Best Cuisinart Coffee Makers in 2020 – Coffeeology’s Picks
Cuisinart is renowned for making one of the best household appliances that you can get your hands on. They also hold 8% of the total market of coffee makers in the U.S., which is the fourth-largest market share in the country. That’s why countless baristas are looking for the best Cuisinart coffee maker every single day.
To help you pick what might be the best Cuisinart coffee maker for you, we’ve put together a list of what we think are the five best Cuisinart coffee makers in the market right now. And we’ve also included quick buyer’s guide to help you pick the one that best suits your needs, even if it’s not on our list.
Table of Contents
Best Cuisinart Coffee Makers – Our Picks
#1 – Cuisinart DCC-3200 Perfectemp 14 Cup Coffee Maker
- Enjoy Hotter Coffee: Utilize expert coffee-making technology to ensure your coffee temperature is perfect, delivering a delightful taste experience without compromising flavor or quality.
- Brew Strength Control: Tailor your coffee flavor to perfection by choosing between regular or bold settings, catering to your unique taste preferences with every brew.
- Fully Automatic Coffee Brewer: Experience convenience with 24-hour programmability, offering flexibility with 1-4 cup settings, auto-off functionality (0-4 hours), and an optional ready alert tone for added convenience.
One of the best Cuisinart coffee makers in the market right now, if not THE best, is the DCC-3200. The Cuisinart DCC-3200 will offer you up to a volume of 14 “full” coffee cups, which is a tad more than the capacity offered by most coffee makers available today.
Now, you might be wondering why we put the word full between quotation marks, well it is because for Cuisinart, the definition of a serving of 5 oz. Thus, the DCC-3200 will provide you with up to 70 oz. of coffee. Now that might not be that much of a significant change for someone with a 10 or 14 oz. Cup but you’re still getting extra 10oz of coffee anyway.
Moreover, the DCC-3200 features a brew strength selector, a unique brew setting for 5 to 20oz servings, and a filter basket that’s shaped like a cone. All of these features make this coffee maker a highly customizable piece of technology. And while this coffee maker doesn’t have a temperature selector, it’ll easily brew coffee in temperature of more than 190°F, the ideal number for brewing coffee.
The DCC-3200 also comes with a brew-pause button, which allows you to pause the brewing process before the pot even fills up, allowing you to get your first cup as soon as possible. However, this amazing feature comes with an issue, and it doesn’t stop the flow of the heated water into the basket, that’s why you shouldn’t keep the pause for more than 20 seconds to avoid a basket overflow, as recommended by Cuisinart themselves.
In case you’re wondering about how long it takes to brew the full 70 oz. pot, the number is around 8 minutes. And while that might seem like a long wait, remember that you’re getting about 8.75oz per minute which is somewhat on the good side. But then again, if 8 minutes still seems like a long wait for you, keep in mind that such a duration is what you get for having a large pot.
Additionally, this coffee maker is super durable, so you should expect zero issues to happen while using it. It’s also built in a way that makes it super easy to clean, rather quickly. Programming the coffee maker is also super easy, and it produces some of the tastiest coffees that you can get your hands on at home right now.
Pros
- Solid construction and beautiful design
- Automatic start and shut down
- Three-year warranty
Cons
- Filling the brewer can be a challenging task
#2 – Cuisinart DGB-550BK 12 Cup Grind and Brew
- Please refer to user guide or user manual or user guide (provided below in PDF) before first use
- 24-hour programmability with 12-Cup glass carafe featuring an ergonomic handle, dripless pour spout and knuckle guard
- Grinds whole beans right before brewing to produce fresh and flavorful coffee. Grind off feature for pre ground coffee
Next up is our runner-up for the title of the best Cuisinart Coffee maker, the DGB-550BK. If you’re a whole bean coffee lover and you’re looking to get a brew coffee maker that also acts as a grinder, then the Cuisinart DGB-550BK is for you. It supports both pre-ground and whole bean coffee, and the way it’s built keeps the brewing process as simple and as easy as possible. Like its sibling, the DCC-3200, the DGB-550BK comes with Cuisinart’s feature of brew pausing, which allows you to grab a cup of hot coffee as soon as possible and before the mixture is even finished.
