How to Program a Black and Decker Coffee Maker

Black and Decker makes three distinct types of coffee makers—a single cup coffee maker, a five-cup coffee maker, and a 12-cup coffee maker—each with its own quirks and programmable features. You could learn how to program a black and Decker coffee maker starts with reading the manual that comes with it, but who has time for that?

In this article, you’ll find detailed instructions for each type of Black and Decker coffee maker, including how to use each of the most important features and how to get the best coffee from your new machine.

Five-Cup and Single-Cup Black and Decker Coffee Makers

The one-cup Black and Decker coffee maker does not have to be programmed. It is easy to use, and you can use ground coffee or special pods made for this coffee maker. It comes with a mug, but you can use your own cups at home or at work. You should put the cup under the dispenser before turning it on as it works quickly. It does not use K-cups.

You don’t need any complicated Black and Decker coffee maker instructions for this model. Just follow these steps:

1. Lift the cover and pour cold water to the max line or less if you want less in the water dispenser.
2. Place the filter into the filter basket holder at the top of the machine.
3. Add about three tablespoons of grounds or two coffee pods.
4. Place the thermal travel mug on the rest and close the top.
5. Push the start button. When the coffee finishes brewing, the light will go out.
6. Clean out the basket and grounds after each cup is made.

The five-cup maker is like the single cup model. You can make five cups for yourself or to share with your family. They are not programmable but easy to use and allow you to brew coffee in different sized cups or mugs and brew pour over coffee. It has a removable filter basket, a hot plate, and a glass carafe. The permanent filter must be cleaned after you make a pot and do not forget to turn the pot off when not in use.

12 Cup Black and Decker Coffee Makers

The Black and Decker 12 cup coffeemaker comes with programmable options. To understand how to use the model, it is suggested you read the manual. There are several types of Black and Decker 12 cup models. You have the Standard, Thermal, and Grind and Brew Model.

Hot to set the clock on Black and Decker coffee makers

Where do you begin to program these models? The best place to start is by setting up the clock.

1. Once you plug the coffee maker in, it should flash the number 12. Press the HR or hour button to set the time from 1 through 12. Keep pressing it until you set it to the right time. Make sure the PM light is on if you are setting the time between noon and midnight.
2. Hit the minute button to get the right time set for your coffee maker.
3. Hold down the automatic button for a few seconds until you see the time on the display.

Once this is done, your coffee maker is set to the right time. Doing this first will make it easier to set timers and other time-dependent features on your new coffee maker.

How to set the timer on Black and Decker coffee makers

Setting the timer on the Black and Decker Coffee maker or automatic brew time will allow you to brew the coffee when you want, early in the morning or later in the evening.

Hold down the programming button and then hit the hour button until it’s set to the hour you want to brew your coffee. You will have to hit the auto button for a few seconds until the light flashes several times on the display. When it stops flashing, it will revert to the current time. Your coffee maker is now set to brew the coffee automatically!

Do not forget to have the water and ground ready to go. You don’t want to try to brew an empty pot.

How to start a Black and Decker coffee makers

1. You will need to open the coffee maker at the top and remove the old ground from the filter or basket.
2. Add a paper filter unless your machine has a permanent filter.
3. Use one tablespoon of coffee grounds per cup or more according to coffee brand brewing instructions and your preferred coffee-to-water ratio.
4. Pour the water into the water reservoir to the line.
5. Close the top, make sure the carafe is in place, and press the start button.

How to control brew strength on your coffee maker

You can set your coffee to be strong by pressing the strong button when brewing or programming it for a certain time. It will brew your coffee regularly if you do not press the strong button.

Some models come with a button that lets you select three different brews. They are regular, strong, and bold. Regular will show no marks or dashes; a strong brew one dash and bold two.

Do you want to brew extra strong coffee in your Black and Decker coffee maker? You can make Cafe Bustillo or other intense coffee grounds in a drip maker, and they’ll give you a much more flavorful brew than most grocery store brands.

How to keep your coffee warm

You can program the coffee to stay warm by hitting the keep warm button until you see the amount of time you want the burner to stay on. It can be programmed for 30, 60, 90, or 120 minutes, depending on what you need.

When the time expires, the timer will turn the machine off. This is another safety feature too. Many customers use this with the delayed brewing feature. It is recommended you leave it on for shorter periods of time to avoid burning your coffee, and definitely don’t leave it on if you aren’t going to be at home.

Grinding Coffee Beans

Black and Decker makes a coffee maker with built-in grinder for those that want to grind fresh whole beans. You will be able to grind coffee beans for four to twelve cups. You can also use pre-ground coffee in these machines by turning the grind setting off and putting grounds directly in the permanent filter.

If you opted for a coffee maker without a grinder, you can either use pre-ground coffee or buy a separate coffee grinder. I recommend the latter option as even a budget burr coffee grinder will produce fresher, more flavorful coffee than pre-ground coffee.

Cleaning Your Black and Decker Coffee Maker

After use, the drip maker should clean the carafe with warm soap and water and rinse thoroughly before putting it back. Make sure the pot is turned off when not in use. Always remove the filter and grounds and rinse out the permanent filter with warm water and put it back

On top of regular cleaning, you’ll need to descale your coffee maker once a month or so. This removes hard water and any residue that could make your coffee taste bitter. To descale, just follow these easy steps:

1. Make a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and warm water.
2. Fill your coffee maker’s water reservoir with that solution.
3. Run this through the coffee maker once.
4. Run full pots of water through the coffee maker at least two times to remove any vinegar that remains.

You can also descale your coffee maker without vinegar, using a few standard household items or a specially-made descaling solution. But for most people, vinegar is readily available and a very easy-to-use and effective option.

What’s Next?

Black and Decker’s coffee makers are incredibly reliable and very easy to use. They don’t have quite the coffee quality of an automatic pour-over coffee maker, the features of Ninja coffee makers or the more popular single-serve coffee makers, or the ease-of-use of a Nespresso Vertuo machine or Keurig K-Supreme Plus Smart. But if you want a machine that consistently brews delicious coffee and has all of the basic programmable coffee maker features, you’ll be happy with your choice.

Once you have a coffee maker and a grinder, you need some great beans to go with it. I’ve had good luck with coffee subscription free trials, and with coffee roasters around Chicago. But you could also try various coffee flavors or some of the world’s strongest coffees. Just do you, and enjoy the brew.