Review of Cuisinart DCC-1200 Brew Central 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker

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List Price: $165.00
Sale Price: $89.95
Today's Bonus: 45% Off

I've had the Cuisinart DCC-1200 for about a week now. I was hesitant to spend so much on a coffee maker but I'm happy to report it's well worth it. Sure, you can get other brands of coffee makers for under $25 if economy is the most important feature, but I've had those machines and I decided that, this time, a good cup of coffee was most important for me. This unit makes the best coffee I've had in a home or office machine and better than most coffee I've had in restaurants.

This coffee tastes smooooooth! I suspect the charcoal water filter is the reason for that. I also like the "shower head" design of the water spout. The water actually runs up a track onto the underside of the lid and is sprinkled over the ground coffee like a rain shower.

It's an attractive unit but it also looks like a serious coffee maker. This unit is no toy. It looks and feels solid. The carafe has a good solid feel and balance. The plastic parts (like the plastic carafe lid and handle) feel like good heavyweight plastic and are well molded. It's not the lightweight crappy plastic that cracks and discolors easily in the cheap coffee makers.

I like the 5 beeps when the coffee is ready. Now I can leave the kitchen and go clean or whatever and I don't have to keep running back to see if I can get a cup yet. I can hear the beeps. But if I really can't wait and want a cup in mid-brew, I can just remove the pot and pour a cup you've got a full 30 seconds to reinsert the pot, before you risk an overflowing filter.

I like the permanent gold-tone filter too. I always thought paper filters were a pain. They'd fold over sometimes and there'd be grounds in my coffee. But you can use paper filters in this machine if you want to. I just prefer the convenience of the gold-tone filter (top rack machine washable too).

It has an indicator light for cleaning -it says it's "self-cleaning" but really it's just a light telling you when you need to pour in a pot of water/vinegar and run it through to decalcify the unit. (I never thought to do that with my other units. Probably another reason my coffee wasn't as good as I wanted it to be.)

The low-medium-high setting on the hot plate is pretty nice too. And the auto-shutoff feature is great. I don't have to worry about forgetting to turn the machine off.

The instruction booklet is very good and very thorough. Comes with a parts reordering form too.

What don't I like about this machine? It requires maintenance in that you have to change the charcoal filters. But actually I don't mind since I think they are the reason the coffee tastes so smooth, and they are very easy to change and not expensive

Also, the area in the top of the machine where you pour in the water is narrow but again this is just a minor inconvenience. Just have to pour a little carefully.

So really it's almost all positives with a couple of very minor negatives. I highly recommend this coffee maker.

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(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM) When my Braun FlavorSelect coffee maker unexpectedly stopped working, I had to scramble to find a new machine. I wanted another Braun, but unfortunately, they seem to have stopped making a 12 cup coffee maker. So I had to begin an intense search for a machine that had the features I wanted combined with good value. I finally found it with this Cuisinart model.

The advantages? For one, it makes excellent and HOT coffee. The carafe is solidly constructed and fits securely in square body so there's no chance of someone accidentally knocking it loose. Because the lid fits tightly, the pour is precisely narrow and smooth, with no side leaks even when the pot is full. The basket fits inside the housing instead of swinging free like so many models which prevents a misalignment between the water and the filter; the conical (Krups/Braun style) basket accepts both paper filters and gold-tone, although I learned the hard way that not all gold filters fit. The timer is very easy to program, as is the clock. The carafe warmer can be set at low, medium, or high for the temperature that's right for you. I found the "high" setting too hot since I drink my coffee black (I like my coffee hot but not scalding!), but those who add a lot of milk might appreciate it. The brewing is quick and efficient, with the process taking about a minute a cup, maybe less. The retro/stainless look complements most modern kitchen décors. There's a 1-4 cup setting to make sure such small amounts stay hot, and you can select how long the warmer remains on. The pot beeps five times when brewing is complete and just before the warming plate shuts off. Parts are top rack dishwasher safe. It comes with a water filter system designed to improve the taste of the brew.

But the Cuisinart does have disadvantages. The water reservoir is located on the right side, in the back, which makes it a little challenging for lefties like me to dump the final bit of water inside even though the carafe pours very accurately. Although I haven't yet missed the opening, I do struggle briefly with those last few drops unless I use my right hand. The housing is fairly tall, so if your counter space is only under the cabinets, you may not be able to lift the top in its entirety. (This is when the small rear reservoir becomes a major issue as you have to have room to completely lift the rather large top toward the back.) Clearance required: 7.5" wide by 8.5" deep of counter space with no overhead obstruction to pull out for filling OR 21.5" of overhead space to fully lift top. Without the top open, the coffee maker measures 7.5"w x 8.5"d x 14.25"h.

