Convenience is key, as this coffee maker grounds coffee beans directly into the brew basket, and features a grind-off feature for pre-ground coffee.
Freshly-ground coffee beans are one of the keys to making great-tasting coffee. With most coffee makers, that requires a separate grinder – and then you’ll need to transfer the ground coffee to the coffee maker. However, the Cuisinart Fully Automatic Burr Grind & Brew Coffee Maker has a built-in grinder – and it’s one of the very few coffee makers with this feature. And the built-in burr grinder dispenses grounds directly into the brew basket, making it convenient to use. The bean hopper can hold half a pound of coffee beans, and the sealed lid keeps them fresh. However, when you already have pre-ground coffee, you can turn the grind feature off.
But how well does the Cuisinart Fully Automatic Burr Grind & Brew Coffeemaker work? I tested it for over a week to see how it performs.
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Cuisinart Fully Automatic Burr Grind & Brew Coffeemaker Specs:
Brand: Cuisinart
Product Name: Cuisinart Fully Automatic Grind & Brew Coffeemaker
Model Number: DGB-800 Series
Dimensions: 8.74” L x 11.96” W x 16.34” H
Weight: 15 pounds
Water Tank Capacity: 96 ounces
Bean Hopper Capacity: ½ pound
Wattage: 1100 watts
Warranty: 3-years
Where to buy:
Unboxing and Setup
The 12.7-pound Cuisinart coffee maker arrived in good shape. It was securely packed in a brown cardboard box, and inside of that, a branded cardboard and molded cardboard. The coffee maker and carafe were also wrapped in plastic.
The total contents of the box include the coffee maker, glass carafe, measuring scoop with cleaning brush on the other end, charcoal water filter, paper filters, and instruction manual.
On the top of the coffee maker is the hopper and burr grinder. The water reservoir is on the back side of the machine. The charcoal water filter holder is inside of the water reservoir. I took it out, inserted the charcoal filter into the charcoal water filter holder, and then placed the holder back into the coffee maker. The water filter is designed to remove chlorine, as well as bitter tastes and odors from tap water.
The water level indicator can be viewed on the right side of the machine.
The control panel is located on the front of the coffee maker. The clock, grind control, and strength control settings are displayed in this area. The control panel also contains the actual buttons for program, on/off button, grind off, and strength.
Under the program button are various features, including setting the clock, setting the program time, and setting the auto-shutoff time. The coffee maker can be programmed to shut off anywhere from 0 to 4 hours after the brewing cycle is complete.
The “grind off” button is enabled when pre-ground coffee will be used instead. However, when using the grinder, the grind control button and brew knob lets me select the number of cups I want to brew, and the burr grinder will grind a sufficient amount of coffee for that size.
Selecting the strength control button, I can also choose a regular, bold, and extra-bold flavor.
The empty light flashes when the previous filter and coffee grounds are still in the filter basket. It will also make audible beeping sounds when the filter basket needs to be emptied. The coffee maker also beeps if the filter door is not closed, or the filter door is not properly in place. A red light appears above the clean button when it’s time to decalcify the coffee maker.
Below the control panel is the filer basket. Pressing the release button opens the door to use the permanent filter or insert a paper filter.
Before using the Cuisinart coffee maker for the first time, the instructions are to flush the system with water (which means filling the water reservoir with water, pressing the grind off button, and then brewing a carafe of coffee). This helps to remove any dust or debris that may be left over from the manufacturing process.
Using the Cuisinart Fully Automatic Burr Grind & Brew Coffeemaker
I was eager to try the grinder function. After filling the water reservoir, I filled the hopper with coffee beans, and inserted the gold-tone permanent filter (you can also use a paper filter). Note: I never completely fill the hopper. Even though it has an airtight lid, I just don’t like to pour out that much at one time.
After pressing the on/off button to turn the coffee maker on, I turned the grind control knob to 6 (for 6 cups of coffee), and then turned the brew strength to extra-bold flavor (which is the third strength setting).
The machine quickly brewed a carafe of coffee. I poured a cup and it was rich and full.
The coffeemaker also has a brew pause feature. I never use it because I can wait until it finishes a carafe, especially since this results in weaker coffee. However, for those people who want to stop the brew process to pour a cup mid-brew, it is possible to take the carafe out and the brewing cycle will stop. However, it should not be removed for more than 20 seconds.
Also, since this model has a glass carafe, it uses a hot plate. My preference is always a model with a thermal carafe. It tends to cost more, but the thermal insulation keeps coffee hot for a longer period of time – without the need for hot plates. Also, the thermal carafe is cool to the touch and more durable than glass.
Cleaning the Machine
Although I’m pretty good at removing the filter basket and carafe each day to clean, I’ll admit that I do occasionally forget. However, on the Cuisinart, the empty alert will flash on the display.
Cleaning entails discarding the coffee ground and pouring out the leftover coffee. Then the glass carafe, lid permanent filter, and filter basket are washed in the sink (although they can be washed on the top rack of the dishwasher as well).
To clean the grinder, I scooped out the remaining beans (and used the included brush to wipe away some of the grinding dust). Then, I placed the filter basket in place, turned the coffee maker on, and then pressed and held the brew button. This started the grinding process to remove any beans still in the machine. When the grinding stopped, I threw away the few coffee grinds in the filter basket. Then, I used a damp cloth to clean the hopper – and waited a few hours before putting the lid back on to ensure it was dry.
When the coffee maker needs to be decalcified, the clean indicator flashes. Obviously, it didn’t flash during the week I was testing the machine. However, the decalcification process removes the calcium deposits that can negatively affect the coffeemaker’s metal parts. Fortunately, Cuisinart does not require you to purchase a specific decalcification. Instead, you can use a simple solution of 1/3 vinegar and 2/3 water.
Should You Buy the Cuisinart Fully Automatic Burr Grind & Brew Coffeemaker?
If you like the idea of a coffeemaker that can freshly grind coffee beans, that may be reason enough to purchase the Cuisinart Fully Automatic Burr Grind & Brew Coffeemaker. However, it’s also loaded with features that make it pretty impressive for the price. For example, you can bypass the grinder feature and just use ground coffee instead. Also, the machine is programmable, has an adjustable auto-off setting, and makes 12 cups of coffee. In addition, you can select brew strength, and it provides alerts when the coffee maker is empty and when it needs to be cleaned.
I consider it a good choice, especially for the price, and recommend it as an easy-to-use coffee maker and grinder that delivers great coffee.
Where to buy Cuisinart Fully Automatic Burr Grind & Brew Coffee Maker
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