How do know when your coffee maker is kaput?

If you don't use the program setting, and just start it on your own, may be an option. Also, check the heat setting on the burner plate. There are so many options for dependable coffee makers, you could move to a Nespresso System, or an automatic coffee center, such as Jura or Delonghi, all three are long lasting, and worth the investment. Another option would be a pour over, such as a Chemex, and the old school French Press, both are rewarding tasting coffee, but with a little more effort. The amazing thing about coffee, is that there are so many ways to brew it, and each has it's own nuance. Good luck!

Bought another drip coffee maker and it's awful, makes mediocre cold coffee (and I like it HOT) going back to the store this weekend. Which brings me to programmable tea kettles? That might make the press more viable.

There is nothing worse than your coffee maker dying at 6am. We are happy with a French press now. This summer we cold brewed over night and really enjoyed that. We have an old electric in the pantry that we kept when we combined households - just for dinner parties if we wanted to make more than 2 cups. We've never used it.

I have one thats about 25 years old. I never use it.
I use single serve melitta cones with paper filters. Even when I'm making coffee for 2 or 3 of us. Or a hario cone over an insulated thermos. I also like French Press but I just broke the carafe.

I just don't think electric coffee makers make good coffee. It always tastes stale.

I have a Zojirushi 10-cup that I won in a contest about 15 years ago that was going strong until the LED clock went this Spring. (It had top ratings on Amazon back then). Hubby bought parts to repair and it was going strong until this past weekend. I'm now getting by on my 30 yo Krups 4-cup. The glass carafe is chipped but it still works...only if anyone else wants coffee, we have to pull out my college kid's one-mug Capresso. As desperation builds, I guess I'll pull out the French press. Or the Espresso maker. Or even the Krups plastic pour-over.
I'm starting to think I have a bit of a problem...

i am really serious about replacing appliances when malfunctioning and looking at recall lists. don't risk starting a fire with an appliance that no long acts like it should. and cut the cord before putting in trash as you don't want anyone else to have problems. do not donate to a charity or non profit. if you can't use it, don't let anyone else try.

I can wait for to boil and use a French press. It makes better coffee anyway which is what I really care about.

It bothered me that my programmable, somewhat expensive coffee pots were pooping out every 4-5 years. I hate filling up the landfill unnecessarily and it's hard to find places to recycle them. I switched back to the single serve melita filter holders and a reusable gold filter. I make just one cup at a time and I'm the only one in the house who drinks coffee (apparently I live with crazy people), so I realize this wouldn't work for everyone.

We replace ours about every 4-5 years as well. We use ours everyday and they just don't hold up like they use to. As a backup, I have a French press.

Wasteful is what the US economy is all about. But maybe you could join the campaign to bring back dumb appliances- inanimate objects asked to make decisions almost invariably go mad sooner or later. Once the logic in one of these things fails, there's not much an ordinary consumer can try but unplugging it and plugging it back in. Unless it's sturdy enough to kick.