Cuisinart DCC-1200P1 User Manual - Page 4

CONTENTS Important Safeguards 1 Unpacking Instructions 2 Introduction 3 The Quest for the Perfect Cup of Coffee 3 Features and Benefits 4 Control Panel 5 Programming Your Coffeemaker 6 Making Coffee 7 Cleaning and Maintenance 8 Warranty 9 INTRODUCTION Cuisinart introduces a coffeemaker with retro styling and the latest high tech features, making it the centerpiece of any kitchen. The Cuisinart® Brew Central® Coffeemaker is reminiscent of the days of classic styling and durable materials. A brushed metal exterior with retro-style controls houses the finest coffeemaking technology. This coffeemaker even includes a charcoal water filter. The water filter ensures great tasting coffee by removing all of the impurities from the water. The Brew Central® Coffeemaker also comes with advanced features such as a programmable digital clock with 24-hour advanced-brew setting, an automatic shutoff, a self-cleaning function, and an audible beep that signals the end of the brew cycle, which makes brewing the best tasting coffee easy. THE QUEST FOR THE PERFECT CUP OF COFFEE It is generally agreed that there are four basic elements critical to the perfect cup: Element 1: Water Coffee is 98% water. Often overlooked, the quality of the water is as important as the quality of the coffee. A good rule of thumb is that if your water doesn't taste good from the tap, it won't taste any better in your coffee. That's why Cuisinart has added a water filter to the Brew Central® Coffeemaker. The charcoal water filter removes chlorine, calcium, bad tastes and odors, for the purest cup of coffee every time. Element 2: Coffee While the bulk of the liquid is water, all of the flavor should be from the coffee. To achieve the same great quality cup of coffee you receive at a coffee bar, you need to use the same quality beans. If you choose to grind your own beans, buy the beans fresh and whole, only about a two week supply at a time for maximum freshness. Once the coffee bean is broken, its flavor degrades very quickly. If it is not practical to buy small supplies, we recommend you separate larger amounts of beans into one to two week portions immediately after purchasing, and freeze them in airtight containers. The best way to maximize freshness is to minimize exposure to air, light and moisture. So, once removed from the freezer, beans should be maintained in a sealed container at room temperature, since damaging condensation occurs every time the beans are removed from the freezer or refrigerator. Note that some coffee experts advise against freezing dark-roast beans because this can cause the oils to coagulate, while other experts disagree. We suggest you experiment and decide for yourself. Element 3: Grind The grind is critical for proper flavor extraction. If the grind is too fine, over extraction and bitterness will result. Too fine a grind may also clog your filter. If grind is too coarse, the water will pass through too quickly and the desired flavors will not be extracted. We recommend a medium-fine grind. Element 4: Proportion The cups on the Cuisinart® coffeemaker are 5 ounces. Add the amount of ground coffee that corresponds to the number of cups being brewed. We recommend using 1 tablespoon of ground coffee per cup, but use more or less to suit your taste. NOTE: The maximum capacity for ground coffee is 15 tablespoons for this 12-cup (60 oz.) coffeemaker. Exceeding this amount may cause overflow if the coffee is too finely ground. 3