[OT] Coffeepot temperature

There were a number of postings on the tort suit McDonalds lost because their coffee was too hot, at 180 degrees F, scalding a woman who tried to hold the cup between her legs in the car.

We just got a brand new Krups coffeemaker, and I got curious, and measured the coffee temperature. It's 180 degrees F, just like the coffee books recommend.

Think someone will sue Krups?

Joe Gwinn

Reply to
Joseph Gwinn
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Do they have as much money as McDonalds?

Reply to
Nick Hull

More or less.

Joe Gwinn

Reply to
Joseph Gwinn

I doubt anyone will sue.

However, will you, now knowing the coffee is hot enough to quickly scald, serve your grandmother a fresh, full, covered styrofoam cup? When she's used to cooler coffee? Especially when you know the top of the cup sticks? As she's getting into a car? And not warn her?

Only an asshole would do such a thing, right?

Is it different if it's not YOUR grandmother?

Is this understandable by the average, prudent person?

dennis in nca

Reply to
rigger

I personally don't want coffee that is less than 180. It just isn't coffee if it's anything less.

When I purchase a new coffee maker, I will test the temp. and return it for a different brand if it isn't 180. So far Mr. Coffee has been returned and I don't remember the make of another. Right now I'm using a Proctor Sylex and it is the best in temp and ease of operation for the programmable clock/timer. BTW, I got it at a Thrift Store for a couple bucks, just needed a pot which I found on the next shelf for another couple bucks. And sure enough, the gal at the counter offered to exchange it if it didn't get hot enough.

Can't complain and now I'm spoiled by a $5 bargain..

Steve

Reply to
Steve

============= If Krupps implies that the coffee is ready to drink as it comes out of their machine and people were getting scalded or worse every day, sure. People are aware that the coffee is too hot to drink as it comes out of the maker. People are not aware that the coffee is scalding and too hot to drink, when it is sold to them in a cup as a ready to go drink. Why did the scalding problem go away after McD's got their chops busted? If you sell food that is apparently ready to eat/drink, it had better be ready to eat/drink, especially after you have injured literally hundreds of people.

Uncle George

Reply to
F. George McDuffee

Coffe is ready to drink at 180 degrees F. Maybe not ready for taking big gulps, but coffee is something to be sipped and savored. Certainly it is not something intended to be dumped in your crotch. Cold coffee is not something that I like. I never was a great fan of McD's, but now their coffee too cold to enjoy.

Dan

Reply to
dcaster

The US Navy (which buys, roasts, and grinds its own beans) says hold coffee at 160 degF. The oils in coffee breakdown rapidly above that temp. I've had Navy coffee- it's great.

-Carl

Reply to
Carl Byrns

I drink coffee (usually bought) and hot tea (usually made). I just measured a cup of tea after making it and removing the bag, in the cup. 202°F on my digital thermocouple meter.

As to coffee, I expect to be able to buy it 1/2 hour before gametime, take it to a hockey arena and still have it at a drinkable temperature at least through the first period. Or for it to stay hot through reading the Sunday newspaper. Lukewarm food and drink should be limited to infants and others who are unable to take care of themselves.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

Reply to
Spehro Pefhany

Krups implies that coffee comes out, but makes no mention of when to drink it. One assumes that Krups thinks that the rest is obvious; coffee has been widely consumed in Europe since the 1600s, although it was known at least since 1000 AD in the Arabic world.

Actually, if it came out any cooler, the coffemaker wouldn't make very good coffee, and back it would go. You simply cannot brew coffee at 135 degrees F.

And tea needs to be even hotter, just under boiling, at least 20 degrees hotter than for coffee. The rule has always been that the water had to be "boilin mad" before pouring onto the tea leaves.

Because they were forced to lower it to 135 degrees F, if I recall. That's pretty cool, so even the careless are safe.

I would have improved the coffee cups if I did anything.

It's 700 claims over ten years, or 70 per year [Lawyers]. McDonalds serves a billion cups of coffee per year, so the incidence is not large:

10^2/10^9= 10^-7, or one every ten million cups of coffee.

For comparison, an average of 82 people per year are killed by lightning [CDC].

In other words, the adult entire population is being treated like children because one in ten million is childish.

By the same token, no civilian should be permitted to possess or use metalworking equipment -- after all, people have been maimed or even killed by such equipment, and the incidence is orders of magnitude higher than one in ten million metalworkers.

