If you are looking for a standard coffee maker that is not the cheap $20 machine, this is a great choice. The Cuisinart Brew Central DCC-1200 produces great tasting coffee at a suggested retail price of $69.95. The chrome look matches any stainless steel kitchen and looks good sitting out on the counter. This is machine you will not want to hide when company arrives. There are three color options - white, black, and stainless or chrome, and all look good. The main benefit of this machine, aside from working great and produces a nice pot of coffee, is the long warranty of three years. Unlike most machines that come with a one year warranty, the three year warranty provides peace of mind and I have yet use mine since purchased two years ago.

Some of the other great options and items about the Cuisinart Brew Central is that there is a small batch setting for one or two people. I hate making a large pot of coffee and only drinking two cups. This machine prevents the wasted coffee and most inexpensive machines do not have this option. There is also a three setting hot plate that keeps your coffee warm for quite some time. The programmable timer is great for making the coffee in the morning before work and having it ready when you get out of the shower. The auto shut off is also a great feature and a must for those on the go.

A couple of cons I have found with the machine have to do with the clock and reservoir. First of all, the clock is not backlit making it difficult to see in the dark. This is a small feature but I usually look at the coffee pot for the time and it can be hard to see. Also, there is no water level window on the water reservoir which makes it a little difficult when filling. It would be a nice feature to have a window directly on the reservoir to make filling easy. If you are very picky about the temperature of your coffee, you may want to select a higher end machine because, although hot, it is not as hot as you will get at Starbucks.

Overall the coffee tastes good and the look of the machine is sleek and appealing. I am happy with the purchase and will remember Cuisinart in the future for a few other machines I am in the market for.