Cuisinart DGB-500 12-Cup Coffee Maker

Pros: All-in-one coffee maker.
Cons: None.

Preamble
I hate coffee.
I don't drink coffee.
I avoid the smell of coffee when I can.

But then, I married a man who loves coffee almost as much as he loves life itself so I have learned to live with coffee.
...

Pros: Programmable, grinds whole beans, sturdy.
Cons: Can be hard to clean, really a ten cup maker, loud.

So, you thought beer was the only brew we drink Chez Bruguru? You thought wrong. In reality, we drink more coffee than we do beer, I myself accounting for two large cups each morning. Of coffee. Not beer. Ahem. And I like my coffee strong, freshly ...

Pros: coffee fresh-ground without the wait
Cons: flat-bottom filter basket, confusing control panel

I have two problems. One is my borderline psychotic search for the perfect cup of coffee and my spoiling after time spent as a barista in a café that used a local roaster. I don't want to drink a cup of coffee that doesn't have its beans fresh ...

Pros: An all-in-one time saver with automated timer control, good brewing mechanism, decent features.
Cons: Cleaning the grinder, size, a little noisy.

It started in college as a kind of experimental thing. A multi-purpose ‘learning aid’ and hangover helper. With my first job it turned into a ‘productivity enhancer’. And now it’s pretty much a full fledged addiction. Coffee: my ...

Pros: All in one grind/brew appliance has your coffee ready when you wake up
Cons: For a product built for convenience, is it the MOST inconvenient coffee maker I’ve owned!

We’re a coffee house. We like good coffee, and we love great coffee…so when it comes to brewing it at home, we spare no reasonable expense. I thought that spending $100 on a coffee maker that would grind the beans fresh each morning and have the fresh ...

Pros: This is as fresh as it gets!
Cons: The grinder wakes you up to a sound similar to an air raid siren!

I received this coffee maker as a gift on 12/25/02; it was by far one of the best of the season in my opinion! I have always been a fan of brewing my coffee as soon as possible after the grinding of the beans. This coffee maker does precisely that;...

Pros: Makes great coffee when the grounds don't get into it. Easy to use. Looks good.
Cons: Hardclean. Messy. Loud. Electric system doesn't last. Get Capresso Coffee Team S and Tassimo.

This is the second time I am trying to update this - Netscape keeps crashing - which is another story. This model (I actually have the white, but there is no difference by color) makes up to 12 cups, though I'd guess that if you try it full ...

Pros: carafe ergonomics, good hot coffee, programmability, convenience of all-in-one unit, 12Cup size, '1-4cup' setting
Cons: grinder capacity, water reservoir markings, uses basket filters, effectiveness of the 'water filter' ?

I obtained the Cuisinart G&B because my husband bought it from a friend who had purchased multiple units on sale. It was new. This was a machine I didn't want based largely on negative/mixed reviews both here and on another coffee website. Although it ...

Pros: Great tasting coffee, easy to clean grinder thats dishwasher safe.
Cons: Kind of pricey (I used a coupon to get $20 bucks off)

Ok, there are certain gadgets in this world that I have come to know and love as my own... Cell Phones, Tivo, iPod and my Grind and Brew by Cuisinart. For those of you who own any one of the 4 you can understand my appreciation and gratitude towards ...

Pros: Works great and is as quiet as a church mouse.
Cons: None so far!

Christmas is still months away but you wouldn’t know it if you visited my mothers house these days. You see Mom and Dad have spent the past few days walking around the house singing ‘Joy to the World’ because of their new Cuisinart® Grind and Brew™ ...

Pros: Freshly ground coffee at pre-set time, large carafe, nice looking, not difficult to clean.
Cons: WEAK COFFEE when grinding/brewing a full pot, VERY NOISY.

UPDATE APRIL 26, 2005. I bought a Cuisinart Grind & Brew machine that I recommend instead of this machine. See that review here: h ttp://www.epinions.com/content _181114998404. --------------- Manufacturer's specs ...

Pros: makes a good pot of coffee. looks cool. nice control over burner settings.
Cons: It really loud. Cleanup is a (manageable) pain, no countdown clock.  Dying at 4.2years

I always struggle when reading reviews because you never know what kind of person is writing them, or what their frame of reference is for their remarks. I will try to do a little better... After reading the reviews of the Grind and Brew I ...

Pros: Great tasting coffee, all-in-one maker, simple controls
Cons: Retail cost, grinder noise level, lack of outside water level viewer

I owned one of the original Cuisinart Grind 'N Brew coffee makers (see review) and absolutely loved it, save for the difficulty in cleaning. When the wife and I said goodbye (thank God), she took off with my 2 most prized possessions, my Rottie, and ...

Pros: Good looks, convenient, many functions, ability to use fresh beans, bean grind consistency
Cons: Cleaning, overall durability/quality, price, brew quality

I was cruising through Craigslist.com a couple of weeks ago looking for a coffee table and I came across an ad for a new coffee maker. It was a like new (used once) in the box Cuisinart DGB-500. After reading the ad, looking up prices on line, and ...

Pros: Great tasting coffee, brews to a drinkable temp., charcoal water filter.
Cons: Hard to clean, confusing control panel, LOUD grinder, poor water reservoir design.

Now that I wake up at 4 AM for an hour commute, great tasting coffee has become an essential component of my morning routine. When I set out to purchase a new coffee maker, I knew that I wanted fresh ground coffee, but I had heard so many negative ...

Pros: I can't think of one positive thing to say about this machine.
Cons: Terrible coffee, high maintenance, hard to clean, noisy, overpriced

How anyone can think this is a decent coffee maker is beyond me. After suffering three weeks of terrible coffee and daily nightmarish cleaning rituals, I returned it yesterday for a refund. Good riddance to this badly engineered, noisy, messy Rube ...

Pros: Looks great, programmable, cool concept
Cons: WEAK coffee, messy cleanup

I received this coffee maker as a Christmas gift and was pretty excited to give it a shot. The idea of being able to program the machine to grind coffee beans and brew it up was very appealing. The design of the maker is beautiful. It looks very nice ...

Pros: Large Carafe
Cons: Noisy, difficult to clean, terrible tasking coffee each time.

For Fathers Day I purchased my husband a Cuisinart Grind and Brew Coffeemaker. One nice feature about this machine is the larger coffee carafe, it holds 12 (5 ounce) cups as opposed to most others which only hold 10. It has a cord storage area in the ...

Pros: Looks good. Reliable. Coffee tastes great. Simple to use.
Cons: Larger than my "old" coffee maker (had to find a new spot for it.

I love this coffee maker. My friend told me about it -- I didn't even know anything like this existed. I mean, what could be better than having a steaming cup of fresh coffee waiting for you in the morning. I can smell if from my bedroom and it makes me...

Pros: Great Tasting Coffee
Cons: Takes Time To Clean Properly

We bought our coffeemaker when they first came out, so I have had it long enough to evaluate it fairly I think. It is not without it's faults though. I find it a pain to clean thoroughly with thoroughly being the key word. There are plenty of hiding...

Pros: Very good coffee, and we are pretty picky coffee drinkers.
Cons: A bit messy.

After having read through the other reviews of this product, I thought I'd add my own. This is a very good product -- it makes good coffee and has very nice features. I have just a couple of criticisms. By the way, I have owned this coffeemaker about ...

Pros: Makes the best coffee I have ever had!
Cons: cleaning it out after using

I got this coffee maker for a gift 2 1/2 years ago, and I love it! I am very spoiled now by the fact that this coffee maker grinds the beans right then and there for the pot of coffee. It is the best taste! I like strong coffee, and I can stuff so many...

Pros: Actual coffee the machine makes is fine.
Cons: Absolutely horrible design - impossible to keep clean.

I was given this coffeemaker as a Christmas present. I have been using it daily for over 3 months. It is way too much trouble to deal with. I thought it would be a good alternative to grinding coffee in a separate grinder, but it is a huge pain to ...

