Cuisinart DGB-900BC Grind & Brew Thermal 12-Cup Automatic Coffeemaker

I must refute the other reviewer who complains that this coffee maker uses too much coffee. It is not his fault, he read the manual. The manual states that the hopper holds 1/2lb of coffee beans, and that this is enough for 2 pots. What they failed to mention, is that they recommend that you keep the hopper half full. So what they are really saying is that it takes 1/8 lb of coffee per pot. I verified this: I prepared my unit to make 12 cups of coffee. I set the strength to "STRONG", this should maximize the bean usage. I then let the unit grind the beans, when it finished, and before any water touched the grounds, I stopped the unit. I placed a bowl on my digital kitchen scale, and zeroed the scale. I then poured the grounds from the basket into the bowl on the scale. The scale read 1.9 oz., or about 1/8 of a pound. This is exactly the same amount of coffee beans I used with our old coffee maker, some people this it is a lot, but I like my coffee like that. Also, the review stated that the beans were not evenly wetted. Examination of the ground after brewing with my machine did not find any evidence of this. Because the burr grinder created uniformly sized grains, there is little "dust" to soak up large amounts of water, so to someone used to a blade grinder, the grounds may not seem wet enough. All-in-all I love this machine. It is the fourth Cuisinart "Grind and Brew" we have owned, and it seems that they have really fixed most of the issues on this machine. I will give a a history of our machines and the problems we have had with them below: First unit, was similar to a DGB-300,this was a terrible machine. [...] 1) The electronics are located against the heating element. It died from massive electronics malfunctions after only two months of daily use. 2) Not having a thermal carafe, the coffee was burned in the glass pot. I will not buy a coffee maker without a thermal carafe, period. 3) It had the "steam in the grinder" problem, so it required that everything be cleaned and dried after use. If the grinder was not dry, the grounds would clog. Second unit was a DGB-600BC, we loved this machine, even with its faults.[...] 1) It had the "steam in the grinder" problem, so it required that everything be cleaned and dried after use. If the grinder was not dry, the grounds would clog. 2) After a while, the rails the basket slides on to eject, get gummed up. Also the release button jams. It is very difficult to clean. I ended up violating the safety instructions by hosing the lower portion of the machine down with the sprayer in my kitchen sink to get the basket to come out. And then letting it dry for a day before using it. 3) After 5 years of use, it finally just died. The grinder was worn out, and the machine was just nasty. After looking at other machines be bought a second Second DGB-600BC. 1) Same as before, but I was a little better now at keeping it clean. 2) After 4 years the handle on the carafe separated from the top because of plastic fatigue. I put s screw through it into the side of the pot, and we used it like that for another two years. 3) The carafe lids had a major design problem. It is the little float valve that lives under the bubble on the top center of the lid. It gets covered with oil from the coffee, and gets quite gross. I ended up prying the bubble off, which is welded or glued in place, and cleaning this nasty bit with de-greasing soap. That they don't allow all the parts to be dissembled for cleaning is a design disgrace. Once the bubble was pried off there was no way to put it on, as I didn't like the idea of my coffee running through any of the available plastic glues. So we had to constantly fuss with it whenever we made coffee. The insides of this lid need to be cleaned frequently, and Cuisinart should not expect people to just buy a replacement lid that often. 4) This unit finally died after 6 years of daily use because the teeth on the shaft of the motor that turns the grinder stripped out. It wasn't because the grinder gummed up, it just wore out. 5) We have to keep it in a tray on the counter, as sometimes it has "accidents". Well, we just bought the DGB-900BK. [...] 1) It looks like they have fixed the "steam in the grinder" problem, so after use cleaning is much easier. 2) I love burr ground coffee, it is also a little quieter. 3) It still has the nasty lid on the carafe. 4) I don't know it the basket eject button will gum up yet. That will take a year or so of use. 5) We still keep it in a tray on the counter, just in case it misbehaves. I keep buying them, I love the coffee they make. I love coming downstairs in the morning to freshly ground and brewed coffee. If only someone would make an Automatic "Grind and Brew" Italian (or French) Press, I would buy it in a second.

