Coffee maker working just fine
The new coffee maker is in place. Thanks to the readers who so caringly called or e-mailed me to warn me about our old coffee maker.
Last week, I detailed the troubles the machine had been giving us, including its proclivity for spewing water and grounds over the counter and turning itself on when there was no coffee or water in the contraption.
It turns out that such situations with defective devices have been known to cause house fires. One reader said a friend lost her home in a blaze where officials traced the source of the fire to a malfunctioning coffee maker. Two others also contacted me telling me about coffee makers starting fires in people’s homes.
Anyway, thanks and thanks again.
And, the very day after that column appeared, my lovely wife shopped for a new beverage brewer.
Visiting one of our local variety stores, she checked the different brands, features, etc., and keyed in on one, which, at the time, carried a sale price of $10 less than usual.
She bought it, brought it home and set it up in the kitchen, but waited until I got home so I could read the instructions and determine how it operates.
Have you noticed how such instructions have changed over the years? I can remember when you got one page that basically listed two main points: turn it on and turn it off. The last several electronically controlled items we have purchased have come with directions in at least two languages (one came with four) printed on pages making up something akin to a book rather than a pamphlet.
Wading into the coffee maker’s details, I learned how to plug it in properly, fill the reservoir with the correct quantity of water, set the clock, turn it on and off and adjust the timer mechanism for fresh-brewed beverages when we wake.
That took most of an evening and required re-reading the instructions several times.
Now, I’m no master of technology but I’m also no dullard when it comes to operating these devices. Yet, this coffee maker’s instructions read like I was an idiot.
In one case, when detailing how to set the timer, it suggested pushing one button to get the display on the tiny screen and “using another finger, push the hour button to set the exact time.’
What did they think I was going to use to push the other button? My nose? I suppose I would have tried if they had suggested it.
Well, the thing works and is a lot less complicated than it first appeared.
Of course, my wife is the coffee drinker in the house (I switched to tea some years back). And I had been noticing an unusual number of empty cups from one of our nearby fast-food establishments in the garbage can in the garage when we were limping along with the old coffee maker.
Has that changed?
We haven’t had the new machine long enough to tell. I’ll just have to wait.
In the meantime, it makes a great pot of tea.
So who really wanted a new coffee maker?
I’ll let you guess.
Have a good day.
James Pletcher Jr. is Herald-Standard business editor. He can be reached at 724-439-7571 or by e-mail at jpletcher@heraldstandard.com.