Cuisinart Coffee Center 12-Cup Coffeemaker & Single-Serve Brewer

You really can’t get the feeling for the saga of hunting for a Christmas coffee maker that would let my wife have a cup of fresh brewed decaf whenever she wanted unless you also read my review of the Keurig K-Duo. I monopolized the existing drip brewer, making my six cups of regular coffee each day, leaving her to use a press pot to make the two or three cups she might consume in a week. Long story short, I sent the K-Duo back (it appeared to be defective) and replaced it with the Cuisinart. In all fairness I must say that I already was using a Cuisinart drip brewer that looks and works much like the drip half of the Cuisinart duo. I was concerned about not ordering from Keurig, the company that pioneered the K-Cup technology. To my surprise, the Cuisinart K-Cup unit works very well. Unlike the Keurig which used a single water source to both brew multiple cups and single K-Cups, the Cuisinart has a separate, 40 ounce water capsule for the single cup brewer, and none for the drip brewer. To make drip coffee, you fill the carafe to the desired level, lift the basket lid, and pour water into the well. (A gauge on the side lets you know just how many cups are in the well.) This is similar to the Cuisinart I was replacing. It’s simple and doesn’t deplete the one cup reservoir, as happens with regular use of the brew side of the Keurig. The unit is taller (14.5 inches as compared with 13.0), but narrower all around (about ten inches square). Tom my eye it is more petit and, with it’s stainless steel, more attractive that the massive looking Keurig. But the real test was in whether it could brew a hot cup of brewed coffee. It passed with flying colors registering 195 degrees on two different thermometers. The coffee was hot, even after adding cream, and delicious.UPDATE: I have now made four pots of brewed coffee with this unit. The coffee tis hot and astes great. I used the Bold setting today and things were even better. My wife has made a couple of cups using the K-Cup single cup brew unit. The coffee was good. She has even put her press pot and thermos away. Visually the unit is much smaller and much more attractive than the K-Duo was. We have found none of the problems some other folks had with leaks and splashes from the single brew side. All in all, this seems like a great coffee maker that allows for a lot of flexibility in its use.

Your honest & realistic review....I'm not going to discount some of the reviews I've read, but we all know there are people that couldn't breath on their own if it wasn't naturally automatic. Then you have your paid reviewers that lie about the competitors products. What I will say is I delayed purchasing this coffee maker for a long time because of a lot of negativeness.. you know the water leaking out of the reservoir and such. I'm sorry I even considered those reviews..!I've had Cuisinart before but wanted a dual. I ended up buying a Hamilton Beach dual brew and never was 100% happy with it.Lets start with the differences between the flat round vs the wedge type coffee filter/bowls.The Cuisinart has a V or wedge type basket which I find that it funnels the water into the grounds. The Hamilton has a nice open basket but a small water spout.. you know, where the hot water rains down on the grounds..? I always felt that it never fully extracted the flavor and it took more grounds .Now the Cuisinart had a nice large water spout in conjunction with the wedge basket directing the waters thru the grounds... I found I don't have to use as much coffee to get the flavor I want. There for makes a better cup of coffee.The only down fall but not a real issue is where you add the water. It is smaller and it does require a steadier hand or learn to pour with your left. I will say if Cuisinart would have reversed the designed it with the single serve on the left instead of the right, then it would make it easier. All I can say is Deal with it...Now this brings me to the single serve side. I have no leak issues and no problems with the coffee pods. I can see how the rubber seal can wear out or dry out in time, but I think using a pitcher to fill the tank might extend or resolve that issue. No one can predict the future... As it stands I love the single serve side. With your other single serves, you are limited to "X" amount of water and that is final. With the Hamilton, if you added just 1 oz too much over their 10oz, it would not allow you to use the single serve side.Now I like my coffee on the lighter side, but wanted to still use the convenience of the disposable pods. This is where I really like the Cuisinart. I use the old fashion 14oz travel mug which fits nicely. I found I could choose the 8 oz and then the 4 oz after the 8 oz is finished without changing or removing the pod which finishes filling my mug.YES... finally can get a full 14 oz mug of coffee while using a single pod resulting in good flavor..!So if you are on the fence... go ahead and buy this product, you won't be disappointed, I'm not. I just wish I purchased it sooner.