Pros: Can use ground or whole bean coffee, great features, yet simple to use.
Cons: Brews a weaker cup of coffee. You will hear the grinder.

When it came time to buy another coffee maker we did our research. We decided on the Cuisinart Grind and Brew DGB-500 Coffee Maker. After six months, we are still happy with our purchase. We chose to get a coffee maker that grinds, for the first time. ...

Pros: None
Cons: Unnecessarily hard to clean, makes weak coffee, is noisy

Toshiba made a grind and brew years ago. It was much better. It ground the beans in the basket then passed the water through it. The Cuisinart grinds in a separate grinder which blows the grounds through a chute into the basket below (one reason the unit ...

Pros: Looks fancy. Charcoal water filter is a nice option.
Cons: Have to clean grinder before EVERY use. Makes great sludge, so-so coffee. POOR design.

I bought this coffee maker because I thought Cuisinart designed quality products, boy did they go wrong with this one. Some of the problems I have encountered are: The coffee grinder is loud! It also grinds the coffee too fine for my liking. You put in ...

Pros: easier to clean than previous model, slightly quieter
Cons: weak coffee!, no external water display, hard to buy replacement filters

I've been using the Cuisinart 300GB for several years, and tolerated the noisy operation and extreme cleaning hassles more or less willingly because it made a great cup of coffee. After a time I grew fond of the little beeping noise it made when the ...

Pros: Like to whole bean to coffee feature
Cons: MESSY MESSY MESSY

I purchased this machine a year ago, excited with the prospect of an all in one from grind to coffee feature. Although there are a couple of great features on this machine, it has a horrible design and I will replace as soon as I do my research. ...

Pros: Good concept
Cons: Horrible design

I'm so sorry I wasted about $100 on this thing! I bought this because we like to grind our own beans and this could do that and have the coffee ready each morning. It grinds fine -- and sounds like a jet plane taking off in your kitchen -- but ...

Pros: Looks great with other stainless and black appliances.
Cons: Goes through way too many beans, lots of cleanup.

I received this coffee pot for Christmas and have since realized I am going through beans very quickly. It makes weak coffee, so you are forced to add more beans. For this reason alone, I don't think I can afford to keep it! Over time, as I buy ...

Pros: Stylish, easy coffee in the AM 'cause it's all set, makes good coffee
Cons: Cleanup, noisy as ever, drips a bit, some strange defaults with the buttons/settings

Hi, I've actually thought a LOT about what I was going to write about this coffee maker. If you ...

Pros: All in one unit...
Cons: which results in clean up issues, no cone filter, and thermos not worth it

My purchase of this coffee maker will be the lesson that causes me to always check out epinions befo ...

Pros: makes great tasting coffee, simple design
Cons: grinder basket gets a bit messy, requires slightly more beans for stronger coffee

I received this coffee maker as a Christmas gift. I've been grinding my own coffee for years with just a simple grinder and a basic coffee maker. So, I asked for a nicer unit that both grinds and brews. This Cuisinart DGB-500 is what I received. ...

Pros: The carafe pours well
Cons: Loud, poorly designed, hard to clean

I love/need a good cup of coffee in the morning, and so the idea of a grind and brew all-in-one coffee maker seemed like a great idea to me. I had a coffee maker, and next to it I had a grinder. I thought it would be great to combine these two appliances ...

Pros: The store had a good return policy.
Cons: Everything. Terrible coffee. High maintenance. Trust me, it is horrible.

I got this thing for a wedding gift and can't say a good thing about it. It literally can't make coffee...which is, I assume, its primary purpose. It sounds great. Dump beans in, fill it with water, set the timer and when you wake up you'll have fresh ...

Pros: programmability, looks nice?
Cons: terrible grinder design, impossible to clean, fit and finish

This is definitely not a coffee maker I would recommend to others. The coffee it makes is OK, but the major issue surrounds the way the coffee grinder is integrated into the product. Here are some of the major issues: 1) While the machine grinds ...

Pros: Easy to use, nice look
Cons: Cleanup, somewhat noisy during grinding, coffee weaker, weak tray catch

I got this machine as a gift for Christmas. The unit came with a gold tone permanent filter but I got no thermos as described in other reviews. Unit does take Mr. Coffee type coffee filters which make the machine somewhat easier to clean than the ...

Pros: Best design and easiest cleanup of all the combo grinder-brewers
Cons: I would rather have cone-style filters

This is the second combination grinder/brewer I have owned. The first was another brand. The Cuisi ...

Pros: Does exactly what it says. Makes great coffee & no mess. Doesn't drip / spill.
Cons: Takes few moments to clean, lock & load for next brew but worth the effort.

For my money this is one great coffee pot. Programmable hot plate turns off from right after brew to ...

Pros: Fresh ground coffee every day. No coffee grounds all over the kitchen.
Cons: Lots to clean up every day. Poor design, It's Big, Can't control the grind.

Have used it everyday for a month and may go back to grinding a weeks worth of coffee at a time. It's a pain to clean the grinder, the filter and the pot every day.

The real problem is that the moisture from the brewing coffee works it's way...

Pros: Freshest coffee possible
Cons: Nowhere near as good as its predecessor. Excessively hard to clean up!!

I love coffee - and I love it made from fresh-ground beans. Within reason, I'd do whatever it took to have fresh ground and brewed coffee as my reward for surviving until another day! Three or four years ago, I discovered and fell in love with ...

Pros: Ergonomic carafe handle and carafe, a full carafe is easy to hold and pour.
Cons: Messy, messy, MESSY grinder mechanism.

Makes great tasting coffee, good and hot but... I bought this product after my old, more circular looking Cuisinart grind and brew's brain fried from one-too-many Tampa, Florida thunderstorms. The newer model was sleek, cylindrical, very ...

Pros: Really fresh, really food coffee.
Cons: Have to clean out the grinder each time.

When we were first married, my husband would happily grind the coffee beans the night before and put ...

Pros: Impress your friends.
Cons: Too expensive, not reliable. Wake the dead.

I have owned three Cuisinart grind and brew machines in the past 4 years. I keep doing this to myself because it's about flavor. The first one, a triangular looking model (still for sale in places) was very messy. It lasted a year or so, before it ...

Pros: Grinds, brews coffee at pre-set time. Carafe easy to clean. Programmable turn-off times.
Cons: Weak coffee. Loud, complicated to put together and clean. taller than normal coffee makers.

Bad coffee was our biggest complaint - but not the only one... We have ground our own coffee for twenty years and looked forward to having that obnoxious early morning sound-blast from the grinder occur while we were blissfully unaware and still ...

Pros: cuisinart name
Cons: cuisinart customer service / bad design

A love / hate relationship from the start! The coffee maker did produce some fine tasting coffee but from the very first proved that benefit to be at the cost of great noise, frustration at cleanup, and difficulties in getting any attention from ...

Pros: Looks neat
Good concept
Coffee tastes fine
Beeps when done
Cons: Impossible to clean
Easy to make a coffee mess

My husband & I got this coffee maker as a gift over 3 years ago. Originally I really wanted this machine and was looking forward to using it. We used the grinding mechanism for about 3 months before just grinding the coffee ourselves before brewing it ...

Pros: Melitta: 7 different grinding options. Easy to use & clean. FM weather alert.
Cons: Cuisinart: grinds course. Wouldn't turn on automaticaly, had to start manually. Beeper wouldn't shut off.

I drink black coffee and don't like canned, pre-ground coffee. It is bitter and often stale. So, I've been using a coffee grinder daily for years. I know exactly how many beans and how much water to use. When I saw that there were coffee makers available ...

