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

I vacillated so long before buying this coffee maker, torn by the huge polarity of reviews. I even spent several months with my last grind & brew machine requiring a fresh application of scotch tape to hold it together every time I used it. Eventually I decided to bite the bullet and go for this machine and wow am I glad I did. It looks great, feels like a real piece of engineering (OK, I'm a guy, I like to be impressed by engineering), works perfectly, makes great coffee that it keeps hot for a good amount of time, is simple to clean and operate, and far less messy than my previous grind & brew machine.There is a lot of discussion by reviewers about the cleaning process required to stop this machine from clogging and preventing the fresh coffee getting from the grinder to the basket and thus producing weak coffee. This was one of the things that initially made me so reluctant to buy this machine, but I have had no problem with that at all. So, every time I use the machine I press the button on the side and the filter basket assembly opens, I take the whole thing to the sink and have everything emptied and rinsed in less than a minute, (I always dry the filter cover/lid with a kitchen towel before replacing the whole assembly, just because it feels like the right thing to do), I unlock the coffee bean hopper take it off and using the supplied brush just give it a quick jiggle in the chute where the ground coffee is fed to the filter basket and replace the hopper. Then just rinse out the carafe and use it to refill the reservoir. Believe me, it has taken me longer to write that than it does to actually do it, it really is a fast, clean, and simple job to clean and refill this machine.It has an insulated carafe to keep the coffee hot rather than the conventional hot plate to keep the coffee stewing. Some have complained that it doesn't keep it hot enough and there was an extra note from the manufacturer in with the instructions, suggesting that the carafe should be warmed with hot water before use. I have never warmed the carafe and the coffee is always hot enough, in fact I recently made coffee at 6am and had the last cup at midday and it was still hot enough to drink (but I do drink it black so adding milk or cream would cool it down). I personally like the idea of NOT having a hot plate that keeps stewing the coffee.The carafe does need to be tipped up at a very steep angle to pour the coffee, due to the lid mechanism that is designed to prevent heat loss. Even when tipped right up the coffee still comes out fairly slowly. Being 6'2" I find the tipping angle required for the carafe quite natural, though my wife at 5'4" does find it a little awkward. If I'm in a hurry to get at the coffee the 1/4 turn required to remove the carafe lid and pour it faster really isn't a problem.I do like my coffee brewed quite strong and this probably the only area that makes me less then delighted with this machine. You set it to the number of cups that you wish to brew and it grinds the amount of coffee that cuisinart think you need for that number of cups ... and it's not really strong enough for my taste. However, because this is a 12 cup machine (larger than most) and I rarely need to brew that much, I simply fill the water level to 10 cups but leave the setting on 12 cups. That works a treat and makes coffee at a good strength for me. If I need to make more than 10 cups I simply add some pre-ground coffee to the filter basket before turning the machine on.I think this is a great machine, certainly the best coffee machine that I've owned and I really wish that I'd bought it long before i did.

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.