Customer Reviews

Black & Decker DCM7 Cup-at-a-Time Personal 12-Ounce Coffeemaker, White

5 star:		(122)
4 star:		(59)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(17)

 

 

I bought one of these for my mother for Christmas. Years ago I had gotten her a Black&Decker cup-at-a-time coffeemaker and it finally gave up last year. The only cup-at-a-time coffeemaker at a reasonable price I could find locally was by Toastess. The Toastess paled in comparison to the Black&Decker, not only in build quality but in ease of use. My mother suffers from a neurological disorder which makes it difficult to coordinate the use of her hands; she is okay with general tasks, but nothing which requires fine manipulation. This Black&Decker coffeemaker, like the model before, is easy to use. The power switch is on the front and a little larger than several coffeemakers switches; you just have to push down on it. There is nothing to move out of the way when filling the reservoir; just lift the lid. The reservoir is also a little wider than the Toastess making it easier to fill. Of course, one of the safety features, which the Toastess model also lacks, is the automatic shut-off. When it is finished making a cup of coffee, and it is fast, it just shuts off, which is great for someone who keeps forgetting to turn off their coffeemaker. The only issue I can see that someone may have, and niggling at that, is that this unit cannot hold tall coffee mugs. All of my mother's coffee mugs fit, which is a lesser concern for me, however, than its ease of use and safety, at which this Black&Decker excels.--Bob

When I bought this machine I was suspicious. Could something so inexpensive really do the job? I bought it based on the high reviews. I place an additional filter in the filter basket of the coffee pot. This keeps coffee grinds from getting into any of the coffee maker mechanisms and into the cup. I usually use one heaping tablespoon of Folgers or Heritage (local brand) coffee for a semi strong cup of coffee. This is an excellent and worthwhile purchase for the dollar! Enjoy!

I'm going to add another comment here after owning this coffee maker for a while. I would still give this five stars but want to alert people to the following. This is an inexpensive commodity. The back top area of the pot where you put in the water over time can slightly warp due to the steam heat from the water. This means that the water can leak out a little bit and drip down the sides. It's not a huge problem, however, it is somewhat annoying. The whole unit is so inexpensive, that I just bought another one. I keep the older one stored. Wanted anyone to know this before purchasing. This is **still** an excellent purchase for the money and replacement costs still minimal compared to more expensive units.

First, many thanks to all the other reviewers who posted their opinions for this product. They were a big help in deciding which item to buy. I did in fact buy this Cup-At-A-Time coffeemaker, and it's worked out well. The details....
--- I had no problem with the temperature, and found the coffee plenty hot enough. For those who prefer super hot coffee (like my dad), I suggest you warm up the mug with hot water from the tap just before use. This will keep the coffee at brewing temperature significantly longer than when using a cold mug.
--- I've been using this item always with the addition of a paper filter, on top of the reusable filter. This makes the coffee nice and strong. I found that either Melita cone filters or 4-cup basket filters will work, with a little modification. The Melita cone filters need to be trimmed with scissors along the top, to remove about half an inch of paper. This makes them a perfect fit. Round basket filters (4 cup size) need no trimming. First you flatten them, then fold them in quarters, then fold up the point a little bit. Finally open the "cone" to create a suitable pocket for the coffee. Works great.
--- I've had no problem with coffee grounds getting into the water reservoir. I think this will only happen if you try to add coffee grounds to the filter while the filter unit is still inside the machine. Bad idea. Just lift the filter basket out, put it on the countertop, and add the grounds there. Then put the filter basket back in the coffee maker. It drops into place very easily.
--- Note that the maximum height for a mug to fit this coffeemaker is 4 inches. Taller mugs will not work.
--- And that's about it. Overall, I am very please with this item, especially for this price.

I work alone in a small school library. Currently, I am going through the entire collection, getting rid of old, unread books, then processing the keepers for automation. It is a tedious process. After lunch every day I literally fall asleep. Something had to be done!! I needed coffee!!

I began looking for a 4-cup coffeemaker to buy and take to school (thinking that's as small as a unit comes). Then I spotted the one-cup-at-a-time units! I like Black & Decker products and I prefer white appliances, so this Cup-at-a-Time Coffeemaker caught my attention at once. In addition, I always read reviews for product evaluation. This one ranked high.

It's at school now, near my computer, and in its little work area containing two mugs, spoon, creamer, sugar. It's a delightful little machine, designed to please just one person at a time. And it does.

(Note: Just one detraction: A mug does not pour well. At first, I found it difficult to pour water into the well without spilling any. Solved that problem by buying a plastic measuring cup with a spout. No spills now!)

I received this coffee pot as a gift several years ago and use it almost daily! I suggest using a #1 or #2 filter, the included filter works, but some fine grounds do get through. The coffee comes out quickly and you get a steaming hot cup. Perfect for mornings when you don't have time for a whole pot. Also perfect if you like a variety of flavors. On weekends I'll switch flavors several times so you don't get tired of making a whole pot of one flavor and waste it. It's small for those who don't drink a lot or have a lot of space. It's easy to clean and small and easy to store when not in use. I plan on getting another one for my desk at work!

I had an old Cup-at-a-Time in my old workplace, and it was great! But I bought one for my new workplace, and am very disappointed with the horrible plastic taste that I cannot get rid of. I have scrubbed it out, run a vinegar solution through it, run a baking soda solution through it, even run fresh-squeezed lemon juice through it, and many, many changes of water, but the tea still tastes strongly of plastic.

I'm going to try a metal electric teakettle instead.

This is the best cup of coffee I have ever had!! I used to use sugar in my coffee But with this One cup at a time coffee maker The coffee is so good it does not need sugar. Also A sugestion is to use a paper #2 filter under the permanant filter. It grabs some silt that would get through. Enjoy!!

I was skeptical that this coffee maker would brew a good cup of coffee. I bought three when these were on sale here for $4.99 (yes, just shy of five bucks). Figured it couldn't be that bad, and the reviews supported that. Sure enough, this DCM7 makes great coffee. Hot, and very fast. Just need to heed the warnings to use 4" or shorter coffee mugs. Very pleased with this. Have one spare, and one is going to my daughter for Christmas. Even at $15, this is well worth the cost!

This is the neatness product for one or two coffee drinkers, like me. It does one cup at a time quickly and then shuts itself off. It has a built-in fine screen filter so no more filter fumbling and buying. It takes up very little counter space or small enough to tuck away in your kit cabinet like you would a 28oz can of beans.

It brews so quickly, two or even three people can have coffee in about the same time it would take a bigger coffee maker to do. A must have for limited counter spaces. I do not see the faults others have mentioned here in mine?

The only improvement I could think of is a buzzer when it is done, but it brews so quickly this is no biggy and I set my kitchen timer for 1 minute as a reminder.

We've owned one of these for at least 15-20 years, and have never had trouble with it. So convenient for busy mornings, easy to clean, and the auto shut-off is wonderful! Buy it, you'll love it!