Nothing will get your morning going quite like a fresh-brewed cup of coffee. Coffee lovers know this, which is why they seek out the best coffee makers and setups on the market.
If that’s you, then you’ve come to the right place. In our Cuisinart DCC-3400 review, we’ll go in-depth about this thermal coffeemaker so you’ll know whether it’s the right one for you.
Please keep reading to see our Cuisinart DCC-3400 review.
Also Read: Best coffee maker buying guides in 2021
Cuisinart DCC-3400 Coffee Maker Review
To start things off, here are some pros and cons of the product.
Cuisinart 12 Cup Programmable Thermal Coffeemaker Summary
Pros:
- Brew to your taste
- Coffee stays hot for hours in the carafe
- State-of-the-art coffee-brewing technology
- Brew Pause feature lets you enjoy a cup without waiting for the whole brewing process
- Comes with a three-year warranty
Cons:
- Can be messy to use
- LED lights might be too bright
Now that you know a little bit about this thermal coffee maker, it’s time to dive into the complete review.
Design
The Cuisinart DCC-3400’s design is both time-honored and contemporary. It’s visually similar to a Keurig machine, except that it comes with a carafe.
In that respect, it merges the aesthetics of the classic coffee maker with sleek, metallic geometry. The Cuisinart coffee maker won’t look out of place in your average kitchen, but it will tie the room together.
This coffee machine is relatively compact, too, and measures 9 x 7.75 x 14.25 inches. Those dimensions make it big enough to accommodate a 12-cup coffee maker without worrying about it taking up all of your counter space. You can simply tuck this Cuisinart coffee maker in a corner and let it work its magic.
As well, it uses a button interface and backlit display with blue LED lighting to facilitate the brewing experience. Around the digital clock screen are programming buttons that let you set the time and the brew timer. Below them are buttons to:
- Clean the machine
- Set your coffee’s strength
- Start and stop brewing
- Turn the automation on and off
- Control the strength of smaller batches
This coffee machine uses a 12-cup thermal carafe to keep your coffee hot all day long. These specifications make the DCC-3400 distinct from the DCC-3200, which uses a 14-cup glass carafe with a hot plate. In our opinion, although the hot plate can keep the coffee temperature, it also has chance to change the coffee flavor. We are a fan of the 12-cup thermal carafe model.
Brew Capacity
As we’ve seen, the Cuisinart DCC-3400 can hold up to 12 cups of coffee in its carafe. The water reservoir is of the same capacity. Please note that some customers reviewed that a full carafe of coffee can’t fill 12 coffee cups (8 oz size). It seems that the coffee cup size for measuring the capacity is about 6 oz.
You don’t have to make a whole pot if you don’t want to. If all you’re craving is one cup, you can do just that. In fact, if you decide partway through brewing that you want less, you can take the carafe out of its place and pour yourself a cup. When that happens, the Brew Pause feature will kick in, stopping any incoming coffee from splashing everywhere.
Moreover, the Cuisinart DCC-3400 has a setting optimized for smaller batches. When brewing a batch of no more than four cups, you can press the 1-4 button on the front of the machine. This setting ensures that your smaller batch will taste as impressive as a larger one. There’s no need to worry about the coffee taste being too weak or too strong.
Brew Performance
So, now you know how much the Cuisinart DCC-3400 can brew. How well can it brew, though? Let’s take a look!
Brew Temperature
The industry standard brewing temperature for coffee is 195–205ºF. If you’re a stickler for industry standards, you may want to give this appliance a pass. Some Cuisinart DCC-3400 reviews find that the machine doesn’t brew above 190ºF. However, for people who won’t reach for the thermometer every time they brew a pot, the Cuisinart DCC-3400 does a formidable job.
Not all drip coffee makers can meet the optimal water temperature for the maximum coffee flavor. If you are expecting higher quality coffee, please check out our best automatic drip coffee maker review, we picked a few SCA-certified coffee makers there.
Brew Time
One of the hardest parts of brewing a pot of coffee is waiting. Thankfully, the Cuisinart DCC-3400 can brew a full carafe in about ten minutes. Not only that, but you don’t have to wait for the last drop before you can have a cup. You can take the thermal carafe out at any point of the brewing cycle and pour yourself some Morning Joe. The “Brew Pause” mechanism will do what you’d expect—it pauses the brewing process.
Coffee Strength Control
Cuisinart DCC-3400 has a brew strength control that allows you to select bold or regular coffee flavors. If you like your coffee fairly mellow, there’s the Regular setting. However, if you want your coffee nice and strong, there’s the Bold option. You can access both of these options through the “Bold” button.