We just purchased this as a replacement for an older unit of the exact same model. We really liked our original model, but I spent some time reading the reviews before buying it out of curiosity. We enjoy coffee but I wouldn't say we are coffee snobs. I see a lot of complaints so I'll comment on some of them in my review as well. Our old unit is 6 years old and started leaking water out the bottom signalling it was ready to be retired. We used it daily for those 6 years and brewed 10-12 cups a day using the timer and grinder. We replaced the hopper about 6 months ago because the locking mechanism broke and the carafe about 3 months ago because the gasket on the lid finally wore out. At first I was bummed we didn't buy a whole unit sooner, but I can confirm the hopper and the carafe work with the new unit so we now have spares. I also kept the filter basket since, hey why not. We love the timer and set it to grind and brew automatically at about the same time as our alarm so the coffee brewing is usually done by the time we get to the kitchen. I see complaints about the grind being coarse and there being no way to adjust it. I'm no expert, but I compared the new unit to our Capresso 560 grinder (I use this for french press grinding) and it seemed to match the coarser end of the medium settings. I never did this with the old unit so maybe they adjusted it. I saw complaints about the chute between the grinder and the filter basket getting clogged and can confirm this happens if you don't clean it out once in a while. The manual says to do it every few grinds. You can tell by the sound of the grinder when this is happening. It sounds like it is working really hard. I find I was doing it about every 2 weeks to avoid a clog. Maybe it is me but I think the coffee tastes better if you do it more frequently. I noticed the chute on the new unit is quite a bit wider than the old unit. We've only had it a few weeks but this seems to help with the clogging issue. I recommend cleaning the chute regularly for the best results. A little brush is provided and it is certainly much easier to clean the new wider chute. Another thing I saw people complain about was that the coffee was too weak or too strong. There is a strength setting with 3 levels. Use it. The grinder works in 2 cup increments. We use the strength setting to make say 7 cups by setting it to grind 6 strong or 8 weak and putting 7 cups of water in the reservoir. There isn't any reason you can't mix and match grind amounts and the amount of water it brews. It seems to brew until the water is all gone regardless of grind settings. Experiment until you get what you need. Everyone's taste is different. Be careful though the setting is a toggle button so you can hit it and change the strength settings by wiping the machine off to clean it. The grinder is pretty loud but not as loud as the old unit. I think it is slightly louder than our Capresso 560 but frankly they both make a lot of noise. You can also use the grind off button to brew pre-ground coffee. The carafe will keep coffee hot for at least 4 hours probably even longer with no issue, it doesn't usually last long enough with us to get cold. So yeah, you need to clean the coffee maker once in a while to keep it running smoothly, but most things require some maintenance. Yeah, it is a little inconvenient, but hey... first world problems and all. Overall I highly recommend this machine.

Ok here we go with a completely honest review with long term input. I have had this exact unit for over 11 years with almost no issues what so ever. I did have to replace a item due to me getting lazy and.putting stuff in dishwasher which ya don't do. But until last week when it gave up the ghost again due to me letting it crash over in trunk if car ,oops. Anyways there was no hesitation in buying this unit again. #1 I drink a ton of coffee each day for joy and medical reasons,20-40 cups. #2 this unit is only one that has a Burr grinder,best type grinder for coffee beans. #3 Cuisinart makes good stuff and I'm not sure how long this has been in market but that it still is says a lot. Now to address some negative postings I've seen on Amazon. First no matter what you buy mass produced you can have issues occasionally not to mention the lovely handling during shipping that occurs,nuff said. Secondly there are goof balls that post reviews that are completely unfounded and untrue. I'll use the goof ball who stated his heating tray that his pot sets in has electrical shorts in heating element and arcs. Uh Sorry goof ball that isn't a heating pad and has no electric in it it's a tray for dbl insulated pot to rest in ONLY. Now another saying it takes them 30 minutes to clean. Well if it dies your a waste of space as from washing items by hand takes me ohh few minutes tops to removing bean tray when beans need replacing,best time to do