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| Cuisinart DCC-1200 Brew Central Coffeemaker |
I was also interested in the Bunn, but I really liked the extra features that Cuisinart offered.
This was actually not my first Cuisinart purchase. Before this, I bought and returned, the Cuisinart Single Serve Keurig technology coffeemaker. It was a nice looking machine, but I did not like any of the coffee cups I tried. It was pitiful dumping mugs of coffee in the sink, but it was so bad that I returned it with 7 days. Thus, I followed the positive reviews I read and bought the Brew Central. I am in love.
The most positive aspect of Brew Central is the brewing. I like a mild blend coffee, and since my first pregnancy, have switched to decaf. My choice of coffee is actually Dunkin' Donuts ground decaf coffee. I do not use the reusable filter. I use the #4 brown paper filter - it is in my opinion easier to use and clean. The coffee is crisp and fresh tasting every time - I am just delighted. And I like that I can control the carafe temperature or select a special brewing cycle for only 1-4 cups. When I have made a full 12 cup pot for entertaining, the coffee has received solid compliments.
The next selling point was the retro look. It is a brushed metal that so far has resisted most fingerprints. The knobs and buttons are easy to use and the functionality is great - programmable for the morning and beeping when the coffee is brewed. This beeping comes in very handy when I get preoccupied in another room and forget the coffeemaker is on. This is a nice little extra.
The self cleaning feature, is in my opinion, a strong selling point. I do not like cleaning appliances, so having a feature that lets me know when it has to be cleaning and then does it for me after adding a few ingredients, is fantastic, fantastic, fantastic.
I have a couple issues with this machine, though. First, I am not a fan of the water reservoir. It is in an awkward position and the measuring of water is very difficult to see. I stopped measuring water here after a couple tries, and now I just measure the water in the glass carafe and pour it in the reservoir. Much easier. I see this an a pretty major design flaw, but the taste of the coffee outshines this gaffe.
Another issue I have, and this is minor, is that there is no backlight on the clock. It is difficult to read. I have to stand close and squint to see the numbers clearly. I love how other Cuisinart coffeemakers have this feature and was disappointed to see this one did not. A backlight looks classy and I hope in the future that this feature is added.
All is all, I am very happy with this purchase. This is, by far, the best coffeemaker that I have owned. Although it had some things I do not like so much, the taste of the coffee makes up for it. But, I still hope they improve these imperfections. These changes would make a near perfect machine, just that, perfect. Try this coffeemaker, I bet you will love it, too.
