The number of fires caused by coffee makers could be slightly higher than 22 per year with one report suggesting that, in the US, 300 consumers reported fires that were caused by their coffee makers in a five-year period between 2013 and 2018. This equates to 60 fires per year.
Can a coffee maker cause a fire?
This can happen with any coffee maker. According to Total Recall Info, approximately 145,000 Kenmore and Kenmore Elite coffee makers caused fires by the wiring overheating and were thus recalled as of 2008. In 2001, Atico coffeemakers were recalled for overheating and causing the filter basket support to ignite in flames.
How many house fires are caused by appliances?
More than 15,700 fires were clearly attributable to those problems, and much of the remainder probably were because the appliance was identified as the primary source of ignition, with contributing causes listed as “none” or “undetermined.”
How many fires have been caused by bad products?
(The CPSC’s larger estimate is a national extrapolation that includes more structures, such as hotels and dorms, and many smaller, confined fires.) Digging deeper, we found at least 15,700 fires clearly linked to problems with a product, much greater than the instances involved in recalls.
How many Kenmore coffee makers have been recalled for fires?
According to Total Recall Info, approximately 145,000 Kenmore and Kenmore Elite coffee makers caused fires by the wiring overheating and were thus recalled as of 2008. In 2001, Atico coffeemakers were recalled for overheating and causing the filter basket support to ignite in flames.
Can leaving a coffee maker on cause a fire?
Coffee makers should not be left on all day. They are a potential fire hazard when left on for several hours or more. They can burn flammable objects near your coffee maker. They might burn other items close to the coffee machine and can even burn the counter.
Do coffee makers overheat?
Overheating of the coffee maker's wiring has been known to cause fires in the past in certain brands of coffee makers. This does not mean that this sort of fire hazard is limited to these brands. This can happen with any coffee maker.
Has a Keurig ever caught on fire?
A handful of consumers and one local government agency have reported Keurigs smoking and catching fire to SaferProducts.gov, a Consumer Product Safety Commission website. White said she bought the Keurig a few months before the fire. She left the brewer plugged in, but turned off.
How often do Keurigs catch on fire?
In 2014, 6.6 million mini brewing systems were recalled by Keurig in 2014 after reported water burns. While coffeemaker fires are rare, they happen. The Consumer Product Safety Commission tells ABC News that 300 consumers reported fires from various coffee-makers 4 in the last five years.
Is it normal for a coffee maker to smoke?
The most common reason for coffee makers emitting smoke is empty water tanks, being left on for a long period of time, or factory caused mechanical issues. Brand new coffee makers have been known to start smoking if not thoroughly cleaned before being used for the first time.
Should I unplug my coffee maker when not in use?
According to U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, unplugging small kitchen appliances when not in use is advised to avoid accidental electric fires. Although, it does require a few extra minutes each day to unplug the coffee maker, toaster, etc., doing so could save your home from an electric fire.
Is it OK to leave Keurig on all the time?
Should I leave my Keurig® coffee machine on all the time? No. We recommend you power off your machine after each use.
Should you leave Keurig open?
Their recommendation is to follow these five steps to keep your Keurig bacteria-free: Clean it often, using vinegar when needed; use filtered water; change the water after each use; leave the lid off to allow the machine to air out; and wipe it down. For their part, Keurig Green Mountain agrees.
What happens if you leave a percolator plugged in?
Basically nothing. Ever noticed that if it is left plugged in and gets cold it starts to re-perk? The thermostat shuts it off once it gets to hot, just like it does when you run out of coffee.
Which Keurig is on recall?
According to NBC News, Keurig Green Mountain is recalling 6.6 million of the single cup homebrew machines. The Mini Plus Brewing Systems with model number K10 can allegedly overheat and spray water during brewing. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall last month.
Do Keurig coffee makers turn off automatically?
The Auto off on Keurig automatically turns your brewer off for energy savings. Some models will turn off after 5 minutes, others after 2 hours.
How do I descale my Keurig coffee maker?
Descale Solution Pouch:Pour entire pouch of Keurig Descaling solution into water reservoir.Add 3 cups (24oz.) of water into the water reservoir.Place a large mug on the drip tray. ... Perform a rinsing brew by lifting and lowering the handle, and selecting the largest brew size.Repeat step 4 until ADD WATER is illuminated.More items...
MORE BAD CONNECTIONS ?????
I wrote an article earlier about electric outlet fires resulting in part from bad connections. Below is an example of what can happen on coffee makers with the same problems. This closes-up photo below was all too common with fire pump engine heaters using "quick-disconnect" slide-on terminals to connect the thermostats .