Pros: Looks nice, I like the timer, the 1-4 cup thing is cool
Cons: I can't get my coffee to taste right Cleaning

My Fiance and I received the Grind and Brew for a wedding present from his grandmother. We were so excited about having a really nice coffee maker and being able to enjoy fresh ground coffee every morning. One problem, we still have not figured out how ...

Pros: Fantastic coffee, easy to use, all-in-one, water filter.
Cons: Pain to clean up, water filters pretty expensive, loud (but to be expected with grinder).

I read a previous review complaining about thermos and requiring separate actions for grinding then brewing. I believe that reviewer meant to talk about another (similar) Cuisinart model which I also saw at the store. As for the one listed here -- the ...

Pros: This coffee maker has no redeeming qualities.
Cons: Makes terrible coffee, is messy and very hard to clean.

There is nothing to like about this machine, unless you like coffee makers that are hard to clean, messy to use and make terrible coffee. First, you can't tell how much water you're putting into the reservoir. I've had to shine a flashlight into the ...

Pros: It could be used to startle your neighbors.
Cons: What more can I say?

Submitted for your review, the letter I've penned to Cuisinart: To The Brilliant Engineers at Cuisinart: How would you like to wake up to this in the morning? I don’t know if you’re like me, but I like to have a cup of coffee first thing in ...

Pros: Great coffee when it chooses to work.
Cons: Poor electrical control design. Difficult cleaning. Door closure pops open - spills coffee grounds everywhere!

The Cuisinart DGB-500 Grind and Brew coffee maker does an excellent job of making super tasting coffee, especially if you keep the beans in your freezer. After saying that, I must admit to having taken ours back five times for replacement (The Boston ...

Pros: Looks nice.
Cons: Pricey, bulky, messy. All of the negatives you read here are true. Heed the warnings.

I read all the reviews I could before deciding to buy this coffee maker. I thought that the cons others wrote about were minor and that I could live with them. I mean, hey, how hard is it to wash the parts after use? Answer: Huge PITA. The grinder is o ...

Pros: Fantastic coffee, easy to use
Cons: Slightly more maintenance than a regular coffeemaker

I have owned many coffeemakers in my time, and the Cuisinart Grind & Brew DGB-500 is the very best I've ever had. It's a vast improvement over the old design (the Grind and Brew DGB-300); a friend of mine owns that one and complains about the length of...

Pros: over all this was an excellent purchase
Cons: coffee carafe top clips-may wear out-hold it on with thumb

i purchased this coffee maker/grinder for my wife as a present. We have used it every day for about 3 months now. Before I bought this I read zillions of reviews on it. Most were negative. I still bought one and now can answer some of the negatives. ...

Pros: Easy to clean; nice modern lines.
Cons: Too big; unreliable grinder.

I bought this unit thinking that it would be great to have one electrical item instead of two (coffee maker plus bean grinder). The idea is nice, but there are multiple issues with this unit. In no particular order: the first thing you notice is ...

Pros: Wonderful fresh grinding and brewing that makes a great cup of coffee!
Cons: A bit loud when grinding but nothing you can't handle.

What I love about this coffeemaker compared to another grind and brew maker I had is this one can be programed to stay hot from one to four hours! The other would shut off after one hour and that just is not long enough for me. I love the smell of fresh ...

Pros: Sturdy, dependable, functional
Cons: Won't wash my car, or build me a shed.

Look, this is a coffeemaker. It's not a car, or a home theater system, or a computer....it's just a coffeemaker. If you just want to drink coffee, but don't want to get your hands wet, or miss 5 minutes of your favorite TV show, then go to Dunkin ...

Pros: Freshly ground coffee.
Cons: Terrible quality, Terrible value, Not durable.

I have owned 2 Cuisinart Grind and Brew Coffee Makers in the past 2 and a half years +/-. The first one lasted about a year and a half before it started failing. The failure started when the coffee maker would stop brewing and make the tone sound ...

Pros: Looks good, powerful built-in grinder, stainless carafe.
Cons: Expensive, pump stopped working, Built-in grinder must be washed/dried daily due to heavy condensation

I bought one of these about 10 months ago, because I was tired of regular coffee makers not last---things such as burners wearing out--either stopping working completely or and not keeping coffee hot. Also, the glass carafes could be broken easily. I am ...

Pros: None that the Brew Central doesn't have.
Cons: Incredibly messy and difficult to clean, filter basket pops out during grind/brew, LOUD

I started looking at new coffee makers about a year ago to replace our 15 year old Mr. Coffee. There were so many enticing features on this one, including the built-in grinder. One less thing to take up counter space, right? So what that it sounds ...

Pros: Grinds and brews as advertised, nothing really better available
Cons: Not durable enough, still hard to clean

We purchased the original Cuisinart grind and brew, it was terrible to clean and you need to clean and dry these things between every single pot of coffee, not like the regular coffee maker where you dump out the old grounds place a new filter in add ...

Pros: It is one of the few combination grinder and brewer models available.
Cons: Ongoing Reliability testing and Product Verification Testing did not work and so with the DGB-500

This new model of Cuisinart grind and brew coffee maker is the second generation for me. We bought the previous design from cuisinart a little over 3 years ago. The bearings in the grinding chamber burned out just after the waranty ran out. The ...

Pros: N/A
Cons: They should stick to food processors.

Worked fine for a month or so, then the trouble started. We now wake up to coffee all over the counter about 25% of the time (not the grinds, the coffee) Doesn’t seem to make a difference if it’s 6 cups or 12. Its going into the pot so you think it’s okay this time, but the grind holder does not let enough water through, and the overflow starts.

Save your money, and go back to Mr. Coffee.

Pros: Good in theory, Not in practice
Cons: Weak, severely unflavorful coffee!

I love coffee, especially the full bodied flavor of a good bean, freshly ground, but it can be messy everyday to grind at home, so I was excited to see this product. Despite the reviews, I bought it, because I had faith in the Cuisinart name. Big mistake! Yes, it was neat, easy to clean and cool idea, but he quality of the coffee was awful! We brewed 4 different pots, with different beans and even increased the quantity of coffee and it was still awful, you could see right through the coffee! Upon looking at the brewed coffee in the filter, it was too coarsely ground and barely wet after brewing. There is a serious design flaw here! I returned it and got a percolator! Do not buy this product unless you like your coffee to taste like tea!

Pros: Fresh ground coffee really is better. Program timer works great! I like the brew-pause feature.
Cons: The gold coffee basket filter is tough to clean. Although I still could use paper.

Nothing like an alarm clock in the morning that wakes you up to a cup of coffee. Great feeling to get up and have your coffee ready. The smell of fresh ground coffee- can't be beat!

Pros: Does what it says.
Cons: Has to be cleaned.

Yes, you will have to use a flat bottomed coffee filter. Yes, the steam gets into the grinder. Yes, you will need to clean the grinder after every use.

But cleaning it is trivial. The grinder assembly lifts out and washes off in seconds. The filter holder and cover do, too.

The coffee is great. Waking up to fresh ground, fresh brewed coffee is a wonderful experience. Well worth the money.

Pros: Makes perfect coffee, easy to clean, looks nice, preset timer, and extended turn off switch.
Cons: Doesn't have adjustable grinder setting.

I like the way it grinds the coffee right before brewing it, and it makes an excellent cup of coffee. It is a bit loud, but it's downstairs and since my bedroom is upstairs, I can't really hear it when it goes off. After reading the other reviews, I was kind of hesitant to buy it, but I'm glad I did. I noticed that a few of the negative reviews are actually not for this model. I find the coffee maker very easy to clean. I just take everything out and put it in the dishwasher, and wipe underneath the grinder with a wet paper towel. I like to use the paper coffee filters with it also, so I use the 4 cup filters, they fit perfect.
I like the fact that you can adjust the time that the coffee maker goes off and the time it turns on. I just wish it had a setting for the grinder.

