วันอาทิตย์ที่ 17 ตุลาคม พ.ศ. 2553

cuisinart coffee maker-Capresso 464.05 CoffeeTeam GS 10-Cup Digital Coffeemaker with Conical Burr Grinder



List Price: $240.00
      Price: $182.77

Average customer review: (83 customer reviews)

Product Description

The Capresso CoffeeTeam GS is a fully programmable 10-Cup Coffee Maker/Conical Burr Grinder Combination. Professional, solid-steel conical burrs have 5 grinder settings from coarse to fine for adjustable coffee strength. The slow burr grinding imparts minimal heat, preserving more aroma and flavor. There is a 6-ounce capacity bean container and a see-through window that allows you to check that ground coffee flows smoothly into the filter holder. There is a detachable see-through cover for easy cleaning of the grinder channel. The Digital Control Panel has an easy to read illuminated LCD display, Programmable Clock/Timer, 5 programmable brew amounts for 2-10 cups, and 3 programmable coffee strength settings; mild, medium and strong. There are 2 Mode settings: Grind/Brew - for grinding programmed amount of whole beans directly into the Gold Tone Filter, then automatically starts the brew process and Brew - push the filter release button to open the swing out filter holder, add ground coffee without using the grinder. Charcoal water filtration removes up to 82% of chlorine and other impurities from tap water. The filter holder and one charcoal filter are included. Features: 2-hour safety shut-off, Drip Stop and Stop-and-Serve. Nonstick coated warming plate. 900 watts, 200-degree brew temperature. Black with stainless steel accents.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #1563 in Kitchen & Housewares
  • Color: Black
  • Brand: Capresso
  • Model: 464.05
  • Dimensions: 15.25" h x 9.25" w x 9.25" l, 12.20 pounds

Features

  • Fully programmable 10-cup coffeemaker with built-in conical burr grinder
  • Digital control panel; 5 grind settings from coarse to fine; 5 brew amounts
  • 6-ounce bean container; adjustable strength; clock and timer; brew-pause function
  • Brew with or without the grinder; 2-hour auto shut-off for safety; water filter included
  • Measures approximately 9-1/5 by 9-1/5 by 15-1/5 inches

Customer Reviews

Best Grind & Brew, Although It Is a Bit Loud5
I'm a Top 1000 Reviewer here at Amazon, but haven't reviewed anything in years -- until now. The Capresso 464 compelled me.
First things first. This is not my first grind and brew. My old Melitta Mill & Brew, with its faulty plastic latch long since broken had become a drag. For years I had to put a box of chicken stock on top of the grind chamber to keep it shut so it would work! And while it made pretty good coffee, it seemed to waste grounds by spraying them inside the grinder basket. And the daily cleanup ritual had started to make the whole idea of grinding and brewing in one device seem only of marginal value. And yet, the alternatives, including a best-selling Cuisinart model, have notorious bad reviews here at Amazon for being a total chore to clean.

Enter the Capresso CoffeeTeam GS, which solves all of my problems with its ingenious design. No longer do you have to measure the coffee. The CoffeeTeam GS will brew from 2 to 10 cups automatically, grinding just the right amount of beans with no guesswork. Cleanup is a breeze. The filter basket swings out and is easily washed. And because the grinding occurs in a separate chamber from the filter basket, there is no wasted coffee.

The quality of the coffee is also exactly what I want -- hot, and with the full flavor of the bean preserved by the conical burr grinders. If you want stronger or weaker coffee, it's very easy to do. You can also choose finer or coarser grinds depending on the type of coffee you are using (oily coffee should be coarser, light coffee finer).

There are two items that are drawbacks, but I don't mind them so am still giving this five stars. First, the grinder is wake-up-your-wife loud. And it can go for 40 seconds if you are making a full pot. It's not so loud that it hurts your ears, but it is not pleasant, and Capresso would have done well to add some amount of noise insulation. Second, because of the design, a small amount of ground coffee is left in the machine every time. This is an issue in two respects. First, switching from one type of coffee to another is not instantaneous, because invariably there is this overlap. Second, if you leave the machine unused for more than about a week, Capresso recommends cleaning out the coffee chamber and using new coffee. That's because the coffee will get a little more stale with each passing day. But like I said, in my mind these are very minor complaints to a really great product!
As good as it gets (in grind&brew)5
I'm writing from the perspective of someone who has owned more grind&brew coffeemakers than the typical coffee addict. This one is as good a grind&brew machine as anyone makes.

