Cuisinart DGB-900BC Grind & Brew Thermal 12-Cup Automatic Coffeemaker, Brushed Stainless/Black

by Cuisinart

• 24-hour fully programmable coffeemaker with auto shutoff, brew-pause feature, and Grind off function
• Double-wall insulated stainless steel thermal carafe with comfort grip handle holds up to 12 cups of coffee
• Built-in automatic burr grinder and 8-ounce bean hopper holds a half pound of beans. Strength selector and grind control fine-tune intensity and volume
• Includes: Charcoal water filter and permanent gold tone filter that ensures only the freshest coffee flavor flows through. Measuring scoop. Instruction book
• Measures 10-2/3 by 8-4/9 by 16-1/4 inches; 3-Year limited warranty

Product Details

View the Quick Reference Guide [PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 16.2 inches ; 5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 15.7 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: B000T9XPHC
• Item model number: DGB-900BC
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (658 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,035 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining)
  • #55 in Kitchen & Dining > Coffee, Tea & Espresso > Drip Coffee Machines

Product Description

Easily brew up to 12 cups of great-tasting coffee with this 24-hour fully programmable coffeemaker. The unit comes equipped with a built-in burr grinder, which automatically grinds beans right before brewing, and its grind-control function makes it easy to program the amount of coffee to grind--from 2 to 12 cups. In addition, its strength selector allows for choosing from strong, medium, or mild coffee. The unit's bean hopper holds up to a half pound of beans and comes with a sealed lid to prevent moisture. Other highlights include automatic shut-off after brewing, a grind-off option, and an integrated 2- to 4-cup feature, as well as a Gold tone commercial-style permanent filter and charcoal water filter to remove impurities, and a brew-pause function for sneaking a cup midbrew. A 12-cup (5 ounces each) double-wall insulated thermal carafe comes included, which seals in heat and freshness so the last cup tastes as good as the first. The coffeemaker measures 10-2/3 by 8-4/9 by 16-1/4 inches and carries a three-year limited warranty.

From the Manufacturer

The Cuisinart DGB-900BC Fully Automatic Burr Grind & Brew Thermal Coffeemaker

The Cuisinart Burr Grind & Brew Thermal Coffeemaker

The burr mill grinder in the new Fully Automatic Burr Grind & Brew Thermal Coffeemaker is responsible for the superior coffee flavor that you can experience. Add to that the pleasure of choosing the flavor strength you like best, easy-to-use controls, and a thermal carafe that keeps coffee hot and fresh for hours and you'll understand why we say this Cuisinart coffeemaker is a grind above the rest.

The Quest for a Perfect Espresso

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

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 Fully Automatic Burr Grind & Brew 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. That's why the Fully Automatic Burr Grind & Brew Coffeemaker grinds your coffee just prior to brewing. 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 beans have been removed from the freezer, maintain them 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. We recommend keeping the hopper at least half way full. Be sure that you have sufficient amount of beans in your hopper for the amount of coffee you intend to brew. Although it is preferable to use fresh, whole beans, you can make coffee in the coffeemaker using pre-ground beans. To do so, turn off the grinder by pressing the Grind Off button before turning on the unit. It is suggested to use 1 level scoop of ground coffee per cup and adjust the amount to your taste. The maximum capacity for ground coffee is 16 level scoops, using either a paper or permanent filter. Exceeding this amount may cause overflow.

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. The Fully Automatic Burr Grind & Brew Coffeemaker is preset for a medium grind, the optimal grind for this type of coffeemaker.

Element 4. Proportion:

The Fully Automatic Burr Grind & Brew Coffeemaker makes up to twelve cups of (54 ounces) of coffee.