There is also the 1-4 cup setting which allows you to customize your brew according to the portions, be it smaller or bigger ones. The coffee maker’s main feature, the grinder, comes pre-configured for a medium grind.
Cleaning the machine is a simple process; all you have to do is to rinse it and lightly scrub it using a bristle brush. And in case you’re wondering, the grinder basket and lid are both dishwasher-safe.
That said, while the cleaning process sounds simple, it’s not always that easy. This is mainly due to the fact that the grinder is an integrated part of the machine, which means that it tends to get wet due to all the steam that’s produced during the brewing process. All that moist mixes with the powdery parts of the grind and ends up creating a paste-like mass inside the grinder basket.
To keep the machine functional, you have to properly clean this paste every time it builds it. This alone may be the reason why some people might avoid buying this two-in-one coffee maker and would prefer to get a separate grinder instead. But at the end of the day, this coffee maker does exactly what it says, and it’ll grind you some beans and brew you a great cup of coffee.
So, if you don’t mind the frequent hassle of having to clean the grinder and how noisy it can be when on, then Cuisinart’s DGB-550BK is for you! All the different features that it comes with for the price you’re going to pay makes it a worthy contender among our list of the best Cuisinart coffee makers.
Pros
- Fast and efficient
- Good tasting coffee
- Auto on and off feature
Cons
- Cleaning can be a pain in the neck
#3 – Cuisinart SS-10 Premium Single Serve
- Please refer to user guide or user manual (provided below in PDF) before first use
The SS-10 is a brilliant brewer that comes with a multitude of different features that you’ll surely appreciate. First, it is compatible with pretty much any K-Cup you can find hanging around, and it even comes with its reusable pod which allows for use with either a whole bean or some pre-ground coffee.
Similar to all the full-pot brewers that are featured in this article, the SS-10 comes with a 24-hour programmable start time and an auto-off feature. Additionally, the brewers have a 72oz water reservoir is one of the larger ones when it comes to single-serve brewers; this, alongside the 4-12 oz. Brew size setting will allow you to brew from 6 up to 18 servings without the need to refill, all depending on your choice of the serving’s size, of course.
There is also a built-in rinse feature that comes in handy when wanting to clean the brewer between servings, allowing you to refill the reusable pod with several other drinks like tea, hot chocolate, oatmeal, and more. To conclude, if single-serve brewers are your coffee makers of choice, then the SS-10 is the one that you should probably go with, with its many features and non-existent cons, all of which helped it gain a spot on our list of the five best Cuisinart coffee makers found in the market right now.
Pros
- Quick heat up and brewing
- Accurate cup sizes
- Quiet operation
Cons
- Mainly made of plastic
#4 – Cuisinart DCC-3750 Elite 10 Cup with Thermal Carafe
- 10-Cup Thermal Carafe with a drip-free pour spout and a wide-grip handle for easy serving
- Adjustable Brewed Coffee Temperature Control uses a unique new internal heating system to provide three temperature settings: Regular, Hot and X-hot
- Extreme Brew feature uses re-engineered brewing technology to brew up to 25% faster without sacrificing quality or taste of coffee
Cuisinart’s DCC-3750 is yet another worthy contender of the “best Cuisinart coffee maker’’ title. It comes with a number of the same futures that you can find in the DCC-3200, reviewed above, but it also comes with a more sophisticated heating system which means an overall better control over the temperature as well as a thermal carafe with a 10 cup capacity.
This coffee maker’s internal heater can be set to three heat settings: Regular, Hot, and X-Hot. The machine even boasts an exclusive function known as “Extreme Brew”. While this function is a welcome addition, this model has a smaller capacity than most of the brewers we’ve reviewed above, at only 10 cups, but its thermal carafe makes up for it with the ability to keep 10 cups hot for more than 2 hours.