takes me oh another 2 minutes. Drama queens I guess. So Here we go actual review time😁. As stated I drink a ton of coffee and this unit alwaymakes a great coffee. The Burr grinder is definitely the main reason and of course coffee bean choice is totally individual taste. You have 3 strengths of grind levels,low ,medium.and strong flavors. Yes it has programmable option if want to use. Typical time for say 6 cups is few minutes maybe 3-5 depending. This unit also which is super nice feature a water filter that if you keep replaced seriously helps keep flavors from getting funky from treated water supplies. Bean tray holds about half a pound of beans and easily filled at top of machine.Pls make sure when filling water reservoir not to get water in this tray area. I use faucet sprayer and insert into water tray to avoid it,using coffee pot is much tougher lol. Ok cleaning lol that some find so very hard LMAO. Uhh wash by hand all items,pot,spinner thingy that pulls apart,coffee basket,and basket holder. Literally just quick wash/rinse is all needed. Ok Bean tray at top of machine ! There is a channel under this tray that needs to be brushed clean,I do this Everytime beans need be filled 😉. This new unit they made a few changes to make it much easier,ty Cuisinart. Ok take top cover off and then twist large black dial knob to left or counter clockwise until tray pops loose.set unit aside and look below that and you'll see a lever that moves to left with spring effect and a tab believe both gray color now. Take that tab and push towards back of machine slowly ntil it pops loose and swings open. You have now entered the mysterious channel lol. Take supplied brush and sweep coffee grounds from back in tunnel while at same time holding that lever to left and sweep ground into a napkin that should be sitting where coffy pot goes had I told you before now LMAO. That's it I mean first time it gonna take a few minutes but after literally 1-2 minutes max and this is only once every time beans need be refilled and this is just MY ROUTINE. So in all of you don't buy into all this K cup stuff that actually cost a bunch more than this way and doesn't come close to same flavors this unit is top notch in my humble opinion. I have had coffee beans from Kona flown in to all kinds of different types from around the Globe you can get. Love some hated some but funny I have settled on 8 o'clock regular flavor coffee beans which you can buy 2#'s for around $12 and last you a month or so depending on useage,me 2 weeks. When tried K cups it was about $.75- 1.00 cup figure that with my 20-40 a day brews. Well I'm done ranting n ravjng but hope you give this unit a try if serious about coffee and I'll say if you contact customer service they are super at Cuisinart. Luv Y'all Enjoy

With the hubris of a woman with too much time on her hands, a fixation on the shiny stainless steel carafe and a serious want for a Burr grinder I guffawed and mocked the emotional warnings of those who had gone before me and purchased what is now referred to in my house as "The Disappointment" (on a good day....on most days the references are lacking a a family friendly tone and delivered in a shrill tone). It was just months ago whilst pouring over so many reviews and ratings and descriptions as I searched for our home's next coffeemaker that I not so quietly scoffed and mocked the venom and vitriol with which people wrote of their Cuisinart Grind and Brew experiences. Come, come now, can't we all just learn to love technology despite its faults, and surely if they had just cleaned the hopper with regularity all would be well and good. And look at me now..... ...just look at me now <sigh> Confessing my sins for the world, or more realistically nary a soul, to see...I have mocked and the Appliance Gods heard me and now I wage a sad, sorry battle against my coffee maker daily..and I lose. First the grinder began the well documented descent into a state of complete inoperability.(fresh new hell deserves fresh, new word). But I didn't care...the coffee tasted so good....it was kept hot for so long...and it provided my beloved significant other, The Farmer, with his cups of steaming hot joe at 0230hrs. Technically, despite its defunct grinder, The Disappointment was doing more for The Farmer than I was...but that is really another story for another product and as I type this I seriously doubt I would actually pen that review under my name...anyways...and then, as we happily accepted The Disappointments shortcomings in exchange for its daily dependability the stainless demon, obviously a tool of the aforementioned and clearly angered Appliance Gods, embarked on its latest assault on our happy home. 