Cuisinart DCC-1200 Brew Central 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker, Black/Brushed Metal
|
List Price: Our Price: $71.99 You Save: $73.01 (50%) Availability: Usually ships in 3-4 business days Buy Used: from $44.99 (click here) Category: Kitchen See more product details |
|---|
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Cuisinart DCC-1200 Brew Central 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker, Black/Brushed Metal
Customer Review: Sleek Design, Great Coffee
Summary: 5 Stars
After doing a fair amount of research, I bought this coffee maker from Cuisinart. I almost allowed myself to be dissuaded by previous reviewers' complaints that the coffee wasn't hot enough, or that the reservoir was too small to accurately pour the water.After owning the machine for almost a month now, let me say, this is the BEST designed coffee maker I have ever used.
The reservoir is plenty big enough to pour the coffee into, even at 4:00 in the morning, or juggling a 17 month old on one hip. The carafe is the ONLY carafe I have used that does not leak or drip when you pour, no matter how fast you attempt to pour. That kind of accuracy with the carafe makes it downright easy to pour the water (and hot coffee.)
The numbers inside are easy enough to see, however you do have to be rather tall to see inside the reservoir. I solved this problem by measuring on the carafe prior to pouring. Is it a perfect measurement?? No, but it's close enough to make great coffee.
It was easy to program, and easy to use (and I did NOT read the instructions -- I never do!!) The coffee is plenty hot enough for me, and I have the carafe temperature set to high. Also, I have the burner set to stay on for a full four hours, and the coffee doesn't taste bitter or old even if it has been sitting for several hours.
Another great feature is the whole filter basket easily lifts out of the machine in order to allow you to dispose of your used filter and grounds easily and WITHOUT DRIPPING ANY COFFEE ON YOUR COUNTER OR FLOOR!!! (I love this feature -- no more running to the garbage with my hand cupped under the filter, hoping I am not going to make a mess!)
The only drawback I see on the machine is it has an end of cycle signal. Now this in and of itself is NOT a drawback, in fact, I like the fact that it notifies me when my coffee is ready. The problem, is you can't turn it off, so when I have the machine programmed to produce my coffee at 4:15 am (yes, I really do get up that early) it is kind of loud in the quiet house -- fortunately both of my kids are sound sleepers, and my husband --well, let's just say the dead are easier to rouse. Anyway, it would be nice to be able to turn it off on occasion.
Did I happen to mention how COOL this looks just sitting on your counter?
I believe I have turned into a Cuisinart fanatic. Long may my machine last. I have finally created the perfect cup of coffee.
Customer Review: Coffee Dream Maker
Summary: 5 Stars
Your coffee maker doesn't brew right anymore. What do you do? You go online to check things out. As years passed since you had purchased your machine, chances are you won't find the same one (if you liked it).
Welcome to the search expedition.
We looked at different coffee makers in various stores and found really none that satisfied all of our tastes (appeal). We finally decided on this Cuisinart DCC-1200. Amazon.com was amazing...though full priced ($80), shipping was free and it came within 2 days. Right out of the box it had everything we were hoping for...stainless steel finish with white and all the accessories.
We quickly discovered that coffee tasted best with regular paper filters. Pouring the water wasn't as difficult as some of the reviews reported. The quantity registered actually becomes the amount of coffee brewed. No need to fudge extra water like in our old Krupps maker. It took a little getting used to in filling and looking straight down the resevoir to see the numbers of cups being covered with water, but it works fine. Once done properly, just move it under the counter space and it will perform its magic.
It'll chime 5 times (nicely) to tell you that it's done - within 2 minutes (6 cups). Coffee is impeccably brewed. The hot plate is easily adjusted to keep the pot warm/hot. It'll automatically shut itself off if left on over 4 hours - with 2 beeps. Want coffee in the morning? No problem. The programming is user friendly (once the time is accurately entered) and your house will be filled with delicious coffee aroma come morning. The whole experience is much more than we anticipated - especially with all the mixed reviews online.
I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone that's in search of a great replacement coffee maker. No spills, unless you're clumsy; it's accurate; it delivers the taste you're after; it brews fast and stays warm/hot as long as you need it. With all the coffee makers out there, this one actually delivers beyond all our expectations. Oh, the stainless with fingerprints...just wipe off with dish detergent cloth and dry. We actually see the reflection of our windows over 12 feet away. It's beautiful. Love the contemporary design. We've had it now over a month and are very happy with our choice.
Customer Review: My Expectations were Higher
Summary: 1 Stars
This was the first "fancy" coffee maker we'd ever owned. After our Mr. Coffee $20 coffee maker died after about five years of service to our family, we splurged on the Cuisinart coffee maker. We were mesmerized by it's brushed stainless finish, fancy controls and promises of the "perfect cup of coffee". First of all, let's look at the flaws:
1. It is impossible to clean properly. Seriously, don't ever shine a flashlight down into the water reservoir. It's pretty spooky.
