Cuisinart DCC-1200 Brew Central 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker

by Cuisinart

• Features 24-hour programmability and programmable automatic shutoff 0 to 4 hours plus a 1- to 4-Cup feature
• Brew pause feature lets you enjoy a cup of coffee before brewing has finished
• 12-Cup glass carafe with ergonomic handle, dripless pour spout and knuckle guard for easy pouring
• Includes: Charcoal water filter and permanent gold tone filter, measuring scoop and instruction book
• Measures 14-1/4 by 8 by 10-3/4 inches; 3-Year limited warranty

Product Details

Product Manual [PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 9 x 14 inches ; 10.5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B000H4C5FC
• Item model number: DCC-1200BCH
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3,690 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,492 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining)
  • #29 in Kitchen & Dining > Coffee, Tea & Espresso > Drip Coffee Machines

Product Description

Color: Black Chrome

Amazon.com

Strikingly retro in black chrome with black-plastic accents, this 12-cup coffeemaker includes Cuisinart's best brewing technology and premium features for ease and flexibility. The digital clock/timer is programmable for automatically brewing "wake-up" coffee at a selected time and for turning off the warming plate up to four hours in advance. Removing the glass carafe from the warming plate automatically pauses the brewing process for a quick pour, and the warming plate's temperature can be adjusted. For maximum flavor, the machine can be set to brew 1 to 4 5-ounce cups or 5 to 12 cups, and it includes a charcoal water filter. For convenience, a permanent Gold Tone filter eliminates messy paper filters and an indicator-light shows when decalcification is needed. The coffeemaker measures 14-1/4 inches high, 8 inches wide, and 10-3/4 inches deep (including carafe handle) and carries a three-year warranty against defects. --Fred Brack

From the Manufacturer

The Cuisinart DCC-1200 Brew Central Coffeemaker

Enjoy Great Coffee with the DCC-1200

Cuisinart introduces a coffeemaker with retro styling and the latest in high tech features, making it the centerpiece of any kitchen. The Cuisinart Brew Central coffeemaker is reminiscent of the days of classic styling and durable materials. A brushed stainless steel exterior with retro-style controls houses the finest in coffee making technology. This coffeemaker even includes a charcoal water filter. The water filter ensures great tasting coffee by removing all of the impurities from the water. The Brew Central coffeemaker also comes with advanced features such as a programmable digital clock with 24 hour advanced-brew setting, an automatic shutoff, a self-cleaning function, and an audible beep that signals the end of the brew cycle, which makes brewing the best tasting coffee easy.

The Quest for a Perfect Cup of Coffee

It is generally agreed that there are four basic elements critical to the perfect cup:

Water & Coffee Filters

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 Brew Central 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. 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 removed from the freezer, beans should be maintained 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.

The Perfect Cup of Coffee

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. A medium-fine grind is recommended.

Element 4. Proportion:
The cups on the Cuisinart coffeemaker measure 5 ounces. Add the amount of ground coffee that corresponds to the number of cups being brewed. Many coffee bars and the Specialty Coffee Association of America recommend adding 2 rounded tablespoons of coffee per 6 ounces of water. Some coffee manufactures recommend using 1 tablespoon per cup. Cuisinart recommends using 1 tablespoon of ground coffee per cup, but use more or less to suit your taste. Note: the maximum capacity for ground coffee is 15 tablespoons for the 12-cup coffeemaker. Exceeding this amount may cause overflow if the coffee is too finely ground.

