Since it is a thermal carafe, there’s no need for a hot plate. You should still be able to pour a great cup of hot coffee long after the brew cycle is completed. The downside is that it’s a bit smaller than the glass carafe, holding only about ten cups of joe at a time. Hamilton Beach makers make good coffee on demand for their price-points. However, as with all things, they have features that correspond with their prices.
This unit is compatible with any brand of single-cup pods, but they don’t seem to empty completely during the brewing procedure. It is made out of cheap plastic and has a very short cord, so it has to be near an electrical outlet. This model differs from the DCC-3200 in that it automatically shuts off when brewing is complete.
A good quality thermal carafe can keep liquid hot for hours. This Cuisinart DGB coffee maker is one of the more ideal 12 cup options for those who want to save space. It has grind and brew capabilities that make coffee brew workflows simple. With Hamilton Beach the touch of a button, you can make 4 cup batches or maximize the 12 cup carafe by filling it to the brim. If you want one cup of coffee one day and a whole carafe the next, this is one of the coffee makers on this list that make sense for you.
If you like your coffee on demand, this could be worth a second look. While big carafes make brew cycles easier, it tends to alter your brew’s taste whenever you leave it sitting for a while. This is often what you give up when you keep your coffee warm for a long time. One of the top features of Cuisinart equipment is that they have the needs of the consumers in mind. Made for ease of use, the water reservoir is a breeze to refill when the water supply is low, so you can get back to brewing.
The controls located around the clock include the 24-hour program function as well as separate hour and minute buttons. There’s nothing more irritating than having just one button that functions for setting both the hour and minute but you won’t have that problem with this machine. Blue LED push button controls make the DCC-3400 simple to operate. The easy-to-read circular buttons control the “Bold” setting, On/Off, and the “1-4 Cup” feature. So yes, this model will fill 12 regular coffee cups, but not twelve 20-ounce travel mugs.
Using ground coffee is easier than adding beans to the grinder – you simply add the ground coffee directly to the filter. You will have to remember to hit the “grind off” button, or the grinder will continue to spin. Brewing with ground coffee is quieter, with the Cuisinart Grind & Brew Auto hitting a maximum of 50dB on our noise meter. A full 10 cup brew took just under 10 minutes, which is similar to Keurig K-Mini the brew time using whole beans, while a four cup brew took a speedier five minutes. We found that using pre-ground coffee resulted in a stronger drink, but it was also far more bitter – although again, this will very much depend on the coffee you use. The uncomplicated control panel displays the time and allows you to program the coffee maker to brew coffee at any time in the following 24 hours.