Iâve owned several pod machines over the years, and theyâve all produced a decent single cup of coffee. But for me, nothing beats a true drip coffee maker with a filter basket that lets me seek out ground coffee from all over the world. I like to experiment with different roasts and roasters, and in my experience, coffee just tastes better from a drip machine than it does from a pod brewer.
And while companies have taken some successful swings at all in one brewers, they often come with off putting price tags. So when I heard about Cuisinartâs new Custom Grind & Brew Single Cup Coffee Makerâa machine that makes hot and iced coffee and has a built-in grinderâI knew I had to try it.
The Custom Grind & Brew isnât as compact as most single-serve coffee makers but it is just as user friendly. For starters, it has an intuitive control panel with only three buttons: Brew, Strength, and Size. Its 58-ounce water tank, located on the back of the machine, is removable, so you can fill it at the sink and avoid splashes and spills. Though you can use pre-ground coffee in the included gold-tone filter, operating the grinder takes almost no effort at all.
Making coffee in the Custom Grind & Brew is very straightforward. First, pop open the filter basket door and insert the reusable filter into the holder; be sure to close the door securely or the machine wonât brew. Place your cup on the adjustable drip tray, and hit the Brew button on the control panel to turn on the machine. Using the Strength button, indicate whether you want mild, medium, or bold hot coffee; iced coffee (you canât choose the strength with this one); or are using pre-ground coffee. Press Size to select from 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, or 24 ounces, then hit the Power/Brew button again to start brewing. The button flashes during the brewing process, which takes about two minutes, and the machine emits five beeps when the coffee is ready to remove from the tray..
Iâve made hot and iced coffee with the Custom Grind & Brew and both beverages were rich, flavorful, and robust, with very little acidity. The hot coffee is piping hotâhotter than any drip or pod machine Iâve ever used, in factâso you might take those first few slips slowly if you like your coffee black. Itâll also let you savor the coffeeâs intense flavor, which rivals some of the best brews Iâve had at fancy cafés. The coffee used for iced coffee is equally hot but more concentrated so the flavor isnât diluted when it chills by melting a glass full of ice. If Iâm using pre-ground coffee to prepare iced coffee, Iâll add an extra tablespoon or two of grounds to accommodate for the addition of ice and milk.
