4-cup Coffeemaker
DCC-400
not properly cleaning coffee grounds from the
gold tone filter; or allowing coffee grounds to
spill over the filter.
SPECIAL CORD SET
INSTRUCTIONS
Caution: Never open the top cover during the
brewing cycle, even if no water is draining from
the filter basket, since extremely hot
water/coffee can spill out from the spreader
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 the top cover and checking the filter
basket.
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
counter top or table top where it can be
pulled on by children or tripped over.
IMPORTANT
UNPACKING
INSTRUCTIONS
NOTICE
1. Place the box on a large, sturdy, flat
surface. Lay the box on its side.
This appliance has a polarized plug (one blade
is wider than the other.) To reduce the risk of
electric shock, this plug will fit in a polarized
outlet only one way. If the plug does not fit
fully in the outlet, reverse the plug. If it still
does not fit, contact a qualified electrician.
Do not modify the plug in any way.
2. Remove the instruction book and any
other literature.
3. Slide the packaged unit out of the box.
4. Remove the cardboard insert. Now
remove the carafe from the coffee maker.
5. Carefully lift the coffeemaker from the
remaining inserts.
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
We suggest you save all the packing materials
in the event that future shipping of the machine
is needed.
Keep all plastic bags away from children.
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inside the coffeemaker, which slows down
brewing, affects the flavor of the coffee and
ultimately may shorten the life of your
coffeemaker.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Important Safeguards . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 1
Unpacking Instructions . . . . . . . . . . .Page 2
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 3
Element 2: Coffee
While the bulk of the liquid is water, all of the
flavor should be from the coffee. To achieve
the same great quality cup of coffee you
receive at a coffee bar, you need to use the
same quality beans.
The Quest for the
Perfect Cup of Coffee . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 3
Features and Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 4
Making Coffee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 5
Cleaning and Maintenance . . . . . . . .Page 5
Decalcification of Metal Parts . . . . . .Page 5
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 6
If you chose to grind your own beans, buy the
beans fresh and whole, only about two week
supply at a time for maximum freshness. Once
the coffee bean is broken, its flavor degrades
very quickly. If it is not practical to buy small
supplies, we recommend you separate larger
amounts of beans into one to two week
portions immediately after purchase and freeze
them in airtight containers. The best way to
maximize freshness is to minimize exposure
to air, light and moisture. So, once removed
from the freezer, maintain the beans in a
sealed container at room temperature, since
damaging condensation occurs every time
the beans are removed from the freezer or
refrigerator. Note that some coffee experts
advise against freezing dark-roast beans
because it can cause the oils to coagulate,
while others disagree. We suggest you
INTRODUCTION
Whether you’re short on counter space,
an occasional coffee drinker, or the only
coffee drinker in your home, you’ll find that
Cuisinart’s 4-cup Coffeemaker fits your size
needs as well as your desire for a stylish
appliance with high end features. This compact
coffeemaker is small enough to store easily
or leave on your counter, and it comes with
practical features such as Brew Pause™
and automatic shutoff. With the convenience
of this handy coffeemaker, you’ll look forward
to the morning coffee ritual.
experiment and decide for yourself.
Element 3: Grind
The grind is critical in proper flavor extraction.
If the grind is too fine, overextraction and
bitterness will result. Too fine a grind may
also clog your filter. If too coarse, the water
will pass through too quickly and the desired
flavors will not be extracted. We recommend
a medium-fine grind.
THE QUEST FOR THE
PERFECT CUP OF COFFEE
It is generally agreed that there are four basic
elements critical to the perfect cup:
Element 1: Water
Element 4: Proportion
Coffee is 98% water. Often overlooked, the
quality of the water is as important as the
quality of the coffee. If you filter your drinking
water, filter the water for your coffeemaker.
A good rule of thumb is that if your water
doesn’t taste good from the tap, it won’t taste
any better in your coffee.
The cups on the Cuisinart coffeemaker are
5 ounces. Add the desired amount of ground
coffee, corresponding to the number of cups
being brewed. Many coffee bars and the
Specialty Coffee Association of America
recommend adding 2 rounded tablespoons
of coffee per 6 ounces of water. Some
coffee manufacturers recommend using one
For hard water areas, we recommend using
bottled water. The calcium in the water and
the softeners used to combat it have a major
impact on the extraction of the coffee. Hard
water will also accelerate calcium buildup
tablespoon per cup. We recommend 1 to 11⁄
2
tablespoons of ground coffee per cup, but
use more or less to suit your taste.
