Customer Reviews

Cuisinart DCC-450 4-Cup Coffeemaker with Stainless Steel Carafe, White

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

Virtually impossible to pour water into the coffee maker or pour a cup of coffee without a mess on the counter. "sneak a cup" feature worked for about 2 weeks and now leaks. When you open the lid on the coffeemaker any condensation runs down the hinge and down the back of the machine. Auto turn off works most of the time, but not always so can't depend on it. If I try to have the coffee maker set up and ready to turn on later it leaks water all over. This is the second one we've had in 5 months--both had same problems. You know you have a cheap product when the store replaces with no questions asked AND tells you not to return the old one "just throw it away". We're switching to another brand.

We allowed this cute little machine drive us crazy for 15 days before we returned it.

1. The pot doesn't pour properly and it spills.
2. The water tank's lid doesn't open and close smoothly.
3. The power switch is impossible to operate with one hand. If you just push it (and the verb "push" is appropriate here), you'll be pushing the machine across the counter. First, you have to hold the machine with one hand so that it won't move when you are pushing the power switch with the other hand.
4. The lid of the pot doesn't sit in properly. It comes undone at the handle side.
5. The coffee gets cold quickly. (As noted by another reviewer, the stainless steel is not great for this function. It takes longer to warm the steel so the heat of the coffee is lost to the steel.)

My mistakes:

1. I thought auto-shut-off was a good idea. I thought 30 minutes would be enough to consume my morning coffee quota. As it turns out, I need more time. By the time I finish my second cup, the machine is already turned off and the coffee is cold.
2. Apparently there were good reasons why coffee pots were made out of glass. You can see through. You can see how much coffee is left. And there is no risk of making your fresh coffee on top of the leftover from yesterday. I thought I could live with a non-transparent coffee pot (just be organized, dump the leftover as soon as it becomes leftover, and rinse; don't forget to check before you make new coffee) but I am not that neat and tidy.

We hated this machine. What a shame! It looked so cute, especially in red.

I purchased this coffeemaker because of the stainless steel carafe. The problem is when you pour coffee into a cup, it goes all over, I have to pour off the kitchen sink. No matter how slow or fast, it makes a mess. The second problem is when the coffee sits on the warmer, it starts to boil. This may be a problem with just this one. I would not purchase this item again.

I was given a 12-cup coffee maker as a housewarming gift. Although it worked nicely, I live alone and found that when I made a half-pot, the coffee never came out quite right. It was also a pain to clean.

I love the Cuisinart 4-cup because it makes the perfect amount for me to have a large mug while I'm getting ready for work, and then take the rest with me in a travel mug. The coffee turns out great every time. It is easy enough for me to clean and set up during my morning (pre-coffee) stupor. It doesn't take up a lot of space on my counter.

The one drawback of the product is that it has a 30-min automatic shut-off feature. On weekends, I take a little longer to make it through the pot, and often it shuts off before I've finished all of the coffee. The stainless steel carafe does not keep it as hot as I expected (I was expecting it to be thermal, but I suppose that was my own misconception).

On the other hand, the auto shut-off has saved me from many a burned carafe, so I would say that is only a conditional flaw.

I have too many complaints. First its slow. Second the spout is awful. I always have a mess and I never usually have this problem.
Now the heating element is wearing off. Also if you take the carafe out while the coffee is running it doesnt seem to shut off. So I have to wait for 5 minutes to make 4 cups of coffee. Dont bother. Waste of money.

It is cute, but it spills and it's defective. The water spills while trying to fill the maker. The coffee spills when trying to fill the cup. The so-called plate warmer is more of a burner. It doesn't keep the coffee warm as much as it burns it if you don't use it in 15 minutes. But now, after only four months, it doesn't work at all. The automatic timer turns the machine off after 3 seconds and that's being generous. Don't buy it for yourself... Don't buy it as a gift...

There are two of us who use this coffeemaker. The coffee is very hot initially...but keeping the coffee hot on the "warmer" is not an issue as we finish it rapidly. The coffee is good flavor and we are fairly well satisfied.

However...it is impossible to tell how much coffee is in the carafe unless you take off the cover and take a peek (who is up to that the first thing in the morning?). If there is coffee in the carafe and you start another pot...you are in for a spill all over your counter.

Care must be taken when pouring the first cup...CAREFUL it could spill because of the small removavable plastic cover on the pour spout of the carafe. When initially pouring water into the pot...a hole in the back at the maximum fill level will prevent over-filling...but, overfill with water and you have a spill.

Over all...the coffee that is made is good and hot (but we drink it quickly..."after any spills are cleaned up". Never the less...the above mentioned "negatives" are more an avoidable nuisance than they are a problem.

Would we purchase again? Very likely as it is compact, seeming well constructed and the brewed coffee is very good.

Everything I say in this review will make sense should you decide to purchase. I've owned this for about a year and it sort of un-nerves me every time I use it. The pot is hard to clean due to the smaller than usual opening. My previous "three" 4-cup pots were glass with straight sides. Also, I had to carve/shave off the razor sharp lid securing feature because it cut my knuckles when cleaning. Just remember to keep your thumb on the lid as you pour. The filter basket handle broke long ago but it's no big deal it just got in the way. Number 2 Filters don't fit very well either. Since I'm in a wheelchair, I can't see the water level indicator because it's inside the reservoir. Someone complained in another review stating the coffee wasn't hot enough. Coffee is much hotter after an hour on the burner plate which makes the 30-minute shutoff timer more of a bother than a help. Though everything I've said here is on the negative, I still use this little guy because of the unbreakable stainless steel pot. Should you get this as a gift, it's okay once you get around the idiosyncracies but I would recommend seeking another 4-cup if you're shopping for yourself.

I looked very hard to replace a 4-cup coffee pot which I had had for over 12 years. I like to drink good coffee and I typically drink the 4-cups in one sitting - good coffee never lasts long in any pot.

I was very reluctant to purchase this coffee maker after reading the reviews here, but decided that for the price I could either return it, donate it to charity or toss it if it was that bad.

Turns out I have not had any serious problems at all and would recommend this to any of my friends looking for a small coffee maker.

To the concerns mentioned by others: The coffee maker is small and lightweight, so yes, pushing the on-button is a tiny hassle, but not much of one. The coffee maker pieces fit tightly together, so yes, you do have to pay attention when brewing a pot but I have had no problems pouring water nor putting the basket in. I have not had a problem with the stainless steel taste, but coffee does not sit in the pot - I pour it when it is done - that is why I use a small coffee maker - a quick 6 minute cylce and I am drinking a fresh coffee.

I am not saying that what others have written is incorrect - it is their experience after all - it is that I just do not see the issues as stopping me from enjoying the coffee made in this coffee maker.

I bought the red model to save space. It makes great coffee, and very quickly. I bought a permanent coffee filter that's easy to use & clean. The major problem I've had is with spillage; the lid is very loose, and it spills water all over the counter when I'm adding it to the tank. Same problem, when I pour the coffee; half of it pours over the edge. There's problems with the brew pause feature, which doen't always work..I have to clean out that part after every use to make it work; what a hassle! I expected a lot more from a quality manufacturer! PS- Cuisinart is sending me a new lid and basket after I called and complained.