Pros: Great to have freshly ground coffee
Cons: The insanely loud grinder

This is a great coffee maker. I needed something with a timer that would start brewing while I was in the shower every morning and I have to say that the smell of coffee brewing helps me to get up in the morning. Unfortunately, so does the ridiculously loud grinder. Never the less, the noise is not so bad a price to pay for freshly ground beans.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this appliance, particularly for anyone who wants to program their coffee to brew at a certain time.

Pros: Carafe pours well
Cons: cleanup, numerous pieces

My in-laws thought I needed a new coffee maker so at least I'm not out any money. The grind feature actually woke up someone upstairs. The grind basket does not hold enough beans to make more than a mildly robust pot of coffee. There are about 7 pieces that must be in place for this thing to work. All 7 need excessive cleaning. The filter basket housing has a release button with the force of a small caliber firearm and can cause grounds to be shot out everywhere. If you opt out of the grind process in favor of pre-ground, the filter basket will not set flat on a counter for you to pour your grounds into. The steam from the coffee creates a goo in the grinder basket which manages to seep into every nook and cranny on the machine. Cleanup is a mess.

Pros: concept is great, easy to use.
Cons: Does not work correctly after two months of everyday use.

This coffee maker is a great idea. It actually works well for the first two months. After two months it does not make a full pot. It leaves about 4 out of 10 cups in the machine. I returned the first one for a new one, and now this one does the same thing. I wonder if they Cuisinart is aware of this defect.

Pros: Looks nice, coffee is okay.
Cons: Everything else about it is just pathetic. It should be pulled out from the market.

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

If it takes more than 3 steps to make brewed coffee, it's a poorly designed coffee maker. This one takes twice longer.

This the worst coffee maker I've ever seen and used. It's not user friendly (I haven't figured out how to change the time) and if you're just making 1-2 cups you'll have to pour the pot in an angle that will give you carpal tunnel syndrome.

Whoever designed this coffee pot should be fired. That simple.

Pros: It's all done ahead of time.
Cons: Too much cleaning, and the coffee is not so great.

I had to switch to French roast, and even then, it's not very full-bodied. When it starts to grind (while I'm reading the newspaper), both my dog and I jump a foot. Maybe they should have the beeper warning at the beginning like they have the beeper when all is done.

I don't like cleaning the grinder everyday

Pros: Great tasting coffee. Automation.
Cons: Electronics prone to malfunction due to condensation; loud; requires intensive cleaning.

Got this coffee maker as a wedding gift. Initially, I was happy to have acquired such an appliance. After a year of use (and one replacement later), I must say that there are drawbacks with this machine that outweigh the benefits.

(1) Grinding feature. Upside - fresh ground coffee. Downside - LOTS & LOTS & LOTS of cleaning; very loud grinder that is ear piercing in the morning; condensation in the grinding mechanism that leaks a coffee residue that makes things sticky.

(2) Coffee filter. Upside - Comes w/ gold filter basket. Downside - basket tends to pass fine coffee grounds. Best to use paper filter.

(3) Water reservoir. Upside - comes w/ a tiny carbon filter pouch. Downside - pouch has to be replaced monthly to be effective. It is also very hard to determine the water level in the reservoir.

(4) Automation. Upside - easy to use. Downside - prone to malfunction due to condensation. Mine never worked that well.

Pros: Coffee is o.k.
Cons: A hassle to clean and it must be cleaned between each use.

This unit makes o.k. coffee but it is a big hassle to clean and it must be cleaned before each use. The bean container sits directly above the pot. The steam created when the coffee brews condenses inside the bean container and the container lid which is irregular in shape. The result is globs of coffee mud in the container and its lid. This cakes on and must be cleaned for proper operation. If you are looking to save time this is not the unit for you. Try the Capresso team deluxe.

Pros: sleek looking.
Cons: Too noisy. Hard to clean. complex to operate.

Too noisy. Hard to clean. Not simple to operate - you have to remember and clean every part. Doesn't make good coffee. Very disappointing and brings down my opinion of cuisinart as a quality design brand. Melitta makes excellent grind/brew for 30% less cost.

Pros: Great cup of coffee
Cons: Hard to clean. Expensive. Timer malfunctions. Labor intensive.

The second time I used this model, the door the houses the filter basket flew open when the grinder was blowing the grounds into the filter. I had grounds go everywhere and I am still having problems with grounds in the door mechanism. I have to test the door every time I use this machine because it still doesn't latch on occasion.
Cleaning is very difficult due to small crevices and poor design. The grinder components need to washed after every use.
Sometimes the timer malfunctions and doesn't start the machine.
Really, this machine makes a darn good cup of coffee, but for me it isn't worth the high maintenance. I haven't even had the Cuisinart for a year and I am looking to replace it.
Having a separate grinder for the beans would still be more convenient than this.

Pros: Looks nice.
Cons: Gets clogged, can overflow, grinder too small, makes very weak coffee.

What a mistake I thought this would be perfect. No more having to grind coffee beans in a grinder and deal with mess of getting into a coffee maker.

The grinder in this machine is too small to make a good pot of coffee. It gets clogged because of moisture from the unit making the coffee. Its not vented well so the residue coffee grinds get muddy and clog up the passage to the filter. Oh and if you grind your coffee too finely the unit will over flow all over your kitchen. If you like weak coffee and don't mind doing allot of cleaning you might do well with this, other wise, don't bother!!!

Pros: Coffee is great!
Cons: Forgetting to put a filter in the filter basket makes for a big mess.

We have had ours for about 8 months now. The main problem area is the slide out basket mechanism. Coffee flakes combine with moisture and this causes sticky residue to collect on the slider tracks. In addition to cleaning the removable parts daily, I also spend time every day cleaning the slider tracks with a Q-tip. In fact I decided to return it under the warranty (I love the 3 year warranty) and see if a replacement unit works any better. If not, I'm going to look for a different brand of coffee maker that both grinds and brews.

Pros: Possibly the best tasting coffee I have ever had.
Cons: It takes a little time to clean all the parts.

I absolutely love this machine. When I read the reviews I was a little reluctant to buy, because of the possible problem with the catch staying closed on the grounds holder. I have had that problem a couple of times, but I found that I wasn't cleaning the top and side edges of the door, which would make it either stick, or not close completely. Now I give it one swipe when I make the coffee, and no more problems. I roast my own coffee beans, and the smell as they grind in the morning is heavenly.

Pros: Saves counter space, water filter a bonus. Easy one button touch for the morning brew!
Cons: Clean up can be a pain if a second pot's needed right after the first.

I can't believe how many people have complained about this machine. Ok, it takes a minute to clean it up (moisture in the grinder), but man, a quick rinse and it's done! I guess if you need to drink one pot after another it can be a pain! *wink*
I find the coffee to be just fine, and I personally find a great bonus with my freed up counter space! No more coffee machine, plus grinder, taking up all my room!
I give it a thumbs up!

Pros: I like grinding just before use
Cons: grinder that gets wedged in top and lack of option for a metal carafe

while the concept is excellent, I was very unhappy with the grinding apparatus. After use I remove this piece to clean. After several uses it became wedged in the top of the coffee maker and would not come out. I now must wipe out the grinds with a sponge. This is inadequate since the wipe process pushes grinds into the basket feeder and clogs it. I always feel that my coffee pot is not really clean.
Also I would like a metal carafe. It is not made for this model-only glass.

Pros: Perfect coffee, so easy.
Cons: A bit bulky, clean-up can be messy.

I am not a coffee drinker and am not confident I can make coffee. And after years of watching my husband totally frustrated with his Mr. Coffee coffee maker, he is now in heaven because his coffee temperature is perfect and the set-up is a breeze. I watched him set up the unit this morning, first he poured the beans into the grinder, put in the filter, added the water, and closed the lid. That's it! I liked that he pointed out the two safety features on the lid to make sure all sensors are fully depressed before activating the grinder. The grinder ground all of the beans, and only a small portion of dry grounds remained in the grinder. And although the unit can be messy from the coffee grounds, using our hand-held sink spray makes clean up quick. Wow! What a neat machine...now what to do with out 2 coffee grinders...