Making Coffee with Whole Beans

12-cup thermal caraffe

1. Fill the Water Reservoir:
   Open the reservoir lid. Pour the desired amount of water in the reservoir using the water level window indicator. Close the reservoir lid. Note: Do not exceed the 12-cup line; doing so may cause the carafe to overflow.
2. Add Beans:
   Lift the hopper lid, using the recess on either side. Fill the hopper with beans. It is recommended keeping the hopper at least halfway full. Be sure that you have a sufficient amount of beans in your hopper for the amount of coffee you intend to brew (maximum capacity is 1/2-pound Do not over-pack the hopper. Over-packing may result in jamming the grinder.) For easy filling, the hopper container can be taken out by turning the hopper container release knob to the unlock position. Note: Do not put any water in the unit once the hopper container has been removed. If the water gets into the grinder motor, the motor may become damaged and may malfunction. Put hopper lid back in place.
3. Lock Hopper:
   If you have removed the hopper from the unit, be sure that the hopper container release knob is in the unlocked position and place the hopper container back in the unit. Turn the knob to locked position. This unit is equipped with a safety interlock system. The unit will not grind if the hopper container is not in place. If you try to turn on the unit for grinding with the hopper out of place, the unit will beep continuously until the missing part is installed. The brewing process can be restarted by pressing the On button. Restarting the process will not affect coffee results.
4. Insert Coffee Filter:
   Open filter door by pressing filter basket door release button. Remove filter basket cover and place a #4 basket paper filter or Cuisinart's commercial style permanent filter in the basket. The unit is equipped with a safety interlock system. The units will not operate if the filter basket cover or filter basket are not in place or if the filter door is not closed. If you try to turn the unit on while the filter compartment is out of place, the unit will beep continuously until the missing part(s) are installed.
5. Brewing:
   • Immediate Grinding and Brewing:
     1. Turn the Grind Control Knob to select the number of cups you want to brew. The coffeemaker will grind the corresponding amounts of beans. The unit will automatically adjust for low cup settings.
     2. Press the Strength Control button to set the coffee strength. MILD, MED or STRONG will show on the LCD display.
     3. Press the On button. The indicator will light and process will begin.
   • Programmed Brewing:
     Press the Program button. The indicator will light and the display will show the programmed time for as long as the button is depressed. The display reverts back to the time of day once the button is released.
     1. Turn the Grind Control knob to select the number of cups you want to brew. The Coffeemaker will grind the corresponding amount of beans. The unit will automatically adjust for low cup settings.
     2. Press the Strength Control button to set coffee strength. MILD, MED or STRONG will show on the LCD display.
     3. The coffeemaker will begin brewing at the programmed time.
6. During and After Brewing:
   The Brew Pause feature allows you to remove the carafe from the resting plate during mid-brew. The brewing process does not stop during this period; only the flow of coffee from the basket stops. Do not remove the carafe for longer than 20 seconds or the coffee may overflow the basket. While Cuisinart offers this feature, it is not recommended that you pour coffee before the cycle has reached completion, since the coffee brewed at the beginning of the cycle has a flavor profile which is very different from the coffee made at the end of the cycle. Removing the cup during the brewing cycle will alter the flavor of the finished pot. When the brewing cycle is completed, five beeps will sound. Coffee will continue to stream from the filer for several seconds. After brewing, the unit will automatically shut itself off. The thermal carafe will keep the coffee hot for hours.

Making Coffee with Pre-Ground Beans

Simple operation control panel

1. Fill the Water Reservoir:
   Open the reservoir lid. Pour the desired amount of water in the reservoir using the water level window indicator. Close the reservoir lid. Note: Do not exceed the 12 cup line; doing so may cause the carafe to overflow.
2. Add Coffee Grounds:
   1. Open filter door. Add ground coffee to the permanent or #4 paper filter.
   2. Place filter basket lid in place and close filter door.
3. Brewing:
   • Immediate Grinding and Brewing:
     1. Press the Grind Off button. When this function is activated, an amber LED will be illuminated.
     2. Press the On button. The indicator will light and the process will begin.
   • Programmed Brewing:
     Press the Program button. The indicator will light and the display will show the programmed time for as long as the button is depressed. The display reverts back to the time of day once the button is released.
     1. Press the Grind Off button. When this function is activated, an amber LED will be illuminated.
     2. The coffeemaker will begin brewing at the programmed time.

For additional product information, see the reference manual above.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

166 of 168 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent coffee, convenience, and design; grind is a little coarse January 26, 2008

By Kevin W

I bought this coffeemaker after returning my Krups KM7000. Overall, I have been pleased with this model, save for a few quirks. The bottom line is that it makes OUTSTANDING, HOT coffee with great convenience in a design that appears very durable. I have NOT had any problems with getting the pieces together and I do not find it complicated on a day-to-day basis whatsoever.

PROS:
-Coffee is full-bodied and flavorful. I use the 4-cup setting with about 3 cups of water and the strength set to strong. This uses the aroma feature, and the coffee is perfect.
-Temperature is perfect, the hottest I've tasted from a model like this. The base WARMS THE THERMAL CARAFE when the machine goes on, then goes off when the brew is complete. This may theoretically be eliminating the effect of the cooling of hot coffee by a stone-cold carafe. On the other hand, the carafe is highly insulated and it may be doing nothing. The bottom line is that the temperature is perfect, the coffee is still hot even after adding cold milk. The coffee remains hot for quite a while in the thermal carafe.
-Design is quite nice- it is self contained as opposed to other mill & brew models that have parts that swing around. The design feels very robust, there are no wimpy plastic bits. There is a piece that fits over the grind basket that has a gear which appears to rotate, likely to keep steam out of the grinder.
-It could not be easier to use on a daily basis - all I do is put in THE RIGHT amount of water, put the cover on top of the brew basket, and press program (I have it programmed for the same time every day). After it brews and I pour the coffee, I swing out the basket, pour out the grinds & rinse the basket, rinse the carafe, and I'm ready to go....
-cleaning is simple; I notice others complain but I haven't had any problems. See above for my daily routine; I've been using the brush weekly on the grind spout, it takes two minutes and is not messy.
-The brushed chrome looks great on the counter.
-3 year warranty is reassuring

