Wondering how long does a Mr. Coffee maker last? Read on to learn why coffee machines break down and what you can do to keep yours brewing for longer.
Mr. Coffee makes some of the most affordable coffee machines on the market. For the price, they work exceptionally well and make great-tasting coffee.
Still, even if I didn’t pay very much for a product, I don’t expect it to break immediately. Most of my coffee machines have worked for several years before breaking down. So when I bought a Mr. Coffee, I immediately wondered how long I could expect it to last.
How long does a Mr. Coffee maker last? If you take good care of it, your Mr. Coffee maker will probably last for around 2-3 years or until you’ve brewed 1000 cups. You can extend your coffee maker’s lifespan by running a cleaning cycle once a month and unplugging the machine when you aren’t using it.
The life of your coffee maker depends entirely on how well you take care of it. Keep reading to learn why coffee machines break down and what you can do to keep your brewing for longer.
The Average Lifespan Of A Mr. Coffee Maker
Honestly, the lifespan of a coffee machine will vary greatly based on how you treat it. If you take care of your machine and only use it occasionally, you can easily get 4-5 years of great-tasting coffee.
I brew coffee all throughout my workday, so I only expect my maker to last about 2 years. Eventually, the heating element might stop working correctly, or the water chamber will become too calcified for my taste.
Mr. Coffee makers (learn more) come with a standard 1-year warranty, so expect your machine to last at least that long. If it doesn’t, Mr. Coffee will be happy to repair or replace it.
Measuring Lifespan In Cups And Years
When I say that a Mr. Coffee maker lasts for 2-3 years, I’m assuming that you plan to use it once or twice a day. That accounts for a morning cup of coffee, an afternoon pick-me-up, and the occasional spontaneous cup of joe.
At this rate, you’ll be able to make somewhere between 700 and 1000 fresh pots of coffee before your Mr. Coffee finally gives out. If you brew coffee more often, you can expect your coffee maker to have a shorter lifespan.
To find the expected lifespan of your coffee machine, divide 1000 by the number of pots of coffee you brew on a daily basis. Your result is the number of days that your Mr. Coffee maker will last with regular use.
Remember, these numbers are just estimates based on customer experience. If you take good care of your coffee machine, it could last significantly longer.
Lifespan Based On Model
Mr. Coffee makes several different coffee makers at different levels of quality. I like to brew small batches, so I just use the simple 5-cup coffee maker. Mr. Coffee has an advanced model of the same size; they also have an 8-cup and even a programmable 12-cup with a ton of options.
Interestingly, a coffee maker with more features won’t necessarily last longer. That’s because when there are more working parts, there are more things that might break.
My 5-cup has been chugging along for well over a year now with no sign of stopping. Meanwhile, I’ve heard of people owning the programmable model and breaking it after only a few months – but they probably didn’t use it correctly.
Mr. Coffee 5-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker comes with an automatic shutoff and alerts you when it’s time to replace the filters. If you use these features, you can easily get a few extra years out of your machine.
Mr. Coffee also offers replacement parts for most of their models. If you buy one of their advanced machines, you can expect a healthy lifespan that reflects the amount of money that you paid.
Keeping Your Coffee Maker Clean
All coffee makers will eventually get dirty. This is because tap water contains trace amounts of minerals that can stick to the sides of your water chamber in a process called calcification. After a few dozen cycles, you’ll start to notice that your coffee tastes like salt or iron.
According to Mr. Coffee, you should clean your coffee maker on a monthly basis. Some of their models will actually remind you when it’s cleaning time. Otherwise, mark your calendar.
All you need to clean a coffee maker is water and vinegar. You can also use a cleaning solution intended for this purpose.
First, rinse out the filter basket, and run your coffee machine with just water in it. This will clear any grounds out of the system.
After the cycle finishes, pour a solution of water and vinegar into your coffee machine. Mr. Coffee recommends using four cups of straight vinegar. I prefer to mix one or two cups of vinegar with enough water to fill the chamber the rest of the way.
Run your coffee maker with the vinegar solution. The vinegar will decalcify the interior chamber and clean any unwanted substances out of the machine.
Now you need to rinse the vinegar out of your machine. Run your coffee maker at least two more times with fresh water. After the second time, check to see if the machine still smells like vinegar. If it does, run it again.
If you clean your machine once every month, you can expect it to keep producing fresh-tasting coffee for years to come.
Preventing Electrical Problems
An electrical device that stays turned on will eventually break down. Even if you’re not using the machine, electricity continues to run through the internal circuits. Over time, this will fray the wires or cause the coils to burn out.
The easiest way to prevent this is to turn your coffee maker off when you’re not using it. Many programmable Mr. Coffee machines will automatically turn off after 2-4 hours of use. You can tell whether your machine is turned on by checking the red indicator light.
If you’re using an older Mr. Coffee, you may want to unplug it from the wall to make sure that it’s not receiving electrical current. Don’t do this for coffee makers with a clock; you’ll have to reset the clock every time.
Remember that your coffee maker is an electronic device. Although it’s safe to put liquid in the water chamber, you should never submerge your coffee maker in the sink or run it through the dishwasher. If you want to clean the outside, just wipe it down with a cloth or a damp sponge.
Stop using your coffee machine if you notice that the cord is damaged or frayed. Even if it still works, you could be risking an electrical fire.
When To Replace Your Coffee Maker
No matter how many years you get out of your favorite coffee maker, there will come a day when it just doesn’t work anymore. You might notice that the coffee tastes funny or that the machine is making a lot more noise than usual. Either way, you can usually tell when the machine is about to die.
Although it’s possible to repair a broken coffee machine, I don’t recommend trying unless you’re already good at that sort of thing. Instead, you should plan to service or replace your coffee maker when it starts breaking down.
These are just some of the signs that your coffee machine needs to be repaired or replaced:
- The coffee does not come out hot.
- The machine does not turn on.
- The warming plate has stopped working.
- Cleaning the machine does not remove the taste.
- You can smell burnt plastic while running the machine.
- One of the parts breaks or falls off.
- Your glass carafe leaks or breaks.
- Water leaks from the bottom of the machine.
Mr. Coffee offers a 1-year warranty for most of their products. They are also happy to service older models, although they may charge a small fee. Contact Mr. Coffee directly, and they’ll give you directions for the nearest service center.
How Long Does A Mr. Coffee Maker Last: Related Questions
Why does my coffee maker take so long to brew?
If it’s taking forever to get a cup of coffee, you probably need to clean your machine. Run a cycle of vinegar followed by two cycles of water to decalcify it. If this doesn’t work, your machine might need to be repaired or replaced.
Why is my coffee maker overflowing?
The most likely cause for an overflowing coffee maker is that you have used too much coffee or too much water. Your filter basket also might not be aligned; check to make sure that the lid of your coffee maker closes correctly before you turn the machine on.
Can I get replacement parts for my coffee maker?
Mr. Coffee offers replacement parts for most of their product lines. Contact them to get a replacement carafe, filter basket, or water chamber. If your machine is no longer under warranty, you may need to pay a service fee.
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