Long story short, the two main features that might make you choose this coffee maker over the DCC-3200 or the other brewers is its thermal carafe, and its X-Hot temperature setting which comes in handy for people love to live at a high attitude. It’s an overall amazing unit, one of the best Cuisinart coffee makers out there, but if you don’t seek those two features, we recommend that you go with the DCC-3200 instead, main for its largest brew capacity.
Pros
- Elegant design
- Easy to use and clean
- Gets the water hot fast
Cons
- The clock is too small
#5 – Cuisinart CHW-12 Coffee Plus 12 Cup Brewers
- Note: 1)Too coarse a grind, too little coffee, or insufficiently tamping the grounds before brewing can all lead to inadequate pressure for a proper brew. 2)It is important to note that the amount of espresso extracted will vary depending on the grind size and amount and reprogramming may be needed when the size and amount are adjusted
- TEMPERATURE CONTROL: Variable heater plate for temperature control that is adjustable – low, medium, and high settings – keep coffee at the temperature you prefer
- 12-CUP GLASS CARAFE: Includes drip-free pour spout, knuckle guard for added protection, carafe lid, and ergonomic comfort grip black handle with matching black and stainless-steel body to perfectly pair with your kitchen appliances
Finally on our list of the best Cuisinart coffee makers is the CHW-12. One thing that all of the Cuisinart coffee makers reviewed in this article have in common is their level of programmability, this model, however, exceeds at that, easily gaining the title of the best programmable coffee maker.
Since we’ve highlighted the main trait of this model, programmability, we’re going to start with the notable programmable features that this coffee maker has, which include
- Self-cleaning
- Clock Setting
- Auto ON (up to 24h) and OFF (0-4h)
- Carafe temperature: Low, Medium, High
Now that we’ve dealt with the noteworthy programmable features of this brewer, we’re going to dedicate this next part for the hot water system. For starters, this coffee maker has two separate water reservoirs: a 60oz reservoir for the coffee, and a 54oz one for the hot water. These two systems are completely separated, and they function independently.
There is a lever that operates the hot water reservoir, and you hold it down until the right amount of water has been dispensed. The system comes with a safety lock that allows you to eliminate this feature.
One crucial bit of information about this system, though; the first 12 oz. of water are super-hot, but after that, the CHW-12 runs out of hot water, and you have to give it some time to heat up again. However, you can pump out a little extra water, but it won’t be as hot as the first 12 oz. and once you’re done, you’ll have to let the reservoir reset either way. This hot water feature is something to appreciate it is probably the only thing that distinguishes this coffee maker from the others on our list, gaining it a spot on our list of the best Cuisinart coffee makers out there right now.
Pros
- Attractive design
- Adjustable auto-off setting
- Efficient hot water dispenser
Cons
- Short power cord
Choosing the Best Cuisinart Coffee Maker – Coffeeology’s Buying Guide
When it comes to Cuisinart machines (or any coffee maker for that matter), there are two things to keep in mind: how hard the cleaning process is, and what kind of warranty comes with the unit.
Cleaning a Cuisinart Coffee Maker
Just because we’ve emphasized the fact that these brewers are the best Cuisinart coffee makers out there doesn’t mean that they’re immune to failure, and the leading cause of the failure is usually the lack of cleaning.
No matter how busy of a person you are, you should dedicate a few minutes of your time every two to four months to clean your morning jolt machine. Regularly doing so will ensure you get better performance, better tasting cups coffee, and overall longer life.
If you use hard water, then we recommend that you clean it every 1 to 2 months, but if you use filtered water instead, then you’ll probably be okay with washing it every 5 to 6 months instead. Most of Cuisinart’s coffee makers, if not all, have a clean light, and the moment you notice that it’s on, you’re better off cleaning it soon. When doing so, these are a few simple steps to follow:
- First off, you should shut down the machine and unplug it.
