Cuisinart (DCC-3000) 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker Reviews

The BLACK & DECKER TO3290XSD 8-Slice Digital Extra Wide Convection Countertop Toaster Oven is one of the heaviest and bulkiest toaster ovens in the industry. The toaster stays and cooks on the countertop, so the weight doesn’t matter. It is designed to handle the heavier tasks and increased productivity in the short time. It may occupy a couple of inches more space because it is able to accommodate more food than the previous models.

We love this coffee maker! Cuisinart has always been a brand that we trust. We love this machine, it is nice to be able to program your coffee to be ready when you wake up in the morning. It stays on for as long as we program it to keep the coffee hot.

My 12+ year old Cuisinart DCC-2000 finally stopped working a few weeks ago, and so it was time to get a new machine. I've always had my eye on the DCC-3000 but checked into other units 'just to make sure' there wasn't anything newer that I had missed. There wasn't. The DCC-3000 was the only coffee maker that had the same cool features that I had on my DCC-2000 (coffee reservoir, 1-4 cup button, press-to-dispense, etc.) plus it adds the external removable water reservoir, the handy 'clean' button, and the LED light that illuminates the coffee dispensing area. A great idea that LED is...as for over 12 years I found myself bending over and trying to see how much coffee I had dispensed! Now with the LED, no issues whatsoever. I've made about a dozen 'tanks' of coffee and use 4 gently rounded scoops (of Seattle's Best "Portside Blend" ground coffee) with 6 cups of water (as marked on the water tank) with the 1-4 button depressed. Yum! Great product, and look forward to 15+ years out of my new DCC-3000!

Great ease of use, keeps coffee hot, 1 cup at a time, very easy to clean

This coffee maker is very reliable, easy to use and clean and helps keep waste at bay. Sleek design and size make it a must have on limited counter spaces.

I got this coffee maker for Christmas, and I love it. No more corroding hot plates to look at under a coffee pot. The cord is a perfect lenghth allowing me to pull the unit to the edge of my counter without having to unplug it. It is also very easy to clean and easy to program. Love my new coffee maker!

I've had this for 2 years now. (BTW, a "cup" is a STANDARD 8oz., for those of you confused as to why you don't get 12 MUGS of coffee out of this (cue the eye roll)).

Pros:

Most impressive to me is the fact that this would stay on, keeping the coffee hot AND fresh tasting, for 4 hours. Always with a glass carafe, I would find the coffee undrinkable (flavor-wise) well before the normal 2 hour shut off. It would taste burned or too thick (due to evaporation?). This is kept at an excellent temp and doesn't go bad, perhaps due to the fact the the coffee is in an enclosed, lidded environment. Not sure.

The built-in water filter allows me to fill the water tank straight from the cold water tap. Way faster than getting filtered refrigerator water. Also, that filter is $$, while the water filter for this is pretty cheap ($8 for a dozen, or thereabouts).

As with just about every coffee maker on the market, in order to get the strength you want, you tweak the amount of water to the amount and type of coffee you are using. I like a strong french roast: fill the water to 10 cups and the basket up to the brim. Is it as good as my french press or my stovetop espresso maker? Heck no! BUT, I do have a pretty darn tasty cup of coffee ready and waiting right when I roll out of bed (love those programmable timers).

Cons:

Least impressive is the gauge, or coffee quantity indicator. It reads full after taking out around three 12 oz mugs. Conversely, when it reads half full, there is ony one mug left. Pretty minor inconvenience, once you know how it keeps score.

Another bummer is that my insulated beverage container is too tall to fit under the dispenser.

The coffee tank is easy to clean, just watch it when you dump it into the sink. It doesn't have any type of spout and the liquid will come out sideways (you'll find out what i mean). Just keep it below the sink line when you pour it out.

Overall though, after 2 years, it has cranked out pot after pot of tasty coffee.

We have had this coffeemaker for our office 3 years and 9 months already and are just now replacing it. This gets daily use and has had a few minor issues that any coffeemaker can have (hard water deposits building up inside, etc.). This coffeemaker brews the coffee into an inside holding area for you to dispense with the press of a button as needed, so the flap that holds the coffee in can get small deposits holding the flap from sealing, but was not a frequent issue or something difficult to correct. Makes a great cup of coffee, and we like the ease of self serving coffee without the expense of a Keurig (saving hundreds a month in coffee for the office). I think the timer beeps after 3 hours to let you know the warming feature will be shut off, but if you go 3 hours without an empty pot, you don't drink coffee like we do. We have had little to no cleaning or maintenance and has lasted this long. Perhaps those who are coffeemaker cleaning fanatics may cause wear to parts that are not meant to be removed and cleaned so often, but we have had no such trouble, however have very pure spring water so may not have the same water problems as others.

