12 out of 12 people found this review helpful.
Good coffee maker, but with some flaws
Date of Review: Jun 13, 2008
The Bottom Line: I would recommend this coffee maker to anyone who enjoys a good cup of coffee.
I purchased the Cuisinart DCC-1150 10 cup coffee maker when my old Melitta Mill and Brew finally fell apart, literally. It still worked but pieces kept breaking off until it was too difficult to keep it taped together. After reading that the new Melitta was not very good, and really none of the grind and brews that had good reviews were under $200, I decided to try a non grinding unit with a thermal carafe.
After some research, I decided to try the Cusinart DCC-1150, even though it had minimal reviews. It seemed similar to the DCC-1200, which had good reviews overall. When I went to the store, I examined both units and it seemed that they were nearly identical in how they brewed coffee, and decided to give it try. I was assured by Bed Bath and Beyond that if I did not like the unit I could return it.
The unit seems about as solid as most of these units are. The lid does seem a bit less solid than the DCC-1200 model, although they are exactly the same;this Cuisinart seems to have more play in the lid, but it does fit well and latches closed easily. Having only used the unit for about two weeks, durability is unknown.
The controls are simple and easy to understand, although I found the dial that controls the time and settings of the unit a little odd. You turn the knob (which for me was a little hard to read) to brew, auto, program, or clock. Then you set the time using push buttons. I do wish the clock was illuminated, with black on grey LCD numbers it can be difficult to see even in bright light. The five beeps indicating the coffee is done are a little loud, but not enough to be annoying.
The filling of the filter with grounds is simple, as is the clean up. I don't use the paper filters and simply knock out the grounds into the trash and then rinse or put the filter in the dishwasher. The carafe was quite a bit heavier than I was used to, and the coffee does dispense from the carafe slower than a glass carafe, but that is the nature of the thermal carafe...keep out the air to keep the warmth in. Annoying, but not much. And it dosen't drip.
I found filling the unit easy as well. I don't use the carafe, I use the water markings on the side of the unit. If you are able to see the side of the unit, the markings are clear and easy to read.
The carafe does keep the coffee warm for several hours, although it is a good idea to pre-heat the carafe with hot water for a few minutes before brewing.
My biggest gripe about this coffee maker is the same one I have had with almost all the machines I have had...the coffee is not really hot enough. Considering this has no warming plate to bring the coffee up to the proper temperature after brewing, this is the closet one to a really hot cup I have had, but it just misses the mark. I find I have to microwave my coffee just like before, but for a few seconds less. At least it's an improvement!
And for the really important part of the review, how does the coffee taste? Excellent, and far better than my old Melitta. The coffee is richer and has fuller body than I was getting before, and by using the same amount of coffee. I have also noticed that if you need an extra cup or two, you can use the same grounds and still get a decent cup.
