Cuisinart Grind & Brew Single-Serve (DGB-2) Not Working? 6 Fixes

Cuisinart DGB-2 Not Working: What It's Waiting For

A Cuisinart DGB-2 that's not working may just be waiting, not broken. The Grind & Brew Single-Serve does one job at a time: it won't brew while a grind cycle is active, and it won't grind while it's brewing. Press Grind once to cancel the grind, open and close the brew head, and the 8, 10 and 12 oz buttons light solid, ready to brew.

The DGB-2 has no display and no error codes. It talks through six lights: ADD WATER, GRIND, Power and the three Brew Size buttons. Cuisinart's instruction booklet gives a meaning to each flashing pattern, and they aren't all the same as on Cuisinart's other single-serve machines.

Everything below comes from the two US printings of Cuisinart's DGB-2 Series booklet (2021 and 2024); where they differ, both are given.

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DGB-2 Problems by Light Pattern

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Try This First

• Press Power. The brewer shuts itself off when it has been idle for longer than 30 minutes. Pressing Power restarts it, and the Power and GRIND lights come on.
• Open and close the brew head. The 8, 10 and 12 oz buttons light only after the lever is closed. If they stay dark, check that the handle is pushed down securely.
• Look at ADD WATER. If it's red, fill and reseat the reservoir before anything else. Go to Fix 2.

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Fix 1: Cancel the Grind and Re-Close the Brew Head (Works About 30% of the Time)

The DGB-2 locks brewing out while it grinds and locks grinding out while it brews. After each brew the size lights also go off, while GRIND stays lit, until the brew head is opened and closed again.

Signs it's this one: GRIND is lit but the size buttons are dark, or you pressed a size during a grind and nothing happened.

1. Let the grinder finish, or press GRIND once to cancel. The grinder turns itself off once the HomeBarista filter cup is full.
2. Lift the brew head lever. For beans or ground coffee: pull the capsule holder out of the brewing chamber toward you, close the HomeBarista's lid and set it in the chamber. It doesn't need to snap in. For a pod: leave the capsule holder in and drop the pod in.
3. Push the handle down securely. All the button lights should now be solid.
4. Press 8 oz, 10 oz or 12 oz. Its light pulses while the cup brews ("breathing" in the 2021 booklet, "blinking" in the 2024 one), and pressing it again stops the brew.

Works the other way too: if GRIND does nothing during a brew, wait for the cup to finish or press the lit Brew Size button once to cancel, then press GRIND.

Time: 1 minute
Cost: Free
Success Rate: About 30%
Difficulty: Easy

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Fix 2: Refill and Reseat the Reservoir (Works About 20% of the Time)

The red ADD WATER indicator comes on when the water is low and goes out when the 48 oz reservoir is filled past its minimum level.

1. Lift the reservoir out and fill it to the max fill line.
2. Set it back on the unit. The booklet says to "make sure the water reservoir is properly seated in its base".
3. Open and close the brew head, then press a Brew Size button.

Time: 1 minute
Cost: Free
Success Rate: About 20%
Difficulty: Easy

After descaling: the decalcification cycle runs until ADD WATER lights, so the light is expected at the end of it. Refill and carry on.

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Fix 3: Clear an Overloaded or Jammed Grinder (Works About 20% of the Time)

A flashing GRIND button means the grinder is overloaded. For a DGB-2 that is not grinding with no flashing light, Cuisinart lists three causes: a brew in progress (Fix 1), beans packed too tightly, and a jammed grinder.

Signs it's this one: GRIND flashes, or the grinder won't run with beans in the hopper.

1. Press Power and unplug the unit. Wait 5 seconds, then plug it in and switch on. The booklet says the GRIND button will light up to grind again.
2. Still not grinding? Check the hopper, which holds up to 100 g of beans. Cuisinart's row reads: "Coffee beans may be too tightly packed. Do not fill above Max Fill line."
3. Unplug the machine and empty the beans from the hopper.
4. Use the scoop/brush to clean the grind outlet and clear away excess grounds.
5. If GRIND still flashes, remove the burr: turn the grind assembly until the lock indicators are aligned, then pull the burr holder toward you and out of the unit.
6. Brush away the grounds and wipe with a wet cloth. The burr grinder is not dishwasher safe.

Time: 5-10 minutes
Cost: Free
Success Rate: About 20%
Difficulty: Easy
Tools: The scoop/brush that came with the machine

⚠️ Safety: unplug before you touch the grinder, and check it for foreign objects before grinding again. Grind roasted coffee beans only. Cuisinart says nuts, spices or unroasted beans "may dull the blade and cause poor grinding or injury".

The booklet prints how the burr comes out but not how it locks back in, so note the position of the lock marks as you remove it. For the 12-cup Grind & Brew, which beeps instead of flashing, use our Cuisinart Grind & Brew not grinding guide.

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Fix 4: Clean the Exit and Piercing Needles (Works About 15% of the Time)

Two sharp needles puncture the capsule, one above and one below, and coffee grounds can clog either. Cuisinart lists a clogged needle under "coffeemaker will not brew".

Signs it's this one: every light looks normal, the water and handle checks are done, and it still won't brew.

1. Lift the handle, grasp the top of the capsule holder and pull it up and out.
2. Hold the funnel in your left hand, twist its bottom away from you slightly and pull it off the capsule holder. It can be tight the first few times.
3. Exit needle (inside the bottom of the capsule holder): push a straightened paper clip in to loosen the clog and push it out.
4. Piercing needle (inside the brewing chamber): clear it with the paper clip the same way.
5. Refit the funnel by lining up its tabs with the notches and twisting toward you until it locks.
6. Refit the capsule holder with the arrow on its rim lined up with the arrow on the brewing chamber, and push gently until it snaps in.

