Best Cuisinart Coffee Makers: Which Is Right for You?

Check out any list of recommended or bestselling coffee makers, and at least one Cuisinart coffee maker is bound to make the cut. The company offers 26 current models on its website, including everything from basic automatic-drip machines to ones with built-in grinders to single-serve brewers and even an old-fashioned percolator. One thing they all have in common is that they live up to Cuisinart's reputation for making good-looking, high-quality appliances, which is why the company's machines made our list of the best coffee makers. (If you're looking for something stronger, check out our best espresso machines.)

After poring through various reviews and customer comments online, we've selected seven of Cuisinart's best coffee makers to suit coffee drinkers of all types. 

What's great about cuisinart coffee makers

• They all come with very thorough use and care manuals.
• All but one of the company's automatic drip machines come with a reusable filter.
• With almost every Cuisinart coffee maker, a water filter is included to improve the taste of tap water. 
• Not only do all but one shut off automatically, but you can also program them to turn off anywhere from immediately to several hours after brewing.
• All of the removable parts can be cleaned in the dishwasher (top rack), even the thermal carafes. 
• If something goes wrong, don't worry, because you have an unusually long three-year warranty.  

If you're looking for the best value from the brand, this 12-cup model is the one to choose. In spite of its relatively low price, the Cuisinart DCC-1100BK is attractive and offers the same basic perks as the more expensive models. It's programmable, so you can set it to have the coffee ready the minute you wake up or walk into the house. With this machine, you get both a reusable coffee filter to save you the bother and expense of buying paper ones and a water filter to improve the taste of tap water. A light comes on to let you know when the DCC-1100BK needs  cleaning. It's available in black or white, as well as in a smaller, 10-cup model 

What customers say:
Amazon (4.1/5; 3,673 reviews): "Brews a very tasty full pot from my home-ground beans in about 10 minutes … but has a 'pause' feature so I can get a cup ASAP!"

Have to brew a pot for a crowd? The Cuisinart DCC-T20 TouchScreen 14-Cup Programmable is the best coffee maker for the job. It makes more coffee than any other programmable automatic-drip coffee maker in the marketplace. That makes the machine ideal for large households, people who return for cup after cup throughout the morning, or for those entertaining guests. This is a brand- new version of the PerfecTemp with a touchscreen instead of buttons. When you’re not using it, the panel “goes to sleep” giving it a sleek look. 

If a ding telling you your coffee is ready annoys you (especially before you've had your morning Joe), you can turn off the sound. You can control how hot you want your coffee to be as well as how long you want the coffee maker to remain on before it shuts itself off. So, you won't have to worry about whether the machine's on when you leave the house. This Cuisinart comes only black.

If you like to grind the beans right before you brew, consider the Cuisinart DGB-800 Burr Grind & Brew, which makes this a one-step procedure. This machine has a burr grinder that grinds evenly and then transfers the ground coffee directly into the filter. However, be forewarned that when the grinder goes off in the morning, it's loud enough to wake up anyone who's still sleeping, even someone one floor above the kitchen. And occasionally you'll have to clean the grinder, which is an additional chore.

If you want to use preground coffee, you have the option to turn the grinder off. As you would expect from a pricey model, you get a lot of extras, including the ability to control the strength of your coffee and how long the Burr Grind & Brew stays on before shutting itself off.  

What reviewers say:
CNet: "Cuisinart kept the Burr Grind and Brew's control panel uncluttered and simple, which makes it a product relatively easy to operate." 

In this unusual brewer, a whole "pot" is brewed at once, but rather than dripping into a carafe, the Cuisinart DCC-3000 Coffee on Demand fills up an internal reservoir. You then dispense just one cup at a time, the way you would from an urn or a soda machine. It's a great choice if people drift into the kitchen for their morning Joe at various times. As this machine eliminates the need to pour from a carafe, you don't get those otherwise-inevitable splashes to clean up. 

