Frigidaire FPDC12D7MS Complete Owner's Guide - Page 8

Brewing tips, Cleaning, Troubleshooting Use the Coffee Strength button to select Regular or Strong depending on your preference. Use Fresh Coffee Beans It is recommended that you grind your coffee before each brew, and use the freshest beans possible. Keep the beans in an airtight container, and store in a cool location. Do not refrigerate the beans, as condensation will likely form on the beans once they are removed from the refrigerator. Although freezing may help preserve the beans, the flavor could be negatively affected over time. Grinding Your Coffee Although pre-ground coffee is perfectly acceptable, the best coffee will come from fresh ground beans. It is recommended that you grind your beans immediately prior to brewing, and set your grinder to the medium grind level setting. Medium grind is the optimum setting for most automatic drip coffee makers. How Much Coffee to Use For Each Pot Depending on the desired strength of the coffee, a ratio of one tablespoon per cup is the recommended starting point. You may adjust this amount to suit your personal preference, but if you prefer a weaker brew, brew to regular strength, and then dilute with hot water to maximize the flavor and minimize bitterness. Brew With Quality Water Using quality water is essential in making quality coffee. In some cases, local tap water may be of low quality, which can negatively affect the flavor of the coffee. If your tap water is of poor quality, you may want to consider brewing your coffee using bottled water, or water from an under-sink Reverse Osmosis filtration system. However, do not use distilled or mineral water as this may damage your Coffee Maker. Keeping Your Coffee Maker Clean To maintain quality coffee flavor, it is important to keep you carafe and brew basket clean. After each use thoroughly wash these items. Occasionally, it will be necessary to clean the entire system using a solution of vinegar and water (Read the Self Cleaning Instructions on page 6). Depending on the amount of use, it may be necessary to use this cleaning method once or twice a month. Cleaning The Coffee Maker 1 Remove the Filter Basket and carafe from the Coffee Maker. 2 Wash the filter basket and Permanent Gold-Tone filter in hot, soapy water and rinse with hot water. Do not use abrasive cleansers or scouring pads. These parts can also be washed in the upper rack of a dishwasher. 3 Unplug the Coffee Maker and wipe the housing with a warm, damp cloth. Then wipe clean with damp cloth and dry with a soft cloth. Do not use abrasive cleansers or scouring pads. To brighten and clean the stainless steel exterior, Frigidaire recommends Ecosential Stainless Steel Cleaner by Smart ChoiceTM. Purchase online at http://frigidaire. stores.yahoo.net/ or call Toll-free number: 1-800599-7569 Troubleshooting • If the unit does not turn on, check to make sure that it is plugged into a grounded electrical outlet and that the circuit breaker is closed for that outlet. If the unit still fails to turn on, consult the warranty at the back of this Use & Care Guide for obtaining information on service. • If the unit only brews a portion of the water placed in the reservoir, then it requires cleaning as described in the cleaning section of this Use & Care Guide. 8