Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Cuisinart® 14-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker (DCC-3200)

Cuisinart® 14-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker (DCC-3200) Review

Coffee Makers

Product Grade
Report Card Grade
0 Reviews
Best Feature:
Affordable and programmable
Worst Feature:
Below average rating in our taste test
Best Uses:
Budget-friendly coffee for bigger households
Pricing:
$99.95
Manufacturer:

Where to Buy

Store Name
Price
$87.95
$96.99
$99.00
$125.00

Overview

The Cuisinart 14-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker is perfect for households that drink a lot of coffee. Since it has such a high capacity and long brew cycle, we love that it is programmable and has a brew stop. We also really like its built-in water filter and adjustable warming plate. In terms of drawbacks, the Cuisinart 14-Cup didn't perform well in our blind coffee taste test. We also felt the carafe was difficult to empty, and the water tank opening was small and hard to fill. However, if you are looking for a high capacity, inexpensive, and programmable machine, this one may be the right choice for you. At $100 with a 3-year limited warranty, we think this is a great value.

The Cuisinart Programmable Coffeemaker offers an impressive 14-cup carafe.
The Cuisinart Programmable Coffeemaker offers an impressive 14-cup carafe.
Credit: Mary Griffin
You can compare the Cuisinart®14-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker (DCC-3200) to other coffee makers in the Coffee Maker Review.

Photos

The Cuisinart Programmable Coffeemaker offers an impressive 14-cup carafe.
On this Cuisinart model, you can choose everything from the start time to the quantity and strength of your coffee.
The Cuisinart 14-Cup's brew basket, sprayhead, and water tank opening.
This Cuisinart features a built-in charcoal water filter to help eliminate any impurities before the brew process.
This model has classic glass carafe and warming plate technology.
Filling the water tank!
The Cuisinart 14-Cup reached an ideal brewing temperature of 195°F.
The DCC-3200 during the brew cycle.
The end result!
We found significant sediment accumulation when we used the Gold Tone filter.

 
This Product
Overall Winner
Overall Score
68%
94%
93%
Our Awards
Date Reviewed
July 2016
July 2016
July 2016
Pros
Reasonably priced; good warranty; highly programmable; built-in water filter; huge capacity
Coffee brewed at optimal time/temperature; SCAA certified; excellent warranty; brew-through lid and internal mixing tube
Coffee brewed at optimal time/temperature; SCAA certified; programmable; includes pre-infusion step; brew-through lid has internal mixing tube
Cons
Carafe is tough to empty completely; hard to fill water tank
Very expensive; not programmable; no auto-off
Expensive
Brewing Quality (30%)
Taste Test Results (35%)
Construction and Design Quality (20%)
Ease of Setup/Cleanup (15%)
Bonus Points - Extra Features (+10)
Type
Automatic Drip
Automatic Drip
Drip and Pour Over Technology
Brewing Capacity
70 oz
40 oz
45 oz
Price (MSRP)
$99.95
$340
$199.99
Warranty
3-year Limited
5-year Limited
2-year Limited
Product Width
8"
12.8"
14.2"
Product Depth
9"
6.8"
6.7"
Product Height
14.25"
15.3"
15.2"
SCAA Certified
No
Yes
Yes
Tested Brew Temperature
196°F
198°F
198°F
Tested Brew Time Until Empty Water Tank
13 minutes
5 minutes 30 seconds
7 minutes and 45 seconds
Carafe Temperature After Brewing
181°F
177°F
177°F
Carafe Temperature After 1 Hour
176°F
163°F
167°F
Filter Design
Can accommodate a reusable Gold Tone cone filter or a #4 disposable filter
Recommends using a #4 disposable, cone-shaped filter
Recommends using a #4 disposable, cone-shaped filter
Carafe Style
Glass
Thermal
Thermal
Programmable
Yes
No
Yes
Automatic Brew Strength Settings
Yes - Regular or Bold
No
No
Automatic Off
Yes
No
Yes
Brew Stop
Yes
Yes
Yes
Built-In Water Filter
Yes
No
No
Dishwasher Safe
Yes (upper rack)
No
No

Product Background

The Cuisinart®14-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker (DCC-3200) benefits from decades of Cuisinart's coffeemaker experience. It comes with all the conveniences that one could want in a home brewer including an automatic start, strength control settings, a built-in water filter, a brew stop, an indicator light for timely decalcification, an adjustable heating plate, and an automatic off. It comes with a permanent Gold Tone coffee filter, but you can also use a #4 paper filter if you prefer.