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FEATURES AND
BENEFITS
This compact Cuisinart® 4-cup Coffeemaker
includes practical features such as the Brew
Pause™, so you can sneak a cup of coffee
before brewing has finished. The carafe is
heat resistant with an ergonomic handle
and drip-free spout for easy pouring. The
newly designed showerhead controls the
spray of water onto the coffee grounds for
even water distribution and brewing for
great tasting coffee.
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The coffeemaker will automatically shut off
after 30 minutes if you do not so after
brewing.
1. Reservoir Cover
Flips back for easy filling.
2. Water Reservoir
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3. Filter Basket (not shown)
Holds a #2 paper filter or a
permanent filter.
4. Filter Basket Holder
5. Showerhead (not shown)
Designed for even distribution
of water onto coffee and minimizes
temperature loss of water passing
through the grounds.
6. Brew Pause™
Stops flow of coffee from basket when
carafe is removed (30 seconds max)
from heater plate so a cup can be
poured in mid-brew, if desired. Since
the extraction rate varies during the
brew cycle, we recommend allowing
the brewing cycle to finish before
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pouring the finished coffee.
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7. On/Off Rocker Switch with “On”
Indicator Light
8. Carafe
The easy pour carafe has an
ergonomic handle and brewed
coffee markings for two to
four cups.
9. Warming Plate
Scratch resistant with black,
non-stick coating.
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the end of the cycle. Removing a cup during the
brewing cycle will alter the flavor of the finished pot.
MAKING COFFEE
Before making the first pot of coffee in your new
Cuisinart® 4-cup Coffeemaker, we recommend
operating the coffeemaker once using only water
and a filter paper. This will remove any dust or
residues in the system which remain from the
manufacturing process.
Once the coffee has finished brewing, stir it before
serving to blend the flavors. The coffee at the
bottom of the carafe will be somewhat stronger
than the coffee at the top.
After brewing, the warming plate will keep the coffee
at about 180-185° F. We recommend transferring
the coffee to a thermal carafe preheated with hot
water if the coffee is not going to be consumed
within 20 minutes.
1. Fill the water reservoir:
Remove the carafe from the warming plate. Open
the carafe cover and fill with cold water to just over
the amount of coffee you are making. Close the
carafe cover. Lift the water reservoir lid and pour the
water from the carafe into it. Replace the carafe on
the warming plate.
CLEANING AND
MAINTENANCE
COMPLETELY CLEAN AND DRY
ALL PARTS AFTER EVERY USE.
2. Add the ground coffee:
Remove the filter basket by grasping the handle and
lifting straight up, and place it on the counter top.
Insert a #2 paper filter or permanent filter. Be sure
that the paper filter is completely open and fully
inserted into the basket. It may help to fold and
flatten the seams of a paper filter beforehand. Add
the desired amount of ground coffee, corresponding
to the number of cups being brewed. Many coffee
bars and the Specialty Coffee Association of
America recommend adding 2 rounded tablespoons
of coffee per 6 ounces of water. Some coffee
manufacturers recommend using one tablespoon
per cup. We recommend 1 to 11⁄ 2 tablespoons of
ground coffee per cup, but use more or less to suit
your taste.
Always turn the coffeemaker OFF and remove the
plug from the electrical outlet before cleaning it.
Lift up 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 warming 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.
Replace the filter basket in the filter basket holder
and flip the water reservoir lid closed. Be sure that it
closes securely in place.
Before brewing coffee:
Make sure you have replaced the glass carafe in
its position on the warming plate and closed the
top cover. Plug the cord into an electrical outlet.
Do not use any scouring agents or harsh cleansers
on any part of the coffeemaker.
3. Power unit:
Push the rocker switch to “on”. The indicator
will light.
Never immerse base unit in water or other
liquid. To clean base, simply wipe with a clean,
damp cloth and dry before storing. Wipe warming
plate with a clean, damp cloth. Never use rough,
abrasive materials or cleansers to clean the
warming plate. Do not dry the inside of the water
reservoir with a cloth, as lint may remain.
