My coffee maker went on the fritz a couple of weeks ago. I have a Kitchen Aid coffee maker. I bought it about a year ago when my other one died after a good run of 6 or 7 years. I don’t remember the brand of the last one but it was cheap. The Kitchen Aid coffee maker was not cheap but it looked slick and it had a timer on it so I could have coffee when I woke up. I like having coffee right when I get up. It makes me happy.
On my list of things to do, a very long list, was Googling this err2 to see what I had to do to fix it. I had long since thrown away the guide for the coffee maker since I know how to make coffee and don’t need directions. Duh.
I found out rather quickly that the error is a fried motherboard or heating element. There is no fix but Kitchen Aid has been replacing this defective model left right and center. I called them this morning and found out that they will not replace mine since I can not come up with a proof of purchase, don’t remember where I bought it, and it is out of warranty according to the serial number on it. It seems it was manufactured in 2006 even though it was probably in the stores in 2007. Whatever. I was offered a discount on a similar model that made 14 cups of coffee, something I do not need since my 10 cup coffee maker is bigger than I need every day.
Why the hell would I want to buy an equally expensive, larger coffee maker that will probably fail in a year too? For the amount I would pay if I took his offer I could get one of those fancy dancy one cup deals that uses the little cartridges. The kind I really want.
The guy was nice, he spoke English and he was trying to be helpful (he also probably had a cup of coffee this morning) but this stinks. I need coffee. I NEED coffee. What if I were a postal worker or some shit? What if I was a trucker? Yeah, I could go and spend $4 for a cup of coffee at Starbucks but I like my own shitty coffee that I make. I’m used to it and I don’t want to have to get dressed up before I get my fix.
Bastards! See I’m getting more irritated as I sit here stewing about the bad customer service that Kitchen Aid offers.
Why can’t we make things that last? And if they do fail why can’t we graciously replace them? A product that is only a year old should not be considered old enough to be worn out.
Alright, I’m off to Starbucks.
The Mrs. bought one of those uppity fancy dancy machines (a Keurig) and she likes it a lot. She also got the extra cup attachment thing so we don’t have to buy the expensive little cups.
She bought the maker at Sears, of all places. It was on sale, and she paid probably about 70 bucks. I can only guess it was because a newer model will be out. The one cup at a time feature is pretty nice, and we can have a fresh cup in much less time than it takes to even get the car warmed up enough to make a Dunkin Donut run.
I feel your pain.. mine break about once every 6 months or so. I only make a pot a day
I’m right there with you on the coffee thing.. last night I went to the grocery store KNOWING I needed coffe and sugar and filtersa.. I got the filters and the sugar.. do you think I remembered the coffee? Of course not. Hubby was pissed this morning when there was none. I however, went to work and drank their rot-gut excuse for java blech
Old Man, that’s the one. They had one at my last real job and it was wonderful to make one cup at a time. I am the only coffee drinker in my house since I don’t think a 6 year old needs another reason to bounce off the walls and the 16 year old boy gets his caffeine from Vault or Mt. Dew or Monster. I am unable to make less than a pot of coffee at one time but I only drink one cup a day. I hate to admit this but I will drink the rest of the pot over the course of the week by heating it in the microwave. It’s disgusting but it’s cheap. The only drawback that I could imagine with the one cup brewer was what if I had actual guests one day and they all wanted coffee at the same time? I actually worry about that kind of thing.
Dizzblnd, I’m forgetting coffee all the time to since I can’t be bothered to make a list before I go to the store and no one nags me about what we need unless it’s corn dogs or ice cream. I don’t miss anything from having a real job except the income but I really don’t miss the rot gut of some of the places I have worked. Except of course when I lived in Seattle where everyone had Starbucks or Seattle’s Best, which really is the best. I’ve been using a coffee press that makes only one cup. It’s a pain because I have to boil the water in the tea kettle which wakes the kids before I want them woken and I forgot how long I am supposed to let the coffee brew so I either end up with espresso which sends me into the jitters or extremely weak coffee where I end up with a headache for not getting enough caffeine. It has made my actual coffee last a lot longer however.
It is annoying how nothing last like it used to. I am amazed that the guy was English. I wonder where there stuff in manufactured?? Int eh states or not?
Just like cars with all automatic stuff…if your window won’t work..you have to fork down major $ to fix it. When back in the day you just rolled it up yourself!
Seems we replace our coffee maker every 3 years, something always burns out so I can’t see buying one over 30 bucks. Even food doesn’t taste the same as it use to. Because they want consumers to buy more often the products have become very inferior over the years.
Have you tried a Flavia? I’ve had ours for over 3 years and it is still working great.
The publicist is also very unhappy without coffee…the male person makes it for her. She is not smart enough to know how to make it herself…..to much inhaling goat gas I think.
I feel your pain, Jen. I would DIE without my coffemaker! I’m totally addicted!
I hate those “proof of purchase” things–like I stole the darned thing?! Really, like the fact that I’m calling and I’m mad doesn’t tell you that I paid MONEY for it and that should be proof enough. I hate customer service too. I once called for a new manual and they told me I had to download all 1 billion pages. What? What if I didn’t have a computer? Do you think the library is gonna be thrilled with me hoggin’ their printer for hours on end?!
I just buy the cheap models–they seem to last longer.
I want one of those that fizzes and steam and makes gurgling noises and it has to be black and stainless steel, with a handle at the top that pulls down to steam, but I have no idea what it is called!
We have had so many coffee makers break…it is UNREAL!
We just got a Keurig and our fingers are crossed…
Hussy, I don’t know where they make this stuff but probably in some third world country that hates us and makes our stuff break on purpose. Of course these are the same people we call for all things technical. We’re screwed either way.