The DCC-3200 during the brew cycle.
The DCC-3200 during the brew cycle.
Credit: Mary Griffin

ProductReportCard Editors' In-Depth Review


Specifications

Performance Comparison

Brewing Quality

The Cuisinart® 14-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker utilizes automatic drip brew technology. You can choose your brew strength and that automatically alters the timing of the brewing process. The machine has a built-in charcoal water filter to remove impurities and chlorine before the brewing process begins. Cuisinart customer service says the brew temperature is 185°F+, and we verified the brew temp at 195°F. It took the machine 13 minutes until it beeped, indicating that the brew cycle was complete. The temperature of the coffee in the carafe directly after brewing was 181°F, and after sitting for an hour at the medium warming plate temperature, it was 176°F.

The Cuisinart 14-Cup reached an ideal brewing temperature of 195°F.
The Cuisinart 14-Cup reached an ideal brewing temperature of 195°F.
Credit: Mary Griffin

We were concerned with the amount of sediment in the bottom of the carafe after brewing a full pot with the recommended 14 level scoops of coffee (65 grams) in the permanent Gold Tone filter. If you want to avoid significant residue and sediment, and still brew a full carafe, we recommend that you use a paper filter.

We found significant sediment accumulation when we used the Gold Tone filter.
We found significant sediment accumulation when we used the Gold Tone filter.
Credit: Mary Griffin
Taste Test Results

The Cuisinart DCC-3200 did not perform well in our blind coffee taste test. We asked 31 coffee drinkers to rank samples of black coffee on overall taste, flavor, body, acidity, and color. The Cuisinart came in 10th out of 10. It scored very low in both body and color, and simply didn't stand out in any category. To learn more about how we tested the DCC-3200 against other coffee makers, please read our How We Test section.

The end result!
The end result!
Credit: Mary Griffin
Design Quality

We felt that this Cuisinart model was constructed with average quality materials, but that it was still pretty solid for this price point. The carafe is hard to get the last splashes of coffee (or water) out of, but it was easy to pour.

Ease of Set Up and Clean Up

The DCC-3200 is straightforward to set up and to clean up. Occasionally, we found coffee grounds splashed up on the sprayhead, but otherwise, cleaning is a breeze. The carafe and other removable parts are top-rack dishwasher safe.

Bonus Features

There are no shortage of functions on the Cuisinart DCC-3200. You can choose everything from your preferred brew strength (regular or bold) to when you would like your hot pot of coffee brewed. With automatic brew time control, plus automatic shut off, this coffeemaker is convenient. Although we prefer a thermal carafe system, we thought that this design was unique because you could choose a warming plate temperature setting. If you are looking for a hot cup of coffee ready when you wake, this machine is capable of delivering.

This Cuisinart model is highly programmable and it also includes a built-in charcoal water filter.
This Cuisinart model is highly programmable and it also includes a built-in charcoal water filter.
Credit: Mary Griffin
Best Uses

The Cuisinart 14-Cup Coffeemaker is a great choice for a highly programmable machine that offers a large capacity. It's also best for coffee drinkers who prefer the classic glass carafe and warming plate system.

Value

This Cuisinart model retails for $100. We think the 3-year limited warranty is great, especially at this price point. We find that this is a good value for someone interested in a highly programmable machine with a classic design.

Conclusion

The Cuisinart DCC-3200 was not one of our award winners in terms of coffee taste or quality. However, we did like that this coffeemaker is highly programmable and incredibly convenient. We like waking up to a pot of hot coffee, and we find that this machine is well thought out, especially for $100. It's worth a look if you are interested in decent brew temperatures, large capacity, and the convenience of a programmable unit. In addition, the price and warranty are hard to beat. For more information about our award winners, please check out our Coffee Maker Overview.

Alternatives

Mr. Coffee® Optimal Brew™ 10-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker BVMC-PSTX91

  • $100
  • Best Buy Award Winner
  • Programmable

BUNN Velocity Brew NHS

  • $130
  • On Demand Brewing
  • High Brew Temperature

Kenmore 12-Cup Programmable Aroma Control Coffee Maker 367101

  • $50
  • Programmable
  • Pre-Infusion Function
We suggest that you check out our Buying Advice for Coffee Makers to get an idea for what machine will best suit your needs.

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