emin's Full Review: Cuisinart DCC-1200 12-Cup Coffee Maker
This is a no fuss no muss, no mess machine. It is functional, easy to use, dependable and the coffee it brews is predictably delicious.
First off, the unit looks amazing in my kitchen. Compared to the $900 stainless steel coffee machines of Bosch, Cuisinart has provided me something that looks similar to the Bosch design at a fraction of the cost: $99.
This is probably the most expensive coffee machine I have ever bought mostly because I used to be a believer in changing machines almost yearly. Well no more of that.
The clock and auto brew features work great. The unit also has a 1-4 cups brew setting that makes the unit run the hot water slower for fewer cups or stronger brews.
As you can see in the picture of the unit, all controls are conveniently placed on the front face of the unit.
The controls you see are:
There is a single retro-style(up-down movement) switch in the center of the unit for turning the unit on and off.
There's a button for 1-4 cups brewing setting.
Two buttons in the center for setting the clock and auto-brew time.
The dial on the right is used for setting the carafe temperature (high-med-low).
The dial is present on the left side to select between, manual brew, auto brew, and self clean features.
The unit features an LCD display that display current time. The display is not backlit.
The filter and water tanks can be accessed by opening the top lid that has a single hinge that attaches to the back of the unit. The lid is sturdy.
The unit can use either cone paper filters or the provided gold filter. Gold filter only requires a rinse under hot water for cleaning. The filter does not discolor or lose its shape through use. The only caveat is that you can not grind your coffee too finely, otherwise, it will run right through the filter.
The carafe is large, attractive and the plastic handle on it sturdy. It's been very easy to clean it, I have not had to put it into the dishwasher yet. Simple soap and water seems to get the carafe completely clean.
The carafe is heated from below. The heating element is not one of those scalding hot ones. So if you want your coffee real hot, you might have to microwave it. For me, the heating element is just right. It also features a heating setting (high-med-low) for those of us that like our coffee cooler.
The water tank features a carbon water filter that needs replacing every 3 months. The filter makes an amazing difference in the water quality although our water is already prefiltered.
The brewing is fast. 4-5 cups brewing is slightly slower but it is not a default. The unit can be paused while it is brewing by clicking the power button to "off". The brewing then can be resuming by clicking "on" again. You can do this any number of times.
The filter assembly unlike many other coffee makers does not swivel out. I have never tried to take it out because this coffee maker simply does not require cleaning.
Right above the carafe lid is the typical filter stopper that is handy when you want to serve coffee while the unit is still brewing. The stopper unfortunately drips a single drop every time you take the carafe out.
Another strange thing about the unit is the placement of the water measuring scale. It is located within the tank with no outside window so you have to look into the unit to pour the right amount of water.
The unit also features an auto-shut off feature which turns the unit off automatically after about 30 minutes of idle time. This may seem like a long time for some.
This unit never malfunctioned like the Mr Coffee I had before that had a bad habit of busting open the filter lid due to steam pressure and releasing coffee all over the counter shortly after. I can not tell you how many mornings I got up to find my kitchen half flooded with coffee because of Mr. Coffee. Well Cuisinart does nothing like that. I have had it for months and it is very dependable and easy to clean/maintain.
There are no spills or other mess created when this unit brews. It must be one of the cleanest coffee machines I ever owned.
Finally, this coffee maker has been so easy to use, I have never had to read the manual. So the opinions above are strictly my experience with the unit and do not represent the full capabilities of the Cuisinart Coffee Maker. The unit comes with a full manual.
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