First, the negatives:
- It is definitely loud and long in grinding, as other owners mention. The burr grinding process is wonderfully consistent compared to blade grinding, but it seems to take forever and the noise is enough to wake up the ... sleeping.

- It doesn't have a way to dump out the coffee beans if you want to change blends to another bean (though you can still put pre-ground coffee in the basket while there are beans waiting to be ground.)

- The carafe does tend to make a sort of "cracking" sound when it sits on the hotplate sometimes.

I have owned some of the most popular, and some unusual, grind & brew machines in the past 30+ years, including a very different Capresso long, long ago. There are some models/brands that only have a single grind possibility (no settings), some that require constant cleaning of parts, some that fall apart within the year and don't have even that much warranty, and one that was going to cost an extra $65 to replace the faulty super-recessed lid switch, which died after 4 months, without which it was totally unusable. There's only one of those previous coffeemakers that I'd buy again by choice, and they stopped making it over 20 years ago.

This Capresso is well made, nicely packaged, and has all the features I want:
- Fineness of grind is controlled with 5 possible settings
- Amount of beans ground (from the hopper that holds approx. 2-3 pots of beans) is settable in 2-cup increments from 2 to 10 cups.
- "Aroma" (i.e. darkness & flavor) is controlled with 3 settings, which in combination with other controls seems designed to yield every possible preference for "perfect" coffee.
- It has automatic shut-off. (One of the much-lower-priced grind&brew machines doesn't have this feature, which I think should be mandatory on coffeemakers considering how many fires are started by overheating appliances.)
- It has drip-trip, which is critical as I often don't want to wait for the full pot to brew before I take a cup in the morning.
- It's completely programmable. Not only can you set a start time, but you can associate specific settings with the programmed time that are not the same as the current settings.

Other pluses that are less quantifiable:
- It doesn't seem to cause me to spill water all over the counter in filling it, like the last one I had. I have no idea what design elements affect this, I just know that it happens with some coffeemakers & not others.
- It takes some parts in common with the other-brand grind&brew that I last had, which started leaking when brewing. The charcoal filters and basket, at the least, seem in common with many other brands.

It cost quite a bit compared to some of the more popular models but, frankly, I'm convinced it's worth the extra investment.
GREAT COFFEE WITH A FEW ISSUES3
Overall the Coffee Team GS is great.

However, I have owned two CoffeeTeams with the "swing filter" design. I loved those machines but got tired of wiping up the coffee powder that it would drop on my countertop when the filter would accept the freshly ground coffee and then FLIP back into the brewing position. I cleaned the coffee shoot often but if you use the finer-grind setting, it seemed to always have that issue. The other was that it never made the coffee hot enough. The new CoffeeTeam GS brews VERY HOT coffee. I tested it at 192 degrees when first brewed.

For the newly designed CoffeeTeam GS, it has a nicely styled look with great quality construction as Capresso is known for (I have also owned a Capresso "Ultima" machine and the older swiss "Lantern" style machine that was later discontinued.

I don't hate it enought to return for a refund, but there are 5 main things that annoy me about this new design:

1) Coffee Grinder is LOUDER than the swing-type machine.

2) Because it is designed to grind at a slower speed (to prevent the beans from getting hot), it ends up grinding for 45 seconds straight for a six cup setting. This doesn't seem long in theory, but watch your second hand for 45 seconds and it will seem FOREVER, especially if you are sleeping and you have it set to brew before you get out of bed.

3)The water pump seems to GRUNT alot during the brewing process and then make that GURGLING sound when it is pushing the final drops of water out. Try making coffee when you have dinner guests over and you will see how loud it can be. As a comparison, I actually went and bought the Cuinart Grind-n-Brew (burr version) to compare side-to-side and have to say it was very quiet during the brewing process, but the grinder action was equivalent to the CoffeeTeam GS in grinding slowly (except the grinder had an annoying high-pitch sound to it). I opted to stick to the louder, "low-tone" that the CoffeeTeam GS provides.

4) The Carafe seems to make this odd popping/cracking sound as it sits on the warming plate (and I am not talking about the sound it might make if there is water drops under it).

5) The front panel has a LED-lit panel which is extra bright white. It needs to offer a dimming feature. Also, the function light that are RED and GREEN are very piercingly bright as well, and could be less obvious. To compare, the Cuisinart machine I tried, had a lousy front panel that was completely un-lit and you can't even see the time of day on it or make your setting changes without a flashlight.