We have a one-cup-at-a-time coffeemaker with which I have a couple of criticisms (not hot enough coming out, and woe be unto she who puts too fine a grind in the reusable pod — the water will go down to a trickle), so I wanted to try a different kind. This machine is bigger than I expected, for some reason, and I don’t drink a ton of coffee so I wondered if I should even keep it. I’m very glad I did. It makes a fine cup of coffee and keeps it nice and hot for as long as you need it. I can get up, have my coffee, and hubby can sleep in and still have hot coffee when HE gets up, with no additional effort from either of us. I also love that I can program it. We get up quite early for farm chores and work, and setting it up the night before is great. One less morning chore!

We use the metal basket and there have been zero issues with coffee grinds escaping into the cup. Take the extra 30 seconds to soapy-sponge out the “ribs” at the bottom of the filter holder and the coffee residue will not build up.

It brews quietly, and beeps quietly too.

I can’t think of one negative thing about this machine so far. We’re using it every day and it works beautifully.

We have a one-cup-at-a-time coffeemaker with which I have a couple of criticisms (not hot enough coming out, and woe be unto she who puts too fine a grind in the reusable pod — the water will go down to a trickle), so I wanted to try a different kind. This machine is bigger than I expected, for some reason, and I don’t drink a ton of coffee so I wondered if I should even keep it. I’m very glad I did. It makes a fine cup of coffee and keeps it nice and hot for as long as you need it. I can get up, have my coffee, and hubby can sleep in and still have hot coffee when HE gets up, with no additional effort from either of us. I also love that I can program it. We get up quite early for farm chores and work, and setting it up the night before is great. One less morning chore!

We use the metal basket and there have been zero issues with coffee grinds escaping into the cup. Take the extra 30 seconds to soapy-sponge out the “ribs” at the bottom of the filter holder and the coffee residue will not build up.

It brews quietly, and beeps quietly too.

I can’t think of one negative thing about this machine so far. We’re using it every day and it works beautifully.

This is my Second Cuisinart Coffee 12 cup, actually this one.. I love this model. Is fast., digital, programmable, timer sound to tell you it is done and when it is shutting off, you control all of it. when it Comes on & when it shuts OFF. Its GREAT!! Oh, did i say it is BEAUTIFUL too? I think so! you will too!

My husband is a coffee connoisseur and loves this coffee maker. The best feature is it keeps the coffee hot for an extended period of time without tasting burned. Brews the coffee relatively fast and has a rich flavor.

I had a few months, and had the previous model for years, without issue. I bought for the updates and have yet to have any problems listed in most negative reviews.

The coffee is hot, the convenience is great, no leaks, can fit small mug or large to-go mug if I slide out drip tray. I always end up breaking carafes with carafe models, so I love this design. I love the Timer set-up so I can wake up to fresh, hot coffee and love the little light under the spout for those dark winter mornings when I still am not ready to put lights on, but need to be sure I'm not overflowing the mug.

I dislike having to buy and replace the charcoal filters, but it's a minor inconvenience. They're not expensive or hard to use, just one of those things I have to keep on top of. I set a monthly reminder on my computer calendar to keep me on top of it.

UPDATE 1/4/20 - Still works perfectly and has not given me any issues. Coffee still hot and convenient. Yes, I’m still buying filters, but a bag of 12 is still inexpensive and last the year, so not an issue. Happy New Year, everyone!

EDIT (8/24/18): If the "Clean" light comes on every time you run a brew cycle -- even after prior repeated cleanings -- you can probably fix this issue by unplugging the unit for at least one (1) hour, preferably longer. Doing this apparently resets the machine back to its factory settings. As I documented below (yes, I know this review is WAY too long), I had cleaned my DCC-3000 repeatedly and the "Clean" light kept coming on no matter what. There are a lot of complaints about this related to this model and its predecessors. I do not know if there is a dedicated sensor that detects calcium/mineral buildup that triggers the "Clean" light. If there is one, it might be defective if the above procedure to clear the "Clean" light's status does not work for you. I am leaving my rating at Four Stars for now; still, it is a great machine if you can tolerate its quirks.

EDIT (8/19/18): For now, I am taking off one (1) star (from a 5-star rating) because the "Clean" indicator is now coming one every 7-10 days! I brewed my first batch of coffee on May 23, changed the water filter on July 23 (every 60 days as recommended) and the "Clean" light didn't come on for the first time until July 31. No problem, I figured...it's probably time for its first cleaning. Performed the vinegar flush on July 31, only to have the "Clean" light come on again on Aug. 10. That's strange, I thought. So I cleaned it again, this time using 1/2 water and 1/2 vinegar. Seven days later on Aug. 17, the "Clean" light came on AGAIN. This morning (Aug. 19), I cleaned it again with pure vinegar (12 cups; oh, what a stink!) and am now running a third flush with clean water. It may be time to use pure lemon juice, as the vinegar I have been using is, admittedly, old and its acidity has probably diminished with time. I'll provide another update soon, but this is a discouraging development because I truly LOVE this type of coffee dispenser.

