Cuisinart Coffee Maker How to & Troubleshooting Guide

Cuisinart Coffee Maker How to & Troubleshooting Guide

Cuisinart is one of the well-known makers of home appliances in the market. They offer a variety of coffee makers from drip, and brew, to grind and brew/drip coffee makers.

While Cuisinart manufactures good quality brewers, the machine can have some issues arising from its daily use, setup, or for any other reason. Troubleshooting these issues can often resolve the problems, without the need to incur huge expenses on repairs or replacements.

This guide shows the various steps to follow to help clear some of the common issues with Cuisinart coffee makers.

Why is my Cuisinart coffee maker not brewing?

If your Cuisinart coffee maker won’t brew, it could be because of an air bubble that is trapped in the water path. Below are the other possible causes for the problem:

Calcium buildup

Calcium buildup due to the type of water you use could be a reason why your coffee maker is not brewing.

Pot is not centered

Many coffee makers have a small valve that withholds the flow of coffee if the pot is not centered to prevent coffee from dripping out onto your countertop.

Faulty wiring

It is possible that the wiring has become faulty or has been compromised and no longer functions. This could be noticeable by the on/off light no longer illuminating once the machine is plugged in and turned on.

The unit is not plugged in.

The reason your coffee maker is not brewing could simply be because you haven’t plugged it into a working electrical outlet.

Cuisinart Coffee Maker Doesn’t Brew a Full Cup

  • The piercing and/or exit needle may be clogged.
  • Clean the capsule holder brewing chamber.
  • Make sure the water reservoir is properly in place, and perform a rinse cycle.
  • De-scale the coffeemaker.

Cuisinart Coffee Maker Shuts Off or Turns On Automatically

The default Auto Off time is set for 30 minutes. Make sure the AUTO OFF and the On/Off time features have not been set. To do this, press the Menu button and scroll through the programming options. OFF should be displayed for AUTO OFF timer and On/Off. If OFF is not displayed, you must reset it.

Cuisinart Coffeemaker Blue Light in the Water Reservoir is Flashing

This indicates the water level in the reservoir is low and water must be added in order to brew a full cup.

How do you reset the clean light on a Cuisinart coffee maker?

If the Clean light starts to flash when the coffee maker is turned on, it is telling you that the calcium buildup is interfering with the functioning of your coffee maker and the flavor of your coffee.

To reset the Clean light, you need to clean your coffee maker using the same procedure:

  • Fill the water reservoir to capacity with a mixture of 1/3 white vinegar and 2/3 water.
  • Press the clean button. When the self-clean light glows, turn the coffee maker on by pressing the on/off button.
  • The Clean light will shine steadily. The coffee maker is now in clean mode. Once cycle should be sufficient to adequately clean the coffee maker.
  • When the cycle is complete and the five beeps sound, the coffee maker will shut off. Turn the coffee maker to see if the Clean light continues to flash. If it does, repeat the cleaning procedure with a fresh solution of vinegar and water.
  • If the Clean light no longer flashes, turn off the coffee maker and then run one cycle of fresh cold water through the unit before using the coffee maker again to brew coffee.

How do you program the Cuisinart coffee maker?

Setting the clock

When the coffee maker is plugged in 12:00 will appear until you set the time. Turn the function knob to CLOCK by:

  • Hold down the Hour or Minute button until the clock starts flashing.
  • Press either button to select the desired time. Hold the buttons down to scroll through the digits, or press and release to advance one digit at a time.
  • When scrolling, the numbers will advance slowly and then speed up. When the number displayed approaches the desired time, press and release to advance one digit at a time.
  • Be sure the PM indicator is you desire a PM time.

Setting the AUTO ON time

When you turn the Function Knob to PROG, it displays a previously selected auto-on timer, or the default time (12:00pm). To set the auto-on time:

  • Turn the function knob to PROG. Follow the directions under “Setting the clock” (above) to program your start-brew time.
  • Turn the Function knob to AUTO ON. LCD will display the current time.
  • Press and release the ON/OFF button. A green light indicates that the coffee maker is in AUTO ON mode. A red light will come on when the brew cycle starts. Both lights will go off when Keep Warm Cycle ends.
  • To start brew time at the same time the next day, simply make sure the Function Knob is on AUTO ON and press and release ON/OFF button once more. Green AUTO ON light will go on.

Setting the AUTO OFF time

  • Turn the Function Knob to AUTO OFF.
  • Follow the directions under “setting the clock” (above) to program your Cuisinart coffee maker to shut off from 0 to 4 hours after the brew cycle is finished.

Setting the carafe temperature

Use this feature to control the temperature of the coffee in the pot.

Turn the carafe TEMP knob to set your desired temperature High, Medium, or Low.

How to Clean Cuisinart Coffee Maker

Follow these instructions to clean a Cuisinart coffee maker:

  • Always turn your coffee maker off and remove the plug from the electrical outlet before cleaning.
  • Lift the reservoir cover. Remove and discard the paper filter and ground coffee.
  • The filter basket can be washed in warm, soapy water and rinsed thoroughly, or cleaned in the upper rack of the dishwasher.
  • Dry all parts after use.
  • Do not put any water in the unit once the filter basket has been removed. Wipe the area under the filter basket with a damp cloth.
  • Remove the carafe from the heating plate. Discard any remaining coffee. The carafe and lid can be washed in warm, soapy water and rinsed thoroughly, or placed in a dishwasher. The carafe and carafe lid should only be placed on the upper rack.
  • Do not use any harsh cleaners or scouring agents on any part of the coffee maker.
  • Never immerse the base unit in water or any liquid. To clean the base unit, wipe with a clean, damp cloth and dry before storing.
  • Use soap and water or a non-abrasive cleaning solution to wash fingerprints and other blemishes on the housing.
  • Wipe the heating plate with a clean, damp cloth. Do not use rough, abrasive materials or cleansers to clean the heating plate.
  • Do not clean the inside of the water reservoir with a cloth, as lint may remain.