If you can get past any or all of these 4 points, you will very much enjoy this machine. Also, Capresso is very customer-focused. Anytime I have had any issues with their machines, they respond very fast and in some cases (like for missing rubber gaskets or filter parts) they have actually shipped them to me at no charge - even though my machine was 4 years old. You need to make sure you register your product with them upfront.

Cuisinart DGB-650BC Grind-and-Brew Thermal 10-Cup Automatic Coffeemaker, Brushed Metal


List Price: $235.00
       Price:
$108.99

Average customer review: (101 customer reviews)

Product Description

The easiest way to great coffee is the Cuisinart Grid and Brew. This 10 cup coffeemaker automatically grinds the beans right before brewing to deliver the freshest coffee flavor and the thermal stainless steel carafe keeps it hot and fresh for hours at a time. Because it's fully programmable with a large control panel, it's easier than ever to enjoy a hot cup of coffee any time of day. Quick, easy delicious - great coffee is automatic with the Cuisinart Grind and Brew.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #997 in Kitchen & Housewares
  • Color: Brushed Metal
  • Brand: Cuisinart
  • Model: DGB-650BC
  • Dimensions: 17.50" h x 12.00" w x 9.80" l, 9.70 pounds

Features

  • 10-cup automatic coffeemaker with built-in coffee-bean grinder
  • Fully programmable; brew-pause function; 1- to 4-cup setting
  • Thermal stainless-steel carafe; grind-off option for pre-ground coffee
  • Auto shut-off; gold-tone permanent filter and charcoal water filter included
  • Measures 12 by 9-1/2 by 17-1/2 inches; 3-year limited warranty

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Product Description
A perfect addition to any modern kitchen, this 10-cup automatic coffeemaker grinds whole beans right before brewing to produce a fresh and flavorful pot of coffee. The 24-hour fully programmable unit works great for "wake-up" coffee or having coffee ready when it's time to serve dessert--without getting up from the table. In addition, its brew-pause function makes it simple to sneak a cup before the end of the brewing cycle. Smaller amounts can be brewed without any loss of flavor thanks to the unit�s 1- to 4-cup setting, and its grind-off feature allows for using pre-ground coffee. For added convenience, the coffeemaker provides a large control panel, automatic shut-off for peace of mind, and a 10-cup (5 ounces each) thermal stainless-steel carafe with a generous stay-cool handle and drip-free pouring spout. Accessories include a gold-tone commercial-style permanent filter and a charcoal water filter for removing impurities. The sleek-looking coffeemaker measures 12 by 9-1/2 by 17-1/2 inches and carries a three-year limited warranty.

Customer Reviews

New & Improved5
I love the new look! We had the older version for about 6 years. This new one is sleeker and much easier to clean and keep clean (the inside where the grinder sits gets cakey due to condensation). I got it for $149, used Amazon Prime, and had it in a few days! I love it. If you're thinking of getting this grind and brew with stainless carafe, it is nice. Some parts will have to be replaced over the years like the older version, but the taste of the freshly ground coffee every day is worth it. I never pre-heat the carafe like the directions say because that defeats the purpose of the timer. I've never had an issue with the coffee temperature, it's always hot! I also recommend hand-washing over dishwasher. The carbon filters are similar to Brita and can be found for cheap at Kohl's. One other note is it only makes 10 cups as opposed to the typical 12 cups. This is fine for me because it's just me and my husband, but if you need to make a ton of coffee regularly, this may not be a good choice. Overall, I love it and I'm glad I traded up!
Many improvements over the DGB-600BC5
We had a DGB-600BC and used it daily for about 4 years. The grinder assembly finally seized and we could no longer remove it. We had been looking around for a new coffee maker, anyway, so we went ahead and bought this one (DGB-650BC) at a local store.

We've been using it for a couple weeks now and it makes a fine cup of coffee, just like the last one did. I noticed right away, that a few things that turned out to be issues with the last model had been fixed or improved upon with this one.

1) The grinder compartment is much better separated from the water reservoir and also designed better for all the grounds to go into the filter basket. The older model always left a bit of a mess, both in the grinder compartment and on the little shelf that separated the filter basket from the coffee pot, and around the burner plate. I haven't seen any of that mess with this model. I can't tell you how happy that makes me.

2) The little shelf I spoke about in #1 is now gone. That's a plus. Since this maker is designed better, it isn't needed anyway. Also, this shelf caused build up around the door latch making it hard to shut after a very short time. I'm glad it's gone.

3) The filter basket door mechanism is far better designed. The old model I had to slam shut, sometimes repeatedly, before it would stay shut. This one has a much better and more sturdy hinge mechanism and latch.

