Top 4 Common Cuisinart Grind And Brew Coffee Maker Problems

In this post we’ll show you what are the top common Cuisinart grind and brew coffee maker problems and how to fix them. We’ve got you all covered.

Cuisinart Grind And Brew Coffee Maker Problems
Multiple factors play when your Cuisinart coffee maker doesn’t work

Imagine waking up and going about your morning routine. You notice something’s wrong. Your coffee machine isn’t working correctly, or worse, it isn’t working at all.

This is probably one of the worst ways to start your day.

Although the Cuisinart Grind and Brew coffee maker is one of the most reliable and convenient coffee machines on the market, it isn’t perfect. Sometimes it won’t work, or the quality of coffee produced is lower than normal.

There could be multiple factors at play. Sometimes the solution is so easy to fix that it’ll only take two minutes. On other occasions, you’ll have to send it to a professional.

In this post, you’ll learn the 5 most common problems you’ll face as a Cuisinart coffee machine owner, how to fix them, and how to prevent them from popping up in the future.

1. Your Coffee Beans Don’t Grind Up

When you hit the on/off button, you expect the grinder to start doing its magic so you can enjoy a nice cup of joe.

However, sometimes the coffee grinder won’t grind your beans properly, or it might not work at all. This can be frustrating, but it’s often easy to solve.

Here are the 3 main reasons why your Cuisinart coffee grinder isn’t working:

  1. The lid isn’t firmly shut.
  2. The coffee beans aren’t compatible with your machine.
  3. The blades in your grinder basket are blunt.

First, Cuisinart has a safety feature that ensures your coffee grinder won’t start if the lid is open. If you start your coffee maker with the lid open, you’ll hear loud beeps.

This indicates the lid isn’t closed correctly. 

Maybe you didn’t close it the night before, and now your machine won’t start grinding.

However, the solution is relatively easy. Shut the lid firmly and try turning it on again.

If your coffee maker still doesn’t start grinding, then the problem could be more advanced. The coffee beans you’re using might not be compatible with the Cuisinart Grind and Brew coffee maker.

For example, if you’re a fan of unroasted coffee grinds or green beans, opt for a burr grinder instead. These raw whole beans are known to cause damage to the Cuisinart coffee grinder.

The last factor that can cause your coffee grinder to not work properly are the blades. Like all blades, they get blunt over time. You’ll notice as time goes on that your coffee grounds are more coarse.

Once you get to a point where the blades are entirely blunt, it won’t grind your coffee beans anymore.

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03/08/2024 08:05 am GMT

2. The Coffee Maker Doesn’t Start

Cuisinart coffee maker on wooden table
There are two reasons why your coffee maker doesn’t start

Another common problem with the Cuisinart coffee maker is that it won’t start even when plugged in.

There are two potential reasons why it won’t power up:

  1. The power cord is damaged.
  2. Your circuit board is faulty.

First, check if your outlet is working. This might sound simple, but damaged outlets are common.

To do this, check if you can charge your phone in the outlet you’re using for your coffee maker. If your phone doesn’t charge, then there’s nothing wrong with your coffee machine. The outlet isn’t working. Try using another outlet.

However, if your outlet is in working condition, then your power cord or circuit board is damaged. The only solution I’d suggest is to get it fixed by a qualified professional. Trying to fix electrical problems can be dangerous, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing.

The good news is that if you have a warranty, then it won’t cost anything.

3. A Coffee Brew Takes Ages

The entire point of a coffee machine is to brew coffee. However, sometimes your coffee maker is so clogged that it takes forever to brew a cup of coffee.

The good news is, there’s nothing wrong with your Cuisinart Grind & Brew coffee maker. It just needs a good cleaning.

This is a technique I like to use to unclog my coffee maker. First, you’ll need to place a paper filter in the filter basket. This will catch all the sediment and mineral buildup causing your clogged coffee machine. 

