Cuisinart 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker Review

The Cuisinart 12-cup programmable coffee maker is the first programmable I've owned. I resisted all the bells and whistles for quite awhile, being something of a purist, but I really appreciate that it tells me when it's ready (with 5 beeps) and when it stops keeping the coffee hot (with 2 beeps). I love that it actually keeps the coffee hot as long as you want it to! The design is chic and attractive and I enjoy the gold filter feature and the charcoal filter inside. The coffee has a "pure" taste that I appreciate, too. I also like the feature that allows you to make a small pot when you want to. However, I've not had a coffee maker that leaves dark sludge at the bottom of the pot before. The last ounce or two of each pot is undrinkable. Maybe this is a good thing, and coffee pots are supposed to let the residue sink to the bottom but, if so, I've never heard of this before. Also, the clock on mine doesn't keep time properly, a real drawback if you want to program it a whole day ahead. My clock gains about a quarter of an hour every day, so I have to reprogram it every day or so. Maybe I got a lemon? Finally, for those of us who live in thunderstorm prone areas, it's a bit of a hassle to reprogram everything whenever the electricity goes out (which happens about once a month where I live), but I realize this isn't the pot's fault but the fault of the weather or the electric company!