4) New to this model (the old one didn't have this) is a window on the side so you can see how much water you're pouring in. It's clearly marked and has a red floating ball to make it easy to see. I really like this feature.

The grinder seem a little louder than the old one, but I've never met a coffee grinder that wasn't loud and it's only for a very short time. I love having freshly ground coffee first thing in the morning.

As far as cleanup goes for the grinding assembly and filter basket, it only takes a minute or two. Aside from the coffee pot itself, there are 5 pieces to clean and it really is quick and easy to empty the filter basket and rinse the pieces.

In short, this is fine coffee maker, much improved from the DGB-600BC, and I am happy we upgraded to it.
Works Great!5

Let me start by admitting that I am a novice when it comes to drinking coffee, much less owning coffee machines. This is the first coffee machine I've ever bought, but I've been very happy with it thus far. If you purchase it, definitely read the directions - as there are a couple of small points they bring out, that you wouldn't otherwise know. (For instance, when you place the goldtone coffee filter in, the handle which can rest in either direction, must face outwards.) I just mention this, since I am usually one to NOT read directions, and I'm sure most others who have owned coffe machines wouldn't either, but it seems valuable in this particular case.

The main reason I went with this unit, was Cuisineart had the only ones in Bed Bath & Beyond which can be programmed to grind then brew. I leave it on my desk at work, and have it programmed to grind/brew right before I arrive in the morning. And it's awesome. Only used it several times so far, but no complaints. Cleaning is relatively easy - but (like any other coffee brewer/grinder I assume) you have to clean it every day. Not a big deal though, so far I've just been taking the grinder and filter parts out, and rinsing them out. Not sure how important it is to use soap...

The most valuable thing I can tell you, that you won't read on the box, is that the thermal caraffe REALLY DOES work great. I don't pre-heat the caraffe, since I have it sitting out from the night before. I have mine programmed to start brewing at 8:30am. And believe it or not, despite the fact that there is no heater that runs after it's done brewing... the coffee stays HOT for a long time. It stays piping hot for several hours, and even at 2:30pm, it is still drinkably warm. I never expected it to stay that warm for 6 hours, far exceeded my expecations.

Easy to program, but you have to remember to press the Program button each night before. Although, that's not really a big deal since you have to add water and all the other stuff anyway. It's a safety feature really.

Grinder noise isn't super loud, and it only runs for 60 seconds so who cares. Mine is sitting on my desk in my cube, but I program it to run before most people arrive in the office so it's not a problem.

Very short 2ft. power cord with the unit, which will be great for kitchen countertops where you can put it by an outlet, otherwise you might need an extension cord.

Can't speak about reliability. Hopefully they fixed some of the issues people had with this unit's predecessor. Will revise my review later if I have issues.

I've rated it 5 stars, for $129 I feel that I got what I expected and paid for, and really don't have any complaints. I also haven't seen ANYTHING in the market that does what this does, in the same price range. Is there not a demand for coffee grinder/brewers? I mean, why wouldn't you want to have something that you can program to do both before you even wake up? For me, there was no other choice.

Cuisinart has a more expensive model than this one, but it was $70 more and the only feature that really seemed to be valuable was it's "burr grinder" which is supposedly better. But it didn't seem like that was worth $70 more to me, so I thought this was the best value.

cuisinart coffee maker-Cuisinart DGB-900BC Grind-and-Brew Thermal 12-Cup Automatic Coffeemaker, Brushed Chrome/Black

 

 List Price:$365.00

       Price:$154.12

Average customer review: (208 customer reviews)

 

Product Description

Cuisinart introduces a fully programmable coffeemaker with a burr grinder for superior coffee. Our special burr grinder grinds the coffee without influencing the integrity of the bean, so the true flavor maintained. The strength selector and the grind control functions fine-tune intensity and volume, and the thermal carafe seals in heat and freshness so the last cup is as good as the first. It's never been easier to make a great pot of coffee!