- Take off the charcoal water filter, if your coffee maker has one
- Fill one-third of the water container with white vinegar and the other two thirds with water
- If the coffee maker has a clean button, press and holds it.
- If there isn’t one, run several cycles until the white vinegar/water mixture runs out.
- Repeat this process until the clean light turns off
- Once you’re done, fill the reservoir again, but only with water this time, and run a few more cycles to rinse
- Finally, put back the water container, if your coffee maker has one
Depending on the model you have, or you’re getting, some components might be dishwasher safe. And while this is variable from one unit to another, the majority of Cuisinart machines usually have these following components as ‘’dishwasher safe”: The Coffee maker lid, the filter basket, the glass carafe, the thermal carafe, and finally, the removable drip tray.
Warranty
Nowadays, most kitchen appliances offer a warranty that sits around the 12 to 18-month mark, one famous manufacturer of coffee makers, Keurig, only offer a year of purchase protection with their products. Cuisinart, on the other hand, in addition to the sturdy construction that most of their products have, offer you a three-year warranty, yes you’ve read that correctly, three whole years of purchase protection. This alone is one of the main reasons why we’ve even made a list of the best Cuisinart coffee makers out there.
Picking the Best Cuisinart Coffee Maker – Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re having issues with your Cuisinart coffee makers, try checking some of these frequently asked questions and the tips that come with them.
How can I set up the clock on a Cuisinart coffee maker?
Now that we’ve dealt with what we consider to be the five best Cuisinart coffee makers of the current year, we’re going to move on to the essential details that you should know about Cuisinart coffee makers. Firstly, if you are planning on getting a programmable machine from Cuisinart, or you already own one, here’s how you can get it up and running:
- After plugging in the machine, it should flash “12:00” for ten seconds, which is an indication that it’s in Clock Set mode.
- If the display stops flashing “12:00” or you’re simply seeking to resent the time, hold either the minute or the hour button, which should return it to flashing Clock Set mode
- Once in Clock set mode, press either the minute or the hour button to tackle the time, and hold if you want to scroll quickly.
Why does my coffee have a metallic taste to it?
Unfortunately, your coffee machine might build up some calcium deposits, even if you attempt to descale it with vinegar frequently. But before dumping the machine and replacing it, consider cleaning it with a descaling solution that’s made specifically for this purpose, which you can find in most online stores.
Why does my unit keep shutting down in the middle of brewing cycles?
What commonly causes this issue to happen is calcium buildup, which, as we’ve explained before, can be easily dealt with by descaling it with some water and vinegar. However, if that doesn’t work, the next most likely cause is a clog in the container or the inner tubes of the machine.
My coffee maker keeps on beeping, but it’s not brewing. How can I fix that?
Several different things can cause this to happen. First, try unplugging your unit from the outlet for 10 to 15 minutes, then plug it back in and check it works. If this doesn’t fix it, then try some of the following troubleshooting tips.
Why won’t my coffee maker turn on?
This might sound silly, but check if the unit is even plugged on first (sorry). If so, then check the power cord for any tangles or bent sections since it’s possible that the cable was damaged.
How do I open up my coffee maker?
First off with a disclaimer, it is not recommended that you try to open this kind of machine yourself; seeking professional help, in this case, is better. You should also keep in mind that damaging the unit this way will void the warranty. Now that we got that out of the way, you can easily remove the special security screws found on most Cuisinart coffee makers using a T10 Torx screwdriver which you can find at most hardware stores and online ones.
Verdict
Cuisinart is a well-known company in the coffee maker industry, and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon, just like other reputable brands like BUNN and Keurig. Now that you’ve taken a look at our picks for the title of the best Cuisinart coffee maker, it’s time for you to set your budget, determine your needs, and make your choice!
Further Reading:
- https://www.cuisinart.com/help-and-info/about-cuisinart/
- https://www.hunker.com/12001178/how-to-clean-a-cuisinart-coffeemaker
- https://knowyourgrinder.com/ways-to-maintain-coffee-maker/
- Our blog and buying guides!