Features and Benefits

LCD & Controls
1. Reservoir Cover: Flips back for easy filling.
2. Water Reservoir: When filling the coffeemaker with water, refer to the carafe height markings and fill to the desired number of cups. Be sure to add a small amount of extra water to account for the amount of water lost in wetting the grounds and lost as steam during the brewing process.
3. Showerhead: Distributes water evenly over coffee, reducing temperature loss as water passes through grounds.
4. Water Filter: Charcoal water filter eliminates chlorine, calcium and bad tastes or odors from tap water. Cuisinart recommends changing the water filter every 60 days or 60 uses ‒ or more often if you have hard water.
5. Filter Basket: Holds a #4 paper filter or a permanent filter.
6. LCD Digital Clock: Displays the time of day and set time for automatic functions.
7. Function Knob and Flip Switch: Used to initiate programming of automatic functions.
8. The Auto On feature is used to program the start time of the brew cycle. The Auto On can be set for any time, day or night. The PM indicator is displayed on the LCD for nighttime program times. The Auto Off feature is used to shut off the coffeemaker at a preset time, anywhere from 0 to 4 hours. Note: To program the coffeemaker to shut off automatically, read the instructions included in the Instruction Manual under 'To program the Variable Auto Off'
1. Heater Plate Control Knob: For controlling the temperature of the coffee after brewing. There are three temperature settings high, medium and low.
2. 1-4 Cup Setting: The 1-4 cup setting button is used when you make small amounts of coffee. Normal coffeemakers will produce a colder batch of coffee when smaller amounts are made, because the heater doesn’t have enough time to properly ‘warm up’ to heat a small amount. The 1-4 setting basically ‘double heats’ the water, making your smaller amounts as piping hot as a full pot would be. To use simply press the 1-4 button on the control panel after turning on the unit.
3. Retro-style flip switch is used to turn your coffeemaker on and off and works in tandem with the function knob.
9. Clean Setting: Tells you when it’s time to clean your coffeemaker. Remove built-up calcification from the water reservoir, to help extend the life of your coffeemaker.
10. Brew Pause: Stops flow of coffee from basket when carafe is removed (30 seconds max) from the heater plate, so a cup can be poured in mid-brew. Since the flavor extraction rate varies during the brew cycle, we recommend allowing the brewing cycle to finish before pouring the coffee. The coffee brewed at the beginning of the cycle has a flavor profile which is very different from the flavor at the end of the cycle. Once the coffee has finished brewing, stir it before serving to blend the flavors. The coffee at the bottom of the carafe will be somewhat stronger than the coffee at the top.
11. Carafe: The easy pour, no drip glass carafe has an ergonomic handle and brewed coffee markings for two to twelve cups.
12. Heating Plate: Scratch resistant with black, nonstick coating.
13. Ready Tone: Signals the end of the brew cycle with five beeps (coffee will continue to stream from the filter for a few seconds after the tone).

Product Description

Cuisinart continues to outshine the competition! The lustrous finish and elegant contemporary lines of the Black Chrome Series make this coffeemaker a standout. It's a unique and elegant way to dress up even the most sophisticated kitchens. Easy to use dials allow you to choose 24-hour advance brew start, cup settings and auto-shutoff. Brew pause feature lets you remove the carafe during the brew cycle and pour a cup without drips and spills. Maximum coffee flavor with maximum effort, the latest technology makes coffee quick and easy.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

584 of 591 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Plusses and Minuses July 18, 2005

By Elaine Corwin

Color Name:Black/Brushed Metal|Amazon Verified Purchase

I've had the Cuisinart DCC-1200 for about a week now. I was hesitant to spend so much on a coffee maker but I'm happy to report it's well worth it. Sure, you can get other brands of coffee makers for under $25 if economy is the most important feature, but I've had those machines and I decided that, this time, a good cup of coffee was most important for me. This unit makes the best coffee I've had in a home or office machine and better than most coffee I've had in restaurants.

This coffee tastes smooooooth! I suspect the charcoal water filter is the reason for that. I also like the "shower head" design of the water spout. The water actually runs up a track onto the underside of the lid and is sprinkled over the ground coffee like a rain shower.

It's an attractive unit but it also looks like a serious coffee maker. This unit is no toy. It looks and feels solid. The carafe has a good solid feel and balance. The plastic parts (like the plastic carafe lid and handle) feel like good heavyweight plastic and are well molded. It's not the lightweight crappy plastic that cracks and discolors easily in the cheap coffee makers.

I like the 5 beeps when the coffee is ready. Now I can leave the kitchen and go clean or whatever and I don't have to keep running back to see if I can get a cup yet. I can hear the beeps. But if I really can't wait and want a cup in mid-brew, I can just remove the pot and pour a cup - you've got a full 30 seconds to reinsert the pot, before you risk an overflowing filter.

