Coffeemaker Question: Does anyone have the Cuisinart Grind and Brew? My second Melita

J

joe

Well-known member
Mill and Brew is dying. No complaints--they both lasted five years and were under $100. I love that all you had to do was measure in beans, add water and turn it on. I'm totally spoiled by the grinding feature and can't imagine going back to my life the way it was when I needed a separate grinder plugged in, lol.

The newer models have gotten much more expensive and they have a feature that updates you on the weather. I plug my coffeemaker in right next to my kitchen window so I don't need the weather feature. A lot of the reviews I see on Amazon are from people like me who loved the simpler cheaper model and hate the new one because the programming stops working after a while.

The Cuisinart I'm looking at is in the same price range but it holds a reserve of beans in a hopper. You program the amount of beans instead of measuring them in--nice. But some of the reviews say you have to thoroughly dry the basket and grinder between brews--that wouldn't work around here where we make one pot after another.

Any other ideas for coffeemakers that grind and brew the coffee in one motion?

Thanks in advance!

 
We got one several years ago and returned it after one day.

The grinder got so much moisture I had to empty the beans and dry before I could use it. I don't know if they added a water window but with the one we had you had to stand on a chair to see the water level indicator inside the chamber.

We like the Cuisinart coffeemakers and just got the new one that makes 14 cups. Our grinder is a very heavy Kitchen Aid that works well.

 
I have a model that I bought 2 years ago. It was about $200 then and is a bit less now. It has

given me only one problem in that time. I was trying an already-ground coffee so turned on the brew-only feature. I think what may have occurred over the next 10 days is that the grinds that were leftover in the hopper from the last ground, got heated up with the ensuing brewings and got a bit sticky. When I turned it on to grind later, it made a weird noise and nothing came through but water.

So I got out the little brush and my vacuum cleaner and sucked all the little bjiminies out of the hopper. It worked fine everafter.

My only complaint would be that I have to turn the pot almost upside down to pour coffee. No major complaint however, and I'd buy it again. I like my coffee strong so I can dial it to grind twice as much as one would normally need. Same consistent brew every morning. I have the thermal stainless carafe and wish I had the confidence that it could be cleaned in the dishwasher. It has an easy-view water gauge on the side so I can just fill it from the sink hose.

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/kitchen-and-food/coffee-makers/cuisinart-grind-and-brew-thermal-12-cup-coffee-maker/s295691

 
that was my complaint about my KA also...yanking it out from under the cabinet to see inside

to know how much water was there. Dumb design!!! I learned to use a measuring cup.

 
We have a Cuisinart Grind and Brew and it makes wonderful coffee. However, it needs to be

cleaned thoroughly after every use. My DH usually vacuums the hopper area every couple of uses which is a pain.

 
I've had mine for years (water level window on the side). Love/hate relationship

Yes, it's nice to put the beans in, set program to grind and brew so it's ready when you wake up, and has a '1-4 cup' setting that heats the water a little more. BUT, yes, you have to wipe out and dry the parts (3 of them) between each use. Major pain. It is not sealed well against that heat and steam so it makes a wet coffee dust paste in all the crevices. You would lose half a scoop of coffee in all those wet places. For that reason alone, I wouldn't buy another.

I'll have to get a new hand-held grinder now, though, as I've used mine for grinding spices these last few years.

Cardamom-flavored coffee anyone? smileys/smile.gif

 
I have a coffee grinder for coffee, another for spices, and another just for pepper.

They're all small cheapos. I only use the coffee one occasionally for a single cup in a French press and if I were to need one for the coffee maker I would need to invest in one with a larger capacity.

 
That does sound like a lot of work. With the Melita all you had to do was empty and rinse, no drying

 
I thought so as well. I think they recommend cleaning after every 6 grinds but I do it only about

once in 50, 4 cups per. I decided that if it really needed it that badly, it was not the machine for me. And when I do clean it, it's once around with the little brush and then I cram the vacuum nozzle up to the hopper.

And BTW, in 1982, we got a Krups grinder with a storage bin on top, quantity dial and a grind-size dial on it. In 2009, it finally gave up. Nothing lasts anymore. I wish I had thought to take it apart and clean it. I loved that guy.

 
One problem we had with the machine was the markings for the water level disappeared and we had

to improvise. Friends who have the same coffee maker had to do the same. I called the company to ask if they had a template which could be taped onto the machine. They claimed they had never heard about that problem before and didn't have a template.

 
Of course! I finally put the coffee one away since I don't use it often.

Actually, when I only had one I found that cumin-flavored coffee wasn't so bad and it only took a few grinds to get rid of the spice flavor.

 
Thank you all for your comments. I think you have convinced me to get a simpler coffemaker

and a separate grinder. It will feel like a step backward at first, but I don't think I can bring myself to face a daily weather report from Melita reminding me that I overpaid, or to drag my vacuum cleaner into the kitchen to clean a Cuisinart.

 
Yrs ago, I had one; was not a fan; too big. (Not sure if it was a quisinart) I gave

it to my sister. We tend to drink tea; BUT, if I am entertaining; I use 2 french presses. I love that coffee... For me, it was worth investing in another french press rather than getting a big machine which would only be used for company.

 
That was what we came down to Joe! Bought a Cuisinart coffee

maker, and a Krups Burr grinder, and all is well, requires little maintenance, and frankly, is hubby-friendly. So much that my freshly brewed cuppa is waiting for me at the door as I leave for the office every day! Gotta love a plan that works!

 
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