Cuisinart DGB-400C Series Automatic Grind and Brew 12-Cup Coffeemaker Instructions

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Cuisinart DGB-400C Series Automatic Grind and Brew 12-Cup Coffeemaker Instructions

For your safety and continued enjoyment of this product, always read the instruction book carefully before using.

IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS

When using electrical appliances, especially when children are present, basic safety precautions should always be taken to reduce the risk of fire, electric shock and/or injury to persons, including the following:

READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS.
Always unplug from outlet when either the appliance or display clock is not in use and before cleaning. Allow to cool before putting on or taking off parts and before cleaning the appliance.
Do not touch hot surfaces. Use handles and knobs.
To protect against electric shock, do not place cord, plug, or base unit in water or other liquids.
This appliance should not be used by or near children or individuals with certain disabilities.
Do not operate any appliance with a damaged cord or plug, or after the appliance malfunctions or has been dropped or damaged in any manner. Return appliance to the nearest Cuisinart Repair Center for examination, repair, and electrical or mechanical adjustment.
The use of accessory attachments not recommended by Cuisinart may cause injuries.
Do not use outdoors.
Do not let cord hang over edge of table or counter, or touch hot surfaces.
Do not place on or near a hot gas or electric burner, or in a heated oven.
Always fill water reservoir first, then plug cord into the wall outlet. To disconnect, push the Brew/Off button, then remove plug from wall outlet.
Do not use appliance for other than its intended use.
Snap lid securely onto carafe before serving any beverages.
Scalding may occur if the lid is removed during the brewing cycle.
The glass carafe is designed for use with this coffeemaker only. It must never be used on the range top.
Do not set a hot carafe on a wet or cold surface.
Do not use a cracked carafe or a carafe having a loose or weakened handle.
Do not clean carafe or heating plate with cleansers, steel wool pads, or other abrasive materials.
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE THE BASE PANEL. NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS ARE INSIDE. REPAIRS SHOULD BE DONE ONLY BY AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL.
Avoid contact with moving parts.
Check grinder basket for presence of foreign objects before using.
Use the coffee grinder to grind roasted coffee beans only. Grinding other substances, such as nuts, spices or unroasted beans, may dull the blade and cause poor grinding or injury.
Do not place cloth beneath coffeemaker or otherwise restrict airflow.
Use only the Cuisinart® Gold-Tone Commercial-Style Filter or standard #4 basket paper filter with this unit.
OTHER GOLD TONE PERMANENT FILTERS MAY CAUSE THE COFFEEMAKER TO OVERFLOW.
Do not operate your appliance in an appliance garage or under a wall cabinet. When storing in an appliance garage, always unplug the unit from the electrical outlet. Not doing so could create a risk of fire, especially if the appliance touches the walls of the garage or the door touches the unit as it closes.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
FOR HOUSEHOLD USE ONLY

WARNING: RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK

The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage within the product’s enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of fire or electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance.

SPECIAL CORD SET INSTRUCTIONS

A short power-supply cord is provided to reduce the risks resulting from becoming entangled in or tripping over a longer cord. Longer extension cords are available and may be used if care is exercised in their use.

If a long extension cord is used, the marked electrical rating of the extension cord must be at least as great as the electrical rating of the appliance, and the longer cord should be arranged so that it will not drape over the countertop or tabletop where it can be pulled on by children or tripped over.

NOTICE

This appliance has a polarized plug (one blade is wider than the other). To reduce the risk of electric shock, this plug will fit into a polarized outlet only one way. If the plug does not fit fully into the outlet, reverse the plug. If it still does not fit, contact a qualified electrician. Do not modify the plug in any way.

OPERATING NOTICE

Clogging and backing up of water and/or coffee in the filter basket can occur under any or a combination of any of the following conditions: The use of too finely ground coffee, using two or more paper filters, using the gold-tone filter in conjunction with a paper filter or not properly cleaning coffee grounds from the gold-tone filter, or allowing coffee grounds to spill over the filter.

Caution: Never open the filter basket during the brewing cycle, even if no water is draining from the filter basket, since extremely hot water/coffee can spill out from the filter basket and cause injury. If water/coffee is not draining from the filter basket during the brewing cycle, unplug the unit and wait 10 minutes before opening and checking the filter basket.

