DeLonghi 14-Cup DC514T Review

COMPLETE REVIEW

The DeLonghi 14-Cup DC514T is a reliable drip coffee maker for households that have a need for larger batches of coffee. And while it might take you some time to learn all the controls and features, this coffee machine will reward  you with a cup of joe you’ll be telling your friends about.

Visually, the DeLonghi 14-Cup DC514T isn’t much to look at. It’s a medium-sized coffee machine that will fit on most standard-sized counter tops. It is primarily silver, with black elements and it comes with a double-walled heat-resistant glass carafe with a black ergonomic handle. On its front panel, the DC514T has four buttons and a LED display. There are also four additional LEDs that turn on every 15 minutes to indicate the freshness of the coffee you just made.

DeLonghi’s 14-Cup drip coffee maker also has an aroma button that lets you control the boldness of your coffee. What this feature does is that, once it’s activated, it sends a small surge of water onto the coffee grounds in order to enhance their flavor. Experts say that your coffee retains its best qualities within the first hour from brewing so the four LED indicators count up to 60 minutes so you can keep track of your coffee’s freshness. And while this coffee maker has a non-stick warming plate, leaving your coffee on it for more than an hour can change its taste and definitely quality. This coffee maker brews coffee to a temperature of 169F which is considerably lower than some other similar appliances we reviewed. And while your coffee will still be hot when it comes out, it will cool off much faster than if it had been brewed on a higher temperature. This doesn’t alter the taste of the coffee significantly and unless you’re a great coffee connoisseur, chances are you won’t even feel the difference. 

The DC514T also has a 24-hour programmable timer that allows you to set the exact time you’d like the brewing to start. This means that you’ll never have to wake up and impatiently wait next to the coffee maker to finish. The auto shut off feature makes sure the machine is turned off as soon as it’s done brewing so you don’t have to worry about that either. And while larger households might benefit from DeLonghi 14-Cup DC514T’s large capacity, there is an option of brewing 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 or fourteen cups. In order to preserve as much water possible, the inside of the water reservoir is clearly marked by the level of water needed for any of the aforementioned batch sizes. This coffee maker also, conveniently, comes with a gold-tone coffee filter so you’re saved the additional expense of buying disposable paper filters.

To ensure the best tasting coffee comes dripping out of the DC514T, DeLonghi included a chlorine filter in this model. The filter makes sure none of the chemicals your tap water is treated with end up in your coffee cup altering the final taste in any way.

Ease of use

Once you first receive your DeLonghi 14-Cup DC514T, you could find yourself wondering about some of its features. And while none of the commands are that hard to figure out, a small learning curve does exist with this model. In case you’re not the one to do things by trial and error, you can consult the user manual with anything you can’t figure out yourself.

Regular maintenance is crucial for a long-lasting coffee maker. This particular coffee maker will conveniently alert you when it’s time for it to be descaled. Once this happens, you’ll have to make a solution of water and citric-acid and run it through the machine, then wait 15 minutes and do the same a few times. Most other similar appliances we reviewed only require you to run a solution of white vinegar and water every 60 to 90 cycles, and while that might seem simpler, citric acid can be found in almost any pharmacy store.

DeLonghi 14-Cup DC514T might not be the easiest coffee maker to use, but it rewards you with a great cup of coffee in record time. It comes with a gold-tone coffee filter, and a charcoal water filter for optimal taste. It has several great features that, once mastered, let you make a perfect cup. And while it can brew a full batch of 14 cups, this drip coffee maker can make smaller portions if needed.