The Cuisinart DCC-3200 vs DCC-2650 is a comparison between two capable coffee makers. The fact that these machines look the same are produced by the same manufacturer, and fall within the same price range is what causes the confusion. Coffee is a life necessity for most folks, with the average American drinking 3.1 cups a day.
So as you probably already know, there are definitely so-called levels to coffee, meaning that you can get an entry-level coffee maker for an entry-level price or pay thousands for a spaceship-looking espresso machine.
But what are the feature differences between these two models, and why do you want to choose one model over the other? That’s what you’re here for, which you’ll find on this page. Below, you will find all of the information you need to make an educated decision.
Click here to see price for Cuisinart dcc-3200
Click here to see price for Cuisinart dcc-2650
Appearance and Size
Both coffee makers are stainless steel clad, but with the 3200, you can choose between black or white accents.
When you first take a glance at both of these machines, you can tell that they are definitely made by the same company. However, a closer look reveals some subtle design differences. For one, the DCC-2650 is definitely the older-looking model of the two. It has more of a boxy shape whereas the DCC-3200 has more rounded corners.
And the control panel layout is different too. Again, the dcc-3200 is the more modern looking machine. The control panel is actually easier to understand than the one on the 2650. The buttons are round and organized in a more logical way with a convenient blue backlight.
The dimensions for the 3200 are 14.5H x 8W x 9D; 9.5 pounds, compared to 16.25H x 9.5W X 11D; 8.5 pounds for the 2650. The difference in size and weight are no big deal at all. Both will take up a decent amount of space on your countertop especially if you have a small kitchen.
In the end, both models are good-looking and will compliment your kitchen as the colors are pretty neutral.
Power and Performance
There is a huge difference in the power of these coffee makers. The dcc-3200 is a 1050-watt machine compared to 1425-watts for the 2650. That is quite a difference in power and what powers the “Extreme Brew” feature for the 2650 (this feature is supposed to produce a cup of coffee 25% faster).
Some customers say the 3200 will make a 14-cup pot of coffee in about 15 minute, roughly 1-minute per cup. Others say that it doesn’t brew very fast. If speed is your primary concern then you may consider that both of these coffee makers allow you to pause and get a cup of coffee mid-brew. You don’t have to wait around until the brew is finished.
Brew Strength Control
Both of these models have a brew strength control so that you can make a strong cup of joe without adding more coffee. Although, I must say, brew strength is somewhat subjective. Some users found the brew strength to be a little weak for both machines, but other users found that there was a very big difference between the regular and the strong selection.
How hot will your coffee get? First, there are 3 temperature settings: low, medium, and high. Most customers for either of these machines stated that the coffee gets plenty hot. One customer even quantified the results for the dc3200 stating that he consistently got the following results: about 180 degrees for a piping hot cup of brew when set to high, and around 160 at medium heat.
Both machines are 24-hour programmable. That means that you can set them to have a cup of coffee ready by the time that you wake up for work. They also come with programmable keep-warm options. With either, you can choose to brew 1 to 4 cups or a whole pot.
Get more details on the Cuisinart dcc-3200
Get more details on the Cuisinart dcc-2650
Filter
Both of these units come with permanent filters which will save you some money on those annoying paper ones. In fact this is a feature that lots of customers are looking for when choosing a new coffee maker. All you have to do is rinse the filter off to clean it. Some people still use a cheap paper filter because it minimizes mess.
They also both have a charcoal water filter that will need to be replaced regularly. They do start you off with some filters. However, if you use filtered water you won’t need to buy additional filters
Carafe
The dcc-3200 is a 14-pot machine while the 2650 is a 12-pot machine. Some people claim that they notice a difference between 12 pots and 14 pots. But to me, there just isn’t a whole lot of difference between 12 pots and 14. And it probably shouldn’t be used as much of a determining factor when you choose between the two.
If you are looking for a thermal carafe (a thermal carafe will keep your coffee warmer longer) option then you’ll have to go elsewhere. Both units have glass carafes. A benefit of the glass is that you will always be able to tell how much coffee is left in the pot.
Both of these machines have carafe spouts designed to be dripless thanks to great design. Customers say that you don’t have to do anything but pour.
Filling the Pot
This is an area where both of these machines get knocked down a notch or two. Many customers of both of these machines have complained that they are not very easy to fill.
Maintenance
Maintaining either of these is easy with either model. All you have to do is keep your pot clean and run a cleaning cycle every so often. You will also need to replace the charcoal water filters every 60 days or so.
Warranty
Both products come with a 3-year warranty. I think that this a good warranty length given the product type and cost.
Summary
Both of the coffee makers in the Cuisinart DCC-3200 vs DCC-2650 make a good cup of coffee. They are both affordable and good-looking. These machines share many of the same features like programming, and brew strength selector. The differences are few, and mostly cosmetic and/or negligible, i.e. the 3200 comes with a back-lit control panel.
The biggest difference between the two is that the 3200 has a larger capacity carafe and the 2650 is 1425-watts compared to 1050. This difference in power is said to make your coffee faster. Overall though, I don’t think that you can really go wrong here. There are many customers whom are satisfied with both of these machines, but if I were to choose, I’d go with the 3200. I like the look, the control panel, and the performance is near equal.
Cuisinart dcc-3200 – Check Price
Cuisinart dcc-2650 – Check Price
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