Coffee is America's favorite noncarbonated beverage. It became increasingly so when electric coffee makers started coming home--probably right after electricity was invented. Today's household coffee makers have evolved to where they are simple in design, nearly problem free, and inexpensive to replace. Even so, things can go wrong--and you can fix them!

How Does It Work?

Some coffee makers use special fasteners that require unique screwdrivers.

A coffee maker, also known as a coffee pot, is a small heating appliance designed for brewing coffee from ground beans. The two types of electric coffee makers are drip and percolator. Drip coffee makers heat water and pump it to drip through the coffee basket and into a carafe. Percolator coffee makers heat water into steam that pushes the hot water up a tube where it falls through the coffee basket and into the main compartment. Coffee makers use switches to turn on and regulate electricity for heating water, and controllers for warming elements in the base that maintain heat in the coffee. Quite simple.

What Can Go Wrong?

Electric cords, switches, timers, thermostats, and heating elements can become inoperable or cause an electric short that damages components. Some coffee makers have fuses that will blow before damage can be done.

Fix-It Tip

Basic maintenance can minimize repairs. Periodically brew a batch of water without the grounds, adding a small amount of vinegar to the water to neutralize accumulated acids. In addition, if you live in an area that has hard tap water, only use distilled or filtered water in your coffee maker. Not only will it last longer, the coffee will also taste better.