Other Features
The Cuisinart DCC-3400 has many fine features that make your coffee the best it can be. For one, it has a charcoal filtration system to reduce impurities. Purer water means better coffee. For another, it has a showerhead that keeps the water from losing its heat as it pours uniformly over the coffee grounds in the filtering area.
It also features the auto-shutoff feature which can be set for 4 hours.
Ease of Use
The Cuisinart DCC-3400 is straightforward to use. As an automatic drip coffeemaker, DCC-3400 takes no more than 5 steps to make the coffee.
- Pour as much water as you’d like into the water tank, following the levels through the water window
- Put in either the golden filter that comes with this coffee maker or a paper filter into the filter basket
- Add a scoop of coffee for each cup you want to brew
- Close the top and set the strength you prefer
- Press the “Brew/Off” button
You can set a timer to let you know when your coffee is ready. Not only that, but you can program the coffee machine to brew coffee for you whenever you want automatically. Or shut it off within 4 hours thanks to the auto-off feature.
All of the major parts of the Cuisinart coffee maker are dishwasher safe. It also has a self-cleaning feature for calcium buildup in the water tank.
Ease of Maintenance
One other delightful feature of the Cuisinart DCC-3400 is its self-cleaning mode. When there’s excessive calcium carbonate buildup in the water tank, the “Clean” button will glow red.
From there, cleaning is a breeze. All you need to do is fill the tank with a 1:3 solution of white vinegar and water. Then, you press down the “Clean” button until it flashes, which means that the machine is in cleaning mode. When the cleaning process is over, a series of beeps will alert you. After that, you need to run a cycle with pure water to rinse everything out.
Keep in mind that it may take more than one cleaning cycle for the tank to decalcify itself fully. If that’s the case, the “Clean” button will light up again. Pour in a fresh vinegar solution and rerun the process.
Also, it takes only a few steps to install and replace the charcoal filter. It’s recommended to change the filter every 2 months for better water quality.
- Steep the charcoal filter in cold water for 15 seconds
- Flush it with water for an additional 10 seconds
- Put it in its designated holder
- Place the filter and holder into the water tank
Here is a video showing you how to clean and descale the machine. They use the model 3200 in the video, it also suitable for 3400.
Durability
Cuisinart products have a reputation for durability, and the Cuisinart DCC-3400 is no exception. With proper care, the Cuisinart DCC-3400 could last you for years.
Each Cuisinart DCC-3400 comes with a three-year limited warranty for American customers. If you find defects during routine use up to three years from the date of purchase, you can seek a replacement or refund from Cuisinart. All you’ll need is proof of purchase to fulfill the warranty. Though Cuisinart recommends you register online any of the products you buy from them, it is not necessary.
Should you have any concerns with your Cuisinart DCC-3400, or any Cuisinart product, you can call their customer service line at 1-800-726-0190. Alternately, you can visit the Product Assistance section of their website. Customers report fantastic, quality customer service from Cuisinart, especially as it pertains to the Cuisinart DCC-3400.
You can purchase replacement parts via the Cuisinart website and through Amazon.
Value for Money
Some people want to sink a lot of money into a coffee maker and have the means to do so. Others, however, don’t. Luckily, the Cuisinart DCC-3400 has an average price for an appliance of its type.
The Cuisinart DCC-3400 gets frequent comparisons to the Cuisinart DCC-3200. The latter is slightly more affordable than the former. Yet, it is important to note that the Cuisinart DCC-3400 comes with a stainless steel thermal carafe, while the DCC-3200 has a glass carafe. If you can’t choose between these two models, you may have to consider whether you value price or materials more.
Even beyond Cuisinart, glass carafe coffee makers tend to cost less than thermal coffee makers. Other brands can have thermal carafe coffee makers for lower prices than the Cuisinart DCC-3400. However, the cheaper ones are liable to be made of plastic instead of stainless steel.
The Verdict – Great Coffee Maker with 12 Cup Capacity and Thermal Carafe
Overall, the Cuisinart DCC-3400 is an excellent choice for coffee lovers who want a high-capacity programmable drip coffee maker with a thermal carafe. Not only can you make a lot of coffee with it, but you can trust that it will be a fantastic brew every time. It’s got everything you’d expect of its price and more!
We hope this Cuisinart DCC-3400 review has helped you in your search to find the best coffee maker for you.
