Best Cuisinart Coffee Maker: Top Models RANKED (Updated For 2023)

How to Program a Cuisinart Coffee Maker

If you own or are considering purchasing a programmable coffee maker, follow the instructions below to program it:

Setting the Clock

1. When plugged in, the coffee maker will flash “12:00” for 10 seconds — this lets you know it’s in Clock Set mode
2. If “12:00” stops flashing or you want to reset the time at any point, press and hold either the Hour or Minute button to return to flashing Clock Set mode
3. In Clock Set mode, press either the Hour or Minute button to change the time — press and hold to scroll more quickly and make sure the PM indicator is on if you’re setting a PM time

Setting the Auto-On Time

1. Press and hold the Prog/Auto-On button for 2 seconds
2. The display will flash “12:00” or the last time you set
3. Follow the instructions above for setting the clock to set the Auto On time
4. When the time is set, press the Prog/Auto On button to exit Set Time mode
5. When you want to turn the Auto On setting on, press the Prog/Auto On button — the time set will appear before changing back to the clock
6. To turn Auto On off, press the Prog/Auto On button — the notification light will turn off

How to Clean a Cuisinart Coffee Maker

You’re busy. You have better things to do. But take a few minutes every 2-4 months to clean your coffee maker. Doing so will ensure the following:

• Better tasting coffee
• Better performance
• Longer useful life

If you have hard water, clean it every 1-2 months. If you have use filtered water you can probably get away with cleaning every 5-6 months. If at any point the Clean light comes on, make sure you descale soon.

Whenever the time comes, this is how you do it:

1. Turn off the coffee maker and unplug it from the electrical outlet
2. Remove the charcoal water filter, if one exists
3. Fill the water reservoir with 1/3 white vinegar and 2/3 water
4. Press and hold the Clean button, if one exists
5. If no Clean button, run several cycles until you’ve used all of the vinegar/water mixture in the reservoir
6. Repeat until the Clean light turns off
7. When done cleaning, fill the reservoir with water (no vinegar) and run one or more cycles to rinse
8. Return the charcoal water reservoir, if one exists

That’s all there is to it.

Depending on your model, some components may be dishwasher safe. While this varies from model to model, most Cuisinart coffee makers will adhere to the following:

• Coffeemaker lid — dishwasher safe
• Filter basket — dishwasher safe
• Glass carafe — dishwasher safe
• Thermal carafe — dishwasher safe
• Removable drip tray — dishwasher safe

Warranty

Cuisinart products are among my favorite and tend to rank well on lists of most reliable products because of their sturdy construction and Cuisinart’s 3 year warranty.

You read that correctly — Cuisinart products come with a 3 year warranty.

Today, most kitchen appliances seem to fail around the 12-18 month mark, and many — most notably Keurig coffee makers — only come with 1 year of purchase protection.

Not Cuisinart.

You can read about the Cuisinart coffee maker warranty in any of the user manuals linked to above, but here’s a snapshot of the warranty from their DCC-3200 model.

Problems & Troubleshooting

No one likes dealing with a faulty kitchen appliance. If you’re having issues with your Cuisinart coffee maker, try some of these helpful troubleshooting tips:

Why does my coffee taste metallic?

Even after frequent descaling with vinegar, your coffee machine may build up some tough-to-eradicate calcium deposits. Before replacing the machine, try cleaning it with a commercially made descaling solution designed specifically for this purpose.

Why is my brew basket overflowing?

Cuisinart carafe lids are designed specifically for a Cuisinart coffee maker and have a check valve on the top that allows coffee to flow into the carafe when brewing but prevents it from flowing out when pouring a cup. This check valve can clog, so make sure you clean it regularly with a brush and vinegar.

I can’t remove the permanent Gold Tone coffee filter from the brew basket.

The Gold Tone filter is spring loaded. Eject it using a button usually located near the top left of the machine next to the brew basket.

My coffee maker keeps shutting down during the brew cycle.

The most common cause is calcium buildup. Try descaling with water and vinegar. If that doesn’t work, the next most common cause is a clog in the reservoir or somewhere inside the machine’s inner tubes. First check the water reservoir for anything obvious near the water intake. If that’s not the case, try some of the following troubleshooting tips.

Why is my coffee maker beeping incessantly but not brewing?

This can happen for myriad reasons. First, unplug the unit from the electrical outlet for 10-15 minutes, then plug it back in and see if it works. If this doesn’t fix the problem, try the remaining troubleshooting tips in order. If all else fails, call customer service.

Why won’t my coffee maker turn on?

Have you made sure it’s plugged in? (Sorry, had to ask.) If it is plugged in, check the power cord for any tangles or bent/broken sections. It’s possible the cord was damaged and the wires were broken.

Why won’t my coffee maker brew a full pot?

This is often a sign that it’s time to clean and descale the machine. Try following the cleaning instructions above. If this isn’t the solution it’s possible that coffee grounds overflowed into the water reservoir and have clogged up the interior tubes. You can fix this by opening up the machine (read next troubleshooting tip).

I need to open up my coffee maker but can’t get the security screws off.

Disclaimer: It’s not advisable that you try to open up your coffee maker. You could damage the unit and void the warranty. Now with that out of the way, you can remove the special security screws with a T10 torx screwdriver. These are available at most hardware stores or on Amazon.

For any other issues, feel free to comment below and I’ll see what I can do to help. If you’re within your warranty period, you can also contact Cuisinart customer service at 1-800-726-0190.

Parts & Accessories

Even the most careful users find themselves in need of new parts from time to time. Here are some of the Cuisinart coffee maker parts and accessories you may need.

• Glass carafe: prices vary (make sure your model is compatible)
• Thermal carafe: prices vary (make sure your model is compatible)
• Paper filters cone-shaped #4
• Gold Tone permanent coffee filter, flat bottom for DGB-500BK
• Gold Tone permanent coffee filter, cone-shaped for other models above
• Cone-shaped filter basket holder compatible with Gold Tone filters above
• Replacement carbon filters
• Replacement glass carafe lid