What is the Black and Decker CM1160B 12 Cup?
The Black and Decker CM1160B 12 Cup is a 975-watt, 12-cup drip coffee maker with a 24-hour programmable timer, a glass carafe, and a digital control panel, priced at $34.99.
It sits at the entry level of the drip coffee market, competing on volume and convenience rather than brewing precision. The body is plastic with stainless steel detailing, the carafe is glass with a drip-free spout, and the controls are handled by a digital panel with rubberized buttons. It is made in China and comes with a two-year warranty.
The machine measures 8.25 inches deep, 12.25 inches wide, and 11 inches tall, and weighs 4.5 pounds. It includes cord storage and water level indicators on both the reservoir and the carafe. There are no smart features, no specialty brew modes, and no frothing system. It is designed for buyers who want a large pot of coffee quickly and reliably.
Black and Decker CM1160B 12 Cup brew quality: does it hit the right temperature?
The CM1160B brews at a fixed temperature with no pre-infusion, no bloom cycle, and no strength control, so extraction consistency depends entirely on the machine's own calibration.
At 975 watts it has enough power to move through a full 12-cup cycle in around eight minutes. That pace is reasonable for the capacity, but the absence of temperature control means the machine determines brew temperature without any input from the user. Coffee brewed too hot or too cool will taste accordingly, and there is no way to compensate.
The warming plate runs at a single fixed temperature and shuts off automatically after two hours. A glass carafe on a single-temperature hot plate will continue to cook the coffee throughout that window, which tends to flatten flavor over time. Overheat protection is present, which is a safety baseline, but there is no dry-boil prevention listed.
- 975 watts and an eight-minute full-pot brew cycle is a reasonable speed-to-capacity ratio for the price tier.
- No temperature control means the user cannot compensate if the factory calibration runs hot or cold.
- No pre-infusion or bloom step means grounds are hit with a continuous flow rather than a controlled saturation phase.
- The two-hour auto shutoff limits how long the warming plate can cook the coffee, but a single heat setting still degrades flavor before the shutoff triggers.
What you can brew with it
This machine brews standard drip coffee in volumes between roughly five cups and a full 12-cup pot, with no specialty modes and no multi-brew-size adjustment.
The mid-brew pause function lets you pull the carafe and pour a cup before the cycle finishes, which is a practical feature for households where people arrive at the coffee maker at different times. The 24-hour programmable timer means you can set the machine the night before and have coffee ready at a specific time in the morning.
There is no cold brew setting, no espresso mode, no frothing system, and no specialty brew function. It uses paper filters only, so reusable filter options are not supported. For anyone who wants to brew anything other than a standard pot of drip coffee, this machine does not accommodate it.
- The pause-and-serve function is practical for multi-person households where the pot is needed before the cycle ends.
- The 24-hour auto brew timer is the main programmable feature, useful for morning routines but nothing more advanced.
- Paper filters only means no option to switch to a permanent or reusable filter basket.
- No multi-brew-size setting means small batches are not optimized, and regular single-cup drinkers will consistently brew more than they need.
Living with it, day to day
Day-to-day ownership centers on a removable filter basket, a dishwasher-safe glass carafe, and a two-hour auto shutoff that handles the one task most people forget.
The filter basket removes for easy loading and rinsing, and both the carafe and filter receptacle are dishwasher safe on the upper rack. Water level markings on both the reservoir and the carafe reduce guesswork when filling. Cord storage keeps the counter tidy. The hinged lid stays out of the way during filling.
There is no water filter, so water quality falls entirely on the user. Descaling is a manual job on a machine at this price, prompted by the taste and the brew time rather than by the panel. The glass carafe will need regular cleaning to prevent coffee oil buildup, and the warming plate surface will accumulate drips over time without a dedicated cleaning routine.
- The glass carafe and filter receptacle are dishwasher safe on the upper rack, which cuts cleaning time meaningfully.
- No water filter means users with hard tap water will need to use filtered water or manage mineral buildup themselves.
- The removable filter basket simplifies daily grounds disposal and rinsing.
- The warming plate surface collects drips and residue and will need regular wiping to prevent baked-on buildup.
Black and Decker CM1160B 12 Cup vs Mr. Coffee 12-Cup Programmable
The CM1160B and the Simply Brew are both glass-carafe drip makers at the same price, but they serve different household sizes and have different filter flexibility.
The CM1160B brews up to 12 cups and takes around eight minutes for a full pot, drawing 975 watts. The Simply Brew tops out at 5 cups, pulls 650 watts, and is built for smaller households or single users. Both carry a two-year warranty and both include dishwasher-safe carafes with drip-free spouts.
