How to Clean a Cuisinart Coffee Maker

Nothing beats waking up to a hot cup of coffee in the morning. Your cup of coffee can set the tone for the whole day. Needless to say, coffee is important. The taste and quality of your cup of coffee depend largely on the coffee maker you use. 

Cuisinart is the coffee maker brand of choice for many people across the world. It has a great reputation for brewing delicious, piping hot coffee. The variety of their machines means it has a model for everyone. Some models include a single-serving option, some are the classic 12-cup style, and most are programable to set your preferences beforehand. Maybe even more appealing, is that most Cuisinart coffee makers come equipped with a built-in self-cleaning mode. 

This self-cleaning mode is a handy reminder to keep your coffee maker spic and span, for fresh coffee every time. Like other kitchen appliances such as microwaves, toasters, and air fryers, you will want to clean regularly to keep them from getting gross. If you don’t clean your coffee maker regularly, you may pay the price with sludge and calcium buildup which will taint the taste of your precious morning cup of coffee. 

Maybe you just finished brewing some coffee when you notice the self-cleaning light has begun blinking. This means your coffee maker has detected an excess of gunk inside the machine. 

You’ll want to gather: 

• white vinegar 
• distilled water 
• dish soap

Step 1: Remove any old coffee grounds that remain in your coffee maker.

Step 2: If your model has a water filter (usually known as the charcoal water filter), remove that as well.  Set that aside and clean it separately with dish soap and water to descale it and remove any remaining minerals. 

Step 3: Pour a solution of one part vinegar and two parts water into the water reservoir. The water should be cool or room temperature. 

Step 4: Begin the cleaning process by pressing the ‘self-clean’ button followed by the ‘on’ button. You will notice the self-clean light stops blinking. Be aware that this cleaning process does take a bit longer than, for example, a regular brewing process. 

Step 5: To complete the cleaning, pour out any leftover vinegar-water from the first cleaning process. Then, add some cool or warm water to the reservoir and run the same cleaning cycle as before. This will flush out any remaining debris and also ensure any vinegar is gone. 

Don’t forget to put the water filter back into the machine. 

Voila! You can now enjoy your newly cleaned Cuisinart coffee maker.  

If the self-cleaning mode on your coffee maker is broken, or if your model does not have this mode, the process to clean it is still incredibly easy. 

You’ll need: 

• white vinegar 
• distilled water 
• dish soap

Step 1: Discard any remaining coffee grounds. It helps to give it a quick rinse.

Step 2: Remove and clean the water filter. This will descale it and remove minerals or calcium buildup

Step 3: Make a solution of one part vinegar and two parts water. Pour this into the water reservoir on the machine

Step 4: Choose the ‘brew’ option on your coffee maker, as if you were making a normal cup of coffee. Wait for it to finish the cycle, then dump the dirty water. 

Step 5: Refill the reservoir with cool clean water, and run the brew cycle once more. 

Reinstall your water filter, and you are good to go! Your coffee maker is ready to start serving up fantastic coffee once again. 

You should make a habit of rinsing your carafe after each use to prevent any buildup of gunk or coffee. If you notice staining on the pot, or you feel it’s time for a thorough clean, the steps to tackle this are simple. 

What you’ll need: 

• baking soda
• water 
• dish soap

Step 1: Remove the carafe and use soapy water to wash it down, inside and outside. 

Step 2: Make a paste from baking soda and water. Use this to layer onto any stained areas of the pot. Let it sit for about 5-15 minutes depending on the severity of the stains.  

Step 3: Gently wipe away the baking soda, and wash the carafe again with the soapy water.   

Step 4: Dry it, and put it back into the coffee maker. Boom! You’re done. 

By following these steps, you can say ‘so long!’ to bitter cups of coffee, and ‘hello!’ to the delicious coffee flavor that your Cuisinart Coffee maker has the potential to make.  When you give your coffee maker a little extra love and attention by regularly cleaning it, it will reward you as well each time you use it. The best way to clean your Cuisinart Coffee maker is by using the self-cleaning mode. If yours does not have that mode, or it is malfunctioning, you can simply hand-wash your coffee maker.

Make sure you powered the coffee maker off and on fully. If this doesn’t work, press the 6 oz and 8 oz buttons in unison to run water through those parts one more time. 

It’s recommended to clean your coffee maker every 4 months or so. The light turns on when the machine detects a certain level of sludge buildup, so if your self-cleaning mode is functioning properly, you should be safe to follow that. 

To fix the self-clean mode, you will need to contact the Cuisinart customer service about. You can still wash your coffee maker by hand.

Cuisinart coffee maker carafes are normally dishwasher safe. However, you will want to check with the manufacturer guidelines for specifics.