'Tis a simple thing the whole process of preparing the coffee for brewing. The optimist in me told me that I was a lucky woman to avoid the noisy grinding and time wasted by such whence the grinder ceased operation. I happily, or so I told myself, measured out the ground coffee into the gold-tone filter and placed the lid on as instructed in the instruction manual (yes, I read them) as well as the video (yes I watched it). Demon Disappointment rejected my efforts. Repeatedly. And by repeatedly I mean over and over and over and over and over and over again. No matter what I did or how much I begged the Damned Demon Disappointment refused to accept my preparations. So much so that every time I hear a beeping noise similar to the error notification of this stainless suckfest I have a Pavlovian response that manifests with sweat and tears and an all over shaking.(have you ever noticed that there is a constant beeping noise at WalMart?) Every single effort at ensuring a simple carafe of coffee for The Farmer is an exercise in futility and edges me closer to that awful bottle Chocolate Wine my well meaning (but still insists on putting ice cubes in her glasses of red wine)Mother gave me for Christmas, regardless if it be at 2200hrs or 0230hrs. My constant companion is the constant voice in the back of my head(though for a great while I was convinced everyone could hear it) reminding me of how I mocked those who had gone before me, down this long, lonely, awful road of Cuisinart DGB-900BC Grind and Brew Thermal 12 Cup Coffeemaker ownership. I remember vividly tossing the packaging The Disappointment came in with a derisive chuckle....I'll never need that again! I recall glancing at the calendar and so snidely rolling my eyes as another monthly birthday passed by and all was working fine...those fools!!! I'm still a bit weepy from this mornings efforts to make coffee....OH HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN FROM THEIR LOFTY PERCH!!! At this point I do not even know if The Disappointment is defective or I am just being punished for my hubris. In regards to actually reviewing the product I will break it down: 1) Easy set up. 2) Even on the "Strong" setting I did prefer to set it for a "12-cup" brew and only fill the water reservoir to 10 cup...it is a matter of taste and after a few runs you can make adjustments to satisfy your own preferences. 3) Yes the grinder is loud, and getting the last drops out of the carafe requires a ergonomic feat, but the coffee is good. I mean, it is a breadbox sized contraption on my countertop...I am not looking for magic folks, just a cut above instant flavour crystals. 4) When it is working it is a great coffeemaker. 5) It does seem, judging by reviews, to either a)work great from the start, b)be a complete disappointment from the first effort or c) evolve slyly into The Disappointment past the point of return. 6) My friend is a fantastic CSR so while I am tempted to call and complain to the folks at Cuisinart I satisfy my urges by screaming at imaginary Customer Service Reps in my head (though The Farmer has informed me that I do this more often than not aloud). Please do not be mean to the folks who answer your calls. 7) If you like to gamble this is the product for you. 8) I humbly apologize, sincerely, for ever mocking and dismissing the reviewers of this product...except the guy on some site who took repeated temperature reading of the hot water as it was brewing and complained that it didn't meet the accepted standards of quality and optimum coffee brewing...that guy really deserves my disdain. 9) The Disappointment is soon to be replaced. I'm not much but I know when to hold 'em, and I know when to fold 'em and I know when to walk away.

As the headline says, I have had 4 1/2 years* out of this coffeemaker with at least 1 pot every day It wakes excellent coffee. The 1 star off is because it is a little fussy to clean. The chute area that gets the ground coffee to the filter needs to be cleared every 3 or 4 pots.. That's just brushing out a small chute area, which is mildly annoying but not hard to do. The insulated carafe keeps the coffee hot for several hours - I'm not sure about longer because the whole pot is always gone by then. ~3 hours. I've used the https://smile.amazon.com/Urnex-Espresso-Machine-Cleaner-Cleancaf/dp/B000FDDU8G/ref=sr_1_3?crid=WX3D3KV4L6A3&keywords=coffee+pot+cleaner&qid=1552063694&s=gateway&sprefix=coffee+pot+cle%2Caps%2C378&sr=8-3 every 4-6 months which cleans the liquid pathway very well, and after I'm done with that I do an extra thorough brushing out of the dry coffee pathway. It's pretty easy to do for a fairly complex system. The filter (I use the included mesh filter, not paper filters) basket and its lid are easy to rinse off between pots. The coffee this pot produces is very good. It actually gets the water hot enough to produce good, rich flavor., something not all pots manage, and the carafe keeps it hot for at least 2-3 hours. I like the thermal carafe since I can carry it to where I