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #691 in Kitchen & Housewares
  • Color: Black / Brushed Stainless Steel
  • Brand: Cuisinart
  • Model: DGB-900BC
  • Dimensions: 10.10" h x 13.25" w x 18.75" l, 12.95 pounds

Features

  • 24-hour fully programmable coffeemaker with 12-cup capacity
  • Double-wall insulated thermal carafe; built-in automatic burr grinder
  • Strength selector and grind control fine-tune intensity and volume
  • 8-ounce bean hopper; auto shutoff; water filter; brew-pause function
  • Measures 10-2/3 by 8-4/9 by 16-1/4 inches; 3-year limited warranty

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Product Description
Easily brew up to 12 cups of great-tasting coffee with this 24-hour fully programmable coffeemaker. The unit comes equipped with a built-in burr grinder, which automatically grinds beans right before brewing, and its grind-control function makes it easy to program the amount of coffee to grind--from 2 to 12 cups. In addition, its strength selector allows for choosing from strong, medium, or mild coffee. The unit's bean hopper holds up to a half pound of beans and comes with a sealed lid to prevent moisture. Other highlights include automatic shut-off after brewing, a grind-off option, and an integrated 2- to 4-cup feature, as well as a Gold tone commercial-style permanent filter and charcoal water filter to remove impurities, and a brew-pause function for sneaking a cup midbrew. A 12-cup (5 ounces each) double-wall insulated thermal carafe comes included, which seals in heat and freshness so the last cup tastes as good as the first. The coffeemaker measures 10-2/3 by 8-4/9 by 16-1/4 inches and carries a three-year limited warranty.


From the Manufacturer

The Cuisinart DGB-900BC Fully Automatic Burr Grind & Brew Thermal Coffeemaker

DGB-900BC
The Cuisinart Burr Grind & Brew Thermal Coffeemaker
The burr mill grinder in the new Fully Automatic Burr Grind & Brew Thermal Coffeemaker is responsible for the superior coffee flavor that you can experience. Add to that the pleasure of choosing the flavor strength you like best, easy-to-use controls, and a thermal carafe that keeps coffee hot and fresh for hours and you'll understand why we say this Cuisinart coffeemaker is a grind above the rest.
The Quest for a Perfect Espresso
It is generally agreed that there are four basic elements critical to the perfect cup:
Element 1. Water:
Coffee is 98% water. Often overlooked, the quality of the water is as important as the quality of the coffee. A good rule of thumb is that if your water doesn't taste good from the tap, it won't taste any better in your coffee. That's why Cuisinart has added a water filter to the Fully Automatic Burr Grind & Brew Coffeemaker. The charcoal water filter removes chlorine, bad tastes and odors, for the purest cup of coffee every time.
Element 2. Coffee:
While the bulk of the liquid is water, all of the flavor should be from the coffee. To achieve the same great quality of coffee you receive at a coffee bar, you need to use the same quality beans. Buy the beans fresh and whole, only about a two weeks' supply at a time for maximum freshness. Once the coffee bean is broken, its flavor degrades very quickly. That's why the Fully Automatic Burr Grind & Brew Coffeemaker grinds your coffee just prior to brewing. If it is not practical to buy small supplies, we recommend you separate larger amounts of beans into one to two week portions immediately after purchase, and freeze them in airtight containers. The best way to maximize freshness is to minimize exposure to air, light and moisture. So, once beans have been removed from the freezer, maintain them in a sealed container at room temperature, since damaging condensation occurs every time the beans are removed from the freezer or refrigerator. Note that some coffee experts advise against freezing dark-roast beans, because freezing can cause the oils to coagulate. Other experts disagree. We suggest you experiment and decide yourself. We recommend keeping the hopper at least half way full. Be sure that you have sufficient amount of beans in your hopper for the amount of coffee you intend to brew. Although it is preferable to use fresh, whole beans, you can make coffee in the coffeemaker using pre-ground beans. To do so, turn off the grinder by pressing the Grind Off button before turning on the unit. It is suggested to use 1 level scoop of ground coffee per cup and adjust the amount to your taste. The maximum capacity for ground coffee is 16 level scoops, using either a paper or permanent filter. Exceeding this amount may cause overflow.
Element 3. Grind:
The grind of the coffee is critical for proper flavor extraction. If the grind is too fine, over extraction and bitterness will result. Too fine a grind may also clog the filter. If the grind is too coarse, the water will pass through too quickly and the desired flavors will not be extracted. The Fully Automatic Burr Grind & Brew Coffeemaker is preset for a medium grind, the optimal grind for this type of coffeemaker.
Element 4. Proportion:
The Fully Automatic Burr Grind & Brew Coffeemaker makes up to twelve cups of (54 ounces) of coffee.

