Cuisinart DCC-1120 Series 12-Cup Classic Coffeemaker Instructions

: June 6, 2024
: Cuisinart

Table of Contents

IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS
IMPORTANT UNPACKING INSTRUCTIONS
THE QUEST FOR THE PERFECT CUP OF COFFEE
FEATURES AND BENEFITS
CONTROL PANEL
PROGRAMMING YOUR COFFEEMAKER
CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE
WARRANTY
Documents / Resources

INSTRUCTION BOOKLET

12-Cup Classic Coffeemaker	DCC-1120 Series

For your safety and continued enjoyment of this product, always read the instruction book carefully before using it.

IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS

When using electrical appliances, basic safety precautions should always be followed to reduce the risk of fire, electric shock, and/or injury to persons, including the following:

READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS.
Do not touch hot surfaces. Use handles and knobs.
To protect against electric shock, do not place a cord, plug, or base in water or other liquids.
Close supervision is necessary when any appliance is used by or near children.
Always unplug from outlet when not in use and before cleaning. Allow cooling before putting on or taking off parts and before cleaning the appliance.
Do not operate any appliance with a damaged cord or plug or after the appliance malfunctions or has been dropped or damaged in any manner. Return appliance to the nearest Cuisinart Repair Center for examination, repair, or electrical or mechanical adjustment.
The use of accessory attachments not recommended by Cuisinart may cause injuries.
Do not use outdoors.
Do not let the cord hang over the edge of the table or counter, or touch any hot surface.
Do not place on or near a hot gas or electric burner, or in a heated oven.
Always fill the water reservoir first, then plug a cord into the wall outlet. To disconnect, turn controls to OFF, then remove plug from wall outlet.
Do not use appliance for other than its intended use.
Snap lid securely onto carafe before serving any beverages.
Scalding may occur if the lid is removed during the brewing cycle.
The glass carafe is designed for use with an appliance base only. It must never be used on the range top.
Do not set a hot carafe on a wet or cold surface.
Do not use a cracked carafe or a carafe having a loose or weakened handle.
Do not clean carafe or warming plate with cleansers, steel wool pads, or other abrasive materials.
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE THE BASE PANEL. NO USER- SERVICEABLE PARTS ARE INSIDE. REPAIR SHOULD BE DONE ONLY BY AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL.
Avoid contact with moving parts.
Do not operate your appliance in an appliance garage or under a wall cabinet. When storing in an appliance garage, always unplug the unit from the electrical outlet. Not doing so could create a risk of fire, especially if the appliance touches the walls of the garage or the door touches the unit as it closes.

WARNING: RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK
The lightning flash with an arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage within the product’s enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of fire or an electric shock to persons.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
FOR HOUSEHOLD USE ONLY

SPECIAL CORD SET INSTRUCTIONS
A short power-supply cord is provided to reduce the risks resulting from becoming entangled in or tripping over a longer cord. Extension cords may be used if care is exercised in their use.
If an extension cord is used, the marked electrical rating of the extension cord must be at least as great as the electrical rating of the appliance, and the longer cord should be arranged so that it will not drape over the countertop or tabletop where it can be pulled on by children or tripped over.

NOTICE
This appliance has a polarized plug (one blade is wider than the other). To reduce the risk of electric shock, this plug will fit in a polarized outlet only one way. If the plug does not fit fully in the outlet, reverse the plug. If it still does not fit, contact a qualified electrician. Do not modify the plug in any way.

OPERATING NOTICE
Clogging and backing up of water and/or coffee in the filter basket can occur under any or a combination of any of the following conditions: The use of too finely ground coffee, using two or more paper filters, using the gold-tone filter in conjunction with a paper filter or not properly cleaning coffee grounds from the gold-tone filter, or allowing coffee grounds to spill over the filter.
Caution: Never open the reservoir cover during the brewing cycle, even if no water is draining from the filter basket, since extremely hot water/coffee can spill out from the basket and cause injury. If water/coffee is not draining from the filter basket during the brewing cycle, unplug the unit and wait 10 minutes before opening the reservoir cover and checking the basket.

WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK,
DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK)
NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE
REPAIR SHOULD BE DONE BY AUTHORIZED SERVICE PERSONNEL ONLY

IMPORTANT UNPACKING INSTRUCTIONS

Place the box on a large, sturdy, flat surface.
Remove the instruction book and any other literature.
Turn the box so that the backside of the coffeemaker is down and slide the coffeemaker from the box.
After the coffeemaker has been removed, place the box out of the way and remove the top and bottom two polyfoam inserts.
Grasp the carafe by its handle, remove it from the heater plate and remove the polybag.
Remove the polybag covering from the coffeemaker and lift the coffeemaker off the remaining two inserts.

We suggest you save all packing materials in the event that future shipping of the machine is needed. Keep all plastic bags away from children.

THE QUEST FOR THE PERFECT CUP OF COFFEE

ELEMENT 1: WATER
Coffee is 98% water. The quality of that water is as important as the quality of your coffee. If water doesn’t taste good from the tap, it won’t taste good in your coffee. Cuisinart includes a charcoal water filter to remove chlorine, bad tastes, and odors, for the purest coffee flavor, every time you brew.

ELEMENT 2: COFFEE
While coffee is 98% water, all of the flavors come from beans. To achieve the same great taste you enjoy at a coffee bar, you need to use the same quality of coffee. If you choose to grind your own beans, buy them fresh and whole. Buy only about a two-week supply at a time, because once the bean is broken, its flavor degrades quickly.

ELEMENT 3: GRIND
The grind is critical for proper flavor extraction. If the grind is too fine, over-extraction and bitterness will result. Too fine a grind may also clog the filter. If the grind is too coarse, the water will pass through too quickly and the maximum flavor will not be extracted. When grinding your own beans, we recommend a medium-fine grind.

ELEMENT 4: PROPORTION
Coffee that is too strong or too weak is always a disappointment. Follow the recommended portions of ground coffee in the instructions under Brewing Coffee, and later adjust the amount to suit your taste.

NOTE: The maximum capacity for ground coffee is 15 scoops (15 tablespoons) for this 60 oz. (twelve 5 oz. cups) coffeemaker. Exceeding this amount may cause overflow.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

Reservoir Cover Flips back for easy filling.
Water Reservoir With water level indicator window.
Showerhead (not shown)
Distributes water evenly over coffee, reducing temperature loss as water passes through grounds.
Filter Basket
Holds a #4 paper filter OR a permanent filter.
Permanent Gold-Tone Commercial-Style Filter
Eliminates the need for paper filters. NOTE: Some fine grounds may flow through the filter and appear as sediment in the carafe.
Charcoal Water Filter Holder Holds filter firmly in place.
Charcoal Water Filter (shown on page 7) Charcoal water filter eliminates chlorine, bad tastes, and odors from tap water.
Control Panel See detailed illustration, page 6.
Brew Pause’
Stops the flow of coffee from the basket when the carafe is removed (20 seconds max) from the heater plate, so a cup can be poured in mid-brew.
12-Cup Glass Carafe
The easy-pour, no-drip, 12-cup carafe has an ergonomic handle and brewed coffee markings for two to 12 cups.
Heating Plate
Scratch-resistant with black, nonstick coating.
Measuring Scoop (not shown)
Ready Tone (not shown)
Signals the end of the brew cycle with five beeps.
Power Loss Backup System (not shown) One-minute protection if a breaker trips, unit is unplugged, or power fails. Holds all programmed information, including time of day, auto-on time, and auto-off time.

