Instructions for a Braun Coffee Maker

Braun is known for its variety of quality drip coffee makers. If you're lucky enough to have one, it's important that you understand how to use it, how to clean it and how to keep your household safe. The best care brings you the best cup of coffee in the morning. Braun coffee maker reviews are usually very good, but it's good to consider customer feedback before making a purchase.

Braun coffee makers come in a variety of sizes and models. They range from small two to four cup brews to a master 12-cup carafe, so there's certainly a model that will suit your needs and your coffee addiction. There are also a variety of options you can review to suit your lifestyle.

• Carafe: Braun offers glass carafes as well as thermal carafes; glass is the standard, but thermal carafes act like a thermos, insulating the pot of coffee so that it stays fresher and warmer longer.
• Timer: Some Braun models include a timer, which allows you to program the coffee pot to start brewing at a certain time. This is ideal if you're one of those individuals who wakes up groggy and wants to get to the coffee pot right away.
• Brew Strength: Some fancier Braun models offer a variety of brew strengths so that the same pot can easily make your coffee stronger or weaker, to your preference.
• Grinder: Braun offers models with a coffee bean grinder at the top so the beans are freshly ground for each pot of coffee you make.
• Filters: Braun also offers a reusable mesh filter, as well as a charcoal filter in some models, to prevent impurities and particles from getting in your cup of coffee.

Using a Braun coffee pot is generally like using any other coffee pot you may be familiar with, and will depend on the make and model of coffee pot you purchase. Here's how you can make the perfect cup:

1. Make sure the coffee pot is clean, the filter basket is empty and clean, and the reservoir is full of fresh water.
2. Add in a fresh Braun filter — either paper or renewable. Be sure the filter is the correct size for the filter basket. Using the wrong-sized filter can lead to coffee grounds in your coffee.
3. Measure out the coffee grounds as intended. (If your model has an attached grinder, measure the beans into the appropriate place.) Most types of coffee have a recommended brew strength, and the amount of coffee grounds used will be based on how many cups of coffee you intend to brew.
4. Replace the filter basket into its proper spot for brewing.
5. Fill the water reservoir with the amount of fresh water required to brew your desired quantity.
6. Be sure the carafe is back in place, the lid is on the reservoir, and all parts are in brewing position.
7. Set the timer, or press the Start or Brew button to begin brewing.

An autobrew feature is a great option to have for sluggish or cold mornings. You can set the coffee machine to start brewing at your desired time so that by the time you reach it, your coffee is warm and ready. Here's how to set the Auto On with a Braun model coffee maker:

1. Be sure that the clock on the coffee maker is correct.
2. Press and hold the Auto On button for at least 3 seconds. Depending on the model, you may hear a beep, and you'll see the hours on your display start to flash.
3. To set the hour: press and hold the Clock button for at least 3 seconds. The control panel will start flashing. Use the Set button to scroll through the numbers, and release all buttons once set.
4. To set the minutes: press and hold the Auto On button for at least 3 seconds. The minutes on the display will start to flash.
5. Use the Set button to scroll through the minutes and release all buttons when finished.
6. Press the Auto On button once more to save the desired time.
7. Within 3 seconds, the autobrew time should be replaced by the actual time of day on the clock.
8. Pressing the Auto On button will turn on an indicator light that means a pot of coffee will begin to brew at the time you've just set.
9. Make sure that the reservoir is full of fresh water, and that beans or dry grounds have been put in the appropriate place before leaving! The coffee pot should have all parts in brewing position.

Since coffee tends to stain, most coffee pots require occasional cleaning for health and freshness. It's recommended to clean your Braun coffee maker at least once a month to ensure great taste without any concerns from buildup or mold. In addition, be sure to clean it when your Braun coffee maker clean light is blinking.

A popular and effective way to clean most coffee pots is using a mixture of vinegar and water. This makes a mildly acidic formula that's incredibly effective at removing scale-up from the walls and internals of the coffee maker, as well as disinfecting any areas at risk of mold or mildew. Braun offers a descaling product, if vinegar is ineffective.

To clean with water and vinegar, first you'll need to prepare the solution. A good starting point is 2 tablespoons of white vinegar in 4 cups of water, but if the pot is especially dirty, you can run pure vinegar through it; you'll just have to be sure to do a bunch of water rinses afterward to ensure the taste doesn't transfer into the coffee. Pour your solution into the water carafe, and run the coffee pot with no filter and no grounds. Leave the coffee pot on the heat for 20 to 30 minutes, then turn the coffee maker off and allow it to cool.

You'll need to run a number of water rinses through the system to flush out the vinegar and any residue it may have picked up. Run the brewing cycle with clean water at least three times, waiting for the pot to cool in between each time.

Normal, frequent cleaning of the pot, the water reservoir and the filter basket will help keep each pot of coffee tasting fresh and can extend the period between descalings. Check to see whether the parts of your Braun coffee maker are dishwasher-safe.

As with every coffee pot, there are risks of fire from malfunction or electrical wear and tear, although these risks are fairly low. Coffee makers without an automatic shutoff run the risk of burning the coffee down to sludge, which could smoke or smolder and might possibly catch fire if left too long. Luckily, many modern coffee makers come with an automatic shutoff built in, so check your Braun model to see whether this is a concern for your kitchen or not. There's also the risk of broken glass if the carafe is dropped.

The biggest safety concern in coffee makers is, in fact, cleanliness; internal buildup can turn into mildew, mold and a host of other bacteria. These can lead to anything from a general malaise to real gastrointestinal sickness. By cleaning on a regular basis and ensuring proper operation, your Braun coffee maker should continue making delicious coffee every morning with no concerns.