Making Coffee with Whole Beans

caraffe
12-cup thermal caraffe
  1. Fill the Water Reservoir:
    Open the reservoir lid. Pour the desired amount of water in the reservoir using the water level window indicator. Close the reservoir lid. Note: Do not exceed the 12-cup line; doing so may cause the carafe to overflow.
  2. Add Beans:
    Lift the hopper lid, using the recess on either side. Fill the hopper with beans. It is recommended keeping the hopper at least halfway full. Be sure that you have a sufficient amount of beans in your hopper for the amount of coffee you intend to brew (maximum capacity is 1/2-pound Do not over-pack the hopper. Over-packing may result in jamming the grinder.) For easy filling, the hopper container can be taken out by turning the hopper container release knob to the unlock position. Note: Do not put any water in the unit once the hopper container has been removed. If the water gets into the grinder motor, the motor may become damaged and may malfunction. Put hopper lid back in place.
  3. Lock Hopper:
    If you have removed the hopper from the unit, be sure that the hopper container release knob is in the unlocked position and place the hopper container back in the unit. Turn the knob to locked position. This unit is equipped with a safety interlock system. The unit will not grind if the hopper container is not in place. If you try to turn on the unit for grinding with the hopper out of place, the unit will beep continuously until the missing part is installed. The brewing process can be restarted by pressing the On button. Restarting the process will not affect coffee results.
  4. Insert Coffee Filter:
    Open filter door by pressing filter basket door release button. Remove filter basket cover and place a #4 basket paper filter or Cuisinart's commercial style permanent filter in the basket. The unit is equipped with a safety interlock system. The units will not operate if the filter basket cover or filter basket are not in place or if the filter door is not closed. If you try to turn the unit on while the filter compartment is out of place, the unit will beep continuously until the missing part(s) are installed.
  5. Brewing:
    • Immediate Grinding and Brewing:
      1. Turn the Grind Control Knob to select the number of cups you want to brew. The coffeemaker will grind the corresponding amounts of beans. The unit will automatically adjust for low cup settings.
      2. Press the Strength Control button to set the coffee strength. MILD, MED or STRONG will show on the LCD display.
      3. Press the On button. The indicator will light and process will begin.
    • Programmed Brewing:
      Press the Program button. The indicator will light and the display will show the programmed time for as long as the button is depressed. The display reverts back to the time of day once the button is released.
      1. Turn the Grind Control knob to select the number of cups you want to brew. The Coffeemaker will grind the corresponding amount of beans. The unit will automatically adjust for low cup settings.
      2. Press the Strength Control button to set coffee strength. MILD, MED or STRONG will show on the LCD display.
      3. The coffeemaker will begin brewing at the programmed time.
  6. During and After Brewing:
    The Brew Pause feature allows you to remove the carafe from the resting plate during mid-brew. The brewing process does not stop during this period; only the flow of coffee from the basket stops. Do not remove the carafe for longer than 20 seconds or the coffee may overflow the basket. While Cuisinart offers this feature, it is not recommended that you pour coffee before the cycle has reached completion, since the coffee brewed at the beginning of the cycle has a flavor profile which is very different from the coffee made at the end of the cycle. Removing the cup during the brewing cycle will alter the flavor of the finished pot. When the brewing cycle is completed, five beeps will sound. Coffee will continue to stream from the filer for several seconds. After brewing, the unit will automatically shut itself off. The thermal carafe will keep the coffee hot for hours.

Making Coffee with Pre-Ground Beans

control panel
Simple operation control panel
  1. Fill the Water Reservoir:
    Open the reservoir lid. Pour the desired amount of water in the reservoir using the water level window indicator. Close the reservoir lid. Note: Do not exceed the 12 cup line; doing so may cause the carafe to overflow.
  2. Add Coffee Grounds:
    1. Open filter door. Add ground coffee to the permanent or #4 paper filter.
    2. Place filter basket lid in place and close filter door.
  3. Brewing:
    • Immediate Grinding and Brewing:
      1. Press the Grind Off button. When this function is activated, an amber LED will be illuminated.
      2. Press the On button. The indicator will light and the process will begin.
    • Programmed Brewing:
      Press the Program button. The indicator will light and the display will show the programmed time for as long as the button is depressed. The display reverts back to the time of day once the button is released.
      1. Press the Grind Off button. When this function is activated, an amber LED will be illuminated.
      2. The coffeemaker will begin brewing at the programmed time.
For additional product information, see the reference manual above.

Customer Reviews

Great Coffee for a Reasonable Price5
I chose this grind and brew after reading all of the reviews for this and similar machines. Frankly, I am surprised by the negative comments. This is an easy to use machine once it is set up properly (the bean hopper takes a little of effort to snap in). The coffee tastes great and the parts are very easy to clean quickly. While the instruction book is not clear, Cuisinart was very helpful on the phone. The machine does not know how much water you put in, so if you set it to grind coffee for 6 cups and you have 8 cups of water in it, it will process all 8 cups of water. Other than this small quirk, the machine is a small wonder and I do not feel compelled to go out for coffee in the morning. The thermos carafe will keep the coffee quite warm for a few hours, even when the carafe is not warmed up with hot water. Wondering why it took me so long to go ahead and buy this machine. This is the best model; my neighbor has the first generation/second generation machine which is hard to clean and has a large footprint. Save your money and buy this model!