What reviewers say:
Amazon: "Most impressive to me is the fact that this would stay on, keeping the coffee hot AND fresh-tasting, for 4 hours." 

The Cuisinart SS-15 Maker Coffee Center is designed to give you flexibility. For those days when you need just a cup at a time, there's a single-cup brewer that works with K-cups or your own reusable coffee filter. It can also deliver a 12-cup carafe, great for when you're hosting a weekend brunch or book club meeting. While you are getting two appliances in one, The SS-15 does cost twice as much as and take up more counter space than most single-function brewers.   

What consumers say:
Amazon (3.8/5; 2,008 reviews): "There are some convenience issues, but they are not difficult to adjust to. I've tried all the features, and all have worked fine. And it makes great coffee!! Wonderfully hot, even on medium."

If there are both coffee and tea lovers in your house, the Cuisinart CHW-12 Coffee Plus is your machine. In addition to making a pot of coffee, it can dispense hot water for quick cuppas, mugs of cocoa or bowls of instant oatmeal. The CHW-12 has a safety lock to prevent hot water from being accidentally dispensed. On this model, you can up the temperature of the coffee in the carafe, which is a handy feature if you never think your coffee is hot enough. 

What reviewers say:
Good Housekeeping: "At the end of the brew cycle, the coffee was piping hot and stayed that way for the entire 2-hour, keep-warm testing period."

This good-looking, stainless-steel brewer is designed to mimic pour-over coffee, which usually requires that you boil water and pour it carefully from a kettle. The Cuisinart CPO-850, however, does the work for you. Plus, this brewer is certified to meet the Specialty Coffee Association's Gold Cup Standard, which means that the machine brews at the optimal temperature and time for the best results. You can adjust the strength of your coffee as well as the serving temperature. However, as is often the case, "the best" comes at a price. This machine costs almost twice as much as other Cuisinart coffee makers.    

What reviewers say:
Good Housekeeping: "If you're particular about how your coffee tastes, you'll want the Cuisinart pour-over brewer. ”

Three things to consider before buying a coffee maker

Will it fit?
Before you buy, be sure to measure the space where you plan to keep your coffee maker, as well as how much room you have below your cabinets. Keep in mind that even if your machine fits under the cabinet, most Cuisinart coffee makers need to be pulled forward so you can load them with water and ground coffee. 

Cup size
When you're deciding what size brewer to buy, remember that coffee-maker cups are the equivalent of 5 ounces, or an old-fashioned teacup that isn't filled to the brim, leaving room for milk. Today, most of us use mugs that hold 8 ounces or more, which means a typical 12-cup coffee maker brews enough coffee for about seven mugs at the most.

What kind of carafe?
You'll pay a premium for a model with a thermal carafe. If you entertain a lot, such a model is worth the extra dollars, as you can bring the carafe to the table, where it will keep coffee hot for second cups. While Cuisinart's insulated servers are top-rack dishwasher safe, they may not actually fit on the top shelf and the machine may not be able to thoroughly clean inside them. The narrow opening makes hand-washing difficult.

How to care for and maintain Cuisinart coffee makers

• Wash all the removable parts thoroughly in the dishwasher or by hand with soapy water. Coffee can leave behind an oily residue that builds up over time and gives a bad taste to your beverage. 
• When the clean alert light comes on or your coffee maker begins to take longer than usual to brew, it's time to descale, which means removing mineral deposits that build up inside the machine. Start by removing the charcoal water filter. Run a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and water through the machine. Follow up with a cycle of plain water. Then, replace the charcoal filter.  
• On single-serve coffee makers, the needle may get clogged, resulting in grounds in your coffee or a smaller cup of coffee than the size you selected. To fix this, begin by unplugging the machine. To unclog the exit needle, remove and disassemble the pod holder and then use a paper clip to clear away any debris. You lift the head and use the paper clip to clean the entrance needle. Refer to your manual for complete instructions with diagrams.