WARNING
RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN

WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK,

DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK)

NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE

REPAIR SHOULD BE DONE BY AUTHORIZED SERVICE PERSONNEL ONLY

IMPORTANT UNPACKING INSTRUCTIONS

Place the box on a large, sturdy, flat surface.
Remove the instruction book and any other literature.
Turn the box so that the back side of the coffeemaker is down and slide the coffeemaker from the box.
Remove Starter Kit (paper filters, scoop and charcoal water filter) located in front of unit.
After the coffeemaker has been removed, place the box out of the way and lift off the packing material.
Grasp the carafe by its handle, remove it from the resting plate, and remove the polybag.
Remove the polybag covering the coffeemaker. Save all packing materials in case you have to ship the machine in the future. KEEP ALL PLASTIC BAGS AWAY FROM CHILDREN.

THE QUEST FOR THE PERFECT CUP OF COFFEE

ELEMENT 1: WATER
Coffee is 98% water. The quality of that water is as important as the quality of your coffee. If water doesn’t taste good from the tap, it won’t taste good in your coffee.
Cuisinart includes a charcoal water filter to remove chlorine, bad tastes and odours, for the purest coffee flavour, every time you brew.

ELEMENT 2: COFFEE
While coffee is 98% water, all of the flavour comes from the beans.
To achieve the same great taste you enjoy at a coffee bar, buy only a two-week supply of fresh coffee beans at a time. Once the bean is broken, its flavour degrades quickly.
That’s why Cuisinart grinds your beans just prior to brewing.

ELEMENT 3: GRIND
The grind is critical for proper flavour extraction. If the grind is too fine, overextraction and bitterness will result. Too fine a grind may also clog the filter. If grind is too coarse, the water will pass through too quickly and the maximum flavour will not be extracted. Your coffeemaker is preset for medium, the optimal grind for this type of brewing process.

ELEMENT 4: PROPORTION
Coffee that is too strong or too weak is always a disappointment. Follow the recommended portions of whole beans or ground coffee in the instructions under MAKING COFFEE, and later adjust the amount to your taste.

DO NOT OVERFILL OR THE GRINDER COULD MALFUNCTION AND/OR OVERFLOW.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

Reservoir Cover
Flips back for easy filling of the water reservoir and access to the grinder compartment.
Grinder Basket Lid
Use the recess on each side of the lid to remove lid for easy addition of beans.
NOTE: Lid must be in place for unit to operate.
Grinder Basket with Stainless Steel Blade
Charcoal Water Filter Holder
NOTE: Follow directions for preparing and inserting filter.
Water Reservoir with Level Indicator
Showerhead (not shown)
Distributes water evenly over coffee, reducing temperature loss as water passes through grounds.
Filter Basket Door with Release Button
Open to access coffee filter.
Filter Basket
Cover flips up to access/holds paper filter or Cuisinart permanent gold-tone filter.
NOTE: Filter basket holder must be in place for unit to operate correctly Cover becomes hot after coffee is brewed.
Use caution when removing cover.
Gold-Tone Cuisinart Commercial-Style Filter
A note about filters: When using our permanent filter, position handle toward front of the unit so it does not interfere with the flow of coffee into the filter basket. Also
NOTE: Using our permanent gold-tone filter may allow some fine coffee grounds to fall into, and appear as sediment in the carafe.
Control Panel
See detailed drawing.
Brew Pause
Stops flow of coffee from basket when carafe is removed (20 seconds max) from resting plate, so a cup can be poured in mid-brew, if desired.
Carafe
The easy-pour, dripless, 12-cup carafe has an ergonomic handle and brewed coffee markings for four to 12 cups.
Warming Plate
Scratch resistant with nonstick coating.
Cord Storage (not shown)
Measuring Scoop with Brush
#4 Basket Paper Filters included (not shown)

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CONTROL PANEL

Clock/LCD Display
Displays time of day and Auto On times.

Program Button with LED Indicator
Sets and/or displays programmed Auto On time.

1-4 Cup Setting
Improves extraction, flavour and temperature when brewing fewer than 5 cups.

Hour and Minute Buttons
Use to program clock, Auto On, and Auto Off functions.

Grind Off Button with LED Indicator
Turns off the grinder when using pre-ground coffee.

Clean Button
Red indicator appears when it is time to decalcify your coffeemaker. See page 10 for detailed decalcification instructions.

Brew/Off/Auto Off Button with LED Indicator
Programs coffeemaker to automatically shut off 0 to 4 hours after brew cycle is complete. Manually turns coffeemaker on or off.

