Cuisinart DCC-450BK 4-Cup Coffeemaker with Stainless-Steel Carafe, Black
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Cuisinart DCC-450BK 4-Cup Coffeemaker with Stainless-Steel Carafe, Black
Customer Review: Drip drip drip
Summary: 2 Stars
Two fatal flaws in the carafe design. First, it overpours awfully when the lid is not on. I usually fill my coffe maker by filling the carafe with water then pouring it in. With this model, if you do that with the carafe lid off, you'll end up with a counter full of water. It just pours past the undersized spout. But I've adapted, and make sure the lid is on, and have a towel nearby. Second flaw is that it tends to pour badly even with the lid on. Especially when pouring the coffee into a mug, since you don't want coffee everywhere. It makes a dirty mess. I always end up with drips, so I end up pouring over the sink.
Another issue is that if the basket isn't properly seated, it will not drain into the carafe, and will overflow. The difference between "properly seated" and "not seated" is about 1/4". So I always need to check this every time I make a cup.
This is a product that looks cool with the stainless steel, but in reality, it's just a hassle with a ton of little things you have to watch out for. I'm trying to replace it now.
Customer Review: drip,drip,drip
Summary: 3 Stars
I have had this coffee maker for about a year. I use it in my office at work. It appealed to me because I use a shared kitchen space and the glass carafe of my previous coffee maker was broken by rough treatment in the dish drainer. I agree that it brews a fine cup of coffee but the design flaws of the carafe are frustrating. The actual pour spout is designed in such a way that unless you pour it VERY slowly the liquid will flow around the edges of the spout and not just the end. The liquid that flows over the edge of the spout will end up dripping off the front of the carafe onto whatever you are pouring it over. In my case that turns out to be my office carpet or waste basket. Because of the same flaw when I add the water to the reservoir I use a 16 oz measuring cup with a good pour spout instead of the carafe. Because of my frustration I have looked at other reviews of this product and found that this problem has been cited repeatedly for years. It does not make me think well of Cuisinart that they have failed to address this relatively simple design flaw in all that time.Customer Review: I hate loving this one.
Summary: 3 Stars
If I didn't have bad luck, I'd have no luck at all. My two year old Mr. Coffee had blown some gaskets and was leaking everywhere. I had a coupon and bought this at a fair price in Dec 2004. I love the job it does brewing but hated the carafe immediately. Guess what? The Mr. Coffee carafe fits just fine.There do seem to be some circuit problems over time. After eighteen months, I had mine apart to look. It needs a relay but I kick it and it chatters back and yields another pot. Aside from the carafe issues, I liked this one a lot but it is time to move on once again. I'm sorely tempted to buy another. I guess I'll look for warranty and sales slip paperwork but for a dollar a month, it was a trooper that did its duty. The carafe from four cup Mr. Coffee fits, so if you are having issues, the replacement MC carafes are pretty cheap.I may have cooked the relay by cycling the hot plate back on too often. It rides on a cute little circuit board inside that could be replaced in ten minutes. I may just bypass all that and make it soldier on by making it plug and play.Customer Review: Good To The Last Drop
Summary: 5 Stars
This little coffee maker is a great compact machine for brewing small batch orders - one or two people.I especially like the stainless steel pot, as the glass ones (previous buys) always seem to get broken.
I initially had an issue with filling and pouring (messy) but have since learned this little seceret. Use a Rubbermaid 20oz./600ml juice bottle to fill your pot, between the "4 cup" marker and the overflow. Also make sure (always check)that the pot is completely empty before hitting the start button. Keeping the pour holes on the lid clean also helps. And don't be in a rush when pouring that first cup!!!
I have purchased two of these coffee makers - one for home/prework use and one for travel. If you purchase one of those soft Thermo lunch pails and cut away the internal top portion, there is room for your coffee maker, filters, 1-lb coffee and a cup. This way you have fresh coffee no matter where you stay,as many hotels are now using those god-aweful one cup machines instead of the old 4 cuppers (cost cutting I guess).
Customer Review: Best of the 4-cuppers
Summary: 5 Stars
Cuisinart did it again! I bought this because I wanted a coffee maker for work that had an auto shutoff. They all make coffee but so few have the shutoff. This unit shuts itself off after 1/2 hour, which is perfect - the coffee is not ruined beyond hope by then and the workplace is secure from conflagration. In addition, it makes great coffee - of course that is dependent on the coffee and the amount you put in. I like it strong. I was afraid it would spew coffee on the inside as it brewed, which is what the Melitta of almost the same design does, and I was afraid it might leak, which the Mr. Coffee tends to do. I have owned the 4-cupper in those two brands, as well as a couple others. I don't find the carafe a problem, nor do I find the water reservoir a problem. The aforementioned brands each had their own quirks as well. In fact this one has the best reservoir fill procedure of all that I have owned.
I like that it has no glitz. Just make the coffee and in half an hour it shuts down. Perfect.