Pros: Fresh ground coffee in the morning.
Cons: Taking it apart and cleaning it out after EVERY pot.

This grind and brew was no fun at all. Yes, setting it and hearing it grind and getting fresh coffee in the morning was nice, but we may fix several pots a day and this machine REQUIRES that you clean every part EVERY time you make a pot. We have 3 or 4 parts sitting on the counter to dry out after every pot!! What a pain! I guess what we wanted was a machine that stores the beans and drops in the right amount to the grinder mechanism and then brews. The cuisenart gathers condensation in the grinder and so that area is wet after brewing a pot and must be cleaned out.
Added note: I ordered from Aabree Coffee and then returned the machine at my expense which was a third of the cost of the machine itself! Customer satisfied? No.

Pros: Makes great coffee
Cons: Hard to clean and prone to leaking. Also is a noisy machine in the morning

My wife has bought atleast three Cuisinart grind and brew coffee makers in the last two years. I think it makes great coffee and I wish there was a competitor because these units don't last but about three months. She has paid upwards to a $100 or more for these things because I like the coffee they make. But it seems after about two to three months they start leaking around the coffee bean holder and you can't take it apart and clean it. We have called Cuisinart offices and they would gladly repair or replace, but you are without a coffee maker while they are doing there thing and you are responsible for shipping both directions. I cannot believe after three units that this is not a common problem and that they have not come up with a solution. We went to the mall today and went through all the shops and even over to Ashers and no one even competes. I guess if I really like the coffee, then I'll just have to pay out 100 dollars every six months for a coffee pot.

Pros: Works well for a while......
Cons: After a few months it is practically useless.

Steam creeps up into the grinder, turning residual coffee grounds into a thick sludge that makes its way to the coffee filter holder. After a couple of months I couldn't get the filter holder to slide out, it was so gunked up. Trying to clean it was futile. You have to dismantle a spring assembly that is next to impossible to reassemble. Mine is sitting in the garbage can as I write this.

Pros: coffee is acceptable
Cons: cleaning it is a major activity

My Mellitta grind and brew broke after 3 good years and I couldn't find a replacement quickly. I bought a Cuisinart. How wrong could I go? Great brand. My kitchen is full of their products. Little did I know.
Compared to the Mellitta it is a disaster. Little things drive me mad. Putting the lid on the pot is an exercise in frustration in itself. Cleaning it is a major activity.
On the positive side the coffee is not bad but it definitely is not worth the effort.
After three weeks this baby goes out to the garage as soon as my new (actually rebuilt) Mellitta arives.

Pros: A decent cup of coffee from an attractive product
Cons: Ease of use, ease of cleaning, extensive and difficult cleaning required between every use

I bought the Cuisinart Grind and Brew for my wife for Christmas and after one use, I'd like to be able to take it back and would if I could. It makes a great pot of fresh coffee (Waffle House will sell you a 5lb. bag for $20 if you ask nicely) but the clean up required and the difficulty in performing the required cleaning between pots makes this a poor choice. Grounds get everywhere and you'd better have a very small hand if you want to clean them all out. The instructions require unplugging the machine from the outlet prior to cleaning which necessitates resetting the time and brewing time! Absurd!

It is impossible to believe that Cuisinart ever did any focus group testing on this product because, if they had, they never would have put it in production.

Pass on this in favor of a Mr. Coffee coffee maker and a Braun bean grinder. Your total investment will be half of that required for the Cuisinart, you'll drink just as good a cup of coffee and you'll have an extra 4 hours a week to work or play.

Pros: Wakes up the neighbors.
Cons: Cannot make coffee.

I have tried, without success to make more than 1 good pot of coffee with this machine. I just bought another.
The grinder portion of the machine is open to the steam coming from the brew cycle. This results in moist grinds that do not make it to the brew portion resulting in weak coffee. Now it clogs up and overflows to the counter/floor.

Horrible design.
Shame on Cuisinart!

Pros: None that I can think of except its compact size?
Cons: Not worth the effort .... not exactly exciting fresh coffee either.

Excited when my son presented me with this Coffee Maker last Christmas.

So far, gunk everywhere!

And NOW the grinder is stuck tight!

NO help anywhere that I can find from Cuisinart.

Takes all the fun out of coffee.

Seven Month life-span for the $$ has me thinking twice before making any other "Cuisinart" purchases!

Pros: Nice looks
Cons: Bad coffee, hard to clean.

Just add beans and program the start time, what a great idea! BUT, wait 'till you have to clean the thing. As another feature it only grinds the coffee one way (medium coarse) and the hopper for the beans is undersized for the strong stuff I want.

Pros: None
Cons: To many to mention in 15 words or less

This is the second Cuisinart Grind and Brew coffee maker I have purchased, I like to concept of grinding and brewing, the first one quit, so I tried the new model, what a mess it is, it leaks, I can't find the filter in my local store so have to find a mail order house that I can order from. It is messy and hard to clean. I have had this one for just a few months and I am shopping for a new one, NO MORE CUISINART coffee makers for me!

Pros: The coffee tastes ok, and there's a setting for extra hot.
Cons: THe cleanup, the mess, the hassle.

Our old grind and brew capresso finally died, and we went ISO a new one. My sister owns the Cuisinart, which seemed to make nice coffee. Only I didn't realize it until after we bought it how much maintenance it takes.
Very poorly designed--the moisture condenses on the top where he beans go, it gets gooey and runny with coffee "syrup", it has to be cleaned constantly, and makes a mess. There's already some rusting from all the constant moisture.
We stopped using the grind feature (one of the reasons we got it in the first place!) because it was such a hassle, and my husband just drinks tea in the morning. It's also noisy.

Pros: It makes coffee.
Cons: It is poorly thought out and requires a ton of effort to clean.

Because of a very glaring design flaw, steam rises through the machine and into the grind mill, turning coffee grinds into a pasty mess inside the mill and requiring a difficult cleaning each time- by difficult I mean you need to clean around tiny nooks and crannies where the only way to reach is by wadding up a sponge and cramming it inside, or else by using some sort of specialized cleaning brush...

I don't know about you but when I first get up in the morning and make coffee... the last thing I want to do is spend 5+ messy minutes cleaning the coffee maker first. I would definitely not recommend this item.

Pros: It made coffee when it wasn't broken.
Cons: It stayed broken.

I wasted nearly $100. on this stupid piece of junk. It broke 6 times with normal use, 1 pot/day. I sent it back, paid the expensive postage to send it, got a new "refurbished" replacement coffee maker in return that would break too. When the warranty ran out I threw it in the garbage. I previously trusted Cuisinart but not any more.

Pros: Great idea for a coffee maker
Cons: Needs a LOT of maintenance.

Great design for a coffeemaker, but after a few month it broke. The grinder motor failed. Cuisinart replaced it. Used the new one - it failed after about 2 months. Got another from Cuisinart - it failed too.

This went on for 3 years and seven coffeemakers. I asked the service reps why this is happening, but all they could do was send me new machines. They even upgraded me to the model 700 - but had the same problem - the grinder motor eventually fails to work.

A salesman at Williams Sanoma had a suggestions: He said that the coffee beans I use are very oily and are causing the grinder motors to seize up. He suggested running bread crumbs through the machine twice a weak, to absorb the oils and prevent them from gumming up the works. I tried his suggestion and low and behold - it worked.

One would think that the service reps at Cuisinart would know something about this issue - or put it in their manual.

It's a messy hassle, but I've learned that if I run bread crumbs through the machine about twice a week, the coffeemaker actually does work.

