Keurig Coffee Machines ~ constantly break!

[JEV]

I too have a whole house surge protector. It's from Square D, so it's definitely not a cheapo unit. Still, with my DeepWater electronics monitoring system, all sorts of spikes and lows are allowed by the whole house unit. I think it only takes about 127 volts to kill the transformer in a Keurig, and that does not trip my whole house unit. My generator power is much more stable than the power from the power company. For whatever reason, it's the transformers in the Keurig machines that kill them. I know it sounds totally out of line, but put a small protector just on a Keurig and I'd bet you too will have them last.

If I would have been told as much when I first bought one, I wouldn't be nearly as upset with them. I can't tell you how many times the little surge protector has been tripped on my Keurig when I'd not noticed any power fluctuations. So far, each time I've reset the protector the Keurig has come back to life without problems. IMHO, they need to change transformer vendors, but I doubt they have. It would greatly help their reputation!

So they want me to own a product that the manufacturer ADMITS is defective, and have to spend additional money for a piece of equipment to protect their inferior component? What a scam!

Some folks finally got pissed off enough that they got a class action lawsuit against Green Mountain, Keurig & Starbucks.

http://www.newsinferno.com/green-mountain-keurig-sued-for-defective-brewers/

 

[Dargo]

They don't use a wall wart. They come with a 3 prong 120V cord. If they have a transformer, it's internal.

Correct. Not (supposedly) consumer serviceable.

 

[Dargo]

So they want me to own a product that the manufacturer ADMITS is defective, and have to spend additional money for a piece of equipment to protect their inferior component? What a scam!

Sounds about right. I looked and I have 3 spare (non-working) machines in a storage room. If I get any spare time, I can take the defective transformer out, find what it is supposed to have for output voltage, and then buy a decent one at a local electronics store for $10 or so and get them working.

 

[JEV]

Sounds about right. I looked and I have 3 spare (non-working) machines in a storage room. If I get any spare time, I can take the defective transformer out, find what it is supposed to have for output voltage, and then buy a decent one at a local electronics store for $10 or so and get them working.

Let us know if you determine the proper transformer. I can buy these machines at local thrift shops here for $10 all day long, and I'm sure there is a transformer available online if not locally.(they all have "AS IS, NO RETURN" stickers on them because even the trift shops know they're a problem) For $20 I would own one with a good xformer, but not a new one with defective parts. I still can't believe how many buy these knowing they're going to crap out in short order.

 

[rlk]

I just bought one of the new Keurig 2.0 machines. Don't know why, but they will only work with a new type of K Cup - it must have a certain label on it for the machine to work. I guess it's to prevent you using coffee that's not approved by Keurig. Bob

It's probably bad form to quote yourself, but I have never been accused of having good manners, so....

After purchasing my Keurig, I tried to brew a cup of coffee. The machine gave me an error message stating that my K Cups were not designed for this machine. The packaging on the K Cup box said they were for ALL KEURIG MACHINES, so, being a little confused, I called the 800 number in the instruction manual.

Apparently I'm not the only one who had the problem because Keurig set up a separate phone number just for this problem. The lady I spoke with had me examine the box very carefully to look for a circle with a check mark inside of it. I finally found the circle on one of the boxes, but not on the other. This circle is only 1/4" tall, so it's not something that really stands out.

I asked her how the heck I was supposed to know to look for the circle with the check mark. She admitted Keurig hadn't done a good job of getting the word out. I agreed since WalMart had a large display of the old style K Cups right beside of the new machines. Anyway, she agreed to replace the box of coffee I purchased that would not work. She did not want the old K Cups returned - she suggested I give them to someone.

Wondering if others were experiencing the same problem, I googled it and found quite a few videos on youtube that show how to defeat the K Cup label that is needed on the new 2.0 machines.

Not that I would ever do anything to get around this "feature" , I did enjoy many of the videos. In case you are wondering how it is possible, here is one of many videos showing how:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_ywWywmO7s

Bob

 

[Danang Sailor]

Nice video, Bob, but we're not going to need it. If we want to brew an entire carafe of coffee we have a way to do that; the
genius of the Keurig system is that we can make just one cup when we want it, with the coffee we want right then, and don't
have to waste most of it.

And to me, at least, rewarmed coffee always tastes like sweat socks that the Bulgarian Army used for a 150km forced march,
and then didn't bother to wash! And no, don't ask.

 

[Melensdad]

Bob that is an interesting work around solution for the newer model machines so you can use the older style cups.

Me, I'm not sure what I'm going to do.

I probably have 50 K-cups and I have a machine that doesn't pressurize so it won't properly brew. At this point I could buy a new (old style) machine to replace the current machine, cost would be $100. Plus buy a new surge protector, for another $15 or $20. And the MAYBE have no issues like DARGO, but with my luck the week after the warranty on the surge protector expires my new Keurig machine will meet an untimely end too!

I'm honestly thinking that I will work my way through the last of my K-cups, then toss this machine in the trash. If I want a single cup of coffee in the future I'll figure out a way that is cheaper and more reliable than Keurig. I'm done with this system.

 

[Dargo]

Wondering if others were experiencing the same problem, I googled it and found quite a few videos on youtube that show how to defeat the K Cup label that is needed on the new 2.0 machines.

I suppose that shows how much I've paid attention; I had no idea there was a "2.0" version of the machine. After getting putting a surge protector between the outlet and the 'old' Keurig machine, I've never had a problem and have never heard of different K-cups. I have to assume that the old machines use the "2.0" cups, because I know the medium blend Green Mountain K-Cups my wife picked up at Sam's Club are less than a month old. I can't imagine that, by chance, she selected the right cups. I have my coffee maker in our guest house because she hates coffee so much that she claims that the smell of it brewing makes her sick.

I bought a small regular coffee maker for my Army Ranger son when he is here because he drinks 4 or 5 large cups each morning and was running me out of K-Cups. IMHO, the only draw to the Keurig is for people like me who only drink a cup or two a week.

 

[Leni]

When I was the only one drinking coffee and then only a single cup I used my 4 cup coffee maker. Worked just fine.

 

[RNE228]

My Grandmother has a B&D or something like that Wally World 4-cup drip. I make coffee with it when I am at her house.

Honestly, 4-cups by the machine is more like 1.5 large cups/mug... Could cut the grounds back a tad and make just 1/2 a pot for a large mug of coffee.

But, it does take a few minutes to make, whereas the Keurig machine is a "presto it's done in a flash" machine.

When I was the only one drinking coffee and then only a single cup I used my 4 cup coffee maker. Worked just fine.

 

[Leni]

Mine is a Mr Coffee. I'll make two cups which turns out to be one good sized mug with a little left over. I can wait the few minutes to have a reliable cup.

 

[mtntopper]

I can wait the few minutes to have a reliable cup.

I like the aroma in the air of fresh coffee brewing in the pot. Then when freshly brewed ready to drink I appreciate it again.

The time spent waiting just enhances the experience! If it happens too fast and easy you may fail to actually enjoy the full benefit of the results.

 

[tiredretired]

They are junk. Poorly made in China. i too am on my 4th on over the last 10 years or so. First thing to go and it goes quick is the auto shut off.

My last one required a phone call to Keurig to get another reseivor. The one that came with the unit made the coffee taste like plastic. Seriously? I had spares from my previous dead units but I made them send me one anyway. They will not admit to any quality control issues.

Piss poor equipment IMHO.