Cuisinart 14-Cup Programmable Review

The Cuisinart 14-Cup Programmable is a dependable machine that makes a great tasting cup of coffee. It is perfect for those that are picky about taste but don't want to spend as much on the OXO On Barista Brain.

Performance Comparison

The Cuisinart 14-Cup Programmable earned the second best overall score in our testing. Continue reading to find out how the Cuisinart performed in each one of our individual testing metrics.

Taste

The Cuisinart was a close runner-up in our taste testing, earning a score of 8 out of 10. This was one point behind the leader, and well ahead of the bottom score of 2. When we made a pot using the manufacturer's suggested amount of coffee it tasted good, but a bit weak. Adding in a bit more coffee brought out a strong and flavorful taste that all of our testers loved. It missed some of the more subtle flavor notes that the OXO was able to bring out in its brew, but definitely succeeded in creating a hearty, full-bodied cup. Its reusable filter did occasionally let some sediment through into the pot, but this was only occasional, and never enough to noticeably affect the taste of the brew.

The Cuisinart was the first runner up in our taste testing, losing out only to a machine that costs twice as much.

User Friendliness

The Cuisinart fell into the large group of average performers in our user friendliness testing. It earned a 6 out of 10, putting it right in the middle of a metric where scores ranged from 4 to 9. Our testers liked that the Cuisinart has a large LCD display and clearly labeled buttons. They also like that they could tell the machine when they were brewing less than 5 cups so it could adjust settings accordingly. While the interface is nice, it isn't quite as streamlined as that of some other models. It also lost some point for its carafe, which has a plastic spout that tends to make a mess if you're not careful.

Convenience

Continuing its trend of being in the middle of the pack, the Cuisinart earned a 6 out of 10. If you include prep and clean up its 6 cup brew time is 12 minutes, which was on the longer side of the models we tested. However, it can be programmed to start brewing right when you wake up. This feature largely offsets the long brew time.

The Cuisinart's interface is fairly straight forward, but not quite as intuitive as that of some other models.

Ease of Cleaning

The Cuisinart was close to the bottom of our ease of cleaning score sheet, earning a 5 out of 10. The Cuisinart lost points for its reusable mesh filter. While we love that a reusable filter reduces waste, it undeniably adds more effort to the cleaning process. The carafe was easy to clean, and both it and the reusable filter are dishwasher safe for periodic deep cleaning. The descaling process took a full hour to complete, but was fairly easy to do.

Value

The Cuisinart 14-Cup Programmable certainly isn't a cheap machine. However, if you consider that getting a better-tasting cup requires spending twice as much on the OXO On Barista Brain, the Cuisinart becomes a great value for those seeking a good tasting cup.

Conclusion

The Cuisinart 14-Cup Programmable is a good machine that makes a great tasting cup. While you can get a better tasting cup from the OXO On Barista Brain, it costs twice as much.

Other Versions

• Nearly identical machine

• Includes a stainless steel insulated carafe rather than a glass one