Cuisinart SS-5C Series User manual

Compact Single-Serve Coffeemaker
SS-5C Series
INSTRUCTION BOOKLET
®
For your safety and continued enjoyment of this product,
always read the instruction book carefully before using.

2
IMPORTANT
SAFEGUARDS
When using electrical appliances, basic safety
precautions should always be taken to reduce
the risk of fire, electric shock and/or injury to
persons, including the following:
1. READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS.
2. Do not touch hot surfaces. Use handles
and knobs.
3. To protect against electric shock and
injury to persons, do not place cord, plug,
or base unit in water or other liquids.
4. Close supervision is necessary when any
appliance is used by or near children or
individuals with certain disabilities.
5. Always unplug from outlet when not in
use and before cleaning. Allow to cool
before putting on or taking off parts and
before cleaning the appliance.
6. Do not operate any appliance with
a damaged cord or plug, or after the
appliance malfunctions or has been
dropped or damaged in any manner.
Return appliance to the nearest Cuisinart
Repair Center for examination, repair,
or electrical or mechanical adjustment.
7. The use of accessory attachments not
recommended by Cuisinart may cause
injuries, fire, electric shock or other injury
to persons.
8. Do not use outdoors.
9. Do not let cord hang over edge of table
or counter, or touch hot surfaces.
10. Do not place on or near a hot gas or
electric burner, or in a heated oven.
11. Always fill water reservoir first, then plug
cord into the wall outlet. To disconnect,
turn controls to Off, then remove plug
from wall outlet.
12. Scalding may occur if the water filter
compartment cover is removed during
the brewing cycle.
13. Do not use appliance for other than its
intended use.
14. Do not lift handle to open the lid of the
brewer while brewing is in progress.
15. Do not overfill the water reservoir with
water. Use ONLY WATER in this appliance!
Do not put any other liquids or foods in
the water reservoir except as instructed
in the cleaning instructions in this guide.
16. Do not clean drip tray with cleansers,
steel wool pads, or other abrasive
materials.
17. WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF
FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT
REMOVE THE BASE PANEL. NO USER-
SERVICEABLE PARTS ARE INSIDE.
REPAIR SHOULD BE DONE ONLY BY
AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL.
18. Do not operate your appliance in an
appliance garage or under a wall cabinet.
When storing in an appliance garage,
always unplug the unit from the electrical
outlet. Not doing so could create a risk
of fire, especially if the appliance touches
the walls of the garage or the door touches
the unit as it closes.
SAVE THESE
INSTRUCTIONS
FOR HOUSEHOLD
USE ONLY
SPECIAL CORD SET
INSTRUCTIONS
A short power-supply cord is provided to reduce
the risks resulting from becoming entangled in
or tripping over a longer cord.
Longer extension cords are available and
may be used if care is exercised in their use.
If a long extension cord is used, the marked
electrical rating of the extension cord must
be at least as great as the electrical rating of the
appliance, and the longer cord should be
arranged so that it will not drape over the
countertop or tabletop where it can be pulled on
by children or tripped over.

WARNING
RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK,
DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK)
NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE
REPAIR SHOULD BE DONE BY AUTHORIZED SERVICE PERSONNEL ONLY
3
IMPORTANT UNPACKING
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Place the box on a large, sturdy, flat surface.
2. Remove the instruction book and any
other literature.
3. Turn the box so that the back side of the
brewer is down and slide the brewer from
the box.
4. After removing the brewer, place the
box out of the way and take the side
pulp-molded inserts away.
5. Remove the polybag covering the brewer.
We suggest you save all packing materials in the
event that future shipping of the machine is
needed. Keep all plastic bags away from children.
WARNING: RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle is intended to
alert the user to the presence of uninsulated, dangerous voltage within the product’s
enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of fire
or electric shock to persons.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the
presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature
accompanying the appliance.

4
Important Safeguards .......................................... 2
Important Unpacking Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
The Quest for the Perfect Cup of Coffee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Features and Benefits.......................................... 6
Buttons and Indicators ......................................... 8
Setting Up Your Brewer ........................................ 8
Charcoal Water Filter .......................................... 9
Brewing.....................................................10
Brewing with a Reusable Capsule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Cleaning and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Cleaning External Parts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Cleaning the Capsule Holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Cleaning the Piercing Needle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Cleaning the Water Reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
De-Scaling Your Brewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Troubleshooting ..............................................14
Warranty ....................................................15
Contents

5
The Quest
for the Perfect
Cup of Coffee
Element 1
WATER
Any hot beverage is made up primarily of water.
Often overlooked, the quality of the water is as
important as the quality of the coffee, tea or cocoa.
A good rule of thumb is that if your water doesn’t
taste good from the tap, it won’t taste any better
in your beverage. That’s why the Cuisinart
®
Compact
Single-Serve Brewer has added a charcoal water
filter that removes chlorine, bad tastes and odours,
for the purest cup of coffee every time.
Element 2
COFFEE
While the bulk of the liquid is water, all of the flavour
should be from the coffee, tea or cocoa. To achieve
a great quality beverage, you need to use the same
quality ingredients. By using the best single serve
coffee capsules, you can be assured that you’re
getting the finest product with every cup you brew. If
you choose to use your own coffee in a reusable
coffee capsule (not included), make sure all your
ingredients are at their freshest.
Element 3
GRIND
The grind of coffee and cocoa, or the refinement of
your tea leaves, is critical for proper flavour
extraction. With the pre-measured, pre-ground
ingredients found in every single serve coffee
capsule, you can rest easy knowing that it’ll brew
perfectly each and every time, locking in maximum
flavour and freshness.
Element 4
PROPORTION
No matter which cup size you choose, the Cuisinart
®
Compact Single-Serve Brewer, working in
conjunction with a single-serve capsule, will always
produce the perfect cup every time. When grinding
your own coffee and using it in a reusable coffee
capsule (not included), remember to add the
amount of ground coffee that corresponds to the
number of ounces being brewed.

