Charcoal filter in Cuisinart coffee maker DCC-120

[Darienne]

Our daughter gave us a Cuisinart coffee maker DCC-120 for Christmas and it came with a little filter doohickey. We have unfiltered, untreated, hard lime water to drink straight from our well...the rest of our water is salt treated or we'd be cleaning and replacing everything constantly, but to drink we have the real stuff.

Needless to say, the little filter bit the dust quite early.

Is it worth trying to find replacements? Order on line? Fuggadaboutit? Your take?

(Right. We are fussy about HOW STRONG we make our coffee, and not about what it's made in. Right. Completely unsophisticated. )

[Dave the Cook]

I think the filter serves two purposes: one is removing stuff that creates "off" flavors, which doesn't seem to be an issue for you. The other is the coffeemaker itself, which (if I'm right) will need more frequent cleaning if you don't use the filter. You might be used to this already, so if the taste is okay with you, it's probably a choice of whether you want to clean the machine fairly often, or pay for filters to slow down mineral deposition.

[Darienne]

Interesting...normally we have always had to clean our coffee makers more often that we have so far with this new one. Twice since Christmas is quite a record. Maybe it's because it's new and maybe it's because of the filter. I'll see if I can get them locally.

Thanks for your reply.

[gfweb]

We bought a fridge with an icemaker and water filter. Our limey/iron-y well water clogged it quick. I disconnected the filter and we've had no problems in over 2 years. We put the same water in a cuisinart coffee maker daily for about 2 years as well with no problems.

I think the filters are mainly a cash stream for the manufacturer and seem to serve no useful purpose.

A two year problem-free life for a coffee maker is probably all one can expect to get, so if it dies due to hard water clogging tomorrow, I'll at least be ahead on the cost of filters I never bought.

Edited March 6, 2011 by gfweb (log)

[Dave the Cook]

That seems entirely possible. I should have said (above) "I think the filter is marketed to serve two purposes . . . "

That said, some designs are probably more -- or less -- vulnerable to mineral deposits, hence Dairenne's adjusted cleaning schedule.

[Darienne]

I think the filters are a cash stream for the manufacturer and seem to serve no useful purpose.

Good point. Thanks for the input, gfweb.