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Cuisinart 14-Cup Programmable Review

Great if you want something with high quality taste, but don't want to pay a lot for the OXO
Cuisinart 14-Cup Programmable
Credit: Cuisinart
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Price:   $100 List | $92.70 at Amazon
Pros:  Great taste, relatively inexpensive considering its taste quality
Cons:  Not as thoughtfully designed as other high end machines
Manufacturer:   Cuisinart
By Max Mutter and Steven Tata  ⋅  May 13, 2017
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70
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#3 of 12
  • Taste - 50% 8
  • User Friendliness - 20% 6
  • Convenience - 20% 6
  • Ease of Cleaning - 10% 6

Our Verdict

The Cuisinart 14-Cup Programmable was the second highest scoring machine we tested. With a little bit of fiddling it can produce a great tasting cup of coffee. It lost out on our Editors' Choice Award because it isn't quite as easy to clean or use as the OXO On Barista Brain 9-Cup, and it does occasionally let some sediment get through into the coffee. However, it also costs half as much as the OXO, which makes it a good choice if you want something that can produce a great tasting cup of coffee, but don't want to pay a premium price.

Compare to Similar Products

(change comparison)
 
Awards  Editors' Choice Award Best Buy Award   
Price $100 List
$92.70 at Amazon		$170 List
$177.95 at Amazon		$35 List
$35.63 at Amazon		$60 List
$69.99 at Amazon		Check Price at Amazon
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Pros Great taste, relatively inexpensive considering its taste qualityGreat taste, easy to use, single-cup brewing optionGood taste, inexpensiveRelatively inexpensiveGood taste, inexpensive
Cons Not as thoughtfully designed as other high end machinesExpensiveCan create a plastic taste when brand newCoffee tastes somewhat burnt and bitterRelatively slow
Bottom Line Great if you want something with high quality taste, but don't want to pay a lot for the OXOThe best option we've found for those seeking great tasting coffee without the extra effort of manual brew methodsA budget machine that offers nearly as much taste and functionality as a high end modelNot a bad machine, but mediocre taste is bested by machines at half the priceA decent budget option if you're not in too much of a hurry in the morning
Rating Categories Cuisinart 14-Cup Pr... OXO Brew 8 Cup Black+Decker 12-Cup... Hamilton Beach 2-Way Mr. Simple Brew 12-...
Taste (50%)
8.0
9.0
6.0
5.0
6.0
User Friendliness (20%)
6.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
6.0
Convenience (20%)
6.0
9.0
6.0
7.0
4.0
Ease Of Cleaning (10%)
6.0
7.0
6.0
7.0
6.0
Specs Cuisinart 14-Cup Pr... OXO Brew 8 Cup Black+Decker 12-Cup... Hamilton Beach 2-Way Mr. Simple Brew 12-...
Capacity (cups) 14 8 12 12 12
Automatic Brewing Yes No Yes Yes No
Dimensions 14" x 8" x 9" 13.5" x 10/5" x 7" 8.2" x 12.2" x 11" 13.7" x 11.4" x 15.4" 12.3" x 9.3" x 13.8"
Weight (pounds) 9.5 11.5 4.75 5 2.8
Warranty 3 Year Limited 2 Year Limited 2 Year Limited 2 Year Limited 1 Year Limited

Our Analysis and Test Results

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.

Credit: Jenna Ammerman

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

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

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


Cuisinart DCC-3400 12-Cup Programmable
  • Nearly identical machine
  • Includes a stainless steel insulated carafe rather than a glass one

— Max Mutter and Steven Tata