Do you like quick, hassle-free, non-specialty brews to kick-start your day? When all you need is “regular” hot coffee in the morning using your under-budget drip coffee maker, the Cuisinart Coffee maker from Costco will help you start your day with the best coffee you’ve ever tasted!
Cuisinart offers many top-notch coffee makers, but only 1-2 options are available at Costco. Whether you need a programmable coffee maker or a single-serve brewer, you’ve come to the right place!
I have this well-researched guide to help you choose the best value for your money so that the product you buy is worth the investment. Whether you choose it at Costco or Amazon, you’ll love your coffee maker–this guide includes some better alternatives to Costco’s Cuisinart coffee maker.
Do you want to know?
Let’s get straight into our review section.
Costco Cuisinart Coffee Maker at a Glance – What You Need To Know!
Cuisinart offers a wide range of coffee makers, and after going through the buying guide (given in the last section of this article), you can choose one that’ll last a lifetime. The reviewed machines are mid-range but superb in quality and build. Not all ranges of models are available at Costco, though.
Cuisinart CBC-6500PC 14-Cup Brew Central Programmable Coffeemaker
First up, I have this Cuisinart’s 14 Cup Brew Central Programmable Coffee Maker, Model number CBC-7400PC, from Costco.
Costco also sells a sister model of the Cuisinart CBC-7200 PC coffee maker at the same price; the only difference is that the latter comes in white.
The sad part of our story about Cuisinart’s coffee maker at Costco is that you can get it at Costco–no better models are available at Costco. Yet, for the price, it’s exceptional.
If you’re interested in getting better and more durable coffee makers, don’t worry, I’ll also review some excellent quality Cuisinart coffee makers!
The Cuisinart Costco coffee maker looks sleek on your counter with its stylish design and has many valuable features that’ll make your life much easier. This machine’s most significant selling point is its vast capacity, which lets you brew several cups of coffee.
What else?
It has a beautiful backlit touchscreen with which you can easily program your next batch of coffee besides cleaning the coffee maker using the ‘’self-cleaning” option.
Besides the warmer option, you have many functions to set the temperature from low to high. You can even program it to make coffee for you at a specific time. Likewise, the auto shut-off is perfect, turning off the coffee maker after 4 hours.
You can even control the brew strength with the “strength control.” Once the brewing is finished, it also shows it with a tone and displays an “X” to improve visibility.
How is it for day-to-day use?
It works great once you follow the instructions when you take it home for the first time. On the downside, the size is pretty big, so storing it in a small cupboard might be a hassle.
It has self-clean features and removable parts, so cleaning it up is easy. However, condensation drippings and mess when filling the water tank are common.
Who enjoys cleaning puddles?
Pros
- Programmable and fully automatic coffee maker for brewing a regular coffee cup.
- Essay to use
- “Bold” brew feature for a stronger drink
- You can customize each cup of coffee.
- Auto shut-off safety feature enabled
- About $30 lower price at Costco and backed with Costco return policy
Cons
- The lid is not well designed.
- It’s pretty big.
- The taste quality isn’t great at 1-4 cup settings.
- Washing its gold tone filter can take time.
- The heat plate can catch rust after some time.
- No channel to catch condensation dripping from the lid when opened.
Best Cuisinart Coffee Makers from Retailers Other Than Costco for Tastier Brew
A few Cuisinart coffee makers’ models are available at Costco. You might need some other coffee maker for these reasons:
- An on-demand coffee maker is more suitable for you.
- You hate cold coffee sitting in the carafe.
- You don’t like cleaning much.
- Seeing your machine rusting sucks you.
- You want some more brewing options like espresso.
- Quality, not price, is your primary concern.
You can check out these coffee makers at Amazon, which are probably under your budget besides ensuring a better experience.
Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. This means that if you click on the link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. You can read my full affiliate disclosure here.
Cuisinart DCC-1200P1 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker–Best Alternative
Here comes the Cuisinart DCC-1200P1 with its 12-cup capacity, 1-4 cup setting, auto shut-off feature, and full programmability to help you enjoy your morning cup of joe to the fullest!
It’s a fully automatic brewer with 24-hour programmability. Besides this, you can set the temperature of your coffee from low to medium to high.
The 12-cup glass carafe is big and designed ergonomically with a comfortable black handle. It has a dripless spout and a knuckle guard, which protects your hand from getting burnt. The coffee maker also has charcoal and gold-tone filters for easy cleaning to ensure clean-tasting coffee.
It’s a decent coffee maker but a little expensive compared to the Costco coffee maker — more than many 14-cup coffee makers. It’s easy to set up and makes some really good coffee, but it has a few design flaws, such as the clock having no backlight.
Another design flaw is that it’s pretty tall and has no water indicator, which means if you’re short or your counter is too high, you’ll have to lean over it to check the water level, which makes it pretty inconvenient. Besides that, the programmable timer and the heat plate temperature settings make it worth buying.
Pros
- 12-cup capacity with 1-4 cup setting.
- Compact design
- Easy-to-use control panel
- Auto shut-off feature.
