The Cuisinart 10-cup Classic Thermal Programmable Coffee Maker DCC-1150 is engineered to deliver a superior cup of coffee. Designed for convenience, the DCC-1150 dispenses its java into a sturdy heat-retaining brushed stainless steel carafe, which has a brew-through (and pour-through) lid. We tested the carafe and measured its heat retention over a two-hour timeframe. The brew time for this unit was 11 minutes -- a little more than 1 minute per cup. The temperature of the coffee dispensed into the carafe was 180 degrees Fahrenheit. After one hour, the temperature dropped about six degrees to 174 degrees Fahrenheit. The coffee lost another 5 degrees by the two-hour mark, but was still hot and flavorful.

Styled in white or black, the DCC-1150 has a box-style (approximately 8x8x14 inches) housing with rounded edges. A brushed stainless steel control panel adds a touch of elegance and contains four pushbutton controls plus a dial to select the function. A digital clock displays the time of day or brew time. We found the function knob a bit hard to turn, particularly because of its small size. Although it did move freely, a firm twist was needed. Some of the features we liked on this unit included the water filter option, which lets you install a charcoal filter to improve your water quality before brewing, a 1-4 cup setting to improve flavor with smaller batches, and the easy-pour double-walled thermal carafe with ergonomic handle for comfortable use. Using the 1-4 cup setting, we noticed that the brewing slowed slightly to allow fuller flavor as the water passed through the grounds. Some "extras" Cuisinart includes with its unit include automatic power loss backup, which restores the selected function for short (60 seconds) interruptions in power, and a clean setting, which alerts you when it is time to decalcify the machine.

A series of five beeps alerts you when the brew cycle has finished. Because the thermal carafe is opaque, you cannot tell how much coffee has already brewed like you could with a glass carafe. This limitation makes it even more important to have a brew-pause feature so you can pour a cup whenever you like, regardless of whether the brew cycle has finished. A nice function is the auto shutoff immediately after brewing, which saves energy. We noticed that using the pour-through lid on the carafe was a little slower than pouring with a standard glass carafe, particularly with the last few cups.

The programmable timer lets you pre-select a brewing time up to 24 hours in advance. We had trouble initially because we failed to notice the "pm" designation in the program window. In fact, the clock itself is small and somewhat hard to read, with black lettering against a gray background. Setting the auto-start time requires several steps: set the clock, program the brew time, turn the control dial to "Auto On" and press the On/Off button to activate the auto setting. A green light signals that the function has been set. Setting the Auto Start function in the future simply requires that you press the On/Off button. The unit will remember the previously programmed times.


Pros: Programmable clock/timer, auto shutoff immediately after brewing, thermal carafe, 1-4 cup setting, cleaning cycle, water filtration
Cons: Function dial is difficult to turn, small digits on clock are hard to read, pouring is slower using the thermal carafe

Warranty
3 years, limited