- 24-hour fully programmable 12-cup automatic coffeemaker
- Grinds whole beans right before brewing to produce fresh and flavorful coffee
- Brew-pause function; auto shutoff up to 4 hours; grind-off option; water filter
- 1- to 4-cup feature; 60-ounce carafe with ergonomic handle and dripless spout
- Measures approximately 12 by 10 by 17 inches; 3-year limited warranty
Product DescriptionThe Grind & Brew Coffeemaker from Cuisinart automatically grinds the beans right before brewing to produce a fresh and flavorful pot of coffee. Fully programmable with a stainless finish, this deluxe 12 cup coffeemaker will be right at home in any modern kitchen!. . . More >>
Cuisinart DGB-550BK Grind-and-Brew 12-Cup Automatic Coffeemaker
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We have had grind and brew coffee makers for years. When our last one went out, we were determined to get another grind and brew. One of the issues in the reviews is how hard this one is to clean. That was not the problem for us.
From the first pot to the last one we brewed a month later, the coffee was weak and unflavorful. We tried everything. We used a gold filter, the a paper filter and then both. We filled it as full as we could with coffee and cut down on the water yet the coffee still tasted lousy and weak. We used fresh coffee bought directly from Peet’s and Starbucks, yet it did not matter.
Then I decided to call customer service. I told the guy our problem and that we just purchased this.
He said: “take out the filter and mix 4 cups vinigar with 8 cups of water and run the machine. It will clean it. ” I said “I just bought it. Do you think it is dirty?”
To which he said “oh, then put more coffee in the machine” and I said “we have filled it up and still no good. ”
He said: “Well put less water in it” and I said “I did”.
He said: “There are no adjustments to be made so you should send it back to the people you bought it from” but I said “it is over 30 days old and they won’t take it back”
So with no helpful suggestions I said: “so your saying that I just need to throw this away and start over again?” To which he replied, “I did not say that and is there anything else I can help you with today?”
Well a few choice thoughts came to mind, but being a class guy, I knew I was dealing with a company that couldn’t care less about customer service. So in fact, I have thrown this coffee maker out and starting over with something other than a Cuisinart. Just another 100 bucks down the drain, but life is way to short for lousy coffee.
I had always thought that Cuisinart was a class company, but they proved me wrong. If you like good coffee and good service, Cuisinart is not the way to go.
Rating: 1 / 5
As I said in my title, this product just doesn’t cut it. Yes, it makes coffee, but the numerous drawbacks make it not worth the effort. The most important thing is that the coffee this unit makes is very weak – I can learn to deal with the other issues, but bad tasting coffee makes this a deal breaker. The only way to get mediocre coffee is to FILL the grinding cup, however this uses 2x the coffee than other, better designed makers require to brew great coffee. IMO, I think that if this unit used the cone-type filters, the coffee would be better.
Like other reviewers said, the parts are a pain to clean and the water vapor issue keeps everything wet inside the machine. The grinder “blade” is not like those found in stand-alone grinders – it’s dull (presumably to prevent users from getting cut with the daily, required cleanings) and won’t grind the coffee fine enough for my taste (wasting coffee), the grinder lid must always be kept perfectly dry to prevent grounds from sticking/caking, the grinder base and “chute” through which the grinds fall to fill the brew basket also gets caked with coffee grounds and “dust. ” There is a lid for the brewing basket that also gets ground inside and out (it’s made up of two pieces and hollow).
Bottom line: If you like weak coffee, then I’m sure you can learn to live with these issues, but “flavorful” coffee will require using 2x the beans than other makers and also will cause you to burn through coffee at 2x the rate.
Rating: 2 / 5
I used this machine for a week. Today, when I woke up and poured myself a cup of coffee, coffee poured out all over the warming plate and through to the table on which it stands. It is an unsafe piece of equipment and cuisinart needs to hire a new designer to make their products safe.
I would not recommend this machine to anyone and take my word for it, you’re better off with another brand.
Rating: 1 / 5
I have a stand-alone grinder of which I would always have to scrape coffee after grinding due to the oilyness so as not to let the fresh (and depending on what brand, expensive) ground coffee go to waste. The first time I used this machine on Christmas day, I shut it off after it was done grinding to inspect the grind and see how much coffee would be left in the grinder. After using the brush and tapping the parts on the counter, it was between 1 and 2 T. This was too much waste and would have been a sticky mess to clean after brewing due to the condensation in the grinder. Also the grind is too coarse to suit me since I like a stronger cup. If you choose to grind by other means, it’s easy to get too fine a grind which will cause the reusable filter to clog, overflowing grinds into the valve mechanism clogging it and causing coffee to end up all over your countertop. This has happened to me twice, even though I tried to cut back the second time to an 8 cup pot, it still was too much for the way too small filter basket to handle and it overflowed again. I guess I’m just going to throw the coffee into the pot and use the metal basket on top of my cup to filter it after it’s done brewing. When spring rolls around, hopefully I can get 50 cents for this over-priced #@%$& when I have a garage sale.
Overall, this maker. . .
1. Wastes too much coffee if you use the built in grinder and dont clean it BEFORE brewing. (Defeats purpose of a grind & brew#
2. Wastes too much time cleaning all parts after every use. #A MUST!)
3. Wastes too much of your money on the initial purchase!
4. Wastes too much of your time when you ultimately feel the need to write a negative review.
Rating: 1 / 5
We purchased this coffeemaker just over 18 months ago and have been very happy with it all along! It shows no sign of slowing down. We go through quite a bit of coffee here. Freshly ground quality coffee beans make all the difference, but you may add pre-ground coffee and turn off the grinding feature when needed.
Simple to clean. Maintains the best temperature of any coffeemaker I know of without over-heating. Attractive on the counter.
We always appreciate the wonderful aroma of quality coffee at home & save those stops at the coffee shop for buying better coffee beans!
Purchase & Enjoy!
Rating: 5 / 5