Cuisinart DCC-900 Coffeemaker User Manual


 
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Important Safeguards . . . . . . . . . . . Page 1
Unpacking Instructions . . . . . . . . . .Page 2
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 3
The Quest for the
Perfect Cup of Coffee . . . . . . . . . . .Page 3
Features and Benefits . . . . . . . . . . .Page 4
Making Coffee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 6
Cleaning and Maintenance . . . . . . .Page 7
Decalcification of Metal Parts . . . . . .Page 7
Replacing the Water Filter . . . . . . . .Page 7
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 8
INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your purchase of the
Cuisinart
®
Filter Brew
TM
Coffeemaker. This
easy to use coffeemaker has a top of the
line brewing system with a charcoal filter that
makes pure, great tasting coffee possible
every time. You decide how many cups you
want to make without altering the flavor of the
brew. Or if you choose, the Brew Pause™
feature will let you sneak a cup before the
brewing cycle is complete. We also included
an automatic shutoff feature that turns the
machine off after 2 hours in case you forget.
Your Filter Brew
is easy to use, easy to clean
and looks great on any kitchen counter top.
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 is why Cuisinart has added a built-in
water filter to the Filter Brew
. The charcoal
water filter removes chlorine, bad tastes,
odors and scale 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 in the coffee. Don’t expect to
achieve the same quality cup of coffee you’re
accustomed to drinking at a coffee bar if you
don’t use the same quality beans or grounds.
If you choose to grind your own beans before
brewing be sure to buy them fresh, ideally no
more than a two week supply at a time, and
buy them whole. Once the bean is broken, its
flavor degrades very quickly, so coffee should
be ground just prior to brewing. 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
purchase and freeze them in airtight
containers. The best way to maximize fresh-
ness is to minimize exposure to air, light and
moisture. So, once removed from the freezer,
maintain the beans in a sealed container at
room temperature since damaging condensa-
tion occurs every time the beans are removed
from the freezer or refrigerator. Note that
some coffee experts advise against freezing
dark-roast beans because it can cause the
oils to coagulate, while others disagree.
We suggest you experiment and decide
for yourself.
Element 3: Grind
The grind is critical in proper flavor extraction.
If the grind is too fine, overextraction and
bitterness will result; too fine a grind may also
clog your filter. If too coarse, the water will
pass 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
4.5 ounces. Add the desired amount of ground
coffee, corresponding to the number of cups
being brewed. Many coffee bars and the
Specialty Coffee Association of America
recommend adding 2 rounded tablespoons
of coffee per 6 ounces of water. Some
coffee manufacturers recommend using one
tablespoon per cup. 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
coffeemaker. Exceeding these amounts
may cause overflow if the coffee is too
finely ground.