How to Clean a Black+Decker Coffee Maker: Vinegar or a Tablet
Quick answer: Put a paper filter in the basket, fill the reservoir with fresh water to the 12-cup line and drop in one BLITZ tablet (Black+Decker's manual uses white vinegar to the 7-cup line, topped with water), and brew until the water level drops to about the 6-cup line. Turn the coffee maker off for at least 15 minutes, then brew the rest. Discard it, and run one full 12-cup brew of fresh water to flush. That's the method in Black+Decker's DCM2161B manual, which recommends cleaning every 60 brewing cycles.
We pick BLITZ for a Black+Decker coffee maker: one tablet in the water tank breaks down mineral scale and coffee oil residue in a single cycle, without vinegar, for about $1.04 a clean. From a Québec company in Laval, with free shipping across Canada from $40 and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Shop BLITZ Coffee Maker Cleaner, $24.95
Everyday cleaning for a Black+Decker coffee maker
- After each pot: turn the coffee maker off and let it cool, then throw out the grounds and the paper filter and rinse the brew basket.
- Dishwasher-safe parts: the brew basket, permanent filter, carafe and carafe lid go on the top rack, or wash them by hand in warm soapy water.
- The outside: wipe the housing, control panel and Keep Hot plate with a soft damp cloth once cool; no abrasive cleaners.
- Never put the coffee maker itself in water.
The Black+Decker cleaning cycle, step by step
- Fill: white vinegar to the 7-cup line on the water window, then water to the 12-cup line. Don't go past 12 cups, or water runs out the overflow at the back. With BLITZ, one tablet and fresh water to the 12-cup line.
- Paper filter in the basket, empty carafe on the Keep Hot plate.
- Brew half: let the solution run until the water level is down to about the 6-cup line.
- Soak: turn the coffee maker off and leave it at least 15 minutes to soften the deposits.
- Finish the brew, then empty the carafe and throw out the filter.
- Flush: fill with fresh water to the 12-cup line and run a full brew. Repeat if you still smell or taste vinegar, then wash the basket and carafe.
How often to clean a Black+Decker coffee maker
Black+Decker's DCM2161B manual recommends a cleaning cycle every 60 brewing cycles: about every two months at one pot a day. The drip models we checked have no clean light, so keep count, or watch for slower brewing, a gurgle or a white crust on the warming plate.
Hard water fills the lines faster: clean sooner if you see scale. Fill lines vary by model, so check the water window on yours before you pour.
Cleaning a Black+Decker coffee maker with a BLITZ tablet
In a Black+Decker coffee maker, the BLITZ tablet goes in the water tank, as in every drip and espresso machine, and runs through the same cleaning or descale cycle. BLITZ Coffee Maker Cleaner breaks down mineral scale and coffee oil residue in one cycle, without vinegar.
A box of 24 is $24.95, about $1.04 a clean, and the same tablets work in Keurig, Nespresso and other machines. Rinse until the water tastes of nothing.
More help: how to clean a drip coffee maker, descaling, brand by brand, descaler vs vinegar, bitter coffee after cleaning, and our coffee maker care page.
Frequently asked questions
How do I clean my Black+Decker coffee maker?
Vinegar to the 7-cup line and water to 12 (or a BLITZ tablet and water), brew to the 6-cup line, turn it off 15 minutes, finish the brew, then flush with a full 12-cup brew of fresh water.
How often should I clean a Black+Decker coffee maker?
Every 60 brewing cycles, per the DCM2161B manual; sooner with hard water.
Are Black+Decker carafes dishwasher-safe?
On the DCM2161B, the carafe, carafe lid, brew basket and permanent filter can go on the top rack.
How do I get the vinegar taste out?
Run another full brew of fresh water and repeat until it tastes of nothing. A BLITZ tablet runs through the same cycle without the vinegar smell.
Sources
Black+Decker DCM2161B use and care manual (vinegar to the 7-cup line, 15-minute soak, flush, every 60 brewing cycles, dishwasher-safe parts); BLITZ Coffee Maker Cleaner product page and directions. Checked October 2026.
Black+Decker and its model names are trademarks of their owner. BLITZ is not affiliated with Black+Decker.
ONE TABLET IN THE WATER TANK
BLITZ Coffee Maker Cleaner
Breaks down mineral scale and coffee oil residue in one cycle, without vinegar. Works in drip, espresso and pod machines. 24 tablets for $24.95, about $1.04 a clean.
Free shipping across Canada on orders of $40 or more, 10% back in store credit, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
