Cuisinart Single Serve Coffee Maker with Grinder

Was extremely pleased at the function of this machine, but that changed quickly. Started to notice that the machine was only producing about 6 oz of coffee from time to time and would have to re-run the brew. The pod holder would slightly pop open during the brew cycle which would stop the machine from brewing. I used a large rubber band and would slide that over the outside pod holder and this stopped the problem ($200 machine with a rubber band holding it together is a bit ridiculous but ok), then it began having issues where the buttons would not register you pushing them. I found if you unplugged and plugged it back in a few times it would reset. I reached out to Cuisinart a total of 5 times with no remedy. On one call I was told to call another day because the rep was “swamped” (wish I was joking!), one rep told me he was having a system outage and would call me back (7 months and still awaiting his call), one rep said she would send me a return label and once they got the machine they would review to see if I DESERVED a replacement (never got the label), upon calling back in to get that label I was told they don’t do replacements and was disconnected, next rep again said they would send a label for return and to expect a replacement in 10-14 days once they received the unit (not sure how you make coffee for a month without a machine… but ok) but again the label never arrived by email, mail or carrier pigeon! I finally gave up!

In short: this coffee machine is great in the beginning, but not durable! Cuisinart customer service is not helpful or customer friendly. In my opinion; save yourself the hassle and pick another machine/brand!

Pros:
Very versatile. I like that it can take whole bean coffee, ground coffee, and k-cups. Produces good coffee when used correctly. I drink more coffee than ever before. The grinder dispenses almost the perfect amount (I usually add another 1-2 seconds of grinding to top it off).

Cons:
It is difficult to remove the used grounds from the reusable filter. Sometimes I use it, but I also buy K-Carafe sized individual paper filters. That way, you can simply remove and dispose of the filter. These work pretty well, but it overflows a tiny bit. It doesn’t cause a mess, it just drips out the side of the bottom funnel, into the cup.
Also, sometimes the machine makes a little bit of noise, even when turned off. If it bothers you, you have to unplug it.

Neutral:
Coffee from the reusable filter tastes a little different than coffee from paper filters and k-cups. If you don’t like it, you can buy k-carafe sized paper filters to use instead.

If you want to use pre-ground coffee, you have to be fairly exact about the amount. Just a bit too little and you’ll have a weak cup. A bit too much, and it will overflow a bit. You want to get it just so that you can barely see the top outline of the mesh filter. If you buy individual paper filters, it’s not as sensitive.

This is a fairly compact machine with a footprint equal to or smaller than most standard coffee makers. I like integrated grinder, water container, one-cup service and quick brew, as well as the option to use the insert for a pod (even if I never use it).

Unlike some reviews, so far I have not had grinding spillage around the base of the grinder. I like that I have water and beans ready to go each morning. Just grind, install grinding cup, brew. Overall, this is a neat little machine, which I enjoy using. I used a grinder and 12-cup coffee maker for years, then stopped when I didn’t want to grind and brew for just one or two cups – plus they both took up much-needed counter space.

Following are some points to consider before purchasing. These are why this is a 4-star and not a 5-star review. See photos, too.

Point 1: I discovered that my 12 oz mug will overflow if I use the 12 oz cup setting to brew (had to stop the brew cycle), so I use the 10 oz setting to fill this mug. This was a surprise, since the first-use cleaning only shot out 8 oz of water (running water only without grounds through at 10 oz setting per instructions). This is not necessarily a negative – I just had to adjust my thinking/choice depending on the mug I use.

Point 2: Grind is not controllable – no variety of settings. Sadly, I don’t find the coffee strong or flavorful enough, I assume this is due to the default grinding amount and grit. I have to add a bit of instant coffee (!) to strengthen it. I assume that a stronger coffee bean/darker roast will make a stronger cup, but will have to wait until I’ve used up the beans I have before testing this. I don’t use pods (expensive and strength can’t be determined with them). I prefer fresh ground coffee (and even like Taster’s Choice instant).

Point 3: Grounds cup storage. The cup into which the beans are ground fits nicely into the convenient side storage; HOWEVER, the optional pod insert is too large to store in the same place – the little door won’t shut. Since I don’t use that pod insert and only use the grinding cup insert, I want to store the pod neatly. This storage should have been sized appropriately to accommodate either. I keep the cleaned grinder cup stored under the grinder. Fortunately, I use an appliance cover, so it will keep out any dust.

I will update this review once I’ve tried other beans, or if anything changes in the future.

If you are considering this machine… get it!
It is great.
The grinder is somewhat noisy but didn’t wake anyone up! It was a perfect amount of coffee for my 12oz cup.
I love that you can stop the grinder at any point.
A perfect cup!

Leí comentario positivos y negativos en los.negativos había gente que regreso la cafetera por temas de calidad, en lo personal llevo ya usando la cafetera unos meses y sin duda es una gran compra, funciona perfecto , y el molino así como las cápsulas excelentes , solo hace café americano pero muy buen sabor. Sin duda la recomiendo mucho en color blanco , la color negro creo que es la que ha presentado fallas, en mi caso una gran cafetera se ve increíble y a todo el que le preparo café recién molido le encanta su sabor