Review on Cuisinart DCC-3200P1 Perfectemp 14-Cup Programmable 🏺 Coffee Maker with Glass Carafe in Stainless Steel by Lisa Hedberg

We have replaced an old Cuisinart DCC-1200 with this DCC-3200. Since this is a popular line, I thought others might be wondering how they compare. (On the attached comparison photos 1200 left and 3200 right): Taste: Coffee in 3200 is more aromatic. You might expect the new machine to be better, but I think they have improved the flow and temperature of the brewing process. Temperature: Brewed coffee is much hotter. Both units have three hotplate temperature settings, but the 3200 settings are hotter. size and capacity. The 3200 holds 14 cups compared to the 1200's 12 cups. However, as you can see from the photos, they are the same height to fit on the counter. They seem to have gained some extra capacity by lowering the 3200 a bit front to back. We were surprised at how useful the extra capacity is. Carafe: The new glass carafe is the same as the old one, just bigger. It pours well with or without a lid. The new lid works just like the old one, clicks and closes. (I've read some complaints about the intermediate model's spring-loaded lid, but if that's the case, they've fixed it by going back to the 1200 style). As far as I can tell the 3200 vacuum jug version is the same as the 12 cup models. I prefer the glass carafe because it keeps the coffee hotter longer and I can pour the coffee into the thermograph whenever I want. Fill with water. The larger size also increases the size of the water fill hole. The lid at the top of the 3200 lifts 90 degrees straight up, while the lid on the 1200 tilts even further back and to the side. However, the 3200 is easier to fill and I suspect limiting the tilt may help keep the hot water pipe intact. Taking out the carafe to steal the cup while brewing worked great at 1200 with some dripping and still works at 3200.basket. The 3200 basket is very similar to the 1200 but reshaped slightly to accommodate more bases for 14 cups. In fact, the coffee grounds barely fit in a new 4-cup paper filter basket and sometimes even taller than the filter in the basket. The basket is actually better suited for the included gold filter. water filter. The 3200 model uses the same charcoal filters and filter holder as the 1200 model, but the holder sits closer to the orifice which can help prevent clogging (see below). sound signal. On the 3200 model, you can turn off the beep when the coffee is ready, if desired. controls. Controlling the 3200 is a bit simpler. The 3200 model uses all buttons without switches. Separate hour and minute settings make it easy to program and set hours. There's a new "Bold" setting that really makes the coffee stronger. There's also a setting for smaller pots, 1-4 cups, but I never use it. You can still set the oven to stay hot for up to 4 hours, which is important to me. 3200 LED indicator Cleaning has a pretty bright blue glow. The 1200 range had a touch knob which the 3200 doesn't have to keep the range cleaner. The extra stainless steel looks nice on the 3200 but is likely to be more spotty and could be improved with special cleaning fluids. Coffee grounds overflow and clog. This used to be the biggest problem and I don't know if it's fixed, but it seems to be getting better. At 1200, if you put too much coffee grounds in the filter, it can overflow during the brewing process, and sometimes ground coffee gets into the water supply and clogs the tube. The 1200 was designed to be non-repairable, but customers still tried with some difficulties. After a successful repair, we ended up having to replace the 1200. So far we haven't had any overflow issues with the 3200. Bigger basket (perhaps with a bigger drip hole), deeper reservoir and longer body and sturdier non-hinged lid can help with that, but we'll see how it holds up over time. I've noticed that they've made it easier to remove the bottom panel by using regular screws instead of torx when it counts. My only advice to users is to always use a filter holder with a filter, even if your water is fine, as this should help prevent dirt from entering the heating system. Overall the 3200 is a great replacement for the 1200 and well worth the extra money if you're deciding between the two newer models.