My coffee maker broke :(

[Thelasko]

I went away for the weekend and when I returned, I discovered that all of the clocks were flashing in my house. I reset them all and discovered that my Mr. Coffee 4 cup programmable coffee maker's clock wasn't functioning at all. In fact, the whole thing quit working.

I think I bought it in January, so it's only 10 months old. What do you think happened? What should I do? My parents always had trouble with Mr. Coffee, so they only use Krups. Unfortunately, It doesn't look like Krups makes anything that small.

This day has only gone downhill from there.

[mips]

Stop drinking coffee.

[joninkrakow]

I went away for the weekend and when I returned, I discovered that all of the clocks were flashing in my house. I reset them all and discovered that my Mr. Coffee 4 cup programmable coffee maker's clock wasn't functioning at all. In fact, the whole thing quit working.

I think I bought it in January, so it's only 10 months old. What do you think happened? What should I do? My parents always had trouble with Mr. Coffee, so they only use Krups. Unfortunately, It doesn't look like Krups makes anything that small.

This day has only gone downhill from there.

First of all, there may be a fuse inside, or worse, some form of diode or something. If it's a fuse, it should be easy to replace. If it's a diode, unless you know electronics, it's probably better to just toss it.

Now, for the mean time, you can do what I do to make my coffee. I simply toss the grounds into my cup, and pour boiling water over it (no, it's not instant--normal coffee). If you do sugar and cream, you probably should add it before you pour the water. Stir as little as possible, but the key is to wait. After a couple minutes or so, the grounds will have all their flavor oozed out of them, and will sink to the bottom of the cup (with a few exceptions). Once all the grounds sink, the coffee is ready to drink. You will find that this method _always_ makes a perfect cup. Now, the only _real_ important thing to remember is to not drink the whole thing! Remember to not go "bottom's up" with it. Leave a tiny bit of coffee at the bottom, so you don't get surprised with a mouthful of grounds. I started doing this on a regular basis when I left my stovetop espresso in the States, and quite honestly, I prefer this to just about every other method now (except the stovetop express--maybe). Once you get used to this, you might find you don't really need your coffee maker. Just get an electronic hotpot to heat your water. BTW, I just rinse the grounds down the drain.

-Jon

[Thelasko]

First of all, there may be a fuse inside, or worse, some form of diode or something. If it's a fuse, it should be easy to replace. If it's a diode, unless you know electronics, it's probably better to just toss it.
I'm still debating over cracking it open or not. Maybe I can get Mr. Coffee to send me a new one. It's only 8 months old, it should be under warranty, right? Unfortunately, I probably through out the receipt, and who knows where the rest of the paperwork went.

I took a basic electronics class in high school. I think I could figure it out if it's something simple like a fuse or a diode. I'm also concerned about what caused the problem in the first place.

[Irihapeti]

If other clocks were flashing, that suggests to me some upset with the mains power supply. A simple power outage shouldn't scramble a machine like that, so perhaps it was a power surge, which wouldn't do it a lot of good.

So maybe a fuse or diode blown? If you could find a circuit diagram somewhere, that would be a good start.

[Dr Small]

If other clocks were flashing, that suggests to me some upset with the mains power supply. A simple power outage shouldn't scramble a machine like that, so perhaps it was a power surge, which wouldn't do it a lot of good.

So maybe a fuse or diode blown? If you could find a circuit diagram somewhere, that would be a good start.
That's what it sounds like. You probably had a power-surge then a brown-out. The power-surge is dangerous to any electronic parts that are not hooked to a power-surge-strip or a UPS.

[LaRoza]

That's what it sounds like. You probably had a power-surge then a brown-out. The power-surge is dangerous to any electronic parts that are not hooked to a power-surge-strip or a UPS.

I have a post office box and don't do UPS.</pun>

Speaking of breaking nectar makers, in my case, a juicer, I had to replace it when a the snap that held the top on broke (fortunately, my new one has a bigger intake, so I don't have to cut up carrots and I can get four or five in at once)

[Thelasko]

That's what it sounds like. You probably had a power-surge then a brown-out. The power-surge is dangerous to any electronic parts that are not hooked to a power-surge-strip or a UPS.

The entertainment center has a surge suppressor, my desktop has a UPS and the laptop survived unscathed (it was plugged in and turned on, don't ask why it was on all weekend). Nothing else was protected, but everything survived (stove, fridge, toaster, microwave). It's kinda hard to believe the coffee maker failed and the laptop and microwave escaped unharmed. The microwave has to have far more integrated circuits than that coffee maker.

[LaRoza]

The entertainment center has a surge suppressor, my desktop has a UPS and the laptop survived unscathed (it was plugged in and turned on, don't ask why it was on all weekend). Nothing else was protected, but everything survived (stove, fridge, toaster, microwave). It's kinda hard to believe the coffee maker failed and the laptop and microwave escaped unharmed. The microwave has to have far more integrated circuits than that coffee maker.

It is a toss of the dice in this matter.

