The Coffee Maker

The Coffee Maker

I am the only one in the house that drinks coffee.  For this reason I really like the cups makers.  I know those cup things are indestructible and are going to bury the planet.  I don’t care; they are convenient, fast and make a perfect cup of Joe.  Dang, do I have to feel guilty about everything from driving a gas powered car, eating animals and to the coffee I drink.

Anyway, until they are ruled illegal that is how I will make my coffee.

We had a Kitchenaid brewer for many years.  It still worked, but the on/off switch was starting to act up.  It was sometimes difficult to turn on or off.  We decided to replace it at home and bring it to the shore house we rent during the summer.  We bought a Keurig.  It worked great for about a week. 

One morning it would not shut off while I had stepped out of the kitchen for a minute.  When I returned it was still pumping out coffee, all over the counter.  So now I had to monitor it while brewing my morning fix.  Then it started brewing really slowly.  Where as it used to brew a cup in less than a minute, it suddenly took five minutes or more.  Mrs. C did some research and found they often had a problem with the pump.

We took it back for a full refund and replaced it with a Bunn which only brews one serving before it needs to be refilled with water.  Fine with me.  This machine is great, brews quickly and the coffee comes out just the way I like it, hot and strong. 

The only thing I didn’t like about this machine was I could not find the on/off switch.  I couldn’t find it because it does not have one.  The old machine was fine except the on/off button was getting sketchy, now the new machine does not even have an on/off switch.

To turn the machine off, you have to unplug it.  This is not the biggest hardship in the world, except every time you unplug it, there are sparks around the prongs.  No matter how quickly I pulled the plug or gently eased the plug out, it sparked.  I’m pretty sure the sparks are contained in the outlet which is not flammable, but I am a bit nervous about sparks, and fire.  I hate candles for the same reason.

Anyway it was a dilemma…I love the new machine, except I hate the sparks every time I have to unplug it.  Of course I could keep it plugged in, but that wastes power and the machine specks recommend not leaving it on for long periods of time.  The definition of “long period of time” was not to be found.

This issue disturbed me no end.  I cannot believe anyone would make such a product which should not be kept on for “long periods of time” and yet could not be turned off by a switch.

I ranted and raved about this issue as I am prone to do, and demanded we turn it in and buy yet another machine.

Then Mrs. Cranky brought home one of these:

An adapter with a switch. 

I can turn the machine off from the adapter and not have to pull the spark shooting plug.

Mrs. Cranky is the best!  I love my machine, and I love my coffee.

It is not very difficult to make me happy.