- Temperature adjustment.
- No drips or leaks when replacing water or filters.
- It’s lightweight when compared with the Cuisinart Coffee maker at Costco.
- The heating plate temperature adjustment prevents the coffee from having a burnt taste.
Cons
- The price is almost double of Costco’s Cuisinart coffee maker.
- It’s challenging to check the water level.
- No backlight
- The condensation in the lid drips.
- The basket can’t bear overloading and overflows, resultantly.
Cuisinart DCC-3200BKSP1 Perfect-temp, 14 Cup Coffee Maker–Best for the flavorful coffee
Next, I have the most popular Cuisinart DCC-3200, a 14-cup coffee maker with 24-hour programmability. It’ll take the style of your kitchen up a notch, and you’ll have steaming-hot tastiest coffee each time!
It has buttons instead of a touchscreen, which is more user-friendly–it’s better for everyday household usage when you have elderly coffee lovers at home.
Brew strength control in this coffee maker allows you to choose the strength of your coffee. Besides this, it has a convenient brew-pause feature, which allows you to enjoy a coffee before the brewing cycle is completed.
Thanks to the gold-tone and charcoal filters, I always appreciate the clean taste of coffee from this coffee maker.
Is there a flip side of the coin?
Yes! The hotplate isn’t of the greatest quality. It may flake once you set it to a higher setting for too long.
It’s great in the kitchen, big but not bulky, has a large cup capacity, and makes fantastic coffee; what more do you need?
Pros
- Compact design and user-friendly non-digital interface
- More functional one-type filters
- The brighter LED display is easy to read.
- Gold-tone and charcoal filters make cleaning easy.
- The “Bold” setting enabled to let you extract stronger coffee
- Auto shut-off feature.
- Programmable and fully electric.
- The temperature setting on the hot plate is hotter than in the previous model.
- It’s the quietest unit; you can turn off the “coffee ready” beep.
Cons
- The cord is short.
- It’s big.
- The hot plate can flake when you use it at a higher setting.
- The lowest temperature is still hot enough to burn your lips.
Cuisinart Plus 12-Cup Hot Water Coffee Maker, Black/Stainless
The Cuisinart Plus 12-Cup coffee maker comes in clutch for those households where everyone is divided on whether to drink coffee or tea. This model can do both, and with a 12-cup capacity, no one in your household will be left unserved!
But what if I want to make coffee and tea?
Don’t worry!
It has a dedicated hot water reservoir which you can use to make your tea simultaneously!
The design is modern and sleek and looks pretty compatible, especially if you have other kitchen appliances with a metallic-black design.
On the downside, it’s pretty big, but that’s a given, thanks to the enormous capacity and multiple functions.
Do you like your coffee hotter than most people?
Well, the temperature is adjustable!
You can change everything from the temperature to the brew strength with a few clicks. The 54oz hot water system is separate so you can run coffee and hot water separately.
Cuisinart Plus auto-programs the coffee machine to have your coffee ready in the morning. It even has an auto shut-off and self-clean features, which make life a breeze.
Now the main feature–is coffee; it’s excellent, this machine extracts the flavor from the beans, and you have super tasty coffee at your disposal. It’s also a workhorse, meaning that even after prolonged use, it’ll work amazingly in the kitchen.
One issue, though, is that even at the highest temperature, the water barely reaches 200 degrees Fahrenheit, which is not hot enough for some people.
Pros
- Auto shut-off and self-cleaning features.
- The independent hot-water tap heats up the water quickly.
- It’s fully programmable.
- More control on brewing through pause and temperature buttons
- Its energy saving units–only 400 watts.
- Cone-type filters improve brewing.
- The bean basket splashes less often.
- The built-in charcoal water filter on both sides
- Brighter backlit
Cons
- Takes up a lot of space horizontally.
- The water isn’t hot enough.
- The carafe’s hot setting is hotter than you expect.
- The clock is small.
Cuisinart DCC-3000 Coffee-on-Demand 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker
The Cuisinart DCC-300 is another programmable model with a large 12-cup capacity. This coffee maker is perfect if you like having coffee with a crowd. It extracts the grounds evenly and can brew large quantities of coffee with a showerhead drip.
This model has been designed like a water dispenser; it’s not too bulky and looks sleek and modern. The dispenser design allows everyone to dispense their coffee themselves. The Cuisinart coffee maker keeps the rest of the coffee warm during the course using its double-walled tank.
The gauge on the front tells you how much coffee is left. This model also has a 24-hour advanced brew setting to let you enjoy fresh coffee in the morning–pretty typical of all Cuisinart drip coffee makers.
Storage is easy as it’s not super bulky and has cord storage.
The 1-4 cup setting with a 4-cup brewing cycle is fantastic, producing super flavorful coffee comparable to a six-cup cycle.
This model has a dispenser system and considerable capacity, making it super convenient for day-to-day use. Some people prefer a carafe, though, which could be a minus point for some.
It has a “clean alarm” feature for easy cleanup, but you must keep the dispenser clean, as the grounds can break the seal leading to dripping.
