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Cuisinart

Cuisinart PerfecTemp 14-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker: the downsides first

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#6 of 8
$$Drip14 cupsScore 3.1/5
9%
of Amazon ratings are 1–2 stars
(checked 2026-10-10)The same 44.3K rating count also appears on another Cuisinart 14-cup PerfecTemp listing (B077K9YW7D), so ratings are likely pooled across finishes and variants.

Food Network's top drip pick and an Amazon best-seller, with a big 14-cup pot and brew-strength control. But owners often report leaks, lukewarm coffee and units failing within a few years, and Wirecutter found its controls confusing.

Top complaints

What owners love

  • Big batches, pour mid-brew

    Food Network says it made the biggest brew in its test, lets you sneak a cup mid-brew with Brew Pause, and keeps coffee hot for up to 2 hours.

    Source: Food Network
  • Programmable, with strength control

    Food Network lists programmable start and auto-shutoff, brew-strength control and a self-clean function.

    Source: Food Network (drip coffeemakers)
  • Liked by most owners

    Performance, coffee quality, temperature and ease of use are positive aspects in Amazon's summary of about 44,000 ratings.

    Source: Amazon.com product page (Customers say)
Good for
  • Big households and brunches (14 cups)
  • Programmable brewing on a mid budget
  • Small 1-4 cup batches as well as full pots

Scores (tap for why)

What experts say

  • Food Network: Best overall drip coffeemaker (Feb 2026). Its listed con is a carafe lid that doesn't flip up.
  • Wirecutter (NYT): Not recommended: in a 2016 test it brewed decent coffee but no better than the competition, with a complicated interface and an unwieldy carafe.
  • Tom's Guide: Mentioned as a $119 budget alternative to the Moccamaster, but not SCA-approved.
Check price on AmazonWe don't list prices — they change daily. Paid link.

If that catch is a deal-breaker

Highly ranked coffee makers whose biggest complaint is something else.

#1 in coffee makersBonavita Enthusiast 8-Cup Drip Coffee Brewer with Thermal Carafe

Wirecutter's top pick for nuanced, very hot coffee and an easy-to-fill removable tank. But it has only a 1-year warranty, Serious Eats found the build a little chintzy, and some Amazon owners report carafes that cool quickly and units that fail early.

Its catch: short warranty, durability doubts#2 in coffee makersTechnivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select 10-Cup Coffee Maker

Tom's Guide's top coffee maker for fast, hot, SCA-approved brewing and a 5-year warranty. But it costs well over $300, has no timer, and keeps coffee warm on a glass-carafe hot plate that Serious Eats says can't compete with a thermal carafe.

Its catch: expensive, with no timer or extras#3 in coffee makersNinja 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker

Wirecutter's best cheap coffee maker for hot, well-balanced coffee and an easy removable tank. But the glass carafe sits on a hot plate that made coffee taste acrid after about two hours, and owners report carafes breaking and machines that stop brewing.

Its catch: stops brewing or leaks over time

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