How to Start a Black and Decker Coffee Maker

The Black and Decker coffee maker has steadily become one of the most popular appliances for brewing coffee. As more people are beginning to opt for this equipment, I have decided to shed more light on it. So, here’s how to start a Black and Decker coffee maker.

How to Start a Black and Decker Coffee Maker

A standard cup of coffee composes of two major components – good clean water and fresh coffee grounds. However, both of these ingredients would never become a drinkable cup of coffee without a coffee maker. This is why it is important to know everything there is to know about a coffee maker before making use of it.

Powering the Coffee Maker

To power your machine, plug the cord into a standard electrical outlet and switch on the power button. Make sure the cord is properly arranged and far from the reach of children to avoid domestic accidents caused by pulling on or tripping over the cord.

Setting the Timer

As soon as you turn the coffee machine on, a set of numbers flash on the control panel where the digital clock display is, indicating the timer or clock. To program the correct time, press the ‘hour’ and ‘minute’ buttons until the numbers on display correlate with the exact time of the day.

To reset the time after it has been set, press either the ‘hour’ or ‘minute’ button once to revert to the time setting mode. For subsequent uses, you can simply repeat the steps.

Brewing the Coffee

Before you begin brewing your coffee, ensure that you place the carafe properly to avoid spillage. Also, make sure that you place all removable parts correctly. Finally, ensure that you only put the machine on when you are ready to brew.

1. Grind your coffee beans using a clean coffee grinder just before brewing to ensure maximum freshness
2. To unlock the carafe, press the button on the handle and lift the lid
3. Before brewing, fill the carafe with hot tap water and empty it to warm up the carafe. Replace the carafe on the carafe plate once this is completed
4. Open the cover of the coffeemaker and fill the water reservoir with clean water. The section for pouring in water is calibrated to serve as a guide. Avoid filling past the max point
5. Put a paper filter into the brew basket and ensure the filter brew basket is seated correctly and pour your ground coffee. Experts suggest using one tablespoon per cup
6. Close the lid properly and press the power button once to begin brewing at regular brew strength
7. If you want a stronger coffee brew strength, press the Strong button once to select the strong brew. The LED light in the display panel next to Strong will come on.
8. To turn off the Strong brew mode, press the Strong button again and the LED light will go off
9. Once brewing begins, the brew timer begins to count down from 120 minutes. At the end of the countdown, the brewing cycle is complete.
10. To check for spills while the brewing cycle is still ongoing, simply press the pause button once and remove the carafe
11. If there is a spill, wipe the carafe plate with a clean cloth and replace the carafe within 20-30 seconds to avoid spillage
12. Once brewing is completed, remove the carafe and pour your freshly brewed coffee into a clean cup
13. Turn off the coffee-making machine by switching off the On/Off button
14. When coffee grounds have cooled, carefully remove and dispose of the used grounds

Cleaning and Storing the Coffee Maker

With continuous use over time, there would be build-up in the coffee maker due to hard water mineral deposits and possibly leftover coffee debris. If you don’t clean this buildup regularly, it may prevent optimal performance of the coffee marker and result in early failure. I advise that you clean your coffeemaker after every 60 brews or monthly.

To do this:

1. Unplug the coffee brewer from the power outlet and make sure it is properly cooled to avoid scalding
2. Open the lid and remove the brew basket. Dispose of any used paper filters and leftover coffee grounds
3. Wash the carafe and brew basket by hand thoroughly in warm, soapy water
4. Clean the outer components of the coffee brewer, control panel, and carafe plate using a soft, clean damp cloth. Avoid using rough or harsh items to clean the coffee-making machine to avoid scratching or damaging the appliance
5. For full cleaning with water and vinegar, it is advisable to do so every month to avoid clogging the appliance.

Cleaning Using the Auto-Clean Function

For auto-cleaning or monthly cleaning, you should take the following steps:

1. Pour the vinegar, preferably white vinegar into the water reservoir up to the 5-cup mark on the water window
2. Pour cold clean water into the reservoir up to the 12-cup mark
3. Place the empty carafe on the carafe plate and shut the lid properly
4. Plug the electrical cord into an electrical outlet
5. Press and hold the Power button for approximately 5 seconds to activate the Auto Clean function
6. The cleaning cycle occurs in two cycles with the coffee-making machine brewing about 5 cups of the solution
7. Halt the cleaning cycle for approximately 30 minutes by pressing the Pause button
8. Resume the cleaning cycle to brew the remaining cleaning solution
9. The entire cleaning cycle takes approximately 45 to 60 minutes to complete
10. When the Auto-clean cycle is complete, the coffee brewer shuts down automatically
11. Pour fresh cool water and brew through the coffee-making machine before brewing a new cup of coffee.

How to Use the Brew Later Function

The Brew Later function is a unique feature that allows you to program the coffee maker to brew coffee at a particular time.

1. Press the Brew Later button to activate.
2. The indicator light switches on and flashes once per second.
3. After that, the clock displays the last programmed Brew Later time for 3 seconds.
4. If the coffee brewer has not been programmed before, the default Brew Later time, which is 12:00 AM, is displayed.
5. Set your desired time of brew using the ‘hour’ and ‘minute’ buttons within four seconds.
6. The Brew Later function stops flashing and the coffee-making machine set itself if no action is taken.
7. The coffee maker will commence brewing at the set Brew Later time.
8. To cancel the Brew Later function, press and hold the Brew Later button for approximately 3 seconds.
9. It is important to note that although you may terminate 3 the Brew Later function, the Brew Later time is stored except if the coffee brewer is unplugged from the socket. 

Related Questions

Conclusion 

The Black and Decker is one of the popular and versatile models of coffee makers available. The tips I have listed above are tested and trusted to help you start and brew a delicious cup of coffee using the Black and Decker coffee maker.