1a
1b
11
Features and Benefits
6
1a. Charcoal Filter Holder
1b. Charcoal Water Filter
2. Reservoir Lid
3. 40-ounce (1.2 L)
Water Reservoir
4. Brewer Handle
5. Brew Head
6. Brewing Chamber
holds Removable Capsule holder
or reusable coffee capsule
(not included)
7. Housing
8. Removable Drip Tray Plate
9. Drip Tray
10. Drip Tray Base
11. Removable Capsule Holder
12. Add Water Indicator
13. Power Button
14. Brew Buttons
6 oz. (177 ml) button; 8 oz. (236 ml)
button; 10 oz. (295 ml) button
15. Power Cord (not shown)
16. Auto-off Function (not shown)
Unit will automatically turn of after
30 minutes of being idle. To
reactivate, press the Power button.
17. BPA Free (not shown)
All materials that come in contact
with water or coffee are BPA free

8
12
13
2
14
3
9
7
10
5
4
6
7

8
Buttons and Indicators
Power Button
Press to turn the brewer on and off.
Add Water Indicator LED
Indicator will illuminate blue and flash when
water level is low. Fill the water reservoir with
cold water up to 40 oz.
Brew Buttons
When all buttons are illuminated blue it indicates
that a selection needs to be made. Once
selected, button flashes blue, indicating water
is heating, and dispensing of beverage will
begin within seconds.
Your Next Brew
When the brewing process is complete, all
buttons illuminate blue indicating you can begin
making the next beverage, or you can power
off.
Automatic Shut-Off
As a safety feature, your brewer will
automatically shut off when it is idle for longer
than 30 minutes. Press the Power button
to restart.
Setting Up Your Brewer
Initial Cleaning
Perform an initial cleaning before
making your first beverage. Follow
these instructions, without inserting a
capsule
.
1. Remove water reservoir from the unit.
2. Fill the reservoir in sink and put back
on unit.
3. Plug the power cord into an independent
outlet. Press the Power button to turn the
unit on.
4. Open and close the brew head. Do not
add a capsule.

9
5. Place mug on the drip tray.
6. Press the 10 oz. (295 ml) cup button. Light
will start flashing and the hot water will
start to dispense momentarily.
7. The one-time cleaning process is complete.
Discard hot water. Your brewer is ready to
use.
Charcoal Water Filter
Your brewer comes with a charcoal water filter
that eliminates chlorine, bad tastes and odors
from tap water.
Inserting the Water Filter
1. Remove the filter and filter holder from the
polybag.
2. Soak the filter, fully immersed in cold tap
water, for 15 minutes.
3. Place the charcoal water filter in the holder
and snap the holder cover closed. Be
careful – improper placement can tear the
filter skin (see figure below).
4. Flush the filter and holder by running fresh
water through the hole in the bottom of
the compartment for
10 seconds.
5. Allow the filter to drain completely.
6. Place the assembled water filter holder
into the water reservoir, pushing it down to
fit into place.
Note: We recommend changing the
water filter every 60 days or after 60 uses, and
more often if you have hard water.
Replacement filters can be purchased in
stores, or by calling Cuisinart Consumer
Service, or at www.cuisinart.ca

10
Brewing
1. Remove water reservoir to fill.
2. Add water into the 40-ounce (1.2 L) water
reservoir. Replace on unit.
3. Press the Power button.
4. The Power and Brew buttons will
illuminate.
5. Place mug on the drip tray. The drip
tray can be removed to accommodate
travel mugs.
6. Select a capsule.
Note: Do not remove the foil lid or
puncture the capsule
.
7. Open the brew head and place a capsule
in the brewing chamber.
Caution: There are two sharp
needles in the brewing chamber
that puncture the capsule, one
above and one below. To avoid risk
of injury, do not put your fingers in
the capsule brewing chamber.
8. Press the desired brew button
(6, 8, or 10 oz.). The beverage will start to
dispense momentarily. Selected brew
button will flash while brewing.
Note: To cancel brewing, simply press the
selected brew size once again and the
brewing process will be stopped.
Caution: There is very hot water in
the capsule chamber during the
brewing process. To avoid risk of
injury, do not lift the handle or open
the capsule chamber or remove
water tank during the brewing
process.
9. Once fully dispensed, all lights will
illuminate. Lift the handle, then remove
and dispose of the used capsule.
Close the brewing head.
Caution: Capsule will be hot.
10. Enjoy your cup of coffee! Your brewer
is ready to use again or you can power it
off.
Note: When Add Water LED starts to
flash, no brewing can be done. Once you
refill the reservoir, your unit is ready to
brew.