Now that I have had the machine for a month and a half: It requires some cleaning to get the fine grounds that compress and stop the grinder and ground coffee to get into the filter for brewing. I use a bamboo chopstick and a skewer to break up the compressed fine grounds that impede the machine from working properly. (Unplug the machine and put it over the sink area). I also use compressed air to blow out the fine ground particles. Still, this is a small maintenance to allow for great coffee in the AM.
Excellent coffee, convenience, and design; grind is a little coarse4
I bought this coffeemaker after returning my Krups KM7000. Overall, I have been pleased with this model, save for a few quirks. The bottom line is that it makes OUTSTANDING, HOT coffee with great convenience in a design that appears very durable. I have NOT had any problems with getting the pieces together and I do not find it complicated on a day-to-day basis whatsoever.

PROS:
-Coffee is full-bodied and flavorful. I use the 4-cup setting with about 3 cups of water and the strength set to strong. This uses the aroma feature, and the coffee is perfect.
-Temperature is perfect, the hottest I've tasted from a model like this. The base WARMS THE THERMAL CARAFE when the machine goes on, then goes off when the brew is complete. This may theoretically be eliminating the effect of the cooling of hot coffee by a stone-cold carafe. On the other hand, the carafe is highly insulated and it may be doing nothing. The bottom line is that the temperature is perfect, the coffee is still hot even after adding cold milk. The coffee remains hot for quite a while in the thermal carafe.
-Design is quite nice- it is self contained as opposed to other mill & brew models that have parts that swing around. The design feels very robust, there are no wimpy plastic bits. There is a piece that fits over the grind basket that has a gear which appears to rotate, likely to keep steam out of the grinder.
-It could not be easier to use on a daily basis - all I do is put in THE RIGHT amount of water, put the cover on top of the brew basket, and press program (I have it programmed for the same time every day). After it brews and I pour the coffee, I swing out the basket, pour out the grinds & rinse the basket, rinse the carafe, and I'm ready to go.
-cleaning is simple; I notice others complain but I haven't had any problems. See above for my daily routine; I've been using the brush weekly on the grind spout, it takes two minutes and is not messy.
-The brushed chrome looks great on the counter.
-3 year warranty is reassuring

CONS:
-The grind appears to be too coarse. Other models have a grind control to change the coarseness of the coffee, this one does not. This has improved a little after a few weeks of use, but not completely. Also, I've noticed that (through laws of physics) the coarsest part of the grind stays on top, then the finer grounds work their way to the bottom. This is probably wasting a bit of coffee, but once I worked out how much water to use it doesn't affect the strength. Overall I have not noticed that I am going through coffee faster than before, so I think some of the "coffee wasting" reviews may be somewhat overstated. On first glance it does appear to use a lot of coffee when you are pouring out the grounds, but looking at how many bags I'm going through it doesn't appear much different.
-The mechanism to pour coffee from the carafe is not perfect; it works ok when pouring out from a mostly full carafe, but to get the last cup or two from the bottom I have to take the top off. If I don't it drips all over the counter. Taking the top off I can pour it without any mess.
-The water indicator level is on the right side near the back. If you are putting it against a wall on the left it will be fine, but on my counter it needs to be against a wall on the right, so if I need to look at the water level I need to pull the coffeemaker away from the wall. To get around this I have figured exactly how much water to put in from a measuring cup.

THE BOTTOM LINE (again):
The coffee is excellent, and HOT. The design is marvelous. On a day-to-day basis it is extremely easy to use and convenient. The grind is a bit too coarse, but I don't seem to be going through coffee much faster than before, so this may be a little bit of an illusion. YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ADJUST THE STRENGTH OF YOUR COFFEE USING THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF WATER. I can strongly recommend this coffeemaker if you want hot, convenient, fresh-ground coffee every day. Enjoy!
Wastes Coffee Beans - 60% increase in Bean Consumption1
This unit wastes beans.

According to the user manual, if you fill the coffee bean hopper with 1/2 lb of coffee, you can expect "at least" two - 12 cup brews. I thought this was a bit conservative but it was confirmed when I made the first pot of coffee. I set the machine for 12 cups and watched as almost half of the beans disappeared on the first pot.