Perhaps the more expensive devices have built in protections, or it was just luck (really, would you rather need a new laptop?)

[tgalati4]

allelectronics.com sells surplus mr coffee timers.

While you have it open, you can add network support so you can program it remotely--you can probably find network and linux-based coffee makers with a google search.

With a linux-driven coffee maker, you can add an UPS and apcupsd so that it will both keep the time and make coffee during an outage and send you an email telling you so. Add a modem and it can dial you when there is an outage.

Or, chuck the coffee maker, set up a linux computer to do all those things and then go to starbucks.

Whatever you do, don't put windows on your $1800 coffee maker because then it will be vulnerable to bad taste:

http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/493387

[Dr Small]

I have a post office box and don't do UPS.</pun>



I was afraid someone would take that the wrong way, when I typed it...

[Thelasko]

Or, chuck the coffee maker, set up a linux computer to do all those things and then go to starbucks.
Starbucks? Why not automate it? (http://www.gizmag.com/the-walk-in-coffee-machine/9177/)

As a side note, this aeropress (http://www.gizmag.com/go/5051/) looks pretty cool, but then I wouldn't have my coffee ready when I wake up.

P.S. Does this Linux-driven coffee maker run CUPS?:)

[mr.propre]

I always have a Moka Pot as backup when my coffee machine epic fails on me.
Or when I go to a music festival, where you pay €5 for a small cup of coffee ;-)

It's an Italian product and is still wide used in Italy from what I heard. I see on the website of the original inventor's company that they also deliver in the USA and there quite cheap, you also can get them in any size, from 1 cup to 12.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moka_pot
http://www.bialetti.com/

[gletob]

Starbucks? Why not automate it? (http://www.gizmag.com/the-walk-in-coffee-machine/9177/)

As a side note, this aeropress (http://www.gizmag.com/go/5051/) looks pretty cool, but then I wouldn't have my coffee ready when I wake up.

P.S. Does this Linux-driven coffee maker run CUPS?:)

Caffeine
Unix
Pumping
System

[Therion]

Replacement time. It's a $20 part... (http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Coffee-DR4MC-4-Cup-Coffeemaker/dp/B000BR15SS/ref=pd_bbs_sr_10?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1223328375&sr=8-10)

[tgalati4]

You need to crack it open. If nothing else, to satisfy our curiosity!

[Thelasko]

You need to crack it open. If nothing else, to satisfy our curiosity!

I did. I couldn't find anything wrong. Maybe I'll have another look tonight.

[tgalati4]

Don't forget to check for continuity of the power cord. Could be a bad plug.

[gpsmikey]

Have you verified there is power at that outlet ? Most kitchens these days have GFCI outlets (at least in the US) per code. Anything that drops power like you saw can also trip a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interupter). If it trips the GFCI, there will be a little red button on the outlet (unless you have a GFCI breaker in the main panel) that has popped out. Push it back in. Amazing how many people have spent many many $$ getting an electrician out just to discover the GFCI outlet has tripped.

mikey

[frankleeee]

Get a French press grind the beans to espresso level and get all the nectar. This will leave a residue at the bottom of the cup generally as well but the flavor is worth the effort. If you bring the water to 190 Fahrenheit before pouring, you get the maximum flavor without the nasty flavors of overheated coffee, which is the main drawback of a drip coffee maker.

[DirtDawg]

Twenty bucks for a replacement part? Forget it. I say go to your local second hand store and shell out five bucks to get a "new" coffee pot. The french press was a good suggestion also, but I like to have both because I don't always have the patience for the french press.

[frankleeee]

Twenty bucks for a replacement part? Forget it. I say go to your local second hand store and shell out five bucks to get a "new" coffee pot. The french press was a good suggestion also, but I like to have both because I don't always have the patience for the french press.

We live in the same town, you must know about free geek.

[DirtDawg]

We live in the same town, you must know about free geek.

And you must know about Stumptown roasters! :)

[frankleeee]

And you must know about Stumptown roasters! :)

Certainly, I have a sometimes business relationship with K&F coffee they have a actual coffee shop across from the Clinton street theater, I also have a relationship with Dot's across the street, also Next Adventure, I am self employed. I have purchased all my computers from free geek, they now send them out with Hardy.

[Thelasko]

Have you verified there is power at that outlet ? Most kitchens these days have GFCI outlets (at least in the US) per code. Anything that drops power like you saw can also trip a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interupter). If it trips the GFCI, there will be a little red button on the outlet (unless you have a GFCI breaker in the main panel) that has popped out. Push it back in. Amazing how many people have spent many many $$ getting an electrician out just to discover the GFCI outlet has tripped.

mikey
That was the first thing I tried.

P.S. The coffee maker is now in the dumpster. It was time to clean house and it had to go.

[ODF]

I feel the pain, we had a saeco wich had a heating element broken. Coffee was horrible compared to what it was =( We waited something like 10 months to buy a jura.

It felt so good :KS

Coffee is important ! But I respect those who dont want a coffee machine that cost the price of an used car.