PROGRAMMING YOUR COFFEEMAKER

SETTING THE CLOCK

When the coffeemaker is plugged in, 12:00 will flash in the display for 5 seconds, indicating the unit is in Time Set mode. If 12:00 stops flashing, simply press and hold Hour or Minute button to return to flashing Time Set mode.

Setting Hours and Minutes
Press either button to select the desired time.
Hold buttons down to scroll through the digits quickly, or press and release to advance one digit at a time. Be sure the PM indicator is on if setting a PM time.

Exiting Time Set Mode

Press any function button besides Hour or Minute to exit mode.
If you do nothing for a period of 5 seconds, the mode will be exited.

SETTING THE PROGRAM TIME

When you press the Program set button, it displays a previously selected auto-on time, or the default time (12:00).

Entering Set Program Time Mode
Press and hold the Program set button until the blue indicator light and LCD display begin to flash. You are now in Set Program Time mode. Set the time you want coffee to begin brewing by following the instructions in “Setting Hours and Minutes.” The coffeemaker will start to brew at the programmed time. The Program mode cannot be entered if the coffeemaker is in its brew cycle.

Exiting Set Program Time Mode

Press and release Program button.
Press any function button besides Hour or Minute to exit mode and activate the selected function.
If you do nothing for a period of 5 seconds, the mode will be exited

To Activate Auto On Using the Set Programmed Time

To select the time you want coffee to start brewing, press the Program button. The previously set time or default time will appear and the blue indicator will come on to remind you that the programming function is in use. The brew cycle will begin at the time you selected. The Brew/Off blue indicator light will come on at the selected start time.

To Deactivate Auto On
Press illuminated Brew/Off button; light will go off, indicating mode is turned off.

SETTING THE AUTO-SHUTOFF TIME

Your coffeemaker can be programmed to automatically shut off from 0 to 4 hours after brewing is complete. The default shutoff time is 2 hours.

To change the preset time, press and hold the Auto Off button until the blue indicator light and LCD display begin to flash. This signals that you have entered the Set automatic shutoff mode. Set the time you want the coffeemaker to shut off by following the “Setting Hours and Minutes” instructions.

When the coffeemaker shuts itself off, two tones will sound.

NOTE: Automatic shutoff may be programmed either before or during coffee brewing. If you program the auto shutoff time after brewing is completed, the unit will automatically account for elapsed time. For example, if you set the auto shutoff for 40 minutes, and 25 minutes have already elapsed, the unit will shut off automatically after 15 minutes (40 minutes minus the 25 elapsed equals 15 minutes).

BEFORE BREWING YOUR FIRST POT OF COFFEE

We recommend flushing out the system before brewing your first pot of coffee. Simply follow “Making Coffee with Pre-Ground Beans,” page 9. Skip step #2 and be sure to use only water and a paper filter…no coffee!
Once you’ve done that, brew a pot of real coffee and get ready to enjoy Cuisinart at its best!

Charcoal Water Filter

Your coffeemaker comes with a charcoal water filter that eliminates chlorine, bad tastes and odours from tap water.

Inserting the Water Filter

Remove the filter from polybag and soak it, fully immersed, in cold tap water for 15 minutes.
Lift the water filter holder out of the water reservoir.
Press down on the filter compartment and pull toward you to open.
Place filter into the holder and snap it closed. Be careful – improper placement can tear the filter skin.
Flush filter by running cold tap water through holes in bottom of compartment for 10 seconds.
Allow the filter to drain completely.
Slide the water filter holder back into the channel in the water reservoir, pushing it down to the base of the unit.

NOTE: We recommend changing the water filter every 60 days or after 60 uses, and more often if you have hard water.
Replacement filters can be purchased in stores, by calling Cuisinart Consumer Service, or at www.cuisinart.ca

MAKING COFFEE WITH WHOLE BEANS

Follow instructions in BEFORE BREWING YOUR FIRST POT OF COFFEE.