ORIGINAL REVIEW (6/10/18):Simply put, this is a great coffeemaker.

When I first saw it, it reminded me of my red plastic Kool-Aid drink dispenser I had when I was a kid. Nostalgia aside, the DCC-3000 is a great value for those wanting to, ahem, dispense with the traditional coffee carafe. Initial setup is quick and easy. Just remember to pull the power cord completely out from its internal storage compartment on the back of the unit. You can also push the cord back into its storage cavity to reduce excess length.

When the water reservoir is filled to the 6-cup mark, my unit completes a full brewing cycle in five (5) minutes. It’ll make a little noise – some hissing and an occasional pop or two – but that tells you it’s working as it should. During a recent brief power outage (about 2 minutes), the clock retained all of its settings. And the beautiful blue LED backlight will cast just enough light so you can prepare your coffee on the counter without turning on the kitchen light. The white LED dispensing light is just outright cool and helps prevent you from overfilling your cup. If you use a ceramic mug, be advised that the bottom of the cup may scratch the plated drip pan grate. Just place a folded paper towel atop the grate to prevent this. (Replacement parts ARE available from Cuisinart and other sources but can be pricey.)

Cleaning is fairly straightforward. I clean my coffee reservoir and filter basket with warm soapy water after each use to remove any residual coffee oils. This is my personal preference; for most users, cleaning it once weekly in this manner is usually sufficient. The cavity for the coffee reservoir will capture residual condensation that remains from a brewing cycle. Just roll up a paper towel (length-wise) and wick it away from the interior.

I have used the “1-4 cup” setting just once for a 4-cup brewing cycle and it produced flavorful coffee with the comparable strength and temperature of a 6-cup cycle. On my unit, I have found that each demarcation on the Coffee Gauge represents about 2 cups. I have yet to use the included gold-tone filter, opting instead for paper filters.

The only improvements I would make to future iterations of the DCC-3000 are (1) a slight redesign of the coffee reservoir/filter basket lid to prevent condensation from dripping down the back of the unit and (2) a backlight for the Coffee Gauge.

This machine, combined with Amazon pricing and a three-year Cuisinart warranty, represents an excellent value for those wanting to go carafe-less.

UPDATE (6/19/2018): I have owned the Cuisinart DCC-3000 for 30 days now and have completed 13 brewing sessions (6 cups each). Around the 8th or 9th session, I noticed my coffee had become somewhat weak for an unknown reason(s). This morning, I filled the water reservoir to the **5.5** cup mark (1/2 cup less than usual), used my normal 6 level scoops of medium ground coffee and set the "1-4 Cups" feature. The result was noticeably stronger coffee. I know that other reviewers here have said that activating the "1-4 Cups" feature does not enhance the strength if you are brewing more than 4 cups. Regardless, I will keep experimenting until I can brew coffee consistently at my preferred strength. As stated earlier, I wash the coffee reservoir and filter basket in warm soapy water after each use. For some users, this might seem like overkill. However, I have not experienced any problems with dripping from the dispenser. At most, only 2 drops fall into the drip pan once I have filled my cup, which is acceptable. **Keeping the spring-loaded port at the bottom of the coffee reservoir ++clean and unobstructed++ is key to keeping coffee from dripping from the dispenser.** I have yet to use the gold-toned filter, opting instead for junior-size paper filters designed for 4-6 cups. All in all, I'm still very satisfied with my purchase.

Like all people I look at the stars and reviews before purchasing a product online. I was surprise that some people gave this coffee maker a 4 or less star because of it's cord. I was also surprise that some people even returned it because of the length of the coffee maker cord. If some people gave a little effort they would realize the rest of the cord's length is tucked into the machine. I have attached a video for those who still struggle.

The machine is odd. The user is greeted by what looks to be an old pickup truck’s fuel gauge, with an ‘E’ to the left and ‘F’ to the right to indicate the level of coffee inside the machine. That’s right – like a gas tank, the coffee is stored inside the machine, as well as brewed in it.

A small LED-backlit clock sits at the top right of its face, just above a simple and navigable switch-based menu. Like its SS single-serve lineup counterparts, the Cuisinart DCC-3000 coffee maker has a large, detachable water reservoir.

