Expected more for the Cuisinart name & price
I received this grinder and coffee maker combo as a wedding gift in 2009. I was really excited to use it and knew it cost around $100 so had high expectations. It does make a great pot of coffee since the beans are fresh ground and I was very happy with it for the first few years. After a few years, however, the brew basket kept jamming and I could not get it open most of the time without a lot of force. Then it wouldn't shut properly. I would think I had the brew basket shut, but it would spontaneously open mid-brew or worse, mid-grind, spewing coffee grounds everywhere. I had to stand next to the coffee maker and hold the basket shut to ensure that this didn't happen! I was about ready to give up and buy a new coffee maker when I came across the same one (very cheap) because the owner had broken the pot and didn't want to buy a new one. The maker still worked fine. I've had better luck with the second one, but now after a few years the brew basket is starting to stick again. I've been more careful about keeping it clean from coffee grounds as they tend to leak down from the grinder and that has helped. You will also need to rinse or wash the grinder each time you use it. And, if you have hard water or lime you will need to run a brew cycle with vinegar every now and then. I love the grind & brew idea and if you don't mind regular maintenance to keep things clean, it's not a bad coffee maker. I just expected the Cuisinart name and the price tag to follow up with a longer lasting and sturdier coffee maker.
Steinamight
Wapello, Ia