Coffee machines are now very popular among people around the world. Leading manufacturers have developed many innovative coffee machines to cater the diverse needs of coffee gourmets. When the manufacture and sales of coffee machines increased and their use became widespread, the number of complaints about their malfunctioning also became more manifest. Many complaints are being reported in the media. Some of the well known market leaders responded positively and corrective actions followed. A latest example is the case of General Electric Coffee makers.
Nearly a million coffee makers were recalled by the company in response to a few complaints filed by the consumers. Consumers were offered full refund of the cost of machines paid by them. But unlike global giants in the coffee machine market, smaller entities at the lower levels may not be as responsive as GE towards consumer complaints. There are many minor deficiencies which can be rectified at local levels either by the users themselves or by professionals.
As long as there are warranties, irrespective of the status of the manufacturers the consumers can claim replacement or rectification. It is apt that we examine one or two common complaints that afflict coffeemakers very often and discuss how the consumer can deal with the situations.
Among many complaints that are reported, the following are a few that are pertaining to drip coffee makers:
1.Power cord or switch is defective.
2.One way valve is clogged with residues.
3.Tubes or pipes get clogged with mineral deposits.
4.Failure of heating coils
5.Brewed coffee overflowing from the filter baskets.
The coffee machine may not start working if the ON/OFF switch or power cord is defective. The users will have to replace both if they cannot be repaired. At times there are possibilities of the receptacle being defective. It is to be diagnosed properly either by the user or by a professional.
Clogged water passages or interlock is due to minerals or lime contained in the water used to make coffee. Hard water contains salts and minerals which leave residues in the passages. The users should use good quality water. Hard water causes clogging problems and also adversely affects the taste of the coffee. Further the calcium deposits in the system will cause excess consumption of power. An effective remedy is to wash the pipes and interlock with a mixture of water and white vinegar to remove the deposits.
As far as heating element is concerned, it has dual roles. One is to provide heat for making the beverage and the other is to keep it warm for extended periods. In some models of coffee machines it is possible to replace defective heating coils. But in some other models spare coils may not be available in the markets. In case of non-availability of suitable spares, it may be necessary to discard the machine itself. At times heating coils may get burnt due to overheating. This will happen when there are wiring problems in the electronic control circuit boards.
Regarding overflowing of coffee, modern machines are incorporated with timers which will control the functioning of the valves to prevent spilling or overflowing of the coffee down to the base whenever carafe of pot is removed. In case of such problems of overflowing, mechanical or electronic timers are to be provided in the systems. If timers are already available there are possibilities of malfunctioning of the same and hence they are to be replaced.
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