Insert Charcoal Water Filter
Follow directions for the preparation and insertion of the charcoal water filter.
Fill the Water Reservoir
Open the reservoir cover and pour in water, using the water level window indicator to measure the number of cups desired.
NOTE: Do not exceed the 12-cup line. Doing so could cause carafe to overflow.
Add Beans
Lift the grinder basket lid, using the recess on either side. Fill the basket with the desired quantity of beans and replace lid.
NOTE: Use 1 level scoop (1 tablespoon [15 ml]) of whole beans per cup. For 1 to 4 cups, use 1½ level scoops per cup. Do not add more than 14 scoops. This could cause the grinder to malfunction and/or the coffeemaker to overflow.
Insert Coffee Filter
Press the filter basket door release button to open door and place either a paper filter OR permanent filter in the basket.
- Paper Filter – place a #4 basket paper filter in the basket, making sure the filter is completely open and touching the side walls and bottom of basket.
- Cuisinart’s Commercial-Style Permanent Filter – Be sure the filter handle is facing away from the grinder basket, so it does not interfere with the flow of ground coffee into the filter basket.
  NOTE: Some ground coffee may flow into the carafe.
Put Filter Basket in Place and Close Filter Door
Close Reservoir Cover Lid
Press down to lock. This coffeemaker is equipped with a safety interlock system, which prevents the unit from operating if the cover is open or the grinder cover is left out. If you try to turn the unit on with the cover open, the unit will beep continuously until the missing parts are installed and you close the lid. If you open the cover during the grinding process, it will beep, the grinder will stop grinding and, if brewing, the brewing will stop. Once the missing parts are in place and the cover is closed, the beeping stops. The brewing process can be restarted by pressing the Brew/Off button. Restarting the process will not affect coffee results. If you do not want the grinder to come on again, press the Grind Off button before pressing the Brew button.
Put Carafe in Place
Make sure you have replaced the glass carafe in its position on the warming plate.
Brewing
To Brew Right Away
- a) Push the 1-4 cup button if you are brewing fewer than 5 cups.
  NOTE: Coffeemakers traditionally produce cooler coffee when brewing small pots because the heater doesn’t have time to warm up. This setting double heats water for piping hot coffee.
- b) Press the Brew/Off button. Blue LED will light up and brewing will begin
  To Brew Later
- a) Push the 1-4 cup button if you are brewing fewer than 5 cups.
- b) Press and release the Program button.
  The blue LED indicates that the unit is in programmed-start mode and the brew cycle will begin at the time you selected.
  To change time, follow “Setting The Program Time” instructions.
After Brewing
When brew cycle is complete, five beeps will sound. Coffee will continue to stream from the filter for several seconds.
The coffeemaker will automatically shut off after 2 hours or at the programmed auto-shutoff time.

MAKING COFFEE WITH PRE-GROUND BEANS

Follow instructions in “Before Brewing Your First Pot of Coffee,”.

Fill the Reservoir and Insert Filter
See steps #1 and #2 in “Making Coffee with Whole Beans,”.
Add Pre-Ground Coffee
Press the filter basket door release button to open door and place either a paper filter OR the permanent filter in the basket. Add ground coffee the close filter door.
Our recipe suggestion: Use 1 level scoop (1 tablespoon [15 ml]) of ground coffee per cup. Adjust the recipe according to taste.
NOTE: The maximum capacity for ground coffee is 16 level scoops (16 tablespoons [236 ml]), using either a paper or permanent filter. Exceeding that amount may cause overflow if the coffee is too finely ground.
Press Grind Off Button
When this function is activated, the blue LED will come on.
Follow Steps #5 though #8 in “Making Coffee with Whole Beans,”.

BREW PAUSE FEATURE

Our Brew Pause™ feature interrupts the flow of coffee from the basket to let you pour that first cup mid-brew. Be aware that using this feature will weaken the flavour strength of the finished pot, because the flavour profile of coffee brewed at the beginning of the cycle differs from coffee made at the end.

NOTE: Removing carafe for more than 20 seconds may cause filter basket to overflow.

TIPS AND HINTS

If you buy large portions of beans, separate them into one- or two-week portions and store them in airtight containers in the freezer. Preserve freshness by minimizing exposure to air, light, and moisture. Once beans are removed from the freezer, keep them in a sealed container at room temperature, since damaging condensation can occur when beans move from cold to warmer temperatures.
Some experts feel freezing dark-roast beans can cause oils to coagulate; others disagree. You’ll have to decide that one for yourself!

CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE

COMPLETELY CLEAN AND DRY ALL PARTS AFTER EVERY USE

Always turn coffeemaker OFF and remove the plug from the electrical outlet before cleaning.