Pros: Looks nice
Cons: Doesn't work, hard to clean, expensive, poor quality

I have had my machine about a year. I loved it for the first three months then water and sometimes coffee sludge started leaking from the bottom. I wish I had brought it back!!! I thought it was something I was doing but the same thing happened when anybody in the household made coffee. I put a dish towel underneath and thought Ill have to live with it, it was to late to bring back. After that at random times during brewing cycle the compartment where the water and coffee grinds meet would pop open. What a mess! It was so lovely to wake up to coffee everywhere but in the pot. Now we would have to be there when the coffee pot brewed and be quick on our feet so when it decided to pop open we could avert a mess. Today I am researching info on a new coffee maker. This one is in the trash. Also I tried to get through to the company to no avail.

Pros: Convenient for brewing coffee.
Cons: Overall a disaster. A lot of clean up work after coffee is brewed.

My wife and I bought this and have trouble from the start. Nice looking but makes inconsistent coffee. Clean up was a constant problem with coffee grinds and coffee backing up into the grinder. Cleanup was difficult. It finally stopped working completely after a year. Out it goes!

Pros: It looks cool.
Cons: Don't buy it if you like coffee.

If you like Coffee that you can see through the Cuisinart Grind and Brew is the just the thing for you. You can get a decent pot of coffee out of the thing with if you brew only 6 cups of coffee or if you forget about the auto grind feature and just fill it up with ground coffee yourself.I have used high quality whole beans from Starbucks as well as Green Mountain Roasters ... the problem is not the beans.

The hopper capacity for the beans is woefully inadequate. Call Cuisinart customer service and be placed on hold for 5 minutes listening to recorded messages about how "your call is very important" ... then be amazed when the message says "we are sorry but at this time we recommend that you call back or leave a message" ... this will happen every time you call ... after you leave a message don't hold your breath for a return call ... if you try to stay on hold you will be disconnected.

Buy yourself a cheap coffee pot with a timer and grind your own beans ... the Cuisinart "grind and brew" DGB 500R is a flop.

Pros: None
Cons: Expensive; no temp adjustment; drips!

This is one of the worst coffee makers on the market. It is missing some very important features for coffee drinkers. There is no temperature adjustment. There is no way to tell how much water is in the machine when the lid is closed. And finally, the machine drips profusely when the pot of coffee is removed even when the brewing cycle is supposed to be complete. Worst investment!

Pros: Looks Nice
Cons: Doesn't make a good cup of coffee.

I bought this for my husband for Christmas. Obviously, I should have read the reviews here first. Bought it primarily because it had a 1-4 cup option, which it turns out, is really pointless because it makes a bad cup of coffee, whether it's made for 1 or 10.

The water drives up to where the grinder is, resulting in the need to thoroughly clean this thing after each use. My husband is back to his tiny Capresso which has none of the bells and whistles this one does - but it does make a good cup of coffee.

Pros: It brews coffee.
Cons: Too many parts. Difficult to clean. Loud.

I purchased this machine because I bring in coffee for my officemates once a month. I thought it would be a good size coffeemaker that had the options that I wanted, mainly the grinder and programmable options. Now I'm wondering if my officemates were worth this hassle!

As just a plain ol' coffeemaker it's fine. But after you make your first pot you'll realize the effort you have to put into this machine. After you brew a pot, if you want to immediately make another you have to clean no fewer than 7 parts! One of these parts almost immediately started leaking, and it's extremely difficult to clean out where it leaks.

If you use the programmable feature, be sure to be out of the room when the grinder goes off. On more than one occasion it has made me jump almost out of my shoes when it started up. It's very loud. If you don't have an alarm clock, you won't need one with this machine.

Since coffee can splatter and spill, black is the color to get. I can't imagine how dingy the white one would be.

Pros: Freshly ground coffee every morning. Keeps coffee hot.
Cons: Too many parts, too hard to clean, too noisy.

We bought this model to replace a KitchenAid coffee maker which was much superior quality. Not worth the effort to clean all those parts everyday! Can't wait for this one to break so I can buy another KitchenAid.

Pros: Great way to make fresh ground coffee.
Cons: To much maintenance.

We bought this coffee maker to have fresh ground coffee in the AM. It works well in the brewing of the coffee but the noise level is a bit much. There also could have been a clear water level window as well as a vapor barrier on the water tank. I think that it is the water vapors and condensate in the grinder that make a sticky slurry that renders it almost useless after several brews. It requires a total dismanteling of the basket door assembly when the door starts to stick shut and is hard to close. Several times we thought the door was shut but it flew open several seconds after the grinding started and threw coffee grounds out. This was not shown in the instructions since it must not have been seen as an issue. Cuisinart must have only brewed coffee with it one time in testing. It does have it's good points and I hope that Cuisinart will produce a better unit some day. This one is not it.

Pros: style?
Cons: VERY LOUD GRINDER, very weak coffee, cleaning is a mess.

Bought it today, tried once. The grinder is as loud as a small chopper. I put 6 cups of water, and a half full load of beans - the coffee is completely transparent - meaning I cannot do a full load with grinding - I have to pre-grind separately. Cleaning: why does the grinding compartment has to be wet and need to be cleaned with water?
Packed it back and returning.

Pros: great tasting coffee
Cons: hard to clean

i love the coffee, but there are several problems surrounding the grinder. the cleaning process is very involved, and you HAVE to do it after every pot you brew. trust me, i have tried every cheat imaginable. the steam from the brewing coffee goes up the machine and into the grinder mechanism leaving it caked with wet grind residue. if you are brewing multiple pots of coffee while entertaining (or feeding your addiction) this can be really annoying. also, the grinder's maximum capacity is not big enough to make a strong full pot of coffee. you have to grind some beans, stop the brewing immediately, and add more beans to the grinder. it is a nice coffee pot, but i think the internal grinder is more trouble than it's worth.

Pros: Easy to use. Good coffee.
Cons: Needs to be cleaned after every use.

I have really enjoyed my Cuisinart grind and brew. I found, however, that I need to be fastidious about cleaning the grinder mechanism and the rest of the unit. It sure beats wiping up coffee grounds off the floor and counter every day and I get a consistently good cup of coffee every morning.

Pros: Hot Coffee! Easy to program! Looks Great! Easy to clean!
Cons: None that concern me.

Got my Grind and Brew from an Ebay auction, then read the reviews. We love fresh ground coffee and wanted something we could program to run automatically.

All the whining about cleaning etc. What a crock. The cleaning of the grinder and filter basket was easy and only took a few minutes. About the same as if I'd had to clean my grinder and coffee maker individually.

Coffee a bit weak but some tinkering with the water:coffee bean ratio will fix that.

Pros: Only The Looks
Cons: Weak Coffee, Uses/Wastes Too Many Coffee Beans

I purchased the Grind & Brew thinking the more you spend the better the coffee! Boy is this not so!!! I struggled the last 3 weeks making a good pot of coffee and finally took it back today!!

The ground beans don't even look like the water hit most of them - so you (1) waste more coffee beans (2) have very weak coffee - The reviews on the Cuisinart Brew Central Look Good - this is my next try!

Pros: you don't have to move the coffee grounds from the grinder to the maker
Cons: it's hard to clean and it wastes a lot of coffee beans

i bought this product because my coffee maker broke and i needed a new coffee maker. when i saw the grind and brew i thought it was a gift from the gods. my husband told me he wanted me to get a coffee grinder so he could have fresh ground coffee and this had a grinder built in it. it was great for a while. this thing gets so dirty and it's hard to clean. the steam from the coffee mixes with the coffee dust left in the grinder and makes this horrible paste mess. it has all kinds of little corners for coffee to get stuck in and the grinder leave a lot of coffee in the grinder which then turns to paste and gets tossed out. i just broke free from this monster a few months ago. i bought a kitchenaid grinder and a coffee maker. they are easier to clean and i have noticed that i don't waste as much coffee beans.