Joe Gwinn

Refs:

[Lawyers] [CDC]
Reply to
Joseph Gwinn

What counts is the public perception of wealth; people see McDonalds everywhere (even though most are not corporate owned) but who has seen a Krups sign?

Reply to
Nick Hull

If your referring to coffee in the enlisted crews Mess, I have to respectfully disagree.

I did 23 years in the US Navy and 10 of that was as an enlisted man, suffering with that horrible mess deck coffee. The best thing about moving to the Chiefs Mess and eventually to the Ward Room was the much improved coffee.

I believe their problem was that steam was used to provide the heat and once it was brewed, the steam jacket around the pot continued at too high a temp. It always tasted like it had been scorched, similar to leaving a coffee pot on the burner all day (old days).

I don't know what the actual temp of Auxiliary Steam is but I know the Navy cooks use it to heat water to boiling temp in the kettles. It could be that coffee temp is going much higher than 160 degrees. Or even the 180 that I prefer.

However, I could always find a good cup of coffee in the private messes and work shops. Same coffee grounds but made in a one gallon or so percolator pot.

Or if you work real hard and are an officer or a chief, you might get coffee in one of these messes that is brewed in smaller pots on a hot plate. The same type as in a restaurant.

Sorry Carl, I just can't agree. It's been 29 years since I retired and I still have the nasty taste in my mouth and coffee stains on my teeth.

Reply to
Steve

My point exactly. I love to just "Sip and Savor". It the coffee is at a lower temp. I seem to gulp it down and never seem to enjoy it.

Steve

Reply to
Steve

Joseph Gwinn pointed out:

serves a billion cups of coffee per year, so the incidence is not large:

10^2/10^9= 10^-7, or one every ten million cups of coffee.<

children because one in ten million is childish.<

So then you would agree with the Ford Motor Company in their original accessment of the Pinto "situation" right? No need to improve safety as long as the people (and families) being burned up were a "small" number and it wouldn't have a big negative affect on finances. No need to actually "WARN" anyone their car (whether full of children?) had defects. The wonderful executives at Ford wouldn't want anyone to feel they were being "childish", right?

metalworking equipment -- after all, people have been maimed or even killed by such equipment, and the incidence is orders of magnitude higher than one in ten million metalworkers.<

Do you *really* think this is the same as putting the average citizen (man, woman, child, handicapped, etc.) in harms way?

Perhaps a better analogy?

dennis in nca

Reply to
rigger

You probably don't serve it in styrofoam cups -- at least I hope you don't. Just pouring it into a non-preheated mug will chill it well below 180. You probably also don't use snap-top lids.

I make tea in the microwave for that reason. The water in my mug is boiling when I take it out of the nuke and drop in the tea infuser -- which has very little thermal mass.

Reply to
Don Foreman

Reply to
Don Foreman

On 16 Jan 2006 08:53:42 -0800, with neither quill nor qualm, "rigger" quickly quoth:

Show me a car manufacturer who states that their cars are safe under any and all (seen and unforseen) conditions and I'll give you that one. But I doubt you'll find one.

Nobody put people in harm's way, Dennis. IMHO, what happens to a car during or after a collision is up to fate.

You Liberals want to make everything which happens in life to be safe and you want to use OUR money to do it. I disagree and feel that what you promote is not right, just, or fair. Tell you what, let's make 2 different sets of rules. Those of you who want everything safe and cozy can have it for yourselves and YOU pay for it.

The rest of us will _party_on_, living much happier (though possibly shorter) lives. We'd much rather be living happy daily lives vs. being cocooned in banal shells devoid of any interesting happenings, thanks. BTW, not too many of you Libs will be able to afford your ideal life without all of our hard-earned money. So sorry. ;)

P.S: With those attitudes, you should move from aol to webtv.

This sig's for you:

Reply to
Larry Jaques

Well, ok for tea, I suppose, but I really dislike microwaved coffee...

Reply to
Richard Lamb

I don't think it's okay for tea, but I don't use an infuser. Bags seem to froth up all over the place because of the air in the water. The kettle (a 'Kenmore Elite' Euro-style type, but with our inferior 120V power it takes longer to heat) boils the air out so you get nice still tea with no froth. Instant coffee froths up too.

Wifey got suckered into buying this automated coffee thingie which takes little cartridges for espresso, hot chocoloate, tea etc. Reads a bar code and prepares the beverage accordingly. The inkjet printer principle brought to coffeemakers. 8-(

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

Reply to
Spehro Pefhany

Reply to
Mike Berger

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