drink the coffee instead of going back and forth to the kitchen. The thermal carafe also keeps the coffee hot without cooking it like the glass carafes with hotplates do, so there's no bitter sludge at the bottom of the pot. The process of pouring out the last cup or 2 is mildly annoying since you need to hold it at a steep angle and/or take the lid off to get that last drop out. This was a little annoying at first but I'm so used to it now that it's not really a problem. The only reason I was out here was to check the cost in case I need to replace it. The lid over the basket that moves to control letting the grounds out during the grinding and sealing out moisture the rest of the time is a fairly complicated gear revolving the cover around is a sturdy enough Bakelite material that even dropping it frequently into the sink or onto the floor frequently** hasn't resulted in any damage. However, I finally broke off the tab on the edge of the gear area. The pot still works, but needs to rotate all the way around once or twice to 'catch' in the right positions. So I was looking for parts (or a replacement that I couldn't afford) yesterday in case it has any more serious problems or more breakage of the part. I didn't find any parts on Amazon, but I did on the Cuisinart web site, and $25 is pretty cheap compared to $145 for a whole new pot. Some of my comments above might make you think I should have given fewer stars. The fact that I've had great coffee from it for 4 1/2 years, way longer than most electronic or physical electric machines, outweighs the few negatives. I might have only given it 3 stars the first year because of the cleaning & pouring issues, but having had great coffee from it for this long is so positive that I can't do less than 4 now. * Like some others I miss the Melita grind and brew, partly for its low price (it had the blender style grinder instead of burr) but I ended up having to replace often took away any cost difference, and this does make better coffee. ** I have some issues with my hands that make holding onto things difficult so I kind of run my own stress tests on anything that needs regular handling.

Love, love, LOVE this coffeemaker! I love that it makes wonderful coffee from fresh grounds every single morning! And that the craft keeps it warm for hours, so that my husband can take his coffee and its still hot for me when I get up. I was specifically looking for a coffee machine with a both a thermal craft and an in-machine grinder. I wanted to loose the hassle of using and storing yet another kitchen contraption (coffee grinder) and eliminating a step to prep my coffee everyday. So this was perfect! When I found it, this was a perfect solution but the price was pretty step. So I purchased one refurbished from amazon for a little less, okay it turns out a lot less - I paid about $80 compared to $185 - plus I had a gift card - so I actually paid about $45. I say this because some people are gong to think the amazon price $185 is a crazy amount of money for a coffee machine, I did. However, something to consider is that if you are specifically looking for an in-machine grinder and thermal craft - its absolutely worth it! And really how often do you need to replace your coffee machine, my only worry would be that the grinder would burn out - but so far, so good! I have had it for about a year and half without any problems.But, given that I think it is worth the amazon price (I cannot rationalize the 300+ list price), I would also wait it out for an open-box or refurbished model. If that wasn't an option, I would have bought it full price. It is also a great gift for a coffee lover! There are some other nice options. There is the option to set it the strength coffee you'd like to make, with three options. I like my coffee very strong, so I always set the amount of coffee to grind as 2-4 cups higher as well as being on strong. But thats my personal preference, not that the coffee is weak. It beeps to let you know if there is a problem - such as: if there are still grinds in the machine or lid to the basket is missing. The only thing to keep in mind is that Cusinart recommends that you clean the grind chute nearly every use, thats a bit much for me - to have to take off the bean holder each pot of coffee, so I usually do it when I refill the beans or a while after that. But its something to keep in mind, because I didn't know that and my coffee machine didn't work, this was maybe about a month or 2 after I first got it, and it was because the chute was all jammed with coffee. If I had read the directions I would have known that so I didn't let that effect the rating. There is also the option of just using pre-ground beans, but simply pressing a button. I'm not sure if there is anything else you could ask for from a coffee machine and it's so nice to not have to grind before hand.