The Simply Brew accepts both paper and permanent filters, giving the user a choice the CM1160B does not offer. The CM1160B has a 24-hour programmable timer and a mid-brew pause function, neither of which appears in the Simply Brew's published specs. Buyers who want to wake up to a ready pot get more from the CM1160B. Buyers who want filter flexibility or who rarely brew more than a few cups at a time get more from the Simply Brew.
- The CM1160B handles 12 cups per cycle against the Simply Brew's 5, a decisive gap for households of three or more.
- The Simply Brew accepts permanent filters alongside paper, which the CM1160B does not support.
- The CM1160B's 24-hour auto brew timer and pause-and-serve function are not matched by the Simply Brew.
- Both are priced at $34.99, so the choice is purely about volume, filter preference, and whether programmability matters to the buyer.
Is the Black and Decker CM1160B 12 Cup worth it?
At $34.99 the CM1160B delivers a large-capacity, programmable drip brewer, but buyers who want any control over extraction will hit its limits quickly.
For a household that wants a full pot ready at a set time each morning, with minimal setup and a straightforward cleaning routine, the machine delivers what it promises. The auto timer, pause-and-serve function, and dishwasher-safe parts cover the practical bases at a price that is easy to justify.
The trade-off is a fixed brew temperature, no strength control, no pre-infusion, and a glass carafe on a single-temperature warming plate. Anyone who has started paying attention to extraction quality will find these gaps frustrating fast. At this price point, the machine is worth buying if volume and convenience are the priorities and worth skipping if brew quality is.
Who should buy it (and who should not)
This machine suits high-volume household brewers who want programmability and a fast cycle, and it is the wrong choice for anyone who wants control over how their coffee tastes.
The CM1160B works well for households of three or more people who brew a full pot in the morning and want it ready before they get to the kitchen. The 24-hour timer, large capacity, and fast cycle are the reasons to choose it.
It is not the right machine for single-cup drinkers, for anyone who cares about brew temperature, or for anyone who wants to experiment with grind size and strength. Those buyers need a machine with more extraction control, even if it costs more.
Buy it if
- You brew for a household of three or more people and a full 12-cup pot disappears before it goes stale.
- A set-and-forget morning timer is more important to you than dialing in extraction variables.
- You want the lowest possible entry cost into a programmable drip maker with a large carafe.
Skip it if
- You drink one or two cups at a time and would routinely brew a pot that goes to waste.
- Brew temperature, strength, or pre-infusion control matter to you and you are willing to pay more for them.
- You prefer a permanent reusable filter over paper and do not want to stock consumables long term.
Frequently Asked Questions
Black and Decker CM1160B 12 Cup vs Krups Simply Brew 5-Cup Coffee Maker: which is better?
They are the same price, but they target different needs. The CM1160B brews up to 12 cups with a 24-hour programmable timer and a pause-and-serve function. The Simply Brew tops out at 5 cups but accepts both paper and permanent filters. For larger households or anyone who wants a pot ready on a schedule, the CM1160B wins. For smaller households or reusable filter users, the Simply Brew is the better fit.
Is the Black and Decker CM1160B 12 Cup dishwasher safe?
Yes, the glass carafe and filter receptacle are dishwasher safe on the upper rack. The main body, control panel, and warming plate are not submersible and should be wiped clean rather than machine washed. The removable filter basket can be rinsed by hand after each use, which is the quickest way to keep the machine ready for the next brew cycle.
How long does the CM1160B take to brew a full pot?
It brews a full 12-cup pot in approximately eight minutes at 975 watts. A smaller five-cup batch takes roughly five minutes. The machine does not have a variable speed setting, so brew time is fixed by the volume of water in the reservoir. The fast cycle is one of the more practical aspects of the machine for busy morning routines.
Does this coffee maker keep coffee warm after brewing?
Yes, the warming plate activates automatically after the brew cycle and stays on for two hours before the auto shutoff cuts it. The plate runs at a single fixed temperature with no adjustment. A glass carafe on a constant heat source will cook the coffee and flatten its flavor within that two-hour window, so drinking it closer to the end of the brew cycle produces a better result.
Can you pause a drip coffee maker mid-brew to pour a cup?
On this machine, yes. The CM1160B includes a mid-brew pause function that lets you remove the carafe and pour a cup before the cycle finishes. The drip-free spout on the carafe helps reduce mess during that process. Once the carafe is returned to the warming plate, brewing resumes. It is a practical feature for households where the pot is needed before it is done.
What filter does the Black and Decker CM1160B 12 Cup use?
It uses paper filters. The machine does not support a permanent or reusable filter basket, so buyers will need to keep paper filters in stock for ongoing use. The filter basket is removable, which makes loading and disposal straightforward. If avoiding single-use filter paper is a priority, this machine is not the right choice, and a model that accepts a permanent filter would be worth considering instead.
