Cuisinart Grind&Brew™ 12-Cup Black Automatic Coffeemaker DGB-500BK Grinder
Written: Nov 15 '05 (Updated Sep 15 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Easy to use, grinds and brews, clock & timer.
Cons: Price, no temperature control, not a thermal carafe.
The Bottom Line: Cuisinart has taken a good concept and made some much needed improvements. A worthwhile purchase.
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| yakkowarner's Full Review: Cuisinart Grind&Brew¿ 12-Cup Black Automatic Coffe... |
This is one of the higher end drip coffee makers. It not only grinds the coffee, but it also can be set on a timer. And for those of you that are familiar with the older models, Cuisinart has greatly improved the concept with this drip coffee maker.
How It Works.
There are two basic compartments. The first one is accessed from the top. It contains the grinding unit and the water reservoir. The grinding unit is two pieces, the lid and the coffee bean cup. This cup has a grinding blade in it and it looks just like the blade from a handheld coffee bean grinder. As soon as the beans are small enough, they go through a mesh and fall into the second container.
The second container contains the drip basket. The coffee maker then heats the water and forces it to drip through the basket. The whole process takes around 5 minutes or so.
The unit uses a round basket type filter, it does not use a cone filter.
The Coffee
The coffee came out well for being a basket filter. I was quite pleased especially since it tasted better than my in-laws normal brew from their old maker. No complaints here.
Main Features
-Grinding mechanism- Grinds the bean internally.
-Clock- Just a normal 24 hour clock.
-Timer- Grinds and brews your coffee at a set time.
-1-4 cup mode- incase you want to brew 4 cups or less.
-Safety feature- Will not turn on unless all pieces are in place.
Ergonomics and Ease Of Use.
The first thing I noticed was how comfortable the handle was. They did a really good job designing the handle. The best design I have seen in a drip coffee maker.
The water reservoir has a series of steps in it. Each step has a number on it that signifies how many cups of water is in the reservoir. This makes it a lot easier to read. The lid on the coffee pot is also far more secure, it stays put even if you tipped the coffee pot upside down. I just don’t recommend doing that with a full pot, unless you want to tick off your mother-in-law.
The internal parts are easy to take out and clean. I really like the new design.
Who is this for?
Anyone that likes to wake up to fresh and great tasting coffee without the hassle of filling the maker and grinding the coffee beans in the morning.
If you are more concerned about taste than with waking up in the morning then I would recommend getting a French press. It takes a little more work but it is worth it. Once I figured out how much coffee to use, how hot to have the water (about 200 degrees), and time (about 4 minutes) then the coffee come out a little better than a drip. But French presses are also easier to mess up so practice (and patience) is key.
Cleaning
Cleaning is easier than with previous models. Expect it to take 2-5 minutes. You just clean all the pieces under a faucet with a food disposal unit. The pieces you wash are the grinding unit, the grinding unit lid, the gold filter, the drip basket, and the drip basket lid.
I also recommend you let the pieces dry in a rack before putting them in otherwise the grounds will stick to the sides. You can also clean the pieces in the dishwasher.
Durability
My in-laws have only owned it for a few months and my sister-in-law for a bit longer. So far nothing has gone wrong with either unit. Compared to my maker, it does seem like a better made product but only time will tell. And if you keep track of my reviews (see below) my sister-in-law did replace her old coffee maker with this one since her old Cuisinart finally died.
What I like.
-Grinding unit and drip basket are separate compartments.
-The water reservoir fill level is easier to read.
-Better ergonomics.
-More durable.
-Easier to clean than their previous model.
-12 cups instead of 10 cups.
-Easier to program than their previous model.
What I do not like.
-It’s a basket filter, not a cone filter.
-No temperature control.
-Not a thermal carafe, just a normal glass one.
Weight and dimensions (at the maximum dimensions.)
Length: 9 inches
Width: 7.5 inches
Height: 15 1/8 inches
Capacity: 12 cups
Summary
This is a coffee maker that does it all. It will grind your beans, brew them, and do it all by timer if you wish. Compared to their previous model this is easier to clean, has better ergonomics, and appears to be better engineered. They sacrificed a couple of features for ease of use but I think that was a good move for the average consumer. If I was to pick one drip style coffee maker for a gift this would be it.
Other coffee makers.
Another Cuisinart Grind and Brew Coffee Maker
Melitta Mill & Brew Coffeemaker
Lexan french press
Cuisinart CCM-16PC Electric Burr Grinder
Recommended:
Yes
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