In this article, I will discuss all the known problems with the on/off of the Keurig coffee maker. From when we cannot turn it on to when it shuts off while brewing a coffee.
The first thing you should do if your Keurig coffee maker does not turn on is to check that the power cord is properly plugged in and if other appliances work in that outlet. I know it seems like an obvious check, but we often overlook the basics without realizing that the solution is much easier than it seems.
An easy (but lucky) way to get your Keurig to turn on!
The method we will explain below does not always work, but in many cases, it does, so it is worth a try. It usually works best with older Keurig brewers.
- Turn off and unplug your coffee maker.
- Press and hold the on/off button without releasing it.
- Plug the coffee maker back into the power outlet.
- Finally, release the on/off button.
- Repeat the operation several times if it does not work the first time.
A more complicated way to make your Keurig turn on! (but still simple)
In Keurig coffee makers, the thermostat has a safety feature to cut off power to the entire coffee maker when dangerous overheating occurs.
Normally the thermostat cuts off power to the heating element once the ideal brewing temperature is reached. However, this thermostat has a second safety option that cuts off power to the control board and, therefore, to the entire brewer.
Fortunately, this thermostat has a small hole to reset it. With a paper clip, you can press on the hole, and the coffee maker will return to normal operation if there is no major fault.
Here is the process you will have to follow to reset the thermostat, where you will have to disassemble the coffee maker to solve the problem:
- Turn off and unplug the Keurig.
- Remove the water tank.
- Remove the drip tray.
- Disassemble the coffee maker.
- Locate the thermostat inside the machine and verify that it is in good condition on the outside.
- With the help of a multimeter, check that there is continuity in the thermostat.
- Insert a paper clip through the hole in the center of the thermostat to reset it.
- Check continuity again.
- Reassemble the Keurig.
- Try to prepare a coffee, and the problem will be solved if it works correctly. Otherwise, it will be a more complex fault (Keep reading).
Explanatory video:
Why does the Keurig coffee maker turn off while brewing coffee?
Keurig coffee makers are smart appliances and will always try to protect the user from possible accidents. At first glance, the activation of safety measures may appear to be a malfunction.
With this in mind, it will be very easy to understand the cases in which the Keurig suddenly shuts itself off while preparing our morning coffee.
Overheating of the heating element
In the previous section, we saw how there was an overheating that caused our Keurig to not turn back on until we manually reset the thermostat. This is an extreme case since, normally, the thermostat should reset itself.
When the coffee maker reaches a temperature much higher than the brewing temperature, it turns itself off by acting on the thermostat to protect the user. It should turn itself on if all goes well once it cools down. Otherwise, you should act as indicated in the section above.
Problems with coffee capsule perforation
I have already explained in this blog many times that to obtain a quality espresso, a capsule coffee machine must inject hot water at a minimum pressure of 9 bars into the coffee capsule.
But the water cannot go into the capsule without coming out of the other end into the cup. If this were to happen, we would have an explosion of hot water and coffee in our coffee maker (we have already seen this problem with Tassimo coffee makers).
So, what our Keurig does, is to turn off the machine when it detects an increase in pressure that is too great. In this way, the coffee maker protects us from burns.
Programmed auto shutdown
Some Keurig coffee makers can program an auto shut-off of the machine. And although it should not happen this way, even if the machine is in the middle of coffee preparation, it shuts off when the indicated time arrives.
This is a fault that Keurig should solve because although it is not serious, it often becomes a bother.
Desalination of the water tank magnet
Sometimes it happens that the Keurig does not detect the water tank magnet, and although, in this case, it should only stop the preparation of coffee, sometimes the coffee maker shuts off completely.
To restart the Keurig, remove the water tank and put it back in place.