Next, get your hands on an anti-calcium liquid descaler. You can find these on Amazon for around $13. Pour half a cup into your water reservoir with a little hot water and run a brew cycle with the grinder off. 

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03/08/2024 08:50 am GMT

Alternatively, you can use half a cup of vinegar with three teaspoons of baking soda.

Once the brewing process is complete, let it sit for five minutes. Last, toss the anti-calcium liquid descaler out of your carafe and run another brew with 10 cups of cold water. This flushes out the remaining chemicals.

Voila! Your coffee maker is now clean, and you’ll find sediment that clogged your machine in the filter basket.

An effective way of ensuring that your coffee maker doesn’t clog up quickly is to use a charcoal water filter since they reduce clogging.

Cuisinart Compatible 12-Pack Replacement Charcoal Water Filters for Coffee Makers
$15.75 ($1.31 / Count)

Fits all Cuisinart and Braun BrewSense Coffee Makers

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03/07/2024 12:45 am GMT

4. Your Coffee Tastes Funny

Calcium build ups in your coffee maker

There are several reasons why your coffee started tasting funny overnight. Some include:

  • A slight calcium buildup
  • Blunt grinder
  • Bad charcoal water filter

Sometimes your coffee maker has some calcium buildup, but you don’t notice since the brew time isn’t affected. But this sediment affects the taste of your coffee.

To fix this problem, run some anti-calcium liquid descaler through your machine and rinse it with clean water. If your coffee tastes better after this, then the problem was mineral buildup.

However, if the problem persists, then there’s another reason.

Maybe your coffee maker is under extracting flavors from your coffee grounds, leading to sour coffee.

The reason for under extraction is because your grounds are too coarse. This is caused by a blunt coffee grinder. Consider swapping out your coffee grinder and see if your coffee tastes better.

Another reason for funny tasting coffee is a charcoal water filter. 

Charcoal filters purify water by using activated charcoal. But after three to six months, your charcoal water filter will go bad depending on your coffee consumption. It won’t purify your water as effectively as it once did, leading to bad coffee.

Consider replacing your charcoal water filter. You can find a pack of 12 on Amazon for around $11. This will last for at least a few years.

Final Word On Cuisinart Grind And Brew Coffee Maker Problems

The Cuisinart Grind and Brew coffee maker is one of the best coffee makers on the market. They produce quality coffee that only falls short to espresso machines and siphon vacuums.

However, you can experience some problems from time to time. Sometimes this isn’t the coffee maker’s fault. Maybe it just needs a clean or some new charcoal filters.

But on other occasions, you’ll need to send it to a professional to have it repaired.

Luckily most of these solutions only cost a few dollars and will have your coffee maker in working condition within hours.

Cuisinart Grind And Brew Coffee Maker Problems FAQs

How Do You Troubleshoot A Cuisinart Coffee Maker?

The first step to troubleshooting your coffee maker is ensuring that everything is in place, and there are no beeping noises. Next, unplug the machine for around 15 minutes.

Last, clean your machine by brewing half a cup of anti-calcium liquid descaler or vinegar and baking soda. Once that’s complete, brew ten cups of cold water and empty your coffee pot. This flushes out the remaining chemicals.

This will clear up any problems you’re experiencing.

How Do You Unclog A Cuisinart DGB?

You can unclog a stainless steel Cuisinart coffee maker by simply brewing half a cup of anti-calcium liquid descaler. You could also use vinegar and baking soda. This will clear any calcium deposits in your machine. 

Last, flush out the remaining chemicals by brewing ten cups of cold water.
This method works for most coffee machines including the Cuisinart DGB-900BC.

Author

  • Yaseen

    Yaseen is a coffee aficionado and former barista turned freelance writer. He is always buying different coffee machines and coffee beans, testing them, and writing reviews about them. When not at their writing desk, Yaseen can be found at his favorite local coffee shop, sipping on a cup of joe or traveling the world searching for new coffee experiences.