CONTROL PANEL

Clock Display
Displays time of day, Auto On, and Auto-Off times.
Clean Button
The red indicator appears when it is time to decalcify your coffeemaker.
1-4 Cup Button
Adjusts brew process to maximize coffee flavor when brewing fewer than 5 cups. The white indicator appears when the function is selected.
Function Knob
a. Program Set
Select brew start time with hour and minute buttons — LCD displays PM for the afternoon and nighttime brew starts. Holds selected time until you change it.
b. Auto On
The Auto On setting programs the coffeemaker to turn on at the time selected, up to 24 hours in advance. See Programming Your Coffeemaker (page 7) for instructions on setting time.
c. Brew
The Brew feature is used to start the brew cycle directly.
d. Auto-Off
The Auto-Off feature is used to shut off the coffeemaker at a preset time, anywhere from 0 to 4 hours after brewing.
e. Clock Set
Used to program the time of day.
Power Button
Used to turn your coffeemaker on and off; also works in tandem with the Function knob.
An hour and Minute Buttons
For use in setting hour and minute for the time of day and auto-on time.
Audible Tone (not shown)
The Cuisinart® 12-Cup Classic Coffeemaker is equipped with an audible tone that will sound 5 times when the coffee has completed brewing (coffee will continue to stream from the filter for a few seconds after tone).

PROGRAMMING YOUR COFFEEMAKER

SETTING THE CLOCK
When the coffeemaker is plugged in, 12:00 will flash.

TURN THE FUNCTION KNOB TO CLOCK
Press Hour and Minute buttons to select the desired time. Hold buttons down to scroll through the digits, or press and release to advance one digit at a time. When scrolling, the numbers will advance slowly and then speed up. When the number displayed approaches the desired time, press and release to advance one digit at a time. Be sure the PM indicator is on if a PM time is desired. To finish setting the clock, turn the Function knob to any other setting or simply wait until the numbers stop blinking.

SETTING THE AUTO-ON TIME
When you turn the Function knob to PROG, the previously selected Auto On time or the default time (12:00) will flash.

Turn the Function knob to PROG. Follow directions under SETTING THE CLOCK, (in the previous section) to program your start-brew time.
Turn the Function knob to AUTO ON. The LCD will display the current time.
Press and release the On/Off button to activate.

The white AUTO ON light will illuminate, indicating that the coffeemaker is in Auto-On mode. The On/Off white indicator light will illuminate when the brew cycle begins at the time you have selected. Both lights will go off when Keep Warm cycle ends.
NOTE: To start brew time at the same time the next day, simply make sure the Function knob is on Auto On and press and release the On/Off button once more. The white Auto On light will go on.

CHARCOAL WATER FILTER
Your coffeemaker comes with a charcoal water filter that eliminates chlorine, bad tastes, and odors from tap water.

Inserting the Water Filter

Remove the filter from the polybag and soak it, fully immersed, in cold tap water for 15 minutes.
Lift the water filter holder out of the water reservoir (see diagram, page 5).
Press down on the filter compartment and pull it toward you to open.
Place filter into the holder and snap it closed. Be careful – improper placement can tear the filter skin.
Flush filter by running cold tap water through holes in the bottom of compartment for 10 seconds.
Allow the filter to drain completely.
Slide the water filter holder back into the channel in the water reservoir, pushing it down to the base of the unit.

NOTE: We recommend changing the water filter every 60 days or after 60 uses, and more often if you have hard water. Replacement filters can be purchased in stores, by calling Cuisinart Customer Service, or at www.cuisinart.com.

BEFORE BREWING YOUR FIRST POT OF COFFEE
Rinsing your coffeemaker: During the manufacturing process, dust can get trapped in the unit. We recommend flushing out the system before brewing your first pot of coffee. Simply fill the reservoir and power on the unit (See steps 2, 4, and 6 in MAKING COFFEE instructions, below). DO NOT ADD COFFEE!