CONS:
-The grind appears to be too coarse. Other models have a grind control to change the coarseness of the coffee, this one does not. This has improved a little after a few weeks of use, but not completely. Also, I've noticed that (through laws of physics) the coarsest part of the grind stays on top, then the finer grounds work their way to the bottom. This is probably wasting a bit of coffee, but once I worked out how much water to use it doesn't affect the strength. Overall I have not noticed that I am going through coffee faster than before, so I think some of the "coffee wasting" reviews may be somewhat overstated. On first glance it does appear to use a lot of coffee when you are pouring out the grounds, but looking at how many bags I'm going through it doesn't appear much different.
-The mechanism to pour coffee from the carafe is not perfect; it works ok when pouring out from a mostly full carafe, but to get the last cup or two from the bottom I have to take the top off. If I don't it drips all over the counter. Taking the top off I can pour it without any mess.
-The water indicator level is on the right side near the back. If you are putting it against a wall on the left it will be fine, but on my counter it needs to be against a wall on the right, so if I need to look at the water level I need to pull the coffeemaker away from the wall. To get around this I have figured exactly how much water to put in from a measuring cup.

THE BOTTOM LINE (again):
The coffee is excellent, and HOT. The design is marvelous. On a day-to-day basis it is extremely easy to use and convenient. The grind is a bit too coarse, but I don't seem to be going through coffee much faster than before, so this may be a little bit of an illusion. YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ADJUST THE STRENGTH OF YOUR COFFEE USING THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF WATER. I can strongly recommend this coffeemaker if you want hot, convenient, fresh-ground coffee every day. Enjoy! Read more ›

235 of 241 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Coffee for a Reasonable Price December 11, 2007

By Debra Chong VINE™ VOICE

I chose this grind and brew after reading all of the reviews for this and similar machines. Frankly, I am surprised by the negative comments. This is an easy to use machine once it is set up properly (the bean hopper takes a little of effort to snap in). The coffee tastes great and the parts are very easy to clean quickly. While the instruction book is not clear, Cuisinart was very helpful on the phone. The machine does not know how much water you put in, so if you set it to grind coffee for 6 cups and you have 8 cups of water in it, it will process all 8 cups of water. Other than this small quirk, the machine is a small wonder and I do not feel compelled to go out for coffee in the morning. The thermos carafe will keep the coffee quite warm for a few hours, even when the carafe is not warmed up with hot water. Wondering why it took me so long to go ahead and buy this machine. This is the best model; my neighbor has the first generation/second generation machine which is hard to clean and has a large footprint. Save your money and buy this model!

Now that I have had the machine for a month and a half: It requires some cleaning to get the fine grounds that compress and stop the grinder and ground coffee to get into the filter for brewing. I use a bamboo chopstick and a skewer to break up the compressed fine grounds that impede the machine from working properly. (Unplug the machine and put it over the sink area). I also use compressed air to blow out the fine ground particles. Still, this is a small maintenance to allow for great coffee in the AM.

281 of 312 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Wastes Coffee Beans - 60% increase in Bean Consumption January 1, 2008

By charles895

This unit wastes beans.

According to the user manual, if you fill the coffee bean hopper with 1/2 lb of coffee, you can expect "at least" two - 12 cup brews. I thought this was a bit conservative but it was confirmed when I made the first pot of coffee. I set the machine for 12 cups and watched as almost half of the beans disappeared on the first pot.

I figure it uses almost 1/4 lb of beans to brew a full pot (12 cups of 5 oz coffee). This is about double what would be used if you followed the directions when using a manual grinder (one scoop of beans per cup using the scoop that comes with this coffee maker).

I think Cusinart kept the grind at very coarse level to ensure proper grind flow in the machine. To compensate, they increased the amount of coffee ground. Thus it uses about 4 oz of beans versus 2.5 oz of beans per 10-12 cup pot. It doesn't sound like much but works out to 60% extra per pot.

I've owned the Cuisinart DGB-600BC Grind and Brew Coffeemaker and Melitta Mill & Brew Coffee Maker so this is my third unit brew and grind unit. The two previous units has manual bean fill and comparatively good control on the grind. This unit always grinds very very coarse.

Pro: Large Bean Hopper
Easy to clean
Fill level on side (DGB-600BC did not)
Gold filter basket included
3 Year Warranty
Simple operation (for a grind & brew machine)
Seems well constructed

Cons: Grind is always very course
Uses twice as much beans
Carafe pours slow and tends to drip

The coffee tastes OK - its not as good as what you can get with a manual grind/brew but consistent with the other Mill & Brew machines I've had.... It is well built and I think the 3 year warranty is key because our other Cuisinart grinder motor lasted about 18 months, but its going back because I make about 2 pots/day and this translates into a couple hundred dollars year. Going to try the Capresso 455 or 454.

Update
I've got the Capresso 454 and love it. It can grind from super fine up to coarse and makes a great cup of coffee. Read more ›