Perhaps the coolest part of the DCC-3000 is its dispensation. To serve coffee, you press down on a ledge, not unlike an office water cooler. To our surprise, a lot of coffee – sixty ounces – fits into a relatively small-looking compartment. The machine is 24-hour pre-programmable, so you can go to bed the night before and wake up to fresh-brewed coffee.

A removable drip tray allows more space to fit travel mugs and taller cups. A bright light shines into the cup when dispensing coffee to show much space is left – an innovative and clever way to prevent morning spills. And from the engineering perspective, a one-minute failsafe is built into the machine in order to prevent the loss of settings during a power outage.

If you are anything like me, your work day has to start with a cup or two of coffee. I particularly like the French Vanilla flavor, and everyone in the office knows when I get to work in the mornings, because of the great aroma of that Folgers French Vanilla ground coffee. They have become so accustomed to the scent that I can never pretend to be at work when I am not. This custom has evolved into a responsibility on me, to make coffee for several of my co-workers every morning, and has forced me to look at coffee makers that may work better than my current one.

I need a carafe-less coffeemaker because I break glass carafes & don’t like stainless because you can’t see how much coffee is left. I like the coffee gauge on the front. Settings are easy to use. Very nice looking appliance.

OMG. This is my second favorite use of electricity in my house. (First place: my old furnace, may she blast another few years.)

I program this baby to make me coffee and it DOES! I tell it to clean itself and it DOES! Seriously, though, the tank is enormous and there is a light where the coffee is dispensed. When I had a now-discontinued Black & Decker unit similar to this one, the lack of a light was fairly inconvenient. (Not to be TOO #FirstWorldProblem on ya...)

I really like the styling: the gauge that indicates how much coffee is left looks like it's out of a Volkswagen Beetle!

OH! MY!! GOSH!!! I am in LOVE!! This makes yummy HOT coffee, and in pretty short order! I love for my coffee to be really hot when I first get it so I can "sip" it. This fills the bill beautifully! For years, I have used Hamilton Beach makers (having to buy one about every year), and it only got hot enough that I could take a drink, rather than sipping it. Therefore, in very short order, the coffee was cool. Not so with this maker, no sir! My last HB maker was one of the "leakers" that the company said they couldn't fix. I had to syphon the water out each time I used it with a turkey baster, losing almost 2 cups of water that wouldn't go through the coffee-making process. I was preparing to buy yet another HB maker, when this one showed up in my search. I KNOW that Cuisinart makes very good products, so even though it was more expensive, I gave it a go! Trust me when I say that with that first sip of delicious, HOT coffee, I am delighted to be 'HOOKED" on this machine. Hands down, it's the BEST coffee maker I have EVER purchased, and I am delighted that I made the switch. My ONLY regret is that I didn't do it years earlier!

My husband drank almost 3 cups of coffee the first day I had this!!! He almost NEVER drank even a full cup before this pot!! To me, that is a STERLING ENDORSEMENT all by itself!

Great, easy to use and clean solution for "coffee on demand". Basically brews coffee into a heated "tank" and then you dispense coffee by pressing a lever down. It has a nifty gauge that shows you how much coffee is left. Only one complaint: it only makes 12 cups. This is not really a legit complaint however, because few coffee makers do. We just drink a LOT of coffee in this house so we usually make a second pot. Coffee brews consistently strong and tasty, it includes a reusable mesh filter (we still put a filter in it to reduce coffee sediment), and the tank is easily removed and cleaned. We got this after getting tired of the price of Keurig cups and haven't looked back.

This coffee maker is fantastic. It brews the coffee perfectly and it keeps it hot. I have not had any issues with it leaking. As for the cord being short, all you have to do is pull it; you may have to pull hard, but it will uncoil. For my larger mugs and travel cups, you just remove the catch plate and the cup will fit. Sometimes you have to move the maker a little closer to the edge of the counter for the very tall cups, but when coffee's involved it's really not an inconvenience. I have zero complaints.

Love this coffee pot so much, that this is my second purchase. I researched coffee makers to see if there was a better one out there, and there just wasn't. I am a coffee-aholic! I love 'coffee on demand', and not having that gross pot with the acidic taste of burnt coffee is why I enjoy this coffee maker so much. The first one I bought lasted about 4 years. When I looked to buy it again, it was half the original price, and they made some improvements! It now has an LED display for the clock which really helps! And the removable clear tank on the side is awesome! You used to have to use a pitcher of your own to guesstimate how much water to put in. This is easy and there is no guess work. Love my coffee, and love this coffee maker!

We absolutely love this coffee maker. We've had it for over 3 years and it works fabulous! We make coffee everyday and can even set a timer for those early mornings