Open the reservoir lid*. Remove the grinder basket lid by using the recessed area on each side of the lid. Then remove grinder basket.
Open filter basket door. Remove filter basket cover, filter basket and filter basket holder. The grinder basket, grinder basket lid, filter basket and filter basket cover can be washed in warm, soapy water and rinsed thoroughly, or cleaned in the upper rack of the dishwasher. Dry all parts after every use. Do not put any water in the unit once the grinder basket has been removed. Wipe the area under the grinder basket with a damp cloth. If water gets into the grinder motor, the motor may become damaged and may malfunction. Once clean, reverse the above steps. Remove the carafe from the resting 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 be placed on the upper rack only. Do not use scouring agents or harsh cleansers on any part of the coffeemaker. Never immerse base unit in water or other liquids. To clean base, simply wipe with a clean, damp cloth and dry before storing.

Wipe heating plate with a clean, damp cloth. Never use rough, abrasive materials or cleansers to clean the heating plate. Do not dry the inside of the water reservoir with a cloth, as lint may remain.

NOTE: Reservoir lid can also be removed for easy cleaning. Open the lid 60˚ and gently pull toward you. To replace, reverse steps.

MAINTENANCE

Any other servicing should be performed by an authorized service representative.

DECALCIFICATION

Decalcification refers to the removal of calcium deposits that form over time on the metal parts of your coffeemaker. The mineral content of the tap water in your area and the frequency of use affects the rate of the calcium buildup, which can affect the functioning of your coffeemaker and the flavour of your coffee.

For best performance from your coffeemaker, we recommend cleaning it whenever the CLEAN LED indicator lights up.

NOTE: Before decalcifying your unit, remove the charcoal water filter from the water reservoir.

To clean:

Fill the water reservoir to capacity with a mixture of ¹⁄³ white vinegar and ²⁄³ water.
Press and hold the CLEAN button. When the CLEAN LED indicator flashes, the coffeemaker is in Clean mode. Release the button.
When the cycle is completed, 5 beeps will sound and the coffeemaker will shut off.
If the CLEAN indicator illuminates once more, repeat the cleaning procedure with a fresh solution of vinegar and water.
NOTE: One cleaning cycle is usually sufficient.
When the CLEAN indicator remains off, run one cycle with a full reservoir of fresh, cold water to rinse the unit.
Return the charcoal water filter to the holder inside the water reservoir and your coffeemaker is ready to brew!

WARRANTY

LIMITED THREE-YEAR WARRANTY

We warrant that this Cuisinart product will be free of defects in materials or workmanship under normal home use for 3 years from the date of original purchase. This warranty covers manufacturer’s defects including mechanical and electrical defects. It does not cover damage from consumer abuse, unauthorized repairs or modifications, theft, misuse, or damage due to transportation or environmental conditions. Products with removed or altered identification numbers will not be covered.

This warranty is not available to retailers or other commercial purchasers or owners. If your Cuisinart product should prove to be defective within the warranty period, we will repair it or replace it if necessary. For warranty purposes, please register your product online at www.cuisinart.ca to facilitate verification of the date of original purchase and keep your original receipt for the duration of the limited warranty.

This warranty excludes damage caused by accident, misuse or abuse, including damage caused by overheating, and it does not apply to scratches, stains, discolouration or other damage to external or internal surfaces that does not impair the functional utility of the product. This warranty also expressly excludes all incidental or consequential damages.

Your Cuisinart product has been manufactured to the strictest specifications and has been designed for use only in 120 volt outlets and only with authorized accessories and replacement parts. This warranty expressly excludes any defects or damages caused by attempted use of this unit with a converter, as well as use with accessories, replacement parts or repair service other than those authorized by Cuisinart.

If the appliance should become defective within the warranty period, do not return the appliance to the store.

Please contact our Customer Service Centre:

Toll-free phone number:
1-800-472-7606

Address:
Cuisinart Canada
100 Conair Parkway
Woodbridge, ON L4H 0L2

Email:
[email protected]

Model:
DGB-400C Series

To facilitate the speed and accuracy of your return, please enclose:

$10.00 for shipping and handling of the product (cheque or money order)
Return address and phone number
Description of the product defect
Product date code*/copy of original proof of purchase
Any other information pertinent to the product’s return
The date code format we are using on unit is WWYY, representing week, and year. eg.2420 = manufactured in 24th week of the year 2020.

Note: We recommend you use a traceable, insured delivery service for added protection. Cuisinart will not be held responsible for in-transit damage or for packages that are not delivered to us.

To order replacement parts or accessories, call our Customer Service Centre at 1-800- 472-7606. For more information, please visit our website at www.cuisinart.ca.

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