- Coffee Maker Construction
The Cuisinart Two To Go is a tall slender unit with a rounded base large enough to hold two travel mugs. To the eye, it looks as though it would be easily rocked back and forth and the price tag is low enough that you might be predisposed to thinking the unit would be cheaply made, or rickety.
But in fact, while lightweight and tall (yes it does rock if you hold on to the top and move it back and forth), the Cuisinart Two To Go is well constructed. In particular, the lid up top moves hydraulically and makes a sturdy "thunk" when shut, akin to the sound that a heavier car door would make. It's a very satisfactory sound that gives the feel of solid construction. The brand name, Cuisinart, also says "well made". So, overall, while lightweight, the unit feels sturdy because of the:
- wide base (to accommodate the two mugs)
- sturdy lid that gives access to the water reservoir and (#2) cone filter bay
The unit ships with two travel mugs that are subtly branded "Cuisinart" and fit, as advertised, in standard car cup holders. The mugs are stainless steel with plastic interiors and removable lids, and grippy neoprene-like strips on the outside. They are as easy to clean as any other 14 oz. travel mug out there. The hole in the mug's lid is always open, so it's impossible to seal it off to keep the coffee warm for extended periods of time, but my coffee definitely stayed warm for about an hour and a half. The mugs are solidly constructed.
The one and only construction-related complaint I have about the Cuisinart Two To Go is that the power cord is way too short for my setup. It measures roughly 3 feet, which works if your outlets are very close to where you'll be placing your unit, but may not work if, like me, your outlets are at floor level and your unit is up high.
- Coffee Maker Controls and Usability
The Cusinart Two To Go unit has one button control — a power button. The button must be pushed moderately hard to turn the unit on, and gives a subtle click when depressed. There is an orange light next to the power button to indicate whether the unit is powered up and brewing coffee. As soon as the water leaves the reservoir, and the cup(s) are filled, the unit powers itself off and the orange light goes off. There is no separate "power off" button.
The Cuisinart Two To Go manual has some recommendations about how much coffee to put into the filter. I experimented a bit until I found my preferred amount, but all the coffee I've made so far with the unit has been excellent.
Note that the unit has an espresso-machine-like splitter that is designed to drip the coffee through two downspouts into two different mugs. However, if you only want to fill one mug, you place that mug in the middle, centered (the base has an obvious placement for those brewing a single cup) such that the coffee from both downspouts pours into it.
- Coffee Maker Water Reservoir and Special Features
The Cusinart Two To Go does not have a removable water reservoir, but does have a removable plastic filter holder with a handle so that you can clean it in the sink or carry it over to your grinder to pour the ground coffee in.
As mentioned, the unit accommodates one or two travel mugs and has both a visual guide and shaped contours to indicate where on the base the mugs should be placed. You do not need to use the mugs that ship with the unit, though they are nice looking and functional. You may substitute your own travel mug or mugs, so long as the mouth is wide enough to catch the coffee dripping from the two downspouts. Most standard 14 oz. travel mugs will work just fine when placed on the base correctly.
The Cusinart Two To Go is not programmable, and does not have the intelligence to pause the drip when you remove a mug. Also, the unit lacks a built-in water filter.
- Coffee Pods or Filters
The Cuisinart Two To Go takes standard #2 paper filters and in fact ships with several to get you started (I believe it ships with 3 filters). Because the machine is filter-based, as opposed to pod-based, you can mix coffees together and vary the amount of coffee you pour into the filter. It's a very good machine for those who require the flexibility that filters provide.
- Coffee Quality
This coffee maker brews a fantastic cup or two of coffee, on a par with other high-quality, filter-based coffeemakers. It takes approximately 5 minutes to fill one mug, slightly longer to fill two.
- Ease of Cleaning
The unit is easy to clean. The mugs and removable filter holder are smooth plastic, as is the top of the base where the coffee drips, and that sort of surface is very washable.
- Coffee Maker Design and Appearance
The Cuisinart Two To Go is slender in appearance, tall enough to accommodate travel mugs being placed under the coffee downspouts and is approximately 8 inches wide and 8 inches deep at the base. In other words, the unit's footprint is small so it fits nicely on to most countertops, and can be moved out of the way relatively easily. The Two To Go is not eye catching, but has a nice contemporary design, and the travel mugs give the design some pizzazz.
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