If you have the space for this coffee maker, you'll love it. I can't attest to how long it will last, but, as it comes with a three year warranty, I'm hoping for a good run.

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Two weeks ago, I needed a new coffee maker. The Krups Aroma Control maker is in all the stores and catalogs, so I bought one in the local mall BEFORE reading the Amazon reviews. BIG MISTAKE. Lesson learned read the reviews many negative comments. I used it for 3 days, and readily understood the description (...) of "eye candy" (looks nice, but seems like cheap plastic) and weak coffee (what they describe as a feature allowing the coffee to steep is really a euphemism for a poorly designed system that is guaranteed to give you a weak cup of coffee). One redeeming feature the carafe is very nice.

Within 2 days of having the Krups, i was on Amazon looking for a replacement coffee maker (a good cup of coffee is critical in the morning!). I went out on the risk curve and ordered the new Cuisinart no reviews yet. The Cuisinart has a more classic brewing system (water goes through grinds via gravity), yields a delicious cup of HOT coffee, has a variable temperature hot place, and looks and feels solid. We happen to have stainless steel appliances (refrigerator, freezer, stove), and it matches beautifully. Best news excellent coffee!. I would highly recommend the Cuisinart.

Honest reviews on Cuisinart DCC-1200 Brew Central 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker

I've commented on others' reviews, but wanted to get this up there where people can see it readily. I liked this coffee maker a LOT since I got it just over a year ago. It has a few little quirks, which you'll read about in other reviews, but made good coffee and I hadn't had any problems with it. UNTIL last week. It auto-brewed like normal and my husband had taken his coffee and left the pot with the remaining coffee (2-3 cups worth) for me to drink later. I came into the kitchen perhaps 20 minutes after the brewing to find the pot BOILING...literally, a HARD, rolling boil, there was a little smoke and the kitchen smelled like burning wires. I cringe every time I think of what "could" have happened if I hadn't been there! I removed the pot, unplugged the unit, and poured water into the reservoir in hopes of cooling it down which worked.

I was outside the return time for Amazon so I contacted Cuisinart to inquire about the 3-year limited warranty. They "normally" charge a $10 replacement fee, plus require you to pay to send the old unit back to them. They were willing to waive the $10 return fee, but I paid $9.95 to send the old one back. I haven't yet gotten the replacement, but after doing more research, I've decided that I don't feel safe using it. I've contacted the Consumer Products Safety Commission (1-800-698-2772) and suggest that anyone with a similar problem do so. I think that this coffee maker should be recalled.

I'm adding more here in hopes that this review gets refreshed and up to the top again! In addition, I've commented the following on another's review:

"I'm one of those who posted in an earlier posting about the fire hazard on this coffeemaker. I am SHOCKED that it is still being sold! People if you are looking at this coffeemaker, I suggest you keep looking. Yes, it makes great coffee and looks great, as many reviewers have said. However, please give more weight to the safety issues than the coffee or the looks. As far as I can tell there have been no injuries from this...but it seems just a matter of time. If you insist on this coffee maker, don't ever leave it alone on the stay warm setting!"

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Folks, this is one excellent coffee maker. I read the comments here and decided to get it even though some had complained of spillage when lifting the lid and also the coffee not being hot enough. Well I can tell you that when I lift the lid on mine, the water rolls to the back and then drips back into the machine on a nifty little lip attached to the back of the machine. It appears that Cuisinart has engineered a solution for the complaints of spilled water that some reviewers mention. Also, the coffee coming out of the carafe of my machine has steam drifting off of it, so it is plenty hot, another complaint that seems to have been remedied. There were also a couple of complaints about finger prints on the stainless and the small LED clock being hard to read, but let's be for real, all brushed stainless appliances will fingerprint and this is a very stylish coffee maker, not a kitchen clock(that's what your microwave is for! (wink)). Actually I think the Cuisinart guys intended the clock for autoprogramming functions and made it LED to match the stainless on the machine. And if you don't like the water filter, you don't have to use it. It is a nicety and can be readily found if you search the net for "dcc1200 water filter".

Enough defending complaints though. This machine makes superb coffee. It has the best carafe I have ever used(it will not spill a drop and it has a built-in plastic rim to keep you from busting it on the sink). It comes with a gold metal filter. Buy it and you will like it. And if for some strange reason you don't, then take it back. All jabs aside, this is an outstanding machine in form as well as function, and the people at Cuisinart obviously care what their customers think of their products. That means alot to me. How about you???