SETTING THE AUTO OFF TIME

Turn the Function knob to Auto-Off. The clock display will start blinking.
Program the coffeemaker to shut off from zero to four hours after the brew cycle is finished by using the Hour and Minute buttons (see Setting the Clock, page 7)

MAKING COFFEE
Follow the instructions for BEFORE BREWING YOUR FIRST POT OF COFFEE above.

Insert charcoal water filter
Follow directions for the preparation and insertion of the filter on page 7.
Fill the water reservoir
Open the coffeemaker reservoir cover by lifting it up. Pour in the desired amount of water, using the water level indicator located at the side of the coffeemaker.
Add the ground coffee
Insert a #4 paper filter OR the gold-tone filter. Be sure that the paper filter is completely open and fully inserted in the basket. It may help to fold and flatten the seams of a paper filter beforehand. Add 1 level scoop of ground coffee per cup. Adjust the amount according to taste.
NOTE: The maximum capacity for ground coffee is 15 tablespoons for this coffeemaker. Exceeding this amount may cause overflow if the coffee is too finely ground.
Position carafe and plug-in unit
Place the carafe on the heating plate and be sure the coffeemaker lid is closed. Plug the coffeemaker into an electrical outlet.
Cup preference
Push the 1–4 cup button if you are brewing fewer than 5 cups.
Start brewing
Turn the function knob to Brew, press the On/Off button, and the white indicator light will turn on.
After brewing
When the brewing cycle has been completed, five beeps will sound. Coffee will continue to stream from the filter for several seconds.
NOTE: Reservoir cover may be hot during and directly after brewing. Wait at least 10 minutes before opening.

BREW PAUSE™ FEATURE
This feature interrupts the flow of coffee from the basket to let you pour that first cup mid-brew. Because the flavor profile of coffee brewed at the start of a cycle differs from that brewed toward the end, be aware that using this feature will weaken the flavor strength of the finished pot.
NOTE: Removing the carafe for more than 20 seconds may cause the filter basket to overflow.

CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE

Always turn the coffeemaker off and remove the plug from the electrical outlet before cleaning. Lift up the reservoir cover. Remove and discard the paper filter and ground coffee. The filter basket can be washed in warm, soapy water and rinsed thoroughly, or cleaned in the upper rack of the dishwasher. Dry all parts after use.
Do not put any water in the unit once the filter basket has been removed. Wipe the area under the filter basket with a damp cloth.

Remove the carafe from the heating plate. Discard any remaining coffee. The carafe and lid can be washed in warm, soapy water and rinsed thoroughly, or placed in a dishwasher. The carafe and carafe lid should be placed on the upper rack only.
Helpful Hint: Coffee contains oils that can build up on your carafe. For best performance, wash carafe and wipe pour spout clean after each use.
Do not use any scouring agents or harsh cleansers on any part of the coffeemaker.
Never immerse base unit in water or other liquids. To clean the base, simply wipe with a clean, damp cloth and dry before storing. Fingerprints and other blemishes on the glass housing can be washed off with soap and water or a non- abrasive cleaning solution. Wipe resting plate with a clean, damp cloth. Never use rough, abrasive materials or cleansers to clean the resting plate. Do not dry the inside of the water reservoir with a cloth, as lint may remain.

DECALCIFICATION
Decalcification refers to the removal of calcium deposits that form overtime on the metal parts of your coffeemaker. The mineral content of the tap water in your area and the frequency of use affect the rate of calcium buildup, which can affect the functioning of your coffeemaker and the flavor of your coffee.
For best performance from your coffeemaker, we recommend cleaning it whenever the CLEAN LED indicator lights up.
NOTE: Before decalcifying your unit, remove the charcoal water filter from the water reservoir.

