BREW PERFORMANCE: Met recommended guidelines of 195°F or more, maintained for five or six minutes. CONVENIENCE: Fairly convenient to use, based on how easy it was to understand the controls, fill the reservoir, insert the filter, gauge the amount of remaining coffee, and clean the machine. CARAFE HANDLING: The carafe was somewhat cumbersome to use, based on how comfortable we found its handle, whether it dripped while pouring, its overall balance when full, and how hard it was to empty.

The Cuisinart DCC-3400 12-cup Programmable Thermal is part of the Coffee Makers test program at Consumer Reports. In our lab tests, Drip Coffee Makers models like the DCC-3400 12-cup Programmable Thermal are rated on multiple criteria, such as those listed below.

Brew performance: A high score means the coffee maker brews at an optimal temperature and gets the most flavor from your coffee.

Convenience: A high score means the coffee maker is easy to use and clean. A top-scoring model typically has clear controls and an easy-to-fill reservoir. Parts like the carafe, basket, and sprayheads are simple to wash or wipe down.

Carafe handling: A high score means the carafe is comfortable to hold and easy to pour from. A top-scoring model typically has a well-designed handle and pours easily, even to the last drop. Model that don't have carafes are not scored.