I like the permanent gold-tone filter too. I always thought paper filters were a pain. They'd fold over sometimes and there'd be grounds in my coffee. But you can use paper filters in this machine if you want to. I just prefer the convenience of the gold-tone filter (top rack machine washable too).

It has an indicator light for cleaning -- it says it's "self-cleaning" but really it's just a light telling you when you need to pour in a pot of water/vinegar and run it through to decalcify the unit. (I never thought to do that with my other units. Probably another reason my coffee wasn't as good as I wanted it to be.)

The low-medium-high setting on the hot plate is pretty nice too. And the auto-shutoff feature is great. I don't have to worry about forgetting to turn the machine off.

The instruction booklet is very good and very thorough. Comes with a parts reordering form too.

What don't I like about this machine? It requires maintenance in that you have to change the charcoal filters. But actually I don't mind since I think they are the reason the coffee tastes so smooth, and they are very easy to change and not expensive [...]

Also, the area in the top of the machine where you pour in the water is narrow but again this is just a minor inconvenience. Just have to pour a little carefully.

So really it's almost all positives with a couple of very minor negatives. I highly recommend this coffee maker.

727 of 743 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic coffeemaker - if you have the space September 24, 2005

By Debbie Lee Wesselmann TOP 50 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Color Name:Black Chrome

When my Braun FlavorSelect coffee maker unexpectedly stopped working, I had to scramble to find a new machine. I wanted another Braun, but unfortunately, they seem to have stopped making a 12 cup coffee maker. So I had to begin an intense search for a machine that had the features I wanted combined with good value. I finally found it with this Cuisinart model.

The advantages? For one, it makes excellent and HOT coffee. The carafe is solidly constructed and fits securely in square body so there's no chance of someone accidentally knocking it loose. Because the lid fits tightly, the pour is precisely narrow and smooth, with no side leaks even when the pot is full. The basket fits inside the housing instead of swinging free like so many models which prevents a misalignment between the water and the filter; the conical (Krups/Braun style) basket accepts both paper filters and gold-tone, although I learned the hard way that not all gold filters fit. The timer is very easy to program, as is the clock. The carafe warmer can be set at low, medium, or high for the temperature that's right for you. I found the "high" setting too hot since I drink my coffee black (I like my coffee hot but not scalding!), but those who add a lot of milk might appreciate it. The brewing is quick and efficient, with the process taking about a minute a cup, maybe less. The retro/stainless look complements most modern kitchen décors. There's a 1-4 cup setting to make sure such small amounts stay hot, and you can select how long the warmer remains on. The pot beeps five times when brewing is complete and just before the warming plate shuts off. Parts are top rack dishwasher safe. It comes with a water filter system designed to improve the taste of the brew.

But the Cuisinart does have disadvantages. The water reservoir is located on the right side, in the back, which makes it a little challenging for lefties like me to dump the final bit of water inside even though the carafe pours very accurately. Although I haven't yet missed the opening, I do struggle briefly with those last few drops unless I use my right hand. The housing is fairly tall, so if your counter space is only under the cabinets, you may not be able to lift the top in its entirety. (This is when the small rear reservoir becomes a major issue as you have to have room to completely lift the rather large top toward the back.) Clearance required: 7.5" wide by 8.5" deep of counter space with no overhead obstruction to pull out for filling OR 21.5" of overhead space to fully lift top. Without the top open, the coffee maker measures 7.5"w x 8.5"d x 14.25"h.

If you have the space for this coffee maker, you'll love it. I can't attest to how long it will last, but, as it comes with a three year warranty, I'm hoping for a good run.

720 of 745 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally Found It! March 17, 2002

By A Customer

Color Name:Black/Brushed Metal

After purchasing 3 other coffee makers, the 4th one is the charm! This coffee maker makes great tasting coffee. I never knew there was a difference -- it's worth spending a few more dollars on. It also has all of the features I was looking for such as: adjustable warming plate, 1-4 cup selection, water filter, programmable. It is a rather tall machine, but certainly not a problem as it fits fine underneathe most cabinets. Als, the carafe is well-made and has a spout that pours nicely without spilling. No complaints about this one!