee pot.
Heating plate temperature control: You can set the heating plate to a specific temperature.
1-4 cup setting: Press this button if you are doing less than 5 cups of coffee.
0-4 hour shutoff: This shuts off the unit at the selected interval. I believe it is set at the 2 hour setting.
Durability
I feel the durability of this machine is average. The first machine I saw was owned by a friend of mine. He actually bought it a good will for twenty bucks. The only thing that was wrong was the grinder blade was broken off. All he did was use superglue and fixed it. Everything else seemed to work for him. He has since gotten rid of it so I do not know it’s current state or location.
My sister-in-law owns the same version. The only problem she has with it is the brew-stop-and-serve function no longer works. The spring that keeps the coffee in the filter system has lost its spring. So now she has to wait like the rest of the world for the coffee to finish brewing.
My unit has two problems. The first is the same problem as above, I also need to wait for the brewing to finish before I serve myself. The second is the plastic piece that is connected to the cap above the filter broke off. What it means for me is now I have an extra piece that I need to carefully place above the filter. It is a pain but not a big enough pain for me to spend another hundred bucks for a new one.
Problems
Heat plate- I feel this is a useless feature because if degrades the coffee faster if the heat plate is on. If I do not put the coffee into my vacuum sealed carafe then I turn off the coffee maker entirely.
No battery or capacitor- If you unplug the machine then you need to reenter all of the programming information again. I got to the point that I just turn on the machine manually instead of reprogramming every time the electricity goes out or my wife unplugs the unit to clean.
Dimensions
This coffee maker will fit under your cupboards, but just barely. If your cupboards are lower than normal then this unit will not fit under them (like an R.V.?)
Height: 14.75 inches
Width: 11.5 inches
Length: 12 inches
(all measurements taken at the widest point.)
Who is this for?
-Someone that does not mind dealing with complicated controls.
-Someone that would rather set up the machine the night before.
-A coffee freak
-A coffee freak that does not want to spend 300+ dollars on the same type of machine.
Summary
This is a great coffee maker but you pay for it. At a list price of 150 it is out of the price range of most people. But if you can afford it, complex digital controls do not confuse you, and you can deal with the cleaning issues then it is a good buy.
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