Time: 5 minutes
Cost: Free
Success Rate: About 15%
Difficulty: Easy
Tools: Paper clip

⚠️ Safety: unplug the machine and let it cool first, and keep your fingers out of the brewing chamber.

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Fix 5: Decalcify When Every Light Flashes in Turn (Works About 10% of the Time)

When all the lights flash in sequence as you switch the DGB-2 on, the booklet says it's time to decalcify: to remove the calcium deposits that form over time on the coffeemaker's metal parts. Cuisinart recommends descaling this model every month, more or less often depending on your water and how much you brew.

1. Fill the reservoir with 13 oz of white vinegar and 26 oz of water.
2. Put a mug or other container on the drip tray.
3. Open and close the brew head.
4. Press and hold Power and 8 oz together for 2 seconds to start the decalcification function.
5. Empty the mug into the sink and repeat until the ADD WATER light comes on. When the cycle is complete, the Power and GRIND buttons light up.
6. Pour away any vinegar mix left in the reservoir.
7. Repeat the whole step three times with fresh water in place of the vinegar mix.

Time: Four reservoir fills in all; the booklet gives no time
Cost: White vinegar
Success Rate: About 10%
Difficulty: Easy

Nothing in the booklet clears the flashing lights without running the cycle. Our Cuisinart clean light guide covers the brand's other models.

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Fix 6: Let Flashing Brew Size Buttons Stop (Works About 5% of the Time)

If the 8, 10 and 12 oz buttons all flash together, the booklet says "the coffeemaker is overloaded" and "can be used again after all lights stop flashing".

1. Leave the machine alone until the lights stop flashing. The booklet doesn't say how long that takes.
2. Open and close the brew head and try one cup.
3. If the lights don't stop, the booklet says to return the appliance to a Cuisinart Repair Center. Call 1-800-726-0190.

Time: Not stated in the booklet
Cost: Free
Success Rate: About 5%
Difficulty: Easy

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How the DGB-2 Differs From Other Cuisinarts

Each Cuisinart booklet prints its own signals and its own way to start descaling, so steps don't carry over.

If yours has a display, use the Cuisinart single-serve (SS-10) guide. If it has a carafe on one side, use the Coffee Center guide.

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When DIY Won't Work

• Lights that keep flashing after the steps above. Cuisinart's instruction is the Repair Center.
• A damaged cord or plug, or a machine that has been dropped. The booklet says not to operate it, so stop using it.
• Anything inside the housing. The booklet says: "DO NOT REMOVE THE BASE PANEL. NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS ARE INSIDE."

Warranty: the DGB-2 carries a limited 3-year warranty for U.S. consumers. Keep your proof of purchase; without it, the booklet counts from the date of manufacture. To start a claim, call Cuisinart's Consumer Service Center at 1-800-726-0190 or use the product inquiry form on cuisinart.com to get a return shipping label. Both printings exclude damage from unauthorized repair, so call before opening anything.

The booklet has no row for a machine with no power, a leak or coffee that isn't hot. For those, the warranty line is the documented route.

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Preventing DGB-2 Problems

• Don't pack the hopper. Stay under the Max Fill line. Cuisinart warns that an overfilled grinder "could malfunction and/or the coffeemaker could overflow".
• Brush out the grind outlet and chute whenever you clean the grinder.
• Keep the filter cup's rim clean. No grounds on the upper rim of the HomeBarista's filter basket before you close its lid.
• Decalcify monthly, or sooner if the lights flash in sequence.
• Change the charcoal water filter every 60 days or 60 uses, more often with hard water.

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FAQ

Is there a reset button on the Cuisinart DGB-2?

No. The booklet prints no reset button or reset sequence. The closest thing is its remedy for a flashing GRIND light: press Power, unplug, wait 5 seconds. Holding Power and 8 oz for 2 seconds starts the decalcification function. It doesn't reset anything.

Can I change the grind size or strength on a DGB-2?

No. Cuisinart says the coffeemaker "is preset for medium grind", and the panel has no strength button. For a stronger cup, the booklet's advice is to choose a smaller brew size.

Why is my DGB-2 coffee weak?

Cuisinart gives two causes. If the grinder's chute isn't cleaned, residue can hold back the grounds on their way to the filter basket, so the cup comes out weaker. The other is cup size: reduce the brew size, or with pods try an extra-bold one. Coffee residue on the grinder's lid is a different thing, and the booklet calls it normal.

Can I use pre-ground coffee or pods in the Grind & Brew Single-Serve?

Yes, both. For pre-ground coffee, fill the HomeBarista's filter basket to no more than 2.5 scoops (15 grams) and don't tamp it. For pods, Cuisinart says to use only single-serve pods intended for the appliance and never to force one in. The 2021 booklet says it works with "most reusable coffee pods"; the 2024 printing says "most single-use coffee pods".

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Related Cuisinart Guides

• Cuisinart Coffee Maker Troubleshooting: every model and symptom in one index
• Cuisinart Single-Serve Not Working? (SS-10): the display model
• Cuisinart Grind & Brew Not Grinding?: the 12-cup DGB-900 and its beeping interlocks
• Cuisinart Clean Light Won't Turn Off?
• Cuisinart Cleaning Guide

Sources: Cuisinart Grind & Brew Single-Serve Coffeemaker DGB-2 Series Instruction Booklet (IB-17283, 2021 and 2024 US printings); Cuisinart SS-10C, SS-15, SS-20 and DGB-900 instruction booklets for the comparisons.