Step by Step Guide on How to Clean Cuisinart 12 Cup Coffee Maker & Single-Serve Brewer

If you own a Cuisinart 12 cup coffee maker & single-serve brewer, and you are wondering how to get it cleaned, then this post is for you. This coffee maker is an amazing product that has two sides to its function. It has a single-cup brewer that you can use when you need just a cup of coffee, and really don’t want to worry about what to do with the extra. And also, it easily serves you, when you need more because it brews 12 cups as well. This coffee maker is a powerful model, but one thing that will affect the taste of your coffee, and the overall functioning of your coffee maker is dirt, so if you don’t know how to get it clean, you should learn that now.

Why Should You Clean Your Coffee Maker

Cleaning your coffee maker is mostly referred to as descaling. That’s because what you’re doing is removing the coffee oils that are stuck in your coffee maker over time. And removing calcium build-up from your machine. The amount of calcium build-up depends on how much minerals are deposited in your area. And while the minerals are not harmful to the human body, it does not have the same effects on your coffee maker. It can affect your coffee maker’s optimal function. And it can contribute to the coffee maker developing faults early on.

How Often Should You Clean Your Coffee Maker

According to the manufacturer, the Cuisinart 12 cup coffee maker & single-serve brewer should be cleaned at least once every three to six months. This coffee maker has a self-clean function, so getting clean is not going to be a tedious task. Other than the time specification for cleaning, the coffee maker is also built to give a signal when it needs to be cleaned. So pay attention to your coffee maker, so you can help it function at its peak.

Things You Will Need

Two soft flannels
Vinegar
Clean water
Warm water and soap
A bowl

Steps to Get Your Cuisinart 12 Cup Coffee Maker Clean

Clean the exterior. Just the way you take your bath every day, your coffee maker also needs to get cleaned, externally. And you should always do that, at every opportunity you get. This helps to keep your coffee maker, neat and attractive. You can clean it with a soft flannel and warm water with soap. Dampen the flannel with warm water and clean the surfaces of your coffee maker. After that, use a dry flannel to mop it dry. Never immerse your coffee maker in water. Be sure to not use any hard material or cleaner on your coffee maker. This will make it have scratches and look less attractive. I’m sure you don’t want that.
Remove the filter holder and the charcoal water filter. They have no business at all in the cleaning process.
Remove the carafe, and fill with about 8 cups of water. This is about two-thirds of the amount that the carafe would originally take. Pour the water into the reservoir.
Pour about four ounces of vinegar into the carafe and pour into the reservoir. This is about one-third of the amount that the carafe would originally take. Put the carafe back in place.
The mixture of the vinegar and water is in ratio 2:1 and they should fill the carafe.
Cover the reservoir, and long-press the clean button until it shows a red light, which signifies that it’s in clean mode.
Allow it to clean, until it signifies that the reservoir is empty. It will take more time than it would normally take when it’s brewing coffee. So don’t be in a hurry.
Once it’s done cleaning, empty the hot water and vinegar in the carafe and replace them with clean cold water.
Pour the water into the reservoir, and allow it to brew just the clean water. Once it’s done cleaning, pour out the water and replace the filter holder and the charcoal filter. Leave the carafe in place.

Your coffee maker is clean and ready for brewing again. Easy as pie.

How to Clean The Single-Serve Coffee Maker

Wash the reusable coffee filter and filter holder. You can do that with the dishwasher. You should actually do that after every use, to keep it clean for every coffee you’re making. The same goes for the home barista which could get clogged as well.
Open the reservoir, add clean water to fill two-thirds of the reservoir.
Top it up with vinegar. Just the way you did for the 12 cup coffee maker.
It’s the same ratio 2:1
Put the lid back on.
Press and hold the two right buttons until it signals that it’s in clean mode.
Be sure to put a cup that will receive the water.
Your bowl will come to play now. Once the cup gets filled, you can pour out the water into the bowl, and replace the cup. Do that, until the reservoir is done cleaning.
Allow it to clean, until it signals that the reservoir is empty.
Once the cleaning is over, fill it with clean water and put it back in clean mode.
Repeat this up to three times, to make sure it’s completely clean.

These are the easy steps to take to keep your coffee maker and single-serve brewer clean.

Conclusion

Although the coffee maker gives signals when it needs to be cleaned, you should pay attention to it, to make sure it’s always clean and ready to work. That is both sides of it. I’m sure you won’t like it if your coffee doesn’t taste great. You can achieve this through the above-listed steps, and I think it’s pretty easy. It doesn’t take much time, and even if it did, I think it’s not too much that you cannot sacrifice to make sure you get a great cup of coffee the next time you brew. So get up, and get that coffee maker cleaned and ready to work.