4. During and after brewing:
The Brew Pause™ feature allows you to remove the
carafe from the warming plate during mid brew. The
brewing process does not stop during this period,
only the flow of coffee from the basket stops. Do not
remove the carafe for longer than 30 seconds or the
coffee may overflow the basket. While we offer this
feature, we do not recommend you pour the coffee
before the cycle has reached completion, since the
coffee brewed at the beginning of the cycle has a
flavor profile which is very different from the flavor at
DECALCIFICATION
Decalcification refers to removing the calcium
deposits that form over time on the metal parts of
the coffeemaker.
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For best performance from your Cuisinart®
coffeemaker, decalcify the base unit from time to
time. The frequency depends upon the hardness
of your tap water and how often you use
the coffeemaker.
any other information pertinent to the product’s
return. Please pay by check or money order.
Your Cuisinart® coffeemaker has been manufactured
to strict specifications and has been designed for
use with the Cuisinart® coffeemaker authorized
accessories and replacement parts for your model.
These warranties expressly exclude any defects or
damages caused by accessories, replacement parts
or other repair service other than those that have
been authorized by Cuisinart.
To decalcify, fill the water reservoir to capacity with
a mixture of 1⁄
3
white vinegar and 2⁄
water. Turn the
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coffeemaker on by pressing the “On” rocker switch.
One cycle should be sufficient to adequately clean
the coffeemaker. Turn the coffeemaker to OFF and
then run one cycle of fresh cold water through the
unit before using the unit again to brew coffee.
These warranties exclude all incidental or
consequential damages. Some states do not
allow the exclusion of or limitation of incidental or
consequential damages, so the foregoing limitation
or exclusion may not apply to you.
WARRANTY
THREE YEAR
LIMITED WARRANTY
CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS ONLY
California law provides that for In-Warranty Service,
California residents have the option of returning a
nonconforming product (A) to the store where it was
purchased or (B) to another retail store which sells
Cuisinart® products of the same type. The retail
store shall then, at its choice, either repair the
product, refer the consumer to an independent
repair facility, replace the product, or refund the
purchase price less the amount directly attributable
to the consumer’s prior usage of the product. If
either of the above two options does not result in
the appropriate relief to the consumer, the consumer
may then take the product to an independent repair
facility if service or repair can be economically
accomplished. Cuisinart and not the consumer
will be responsible for the reasonable cost of
such service, repair, replacement, or refund for
nonconforming products under warranty.
This warranty supersedes all previous warranties on
the Cuisinart® 4-cup Coffeemaker.
This warranty is available to consumers only.
You are a consumer if you own a Cuisinart® 4-cup
Coffeemaker that was purchased at retail for
personal, family or household use. Except as
otherwise required under applicable state law, this
warranty is not available to retailers or other
commercial purchasers or owners.
We warrant that your Cuisinart® 4-cup Coffeemaker
will be free of defects in material or workmanship
under normal home use for three years from the
date of original purchase.
We suggest that you complete and return the
enclosed warranty registration card promptly to
facilitate verification of the date of original purchase.
However, return of the warranty registration is not a
condition of these warranties.
California residents may also, at their preference,
return nonconforming products directly to Cuisinart
for repair or, if necessary, replacement by calling
our Consumer Service Center toll-free at 800-726-
0190. Cuisinart will be responsible for the cost of
the repair, replacement, and shipping and handling
for such nonconforming products under warranty.
If your coffeemaker should prove to be defective
within the warranty period, we will repair it (or, if we
think it necessary, replace it) without charge to you.
To obtain warranty service, please call our
Consumer Service Center toll-free at 800-726-0190
or write to:
BEFORE RETURNING YOUR
CUISINART® PRODUCT
Cuisinart
150 Milford Road
East Windsor, NJ 08520
Important: If the nonconforming product is
to be serviced by someone other than Cuisinart’s
Authorized Service Center, please remind the ser-
vicer to call our Consumer Service Center to ensure
that the problem is properly diagnosed, the product
is serviced with the correct parts, and to ensure that
the product is still under warranty.
To facilitate the speed and accuracy of your
return, please also enclose $10.00 for shipping and
handling of the product (California residents need
only supply proof of purchase and should call
1-800-726-0190 for shipping instructions). Please
also be sure to include a return address, description
of the product defect, product serial number, and
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150 Milford Road
East Windsor, NJ 08520
Printed in China
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