Cuisinart DCC-1100 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker - White

Not a bad product.

After much research on coffee makers I bought this one. I am giving this 3 ½ to 4 stars because while the coffee tastes good, there are a few things about the machin...Read complete review

After much research on coffee makers I bought this one. I am giving this 3 ½ to 4 stars because while the coffee tastes good, there are a few things about the machine that I don't like. Here's what I think:
1. It is a very nice looking coffee maker and is slightly narrower than my old one. It comes in white which is what I was looking for (very disappointed with the choices in white overall).
2. Some have complained about the small water pouring opening. While it is pretty small, I have not had any problems when using either the pot to fill the water or a cup. Just make sure you are watching where you pour and you shouldn't have any problems.
3. I really like the pot itself. I haven't had any spills while pouring what-so-ever! If you take the lid off the pot a lot you may see some spills later as the lid becomes looser, but so far so good.
4. I wish the water level markings on the side were a different color. They are a pale white (almost clear) and you can't tell how much water you are putting in until the water reaches the line, or you get right up to the machine.
5. The controls on the front of the maker are pretty easy to figure out (I set the coffee maker before even reading the manual). However, anyone with arthritis might have problems turning the small knob on the front. It is very stiff to turn and if you need glasses for close up you may have problems reading the positions. I do not like the knob. If you forget to turn the knob to the correct position after doing something else (say setting the programmer) then you will not have coffee ready in the morning. Luckily, I always program my coffee to be waiting for me first thing in the morning so unless the power goes out or I need to clean the machine I can just leave the knob in the Auto position and just hit the On/Off button to have coffee. If you want to program your coffee to be ready at the same time every day the programming will remember the time so you don't have to reset it every day (I like this!). The clock is also very small, and again, if you need glasses you need to pay special attention to whether the "p" is there or not for P.M. or A.M.
6. The coffee tastes great! I don't even use the provided filter because they are pricey ($9.99 for 2). If you have really bad tasting water I would recommend using the filter or using filtered/bottled water. Even after two hours the coffee still doesn't taste burnt to me.
7. The coffee comes out of the machine VERY hot. It is much hotter than my old machine and after 30 min. of sitting on the burner, can (and has), burned my tongue. I went with a regular burner instead of a thermal pot because I like hot coffee and want my coffee hot without warming up the pot first.
8. The cost was not too bad for my new machine and I even got a $10 rebate!
9. I'm not sure how the cleaning works because I haven't used it yet, but I'll see.
10. I do miss how my old machine had two lids (1 for the grounds, and 1 for adding water). It allowed me to get the machine ready without pulling it out from under my cupboard. I have to pull this one out to get it ready which is a pain, but not that painful. The machine slides nicely without being too loose. The cord is pretty short, so be prepared to keep your machine right next to the outlet. I'm not real happy keeping a machine that uses water and steams right next to an outlet!!!.
11. One beep when it is done brewing would have been sufficient. The 5 very loud beeps is overkill. Same for when it shuts itself off.

Overall I'm satisfied so far with my new machine, I'm just nitpicky and want things my way. Hopefully this machine will last – I find that anymore most machines only last 6 months to 1 year, which just shows how cheaply they are made nowadays, no matter how much they cost.