To clean:

Fill the water reservoir to capacity with a mixture of 1⁄3 white vinegar and 2⁄3 water.
Press and hold the CLEAN button. When the CLEAN LED indicator flashes, the coffeemaker is in Clean mode. Release the button.
When the cycle is completed, 5 beeps will sound and the coffeemaker will shut off.
If the CLEAN indicator illuminates once more, repeat the cleaning procedure with a fresh solution of vinegar and water.
NOTE: One cleaning cycle is usually sufficient.
When the CLEAN indicator remains off, run one cycle with a full reservoir of fresh, cold water to rinse the unit.
Return the charcoal water filter to the holder inside the water reservoir, and your coffeemaker is ready to brew!

MAINTENANCE
Any other servicing should be performed by an authorized service representative.

WARRANTY

Limited Three-Year Warranty
This warranty is available to U.S. consumers only. You are a consumer if you own a Cuisinart ® 12-Cup Classic Coffeemaker that was purchased at retail for personal, family, or household use. Except as otherwise required under applicable law, this warranty is not available to retailers or other commercial purchasers or owners. We warrant that your Cuisinart ® 12-Cup Classic Coffeemaker will be free of defects in materials and workmanship under normal home use for 3 years from the date of original purchase.
We recommend that you visit our website, www.cuisinart.com for a fast, efficient way to complete your product registration. However, product registration does not eliminate the need for the consumer to maintain the original proof of purchase in order to obtain the warranty benefits. In the event that you do not have proof of purchase date, the purchase date for purposes of this warranty will be the date of manufacture.

CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS ONLY
California law provides that for In-Warranty Service, California residents have the option of returning a nonconforming product (A) to the store where it was purchased or (B) to another retail store that sells Cuisinart products of the same type. The retail store shall then, according to its preference, either repair the product, refer the consumer to an independent repair facility, replace the product, or refund the purchase price less the amount directly attributable to the consumer’s prior usage of the product. If neither of the above two options results in the appropriate relief to the consumer, the consumer may then take the product to an independent repair facility, if service or repair can be economically accomplished. Cuisinart and not the consumer will be responsible for the reasonable cost of such service, repair, replacement, or refund for nonconforming products under warranty. California residents may also, according to their preference, return nonconforming products directly to Cuisinart for repair or, if necessary, replacement by calling our Consumer Service Center toll-free at 800726-0190. Cuisinart will be responsible for the cost of the repair, replacement, shipping, and handling for such nonconforming products under warranty.

HASSLE-FREE REPLACEMENT WARRANTY
Your ultimate satisfaction in Cuisinart products is our goal, so if your Cuisinart® 12-Cup Classic Coffeemaker should fail within the generous warranty period, we will repair it or, if necessary, replace it at no cost to you. To obtain a return shipping label, email us at https://www.cuisinart.com /customer-care/product-return. Or call our toll-free customer service department at 1-800-726-0190 to speak with a representative.
Your Cuisinart® 12-Cup Classic Coffeemaker has been manufactured to the strictest specifications and has been designed for use only in 120-volt outlets and only with authorized accessories and replacement parts. This warranty expressly excludes any defects or damages caused by attempted use of this unit with a converter, as well as use with accessories, replacement parts, or repair service other than those authorized by Cuisinart. This warranty does not cover any damage caused by accident, misuse, shipment, or other than ordinary household use. This warranty excludes all incidental or consequential damages. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of these damages, so these exclusions may not apply to you. You may also have other rights, which vary from state to state.
Important: If the nonconforming product is to be serviced by someone other than Cuisinart’s Authorized Service Center, please remind the servicer to call our Consumer Service Center at 1-800-726-0190 to ensure that the problem is properly diagnosed, the product is serviced with the correct parts, and to ensure that the product is still under warranty.

NOTES:

©2020 Cuisinart
East Windsor, NJ 08520
Printed in China
20CE072963
F IB-16796-ESP

Documents / Resources

| Cuisinart DCC-1120 Series 12-Cup Classic Coffeemaker [pdf] Instructions
DCC-1120 Series, 12-Cup Classic Coffeemaker
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| Cuisinart DCC-1120 Series 12 Cup Classic Coffeemaker [pdf] Instruction Manual
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