Excellent coffee coupled with a nice brewer and drip-free carafe makes this Cuisinart DCC-1200C a good coffeemaker choice.
Product Description
- Cuisinart® Brew Central™ 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker DCC-1200C
- Brushed Metal Series (brushed stainless and black plastic)
- Includes scoop; cone-shaped gold tone filter; water filter
- 24-Hour brew start; programmable auto shutoff
- Heat adjustable warming plate
- Can also take #4 cone-shaped paper filters
- Easy-to-read LCD digital clock display
- 1-4 or 5+ cup brewing
- 12-cup glass spill-free carafe with lid and comfort grip handle
- Cleaning cycle
- Brew Pause feature
- Simple on/off operation
- Charcoal water filter removes calcium and chlorine
- Size: 14-1/4"H, 8"W, and 10-3/4"D
- Limited 3-year warranty
- More detail from the manufacturer
- MSRP: $79.95 US; Retail range: $49 - 79; Retail range CA $99
How the Cuisinart Brew Central Performed
September 13, 2010
As for looks, this coffeemaker has a very nice styling, easy to understand (and set) controls and a flip-switch for the on/off function. The carafe has a snug lid, comfortable handle and pours drip-free. Though some of my guests found the lid a pain to apply on/off, I found it easy to get used to (it has tabs) and I do like a well fitting lid. The carafe also slides in nicely; there's no guesswork as to where it should be positioned. The filter is cone-shaped and the brewer came with a gold tone permanent filter, but you can also use standard #4 cone filters.
This coffeemaker has all the must-have features, plus a self-clean function which saves time over a manual cleaning/cooling and a carafe temperature selector (low, medium, high). The Brew Pause feature works well with only a very occasional drip when paused. As for coffee flavor, this is one of the best coffeemakers I've tried. It closely rivals a single serve for gourmet coffee taste - lots of flavor without having to increase the amount of coffee I usually use and you can also brew a smaller pot.
As for looks, this coffeemaker has a very nice styling, easy to understand (and set) controls and a flip-switch for the on/off function. The carafe has a snug lid, comfortable handle and pours drip-free. Though some of my guests found the lid a pain to apply on/off, I found it easy to get used to (it has tabs) and I do like a well fitting lid. The carafe also slides in nicely; there's no guesswork as to where it should be positioned. The filter is cone-shaped and the brewer came with a gold tone permanent filter, but you can also use standard #4 cone filters.
This coffeemaker has all the must-have features, plus a self-clean function which saves time over a manual cleaning/cooling and a carafe temperature selector (low, medium, high). The Brew Pause feature works well with only a very occasional drip when paused. As for coffee flavor, this is one of the best coffeemakers I've tried. It closely rivals a single serve for gourmet coffee taste - lots of flavor without having to increase the amount of coffee I usually use and you can also brew a smaller pot.
Overall Impression
Excellent coffee and a comfortable, drip-free carafe is what I love most about the Cuisinart Brew Central Coffeemaker. Other favorite features include the adjustable carafe temperature - especially if you like to add a lot of cream and still want hot coffee. It comes with the carafe set at Medium temperature, but it's easy to change. This brewer comes with a French control panel sticker you can apply, if needed. The brushed metal finish looks nice and is very easy to keep clean - it doesn't accumulate fingerprints. Brewing time is reasonable and operation is not too noisy. You can set the auto-off function for up to four hours.
One thing that I did find difficult and that short people may struggle with is filling the water reservoir. Filling is supposedly at the rear right and though there are stepped water level indicators (no water window), the dark area is difficult to see and you have to be directly over it to pour (and view), to avoid a spill. Pour slowly and you can fill without a spill, but I found it easier filling on the left (water filter) side, using the carafe for the right measure of water. This is really the only thing that could be improved with this coffeemaker. Otherwise, it performs wonderfully, makes great coffee, looks terrific on the counter and the price is reasonable for a full-featured 12-cup programmable brewer.
One thing that I did find difficult and that short people may struggle with is filling the water reservoir. Filling is supposedly at the rear right and though there are stepped water level indicators (no water window), the dark area is difficult to see and you have to be directly over it to pour (and view), to avoid a spill. Pour slowly and you can fill without a spill, but I found it easier filling on the left (water filter) side, using the carafe for the right measure of water. This is really the only thing that could be improved with this coffeemaker. Otherwise, it performs wonderfully, makes great coffee, looks terrific on the counter and the price is reasonable for a full-featured 12-cup programmable brewer.
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Coffee Maker Care & FAQ's
Go to Main Coffee Maker and Tea Maker Page
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Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.