Coffee tastes metallic

Metallic-tasting coffee is a common problem with older machines. The metallic taste can generally be solved by cleaning your coffee maker.

Follow the cleaning instructions as per your unit’s manual, but in general, the cleaning procedure for all the internal components is to add 1/3 part white vinegar and 2/4 parts water to the water reservoir and run it through a brew cycle.

Run several more brew cycles with water only to clear any residual vinegar.

A dirty carafe could also be the culprit for bad-tasting coffee, so give it a thoroughly clean as well. Let the carafe sit overnight filled with 1 part baking soda and 2 parts warm water to remove any stains, and then rinse with water in the morning.

Cuisinart coffee maker stops brewing middle cycle

Try the troubleshooting tips below if your coffee maker stops brewing middle cycle:

  • Check the basket/pot and whether it is centered. Adjust the basket to make sure it is sitting straight or remove then replace the carafe or pot to make sure it is sitting in the center of the drip dispenser.
  • Use a toothpick or run the coffee maker with vinegar in the water reservoir to clean out any calcium deposits that may have buildup. If you successfully clean the unit and decalcify it, ideally you should run a couple of cycles with only water before adding coffee grinds.
  • Check if there is water in the reservoir chamber and if there are coffee grounds in the basket. Add as required if there isn’t.
  • Check for coffee ground buildup under the blade. If there is buildup, thoroughly clean it. Soak the grinding bowl in hot soapy water and scrub it with a small brush. Also, remove any beans or grounds from underneath the grinding bowl and clean that area as well.

Cuisinart Coffee Maker is Overflowing

If your machine is constantly overflowing from the filter basket, you may be filling your basket or using coffee that is too finely ground, which causes the drip to slow and the filter to overflow. For example, for 12- and 14-cup coffeemakers, Cuisinart recommends filling the basket with no more than 15 tablespoons of coffee grounds to avoid overflow.

Also, try these additional tips to fix an overflow problem with your unit:

  • Try reseating the pot to make sure the lid is in the correct place.
  • Check to confirm you have forgotten a paper filter. Check whether you have accidentally used two filters and clogged the filter basket

Cuisinart Coffeemaker Does Not Have Power

If your coffeemaker does not have power, try the following troubleshooting instructions to fix the problem:

  • Plug the brewer into an independent outlet.
  • Make sure the brewer is securely plugged in.
  • Try plugging into a different outlet.
  • Reset your home’s circuit breaker.
  • Confirm the power has been turned on and the LCD illuminated.

Cuisinart coffee maker on/off switch not working

If the on/off switch on the front of your Cuisinart coffee maker is not working, you may need to replace it. This guide shows the steps to follow to access the toggle switch to replace it.

For this task, you will need:

  • A bit driver with the PH1 bit
  • Metal spudger

Then follow these steps:

  1. Using the metal spudger, gently pry out the two plastic plugs located on top.
  2. Remove the two 11 mm long screws from the top of the coffeemaker underneath the cover using the bit driver with the extension with the PH1 Philips bit.
  3. Once you have removed the screws, take off the coffeemaker faceplate by pulling it down and away from the rest of the unit.
  4. Remove the electrical connection to the circuit board. Carefully remove the connection by pulling it straight up and away from the circuit board. Once you have removed the electrical connection, separate the faceplate from the rest of the coffeemaker.
  5. Using the bit driver with the PH1 Philips bit driver remove the three 11 mm long screws holding the circuit board to the faceplate. Once removed, carefully remove the circuit board from the faceplate revealing the inside of the faceplate.
  6. Using the bit driver with the PH1 Philips bit driver remove the four 10 mm long screws from the toggle switch plate. Remove the toggle switch plate from the faceplate once the screws are removed.
  7. Remove the hex nut from behind the toggle switch on the front of the faceplate.
  8. Remove the toggle switch by pulling it out from inside the faceplate.

How to Decalcify Cuisinart Brew Central 14-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker

Decalcification refers to the removal of calcium deposits that form overtime on the metal parts of your coffeemaker. Before decalcifying your machine, remove the charcoal water filter from the water reservoir.

To clean:

  1. Fill the water reservoir to capacity with a mixture of 1/3 white vinegar and 2/3 water.
  2. Press and hold the CLEAN button. When the CLEAN LED indicator flashes, the coffeemaker is in Clean mode. Release the button.
  3. When the cycle is complete, 5 beeps will sound and the coffeemaker will shut off.
  4. If the CLEAN indicator lights once more, repeat the cleaning procedure with a fresh solution of vinegar and water.
  5. When the CLEAN indicator remains off, run one cycle with a full reservoir of fresh, cold water to rinse the coffeemaker.
  6. Return the charcoal filter to the holder inside the water reservoir.

Cuisinart coffee maker error codes and their meaning

  1. Add water lightly- Water is below the minimum level, you will need to fill the reservoir with water and continue to brew as usual.
  2. Clean light- Coffeemaker needs to be cleaned to remove calcium buildup.
  3. EEO- Please contact customer service at 1-800-726-0190