I figure it uses almost 1/4 lb of beans to brew a full pot (12 cups of 5 oz coffee). This is about double what would be used if you followed the directions when using a manual grinder (one scoop of beans per cup using the scoop that comes with this coffee maker).

I think Cusinart kept the grind at very coarse level to ensure proper grind flow in the machine. To compensate, they increased the amount of coffee ground. Thus it uses about 4 oz of beans versus 2.5 oz of beans per 10-12 cup pot. It doesn't sound like much but works out to 60% extra per pot.

I've owned the Cuisinart DGB-600BC Grind and Brew Coffeemaker and Melitta Mill & Brew Coffee Maker so this is my third unit brew and grind unit. The two previous units has manual bean fill and comparatively good control on the grind. This unit always grinds very very coarse.

Pro: Large Bean Hopper
Easy to clean
Fill level on side (DGB-600BC did not)
Gold filter basket included
3 Year Warranty
Simple operation (for a grind & brew machine)
Seems well constructed

Cons: Grind is always very course
Uses twice as much beans
Carafe pours slow and tends to drip


The coffee tastes OK - its not as good as what you can get with a manual grind/brew but consistent with the other Mill & Brew machines I've had. It is well built and I think the 3 year warranty is key because our other Cuisinart grinder motor lasted about 18 months, but its going back because I make about 2 pots/day and this translates into a couple hundred dollars year. Going to try the Capresso 455 or 454.

cuisinart coffee maker-Cuisinart SS-700 Single Serve Brewing System, Silver




List Price:$365.00 
      Price:$184.05
Average customer review: (37 customer reviews)

Product Description
Perfect for both personal use and entertaining, this single-serve home-brewing system offers consumers fresh gourmet coffee, tea, hot cocoa, and more in under one minute. Choose either 4, 6, 8, or 10 ounce from the icon on brewing size options. Using Keurig K-Cups—featuring over two hundred varieties of pre-measured, premium brand coffee and tea--this brewer’s innovative one-touch technology makes it easier than ever for consumers to enjoy a wide array of hot beverages. No matter which cup size you choose, the Cuisinart Single Serve Brewing System , working in conjunction with K-Cup, always produces the perfect cup every time.


Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #433 in Kitchen & Housewares
  • Color: White
  • Brand: Cuisinart
  • Model: SS-700
  • Released on: 2010-05-12
  • Dimensions: 12.10" h x 13.50" w x 10.25" l, 18.20 pounds

Features

  • 5 cup sizes, including iced beverage setting and removable drip tray for tall travel mugs
  • Large 80-ounce removable water reservoir elimanates the need for frequent refills
  • Fully programmable blue backlit LCD with digital clock, auto on/off, and adjustable temperature control
  • My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter can be filled with any ground coffee and conveniently stores right in the unit
  • All parts that come in contact with water or coffee are BPA-free; also includes a charcoal water filter
One-touch control panel

The Cuisinart SS-700 Single-Serve
Brewing System

    Customer Reviews

    BPA-FREE! Oh, and a great coffee maker...5
    I've been around the block a few times with these kinds of machines...Keurigs, Tassimos, Grind n Brews, etc. So far, this one looks like a real winner. It is the quietest single-serve brewer I have ever used. It has an extra-large water tank and, get this, all parts of this coffee maker that touch water are BPA-free! The machine is rock solid and feels like a high-quality product. The 3-year warranty is the icing on the cake.
    cuisinart kcup brewer works great5
    I have been using a Keurig Platinum Machine for about a year now and had to replace it 2 times. Once for both hot and cold water draining out of the bottom of the unit and the second for making expresso size cups when I asked for the 11.25 oz. cup. I returned the Keurig and got this Brand New Cuisinart about 3 weeks ago. It works great, the water container is larger and the max cup size is 12oz. I get great cups of coffee and the machine works beautifully. I use regular tap water with the charcoal filters and the coffee taste is super. So far this machine is the best I have had and I think Cuisinart makes a superior product every time. You can make your own Kcups since Cuisinart has included one in the side of the machine for your delight at no extra cost.
    Finally a nice brewer that works!5
    I purchased the Cuisinart after going through 3 Keurig B70s and a Brevelle since Christmas, (all three were defective with pump problems and very LOUD.) The Brevelle 700 worked okay but had these really annoying flashing lights that flashed all the time "Open Head". The arrow lights were extremely bright and bothersome.
    So far the Cuisinart SS700 works really well. Very little noise and the pump works just fine. I like the larger water tank and nothing flashes at me!