Pros: Having the grinder within the coffee maker is a good feature.
Cons: Does not water the plants or put out the cat! :)

At last a perfect coffeemaker has been made. I absolutely love it. The body design is excellent. It's shape makes it ideal for small counter tops as well as large. The quality of the coffee is very important and Cuisinart delivers.

The coffeemaker is very reliable and Cuisinart guarantee is 100%, they stand behind there products.

Pros: Simple to operate; Grinds and brews great coffee quickly.
Cons: Difficult to clean. Grinder apparatus got stuck and we can't get it out.

I love having a coffee pot that grinds coffee beans and then brews the coffee but I find the design has major flaws. I found this site looking for a remedy to get out the jammed grinder.

Pros: works well, great coffee!
Cons: Carbon filter wears out after 60 uses (so it's said).

This coffee maker is perfect. I only had one question, how do you make more than 6-cups with such a small grinder cup? Other than that, love it love it love it

Pros: quick and efficient
Cons: Not a perculator

I prefer the good ol perculator because I enjoy it enjoy hot hot hot. This is a great pot however. Very durable and easy to use.Makes great coffee. I bought it for my wife as a gift. She absolutly loves it.

Pros: Grinds fresh before brew
Cons: Hard to clean!Parts get stuck!Aggravation!

I loved the fact that it grinds the coffee right before it brews..what's better than fresh coffee!?! It isn't worth the aggravation!! This is the hardest machine to clean. When you wash it either by hand or the dishwasher the carafe holds the soapy water inside the rim; you have to take every piece out to clean even if you don't use the grind option... It makes a mess!I have had this machine for a year and now I can't get the part out that you put the beans into..It's stuck so good that my husband finally told me to throw it out because every morning he has to hear me fight with the machine!

Pros: Sleek design--looks great sitting on the couner. Brew process is quick.
Cons: Difficult and aggravating to clean--both internal and external components. Water tank level difficult to see.

Attracted by the all-in-one promise and the prestige of the brand, we eagerly purchased this coffee maker to our new home. The directions are somewhat complex--befitting a complex appliance--but the results are not congruent with the effort. When set on automatic, it grinds the beans much finer than you would if doing it yourself, and in the process sends "coffee dust" throughout the appliance. Clean-up is difficult and tedious. So we set the grinder to "off" and ground beans ourselves. But water condenses on the transparent cover at the top and remains there continually. It is difficult to see inside the water tank to tell if you have poured in enough water. Bottom line--more trouble than it's worth.

Pros: Best, freshest coffee ever!
Cons: Retail price varies greatly, shop carefully.

I bought this coffeemaker refurbished, online. After about 45 days, the button to release the door that holds the filter basket stopped working. You would push the button in, it would stick there pushed in, and the door would remain closed. However, it was such a great coffeemaker, I went to the store and bought another one. I figure the problem was caused because it was refurbished and the fix that was done didn't last.

This is the freshest coffee I've ever had, and I'll never go back! I've bought this model twice and would buy it a 3rd time if necessary.

Okay, the grinder part gets messy so you need to rinse it out with each use, but it's easy to do and the coffee is well worth it. The grinder is loud, but what grinder isn't? And it only lasts about 20 seconds anyway.

Pros: Programmable grinding and brewing
Cons: Clean up!!

I think this coffee make is okay, but not great, mainly because it's so time consuming and difficult to clean! I used to grind my coffee beans separately and then brew it, and the all-in-one idea really appealed to me.

I like that you can program the machine to grind and begin brewing at a certain time. It sure is loud, though, so I no longer have to set an alarm clock!

Cleaning this machine is so difficult. The grinder residue gets thick and muddy, and the crevices in the grinder cover are difficult to reach. The inside of the machine, near the grinder, somehow gets a sticky coffee residue in it that is so difficult to remove, and it gets into the corners so I have to use a q-tip to clean it out! Coffee grounds are difficult and awkward to sweep out.

Difficulty in clean up would prevent me from recommending this machine to people.

Pros: Looks great, space saving, automatically grinds and brews great coffee.
Cons: Must be cleaned after every use and seems to use a lot of coffee beans

Okay, I finally broke our old coffee pot! Yea! I surfed the net and found a pretty good deal. I was looking for something to save some counter space. With this coffee maker I could eliminate the grinder and the mess that went with it. I read the user manual, followed the instructions, and wa lah! - it made a great cup of coffee on the first try. I'm still learning how to program it, but my husband and I love the coffee maker. It is versatile - you can make as much as 12 cups or as little as 1 cup. It turns off automatically and while it is on, the coffee is kept hot. The only drawback is it must be cleaned after every use and it seems to use more coffee than my old coffee pot used for the same amount of cups.

Pros: space saving
Cons: very difficult to clean, can't make strong coffee

I thought I was nuts not liking this machine. My son gave it to me for a gift last year. I exchanged several emails with Cuisinart customer service trying to figure out how to make a decent cup of coffee. I tend to like mine strong, but the little grinder is very limited to quantity of beans. All they could do was parrot back the instructions in the book. Sigh.

And cleaning it? Forget it! The brewed coffee manages to get everywhere and most of the parts don't come out (like the swing out tray for the brew basket, the back of the machine where the coffee manages to drip down somehow.) I haven't had it overflow yet, as others have mentioned, but now my coffee pot has broken so I can't use it. I feel guilty because it was an expensive gift, but I really, really do not like this product at all!

And I totally agree with the comments about the noise - it is definitely a jet taking off!

Pros: The grind-and-brew concept is a good one that will appeal to many consumers.
Cons: This product is simply unsatisfactory -- and costly.

Gee, I wish I had researched this coffeemaker. Instead I was seduced by the "grind" feature. I agree with the other reviewers' negatives but I have to add one more: this coffeemaker wastes expensive coffee beans. What I clean out of the grinder and dispose of! It's a shame.

Pros: IT SURE LOOKS PRETTY ON MY KITCHEN COUNTER
Cons: EVERYTHING ELSE

After a year of disassembling, cleaning and then vacuuming the grinds off of my kitchen counter and floor, I made a vow never, ever, ever to buy a product that incorporates the grind and brew feature in the same machine. Trust me, after spending the past year troubleshooting this coffee making fiasco of a machine, it's become clear that the engineering of this combination might look good on paper, but it does not translate to good, hardy coffee. I had similar experiences as your other consumers, continuing to fault myself for the coffee being weak, trying different beans, adding more beans, adding less water, EVERYTHING. In the end, I'm still left with the daily cleaning ritual of scraping the grounds out of the grinder that get jammed and cleaning the apparatus. IT IS NOT WORTH IT!
I've written to Cuisinart and urged them to discontinue the piece of junk!
I'm going back to Mr. Coffee!

Pros: Grinder, keeps warm for hours
Cons: everything!-clean up=doesn't always work correctly

I've had had the earlier (stainless version) for over 4 years and I still have to be nervous every time I turn on the machine because something will go wrong. For some reason, if the "planets" are not exactly aligned, the machine will spill coffee all over the place. I've had this experience with another machine of the same type at my parents. Also, it's a very time to make coffee every morning because the grinder needs to be cleaned out thoroughly each and every time. The clean up in general with this machine is also very difficult. In order to clean the lid of the pot, I have to use a small, special, almost a-tip-like sponge to again, thoroughly clean. The lid still does not clean even in the dishwasher very well. After this morning's fiasco, I'm ready to purchase a different brand.

Pros: hmmmmm . . . the black goes with my appliances
Cons: loud, slow, more complicated than necessary so a pain to clean, coffee is average

This coffee maker has it all! I cannot believe that the Cuisinart people could not do better . . there are 5 pieces that have to be cleaned (before you get to the carafe lid), a stupid little plastic piece with a filter(!) that just sort of sits in the water receptacle. The filter will need to be replaced periodically & I won't even bother. And noisy? we got noisy!!! I worry that it will wake up my next door condo neighbors. Oh, it's also fairly slow. Takes much longer than my previous coffee grinder/maker - RIP dear coffee maker - that is no longer made. I was SURE that Cuisinart was a good choice. And after all this, the coffee is only ok. Run very fast from this product!