Hi! I just wanted to offer my opinion to any interested persons on the Cuisinart DGB-900BC Grind & Brew Thermal 12-Cup Automatic Coffeemaker. This model replaces an older Cuisinart Grind & Brew model I have used for over 3 years. After making two 4-cup pots of coffee to test this new pot, I can let you know this coffeemaker is the best I have ever owned. The coffee was strong on the 'Strong' setting (it was strong, but not overpowering), stayed hot enough to drink in the carafe for at least 30 minutes, and the bean grinding was excellent. The 12-pot carafe is wider than my old 10-pot carafe, but it is the same height. This means I can reuse the old carafe on the new coffeemaker when I entertain! The design of this one (e.g. beans are stored in a hopper located on the top of the coffeemaker) makes coffee easier to make than my old Cuisinart Grind & Brew. Pretty much all you have to do is add water to get the best cup of coffee you will have all day. The grinding system is far better than the old style system. The only quibble I have is that the coffee 'chute' tends to collect coffee grounds. After two 4-cup pots, the collected coffee grounds tended to build up in the chute very slightly, but it appears to fall off during use. I can understand where an oily bean may build up grounds sooner rather than later. I suggest keeping an eye on any potential buildup in the chute. The owner's manual recommends you check the chute every few pots. If you have owned a similar grind and brew coffeepot, I don't have to tell you to keep your chute clear :). Another tip is to make sure the beans are loaded in the hopper and the lid placed on the hopper BEFORE you add water. The water reservoir opening is a bit small and you may get water on your beans. You do not want to do that. This coffeepot is worth every penny I paid for it, and I highly recommend it for coffee fanatics who want something more than the standard, cheap Mr. Coffee coffeemaker. If you have owned a prior grind and brew system, this is a very capable replacement. If you have never owned a grind and brew system, you are in for a treat! But please take the time to watch the included (!) video CD and/or read the instructions before use. It will save you some grief and you will appreciate your new coffeemaker a lot more. You will NEVER go back to a regular coffeemaker again after using this one. I guarantee it! **UPDATE** I have had this coffee pot for a couple weeks and my initial impression has not changed. However, I can state the coffee, when made according to directions, is strong (which is a good thing!). If you like your coffee somewhat weaker (like when my brother comes to visit), I simply add more water (e.g. bean counter set to '6' and add 8 cups of water, strength setting set to mild). I REALLY like this coffee pot. **UPDATE** 05/16/2014 I have had the coffee pot for nearly one year and my opinion has not changed. This coffee pot is worth every penny I paid for it. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes GOOD coffee.

This is my second Cuisinart coffee maker. I love many aspects of it, especially having a burr grinder! Being able to load the whole beans on top is convenient and easy. The carafe is excellent quality---it will keep coffee or tea warm for hours. The timer works well and it is kind of cool to set the grind strength on the beans. Overall, I have been impressed with Cuisinart and like this coffeemaker---a step up from my other one ( DGB-650BC ) that was already pretty nice and lasted years. I switched to this model because my old one was leaking pretty bad from the bottom where a coil went into the reservoir. I tried to seal it a few times but leaks kept arising...this was after years of use, though! And that's why I purchased a better version of the same machine. I have been using this product for two months now with low usage (4-5 times per week). I am a little displeased that one of its best features is now breaking on me! Above the carafe is a plastic brew basket that contains a very nice filter. Normally, the basket will not spill coffee if you remove the carafe. This is perhaps an overlooked invention that other coffeemakers don't have and makes this one extremely nice. What am I talking about? The basket normally prevents coffee from dripping down and burning on the hot plate. When you suppress a conical piece on the basket's underside, coffee will come out. That's how it stops/starts from dispensing coffee if your remove the carafe in mid-brew. Unfortunately, this part of the machine keeps popping off. You can imagine the mess if you are early on in the brew!! I have had this happen several times but I have been lucky enough to find the parts that have sprung off and are needed to resecure it (a plastic conical/screw piece, spring, and another plastic kind of washer on the inside). Not so nice to spend $160+ to have a small piece take away from the joy of brewing. I would have given this product five stars had I written the review a week or two after the purchase. I hesitated to write it because I was switching between other coffee making products and not giving this machine a lot of use. Given that the problem arose with not even daily usage, I am dropping the rating some. Coffee is my morning lifeline and I'm not very keen on fixing things as I'm trying to jump in the car to beat traffic. I have written Cuisinart's customer service and, if a timely response comes, I will bump it up to four stars and amend this review. For now, it sits at three stars. I love most of the aspects about the product but having it throw off my morning routine is not very nice!