Pros
- Large capacity with a compact and portable design
- Coffee tastes great
- No carafe design for breakage-free durability.
- Auto-shutoff system
- Completely programmable.
- Easy to store
- The materials involved in the brewing process are BPA-free.
- The cleaning alert is handy.
Cons
- You need to clean it up more than average owing to frequent drips.
- The coffee gauge is not accurate.
- The user guide isn’t of great help.
- Since it has no carafe, it’s overpriced.
What should You Look For When Choosing the Best Drip Coffee Maker?
All coffee makers have the same basic concept, i.e., coffee mixes with water which extracts flavor from the beans, and the water drains through a filter to be poured inside a cup.
So how can you ensure you choose the best? Well, you must look for a few things to decide!
Quick Coffee or Slow Ritual?
This is the first thing, the convenience of it all.
Do you enjoy brewing coffee in the morning?
If you’re one of those people, a manual coffee maker will help you do the job best, as they need all your attention for the perfect cup of coffee.
Manual coffee makers are good for making small quantities, but it’ll be a hassle if you have a large household.
Or… are you like me and prefer that everything is ready for you right when you wake up? Then the programmable coffee maker would do a fantastic job as you can program it to have your coffee ready for you at a specific time.
Then come electric machines which require a few button presses to make your coffee; they need a little more attention but not too much.
How often do you drink coffee?
If you like making your coffee in the morning in bulk and then drinking it throughout the day, then you should go for a coffee maker with a thermal carafe that keeps the coffee hot the whole day. They’re so convenient.
Everyone can leave the machine on, and the next person can get their piping hot cup of coffee. You could also opt for a warming plate, but they leave a burnt taste sometimes, which many people dislike.
What type of coffee do you drink?
This is another crucial factor in determining which coffee maker to get. There are coffee makers, espresso machines, and hybrid machines that brew. If you like one over the other, you can just buy one machine.
On the other hand, if you prefer both, you can either go for two separate machines or a hybrid one. The hybrid machine costs less, and it’s compact compared to the two machines, but the quality of the coffee is far from a specialized machine.
So, if you like your cup of coffee ideally every time, then two machines are the option to choose from.
How much coffee do you need to brew?
Brew size is another essential factor you must remember while choosing your Cuisinart coffee maker. Some are good for brewing a single cup, while others can hold coffee for the whole family. Some others offer different ranges of brew sizes.
If you live alone or if everyone prefers their specific coffee, you can opt for the single-cup brewer; on the other hand, brewers with larger quantities are suitable for people who like large amounts of coffee.
Size of the Machine
This specification is often overlooked, but it’s oh-so-important!
If your coffee maker fits outside of your kitchen, then you’ve got no use for it. Thus always measure your counter space and decide that the coffee maker fits your designated area.
Types of Coffee Makers
Depending upon your use, you can choose one of the different coffee makers to get the most out of them!
Non-electric coffee makers
Non-electric brewers include French press, pour-overs, and stove-top pots. They’re pretty small and perfect for small counters. They need far more attention, so only get them if you have the time and patience.
Electric drip coffee makers
These are simple to use, and you can put your beans inside. You can adjust the strength of the coffee by increasing or decreasing the amount. Most of them are simple to use and work with a few touches of the buttons.
Single-cup machines
These are the easiest to use, you just put a capsule inside, and it pours out the coffee; there is no hassle, but many use their brand of supplies. Although many manufacturers allow you to choose your blend of coffee, the capsules remove any room for adjusting.
Espresso Machines
These machines will do the trick if you’re an avid espresso drinker. They come in all shapes and sizes, having different features. The best thing about these machines is the quality of the espresso is exquisite!
Features, features, and more features!
If you want your machine to be modern and have many features, you can get that too! Some devices go above and beyond, having different brew options, sizes, and functions, such as keeping warm and auto shut-off.
Depending on how many features you want, the price tag varies too.
FAQs
Costco vs. Amazon: Where to Buy a Cuisinart Coffee Maker?
The sister model of the first product is available at Costco, so if you’re going for that one, it’s recommended that you buy it at your nearest Costco because of the price. At Costco, you get wholesale items like this coffee maker, which you can get for a meager $60!
It’s pricey at more than $90 at Amazon, so I think the choice is evident here. Yet, if this Only Costco Available Cuisinart Coffee Maker hardly meets your needs, you can get any from Amazon or your favorite online store.
Should you opt to buy it from Amazon, then?
It’s up to you, but Costco Coffee makers proved 12% cheaper than identical items at Amazon! Yet, the choice is limited at Costco.
Another thing to note is that there are different sellers on Amazon so you can get ripped off.
That’s not the case for Costco, as they control the quality well.
Sometimes you can get a better product at Amazon, though. If you find the right seller, then Amazon could be more value for money as you could save, and there are many more models available only at Amazon.
Final Thoughts
After reading this in-depth guide, I hope you can decide which coffee maker is the one for your kitchen, considering all the pros and cons. Now you can buy the one you need without problems!