Pros: Convenience of griding whole beans and brewing a pot of coffee in one machine.
Cons: Grinding basket MUST be cleaned after each use and completely dry before each use.

After using the Cuisinart DGB 500 coffee grinder/brewer, I found it had the following defects in the design. The grinding basket must be cleaned after each use otherwise, a build up of ground coffee accumulates in the basket due to a moisture build up in it. This may not seem like a problem at first; however, after attempting to make another pot of coffee during a dinner party, I found that it was necessary for me to completely clean and dry the grinding basket before I could make my second pot of coffee. This was a huge inconvenience. What's more, the grinding basket is difficult to clean and if it's not completely cleaned and bone dry before and after each use, I lose quite a bit of ground up coffee because it sticks to the top of the grinding basket, so I'm really unsure of the quality of coffee I'm getting from each pot.

I would suggest purchasing a different grind/brew coffee pot that has a better design as far as releasing moisture during the brew process is concerned. I am a big coffee drinker and I would not purchase another Cuisinart product.

Myra Robb
myrarobb@comcast.net

Pros: I like the preset and fresh grounded beans.
Cons: I do not like how it leaks under the pot.

i would like some feedback if possible to why my coffeemaker leaks every time I use it. I ALWAYS have coffee spots under my pot and a puddle of coffee after use. I have the Cuisinart Automatic Grind & Brew Coffeemaker. I have had it 6 months and do not like it just because of this.

Pros: it makes hot coffee and I like having fresh ground coffee beans.
Cons: the grinder needs cleaning w/ a brush, it doesn't come clean w/ just a rinse.

I have not been able to determine where its leaking from- the bottom? or just a side? Sometimes it seems like its leaking from the bottom and sometimes from that side wall where the coffee pot goes. It leaks about 1/2 cup each time it leaks!! But... its doesn't leak every time I make coffee, just most of the time. Has anyone else had that problem?

I have had this coffee maker about 3 years and it started leaking about 2 years ago.

Pros: Easy to use & clean; competitively priced
Cons: Ours didn't come with instructions.

After reading the problems people were having with this machine, I became a bit concerned with our new Cuisinart Grind & Brew.

However, we've been pleasantly surprised & happy with the use of this coffee machine. We have not experienced ANY mess with the coffee grinds. I'm wondering if the earlier units didn't come with the filter cover? I can see that if this wasn't used then the grinds would go all over the place.

Anyway, I would definitely recommend this product. Our coffee actually tastes a lot better than our previous machine (Braun).

Rich
Torrance, ca

Pros: The coffee is good
Cons: Loud, balky and hard to clean

I coveted this coffee maker for a few years before taking the plunge and now I wish I'd saved my money. While the idea of waking up to freshly ground and brewed coffee sounds wonderful, you actually wake up to the sound of the grinding--it sounds like a jet is taking off in the kitchen. The filter basket door jams regularly, the grinder assembly is difficult to remove, and the whole thing is extremely difficult to clean. The coffee itself is great, but I'm going back to a separate grinder/coffee maker set-up as soon as possible.

Pros: Not enough for the price.
Cons: See review.

I purchased this coffee maker in December 2003. The grinding motor died yesterday. I'm furious. When you pay $160.00 for a coffee maker, you expect to be able to use it for a long time.
I also found out (after I purchasing it) someone I knew had a similar experience with it.

If you go to the Cuisinart web site, there is no company contact information available. But there are lots of links for "Cuisinart Parts."

Another drawback to this coffee maker is that it's hard to make a strong cup of with it. The bean holder is very small.

Pros: Saves the trouble of transferring ground beans from the grinder to the brewing basket.
Cons: Grinder is more trouble to clean and requires cleaning more frequently than a separate grinder.

I bought the grind & brew expecting it to be a great time and work saver, but have been very disappointed in the result. It seems that as the coffee brews, the steam that is created backs up into the grinder, where the residue left from grinding the beans turns into a muddy mess. This means that each time it is used, the grinder portion has to be disassembled, rinsed, and dried before using it again. Otherwise, the output chute from the grinder to the brewing basket becomes completely clogged, creating an even bigger mess.

I am going back to using a separate grinder that can be cleaned out by simply turning it upside down and tapping the side, or at most brushing out a few dry grounds. Much simpler.

Pros: Not a bad looking machine
Cons: Very weak coffee; poor design. Very difficult to clean.

Santa brought us one for Christmas but it is already returned to the store. The grinder bin does not hold enough coffee beans to make a strong cup of coffee (unless you fill the bin and brew only two cups). We stopped using the grinder function and just filled the basket with coffee we ground ourselves, but if you put a decent amount in the basket the water doesn't filter through it fast enough, so then there is a puddle of overflow coffee around the machine. We expected much better from a name brand like this. Generally, the coffee tastes like what you would find in the Les Schwab waiting area. (I love Les Schwab, but I go there for tires, not coffee...)

Pros: Good Coffee
Cons: It does not last. Difficult clean up. Do not waste your money.

It does make a very good cup of coffee, and pretty quick too. Takes a long time to clean up after each use. A lot of time to clean the coffee grinds out of the grinder and "dry" it. If you do not do that is will not work.

We have owned 2 of these, and will not buy any more. In each case the plastic lid on top of the grinder, always breaks. It starts failing when it looses the little tiny rubber grommet on top of the grinder, after that its downhill quickly.

Pros: Attractive all-in-one design.
Cons: Dysfunctional.

As many of the other reviewers have reported, the basket door on my Grind & Brew pops open (during grinding and/or brewing) and spills coffee grounds and coffee everywhere. Initially this problem happened only occasionally; now it happens virtually everyday. If I don't stand there and hold the basket door in while the grinding/brewing occurs, the door would pop open repeatedly. I can't believe that Cuisinart hasn't resolved this fundamental problem. And yes, the machine is not easy to clean, but I would be willing to overlook that if not for the huge mess made when the basket pops open.

Pros: fancy name to impress guest.
Cons: Doesn't work!

This is my second Cuisinart Grind and Brew. First was replaced at the store it was purchased. But now the second has QUIT! This WAS a great coffee maker producing a great cup of coffee. But it would simple have a complete black-out after brewing started as if it were unplugged. In my frustration one morning I hit the front where the clock is and WOW it turned back on! So I wake up knowing it will turn off after a cup or two brew, hit it and it continues to finish brewing the pot. What a classy piece of appliance! Gee I can't wait for my third! When I make coffee for company it's great entertainment watching me hit it to make coffee! But this morning I broke out my old Black and Decker under the counter style that was put away for the travel trailer...guess what...no problems...full pot first time and it's 8 yrs. old!

Pros: Makes the best pot of coffee ever!
Cons: Grinding process is loud. Grinding unit needs a thorough cleaning after every use.

I got this unit about 6 months ago, and now I am unable to drink coffee from anywhere but my kitchen. It is loud during the grinding process, and there a bit more work in cleaning the grinding container, but I would not trade this coffee maker for the world. There is nothing like fresh brewed coffee, and this product makes the best coffee I've ever had. You have to put a little extra effort into cleaning it, but it is absolutely worth the effort for the caliber of coffee you get. I used to be a Starbucks regular-haven't been since I got this.

Pros: Made good coffee
Cons: Grinder broke after one month. No WWW way to discover how to get it repaired.

Sturdy and handsome, but overly large, making it a nuisance to ship back for repairs. It made good coffee but grinder broke after a month of once a day use. Manufacturer's web site gives no info on where to return it for repairs and when I telephoned Cuisinart in NJ, the Customer service person could not tell me where to send it for repair without Model and serial numbers.