QUICK-DISCONNECT TERMINATIONS
Below is an example from a website of the same slide-on terminations common on several coffee maker. The red arrow shows these two a dark-colored, bluish-gray compared to the others, an indication of potential heat build up. Excess heat on the thermostat terminals may result in the contacts inside welding closed and the heater over-heating.
WELDED TERMINATIONS
Curious as to what my own old $19.00 coffee maker used, I flipped it upside down and captured the photo below showing all welded terminations on the thermostat and heater element. The slightly discolored surfaces and no charred wiring indicates there is no termination failures associated with theses connections.
THERMOSTATS TOO HOT
Some coffee makers will burn the lips off of a chicken they get so hot. My cheap Sunbeam was not one of them. When I did some digging into the different thermostats like those used in the coffee makers seen above, I found them available in 160 deg F and 180 deg F.
MCDONALD'S 2.9 MILLION DOLLAR COFFEE MAKER LAWSUIT
I've ordered coffee from dozens of burger joints with breakfast that was too hot to drink without scorching my tongue when I did. I had to wait for it to cool. If I ordered coffee later in the morning, it tasted like burned motor oil from sitting too long on the plate. There is no way these commercial makers should be designed to get that hot.
COFFEE MAKER FIRE COLLECTION
The above link leads to a collection of information on coffee maker fires, showing some that, at that time, were a long way off from being recalled by the CPSC.
POWER SWITCHES
The main power switches, controlled by the on-off buttons, may be relay-type, with contacts like a thermostat or solid-state TRIACS. Either have to dissipate internal heat from the heater load as well as the terminations to them surviving or there may be similar overheating problems.
How many fires were caused by the appliance?
More than 15,700 fires were clearly attributable to those problems, and much of the remainder probably were because the appliance was identified as the primary source of ignition, with contributing causes listed as “none” or “undetermined.”.
How many fires are related to cooking equipment?
Forty percent of home fires relate to cooking equipment, the CPSC says. Since at least the mid-1980s, engineers have been trying to come up with a technology that would detect fires before they start, for example, by monitoring stovetop temperatures, which are a reliable indicator of pending ignition.
What is the largest national database of fires?
The most incidents were attributed to ranges, followed by dryers, air conditioners, refrigerators, and dishwashers. The NFIRS is the largest national database of fires, but participation is voluntary and varies yearly, so it was not possible to use that data alone to determine national trends over time.
How many fires did clothes dryers have?
Early-warning technologies are possible for some appliances, such as clothes dryers, which had 13,723 fires in our analysis of NFIRS data.
Who started Kitchen Aid Fire?
He contacted Whirlpool, which he says refused to investigate or to refund the cost of the ruined appliance. Chambers then started the website KitchenAidFire.com, which contains more than 400 consumer reports of dishwasher fires. The company’s response frustrated Elizabeth Loboa after her dishwasher caught fire.
Who wrote the book "The best manufacturers work very closely with their suppliers on everything from the design of components to their implementation
Gabor, the Baruch College professor, who wrote a biography of quality guru W. Edwards Deming, says, “The best manufacturers work very closely with their suppliers on everything from the design of components to their implementation in the final product.”.
How many fires were reported in 2015?
While the touch screens look cool, there's more circuitry in them, which could lead to a fire. According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), 501,500 structure fires were reported in the U.S. in 2015.
Why do electrical fires happen?
Electrical. Electrical fires can start in many ways. Some causes are old wiring, an overloaded electrical outlet or circuit breaker, and extension cords. The next time you plug in that extension cord or new electronic device, pay attention to your outlet.
How many candle fires were there in 2011?
Candles. While candles look nice and add ambiance to your living room, never leave them unattended. From 2007 – 2011, the NFPA reported 10,630 candle fires resulting in 115 fatalities and $418 million in property damage.
What happens if you hear a microwave running?
If you hear your microwave running, and you didn't turn it on, unplug it immediately. Microwaves: a fire hazard in your kitchen. Refrigerators. One might never think of a refrigerator being a fire risk; however, an overheated compressor or an electrical short can cause fires.
How to get rid of a grease fire?
A more expensive appliance doesn't equate to a longer life span. Develop and practice an escape plan with your family. Don't use water to put out a grease fire. Store matches and lighters out of a child’s reach. Avoid using water to extinguish a candle.
When was the first toaster invented?
In 1913 , Westinghouse debuted the first two-sided toaster. Toasters have electric elements inside that are used to brown your bread or bagel. If the toaster fails and doesn't turn off, a fire can start. Never leave a toaster unsupervised and remove the crumbs on the bottom of the toaster regularly.
Can microwaves cause fire?
They also can be very dangerous. There have been many complaints about microwaves starting on their own and causing a fire. If you hear your microwave running, and you didn't turn it on, unplug it immediately.