Jude, You are right. I have my great grandmother’s crock pot, though it was called something else back then. All stainless steal and works great 60 years later. I’ve gone through half a dozen of the modern crock pots but that’s because my ex husband breaks everything when he gets pissed at something for not working the way he expects it to…
They don’t make husbands like the used to either come to think of it.
Tahtimbo, I have never heard of a Flavia but I’ll ask the google about it. I looked into Gevalia but I’m not so sure.
Pricilla, goat gas will do that to a person I suspect. I wish I had someone to make coffee for me, breakfast lunch and dinner too would be nice.
Breath of Insanity, see they are all in cahoots to get us hooked on this stuff and then they make inferior products with which to consume it. I repeat Bastards!
Lin, You make me laugh! I never thought of it that way but really it makes sense. I wasn’t asking for money, like there is some black market for coffee makers or something, I just want the coffee maker I purchased with my own money to be replaced. What a great scam actually.
Lizzie, that sounds really cool but I don’t think I could actually operate something like that if I hadn’t had my coffee yet.
Jenni, keep me posted on how that works for you, I am leaning towards one of those but the idea that I am then committed to the little cartridges scares me a bit. And seems that they are way more expensive than just buying a pound of coffee. Maybe I’ll switch to tea?
“They don’t make husbands like the used to either come to think of it.”
Thank God for that! In my case, the newer model has been *much* more satisfactory, and will therefore be around much longer.
Speak Dog, I’m not sure which of mine was worse. #1 has been much easier to deal with after the fact but he sucked as a husband. #2 has been a pain in the ass after the fact but he was a lot of fun as a husband. And he cooked.
You should have told them it was a gift! We got a very expensive printer, no proof of purchase and it took a dump after 3 days. Called customer service, told them when we got it as a gift, they faxed the local service place with a no charge repair authorization and bingo! We got our printer fixed free.
We currently have 3 coffee makers. The 10 cup Mr. Coffee with the stainless steel thermal carafe, a fabulous DeLongi Expresso machine that I will never give up and the Hamilton Beach Percolator my partner insisted I get her for Christmas. I have no idea how to use a dang percolator! When I make coffee I use the Mr. Coffee like anyone else living in this century. When my partner makes coffee, she uses the percolator. When I’m jonesing for Starbucks, I’ll make my own cappuccino (which is much better than Starbucks by the way.)
I don’t know what brand coffee you use, but we use Papanicholas brand Kona Blend and love it.
My partner saw the Mini Keurig one cupper thing on QVC.com a few days ago and was drooling. The price was really reasonable. What the heck are we gonna do with another coffee maker? If we lived on the main drag maybe we could start a drive thru, but we don’t!
My wife bought me a keurig for my B’day, and I love it for making Hot Chocolate. I still use the kettle for making my coffee, that’s the way I like it.
The Keurig is great for before bed or after meals, but their coffee offerings stink.
UGH!! A broken coffee pot sucks! Go buy a totally cheap model coffe pot to hold you over – it would probably live forever anyhow. Then go get the one cup wonder you so desire for everyday use! You deserve it!
That SUCKS!! You know what I realized reading your post…I have no problem going to Starbucks and dropping 5 bucks for a Venti Vanilla Latte, but I get pissed off if the big can of Folgers at the grocery store costs more than that and isnt on sale. Go figure!
I sympathize with this. First of all, the timer on the coffeemaker? SHEER GENIUS. I have one, and having coffee waiting for me when I get up is just one of those beauty things of life. If you’re anything like me, you probably aren’t awake enough to make coffee in the morning anyway– the route from coffee to self needs to be barrier free.
I hope you get a new coffeemaker you love soon. To caffeination and beyond…!
Ah, remember back in the day when everything from the toaster to the tv lasted at least a decade? Now we’re lucky if things work when they come out of the box. I just started a receipt drawer, right next to the junk drawer.
Hey RED here is a simple cheap answer: By the Gevalia free coffee pot with 15bucks of their coffee samples. The coffee is worth the 20 bucks and the coffee pot is great with a timer like you like. I have had their pot the longest 2 years now. Not a bad pot. FREE
http://www.gevalia.com/Gevalia/continuity/Control-Landing/Control_LP1.aspx?keycode=121121
Yeah, I did the Gevalia thing . . . and the Chocolate Raspberry coffee was awesome. The coffee was way too expensive, but I have had the coffee maker three years with no problem.
But I do keep a spare coffee maker or two on hand . . . stock up when Big Lots has them for $5.
we've had our kitchen aid for a WEEK and it did the same thing. this is such a crap product… i'll never buy kitchen aid again.
No offense, but you didn’t have a proof of purchase, you could not recall where you bought it, and the serial is out of date. How do you expect them to honor the warranty on this coffee maker?
Maybe you were just grumpy cause you didn’t have your morning coffee. That I understand.
Hi, just browsing for information for my Hamilton Beach website. Lots of information out there. Not quite what i was looking for, but nice site. Have a nice day.
Found an answer! There is some tech geek behind this but… There is a temp regulator in line with the heating element. A small piece of pink heat sensitive material that will close the electrical path and allow the heating element to heat up. The idea is that when the temp reaches a certain point the pink element will shrink and open the path, turning off the heating element to prevent fires!
The problem in mine was that the “pink stuff” was not closing the path even when cold. It is spring loaded so I placed a small piece of foil behind it. The coffee pot is now working and I am monitoring for heat regulation. Still using the new Mr. Coffee till I am sure that the KitchenAid will not start a fire. Even then it will probably be put away as a back up!