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cuisinart drip coffeemaker

post #1 of 24
9/9/09 at 3:37pm
Thread Starter 
Anyone have one of these? Listed on Amazon as "Cuisinart DCC-1200 12-Cup Brew Central Coffeemaker".

I'm looking for a decent drip coffee maker in the $50-100 range with a #4 paper filter. I've always had Braun coffeemakers but now they're harder to find, don't like the looks of the one model listed on amazon. I do have a french press but I find it too tedious for everyday use.

I know Braun is well regarded since it gets the water hotter (more flavor), will the cuisinart do the same? Or will it taste like food service coffee? I like the idea of an adjustable burner temp.
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post #2 of 24
9/9/09 at 7:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by greg_atlanta View Post
Anyone have one of these? Listed on Amazon as "Cuisinart DCC-1200 12-Cup Brew Central Coffeemaker".

I'm looking for a decent drip coffee maker in the $50-100 range with a #4 paper filter. I've always had Braun coffeemakers but now they're harder to find, don't like the looks of the one model listed on amazon. I do have a french press but I find it too tedious for everyday use.

I know Braun is well regarded since it gets the water hotter (more flavor), will the cuisinart do the same? Or will it taste like food service coffee? I like the idea of an adjustable burner temp.

Coffee held on a burner makes the worst coffee as the burner continues to evaporate the liquid, making the coffee more bitter. Get a drip coffee maker with a thermal carafe. It is difficult to find a $100 machine that can heat the water so it will be 200 F when it filters into the #4 cone filter. The Technovorm Moccamaster has these features and it is worth every bit of $265.00.
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post #3 of 24
9/9/09 at 7:19pm
I too have a french press, but plan to reserve it only for occasional(once a day) coffee-making. The rest of the time I'd love to have a decent drip coffee-maker with $150.00 @ the max. Any input based on personal experience is appreciated.
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post #4 of 24
9/9/09 at 11:07pm
I've used a Chemex coffee maker for 30 years and it makes the best coffee.
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post #5 of 24
9/9/09 at 11:14pm
What about an aeropress? It's convenient and makes better coffee then a drip machine. And it also makes really strong, almost like espresso like cups if you want.
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post #6 of 24
9/9/09 at 11:15pm
french press is great until using it requires 5k in plastic surgery on hand
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post #7 of 24
9/10/09 at 12:03pm
I have a Cuisinart, and just started using it (again) after we moved recently and unpacked it. Before that, we were using just a Melita plastic cone and a teapot to heat the water. I knew right away that the coffee we're now making is not as strong, but thought it was just that with the same amount of grounds, I'm using more water. The temperature of the water may well not be high enough -- I hadn't thought of that. And the degradation of coffee held on a hot burner is not due to evaporation -- it's due to the oils in the coffee "cooking" and degrading. On the low setting with my Cuisinart, I do NOT find that to be an issue; it does not get very hot.
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post #8 of 24
9/10/09 at 1:18pm
Thread Starter 
The problem with chemex, aeropress, or french press is that it's a one-cup-at-a-time system. I usually drink 2-3 mugs of coffee (about half a normal pot) in the AM within an hour and I only want to make coffee once, not multiple times. I'm not worried about the coffee sitting on a burner for an hour (longer than that is a problem). Has anyone switched from a braun to a cuisinart? Any better or worse?
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post #9 of 24
9/10/09 at 2:08pm
Chemex makes between 6 and 10 cups at a time and filters out all the impurities. Afterall it was invented in a lab.
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post #10 of 24
9/10/09 at 4:28pm
If you are concerned about quality of coffee and proper brew temp and steep time, I would echo the recommendations for a manual method such as Chemex as there really isn't much out there as far as decent automatic coffee makers in the sub $100 range (and very little even in the sub $200). Unfortunately there is a real hole that needs to be filled. Unfortunately instead of coming up with a quality machine, most companies opt for gimmicks such as built-in grinders, etc... If you don't want to shell out for a Technivorm, certain Bunn and Capresso models might be worth taking a look at that would be cheaper.
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post #11 of 24
9/11/09 at 10:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by greg_atlanta View Post
The problem with chemex, aeropress, or french press is that it's a one-cup-at-a-time system. I usually drink 2-3 mugs of coffee (about half a normal pot) in the AM within an hour and I only want to make coffee once, not multiple times. I'm not worried about the coffee sitting on a burner for an hour (longer than that is a problem).

Has anyone switched from a braun to a cuisinart? Any better or worse?

I researched this issue to death when I was looking for a new coffee maker to replace my Capresso automatic drip. The best source for thorough testing is Cooks Illustrated. Their tests are confirmed by other "coffee head" sites, that good coffee is a function of several factors:
- Fresh tasting cold water
- Freshly ground coffee (and the right size grind for the chosen method)
- Proper temperature of water as it moves through the grounds (approx. 200 F)
- Proper length of time for the brewing cycle

French presses make the best tasting coffee. Most automatic drip machines are crap. The best is the Technovorm Moccamaster. If you don't want to spend that much on a machine or even half that much, the best idea would be to get a larger french press and after brewing pour the coffee into a pre-heated thermal carafe. Sure it takes your full attention to make a pot of coffee, but you can't approximate the taste with an inexpensive automatic drip machine.

If you aren't a "coffee head" and you prefer convenience over taste, there is little differnce between the Braun and the Cuisinart. Still, glass carafes and burners are the worst combination for drinking coffee over the course of an hour after brewing.

This isn't just my opinion.
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post #12 of 24
9/11/09 at 3:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by A.K.A. View Post
French presses make the best tasting coffee.

* * *

This isn't just my opinion.

Great -- it's still opinion.

French presses leave a lot more oil in the brewed product than do systems that use a paper filter.

I prefer coffee that's been through a paper filter.

"Taste" will always be a matter of opinion.
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post #13 of 24
9/11/09 at 4:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bartolo View Post
Great -- it's still opinion.

French presses leave a lot more oil in the brewed product than do systems that use a paper filter.

I prefer coffee that's been through a paper filter.

"Taste" will always be a matter of opinion.

Fine. Guess we won't ever meet for coffee.
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post #14 of 24
9/15/09 at 4:13pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by A.K.A. View Post
If you don't want to spend that much on a machine or even half that much, the best idea would be to get a larger french press and after brewing pour the coffee into a pre-heated thermal carafe.

The thermal carafe is a good idea..... but french press or chemex is still a lot of work for everyday coffee. Maybe for weekends....

With chemex do you need to use the chemex filters, or do Melita and other mass market cone filters work OK?
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post #15 of 24
9/15/09 at 4:54pm
With Chemex you do need to use their filters but the coffee is always great and always available from Sweet Maria's. Plus it is a very elegant looking pot to put on the table after dinner.
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