2. It takes the cone shaped filters, which are more expensive and sometimes harder to find.
3. The lid design is ridiculous. Condensation builds up and if you open the lid, water pools up in the bottom of the back side of the lid and spills all over the place when you close it again. I love having to wipe puddles of water off my counter after making coffee.
4. About six months in we noticed this black, oily sludge seeping from underneath. Fortunately it was still under warranty and we were able to replace the coffee maker, but with no explanation from Cuisinart as to what the oily sludge actually was, what caused it and how we could avoid it in the future.
5. No external water gauge. You have to look inside the reservoir to see if you put in enough water.
6. The stupid carafe lid you have to snap on and off, rather than the little hinged lid you press down with your thumb to open, like with most cheaper models.
7. Half the time you had to turn the brew dial, flick it a few times and have Mars align with the House of Venus in order for it to complete a brew cycle without shutting itself off halfway through. That's always fun when you have guests. You go to put a pot of coffee on after dinner, go back to entertain and return twenty minutes later expecting to find a full carafe of piping hot coffee. Instead you find a coffee maker that brewed two-and-a-half cups and decided to take a nap instead.
All in all this coffee maker is a lot of talk and no action. I think my son's Fisher Price pretend coffee maker could brew a better cup than this overpriced hunk of tin. Do yourself the same favor I did for myself - go to WalMart or Target and spend about $25 on the Mr. Coffee with auto shut-off and delayed brew feature. It's worth it.
Customer Review: Poorly designed - I took it back
Summary: 2 Stars
Our top-of-the-line, 12 cup Braun began to leak after many years of service. Braun has discontinued their best 12 cup model (??) so we settled for the Cuisinart. What a surprise to discover that due to poor design, it also leaves a puddle in back if you remove the grounds as soon as the coffee has been brewed. Condensation runs down the lid and either overwhelms or misses the little funnel trap they installed to prevent that exact problem.There is no outside fill level indicator. If you are short, you will need a step stool to look down into the reservoir to tell when you have filled it to your chosen level. And you need good depth perception and an overhead light source to gauge just where the water level is in that dark and fairly narrow opening.
That leads me to the next point. The narrow opening makes you be quite precise in filling it with water to avoid outside spills or inadvertently slopping it into the grounds container.
The digital clock is not backlit and you have to lean down to see it because it looks straight out. A slight upward angle would allow one to see it without bending down.
And finally, I've always liked the Braun brew light that changes from red to green simultaneous with the audible signal. If I happen to not hear the "ready" signal, a glance at the light confirms the coffee is ready. The Cuisinart light stays red all the time.
I took it back to the department store. The clerk who waited on me had one at home that had been given to his roommate. He didn't like it for most of the reasons I have cited.
I visited at least 15 stores trying to find a 12 cup Braun. Finally ordered one from Amazon, but it is the basic, not the now discontinued deluxe version.
The Cuisinart isn't worth even half of the price being asked. Interestingly Cuisinart makes this model for BJ's but leaves off the self clean button. And they make a Kenmore model for Sears that is identical except the clock is analog and at the top, versus digital and at the bottom. The analog clock is much easier to see than the poorly placed digital.
It does make good coffee and if that is all you care about, go for it. Otherwise, you can do better and do it for less money.
Customer Review: better than Mr. Coffee's I have tried
Summary: 4 Stars
I ordered this after years of purchasing - and throwing away - Mr. Coffee models that stopped working after short periods of time. I have had it for a month and so far so good.
I purchased this during a very breif one day sale on Amazon for $50 including shipping, and I think it more frequently goes on sale for $60 with free shipping - but not sure.
It makes good coffee, using a differant system than a normal drip maker - as the hot water is injected into the grounds utilizing a somewhat pressurized sealed brewing area. However, this also means when you are done, and have cleaned the unit, if you close the lid the moisture remains locked into this area - may be a health issue, not sure?
The unit is tall - and if you open the lid to add coffee or water, or clean it or let it dry out, it will probably not fit underneath most above the counter cabinets with the lid raised.
This means you have to pull it out towards the front edge of your kitchen counter for filling and cleaning. This height also makes it a little tough to see the inside water marks, so you need to fill the desired water level by refering to the marks on the carafe and not on the inside of the maker.
The carafe is a little difficult to clean, as the lid has recessed areas that prevent all of the cleaning / rinsing water from draining out when you turn it upside down, and so you have to rinse it out a number of times to get all of the remaining coffee out of it.
The metal filter is nice, which eliminates the need for paper filters, and the little handle makes it easy to remove for cleaning. If you want to use paper filters it looks like you would have to purchase cone shapped filers, and not the more typical flat bottom filters.
I did not try the auto programing feature, I just fill it each morning and turn it on. I wish there was a way to turn off the 5 beeps that occure when done brewing so it would not make that noise which might wake up others in your home that might still be sleeping.
Even with all of the little disapointments or concerns, still seems like a very good unit.