This morning, after receiving over 200 reports of hot liquid spraying from the brewer of their single-serve coffee makers, Keurig (produced by Green Mountain Inc.) issued the recall of over 7 million machines as consumers entered the final leg of the holiday season. And while the reports may not seem like a cause for concern, over 90 burn-related injuries, the company is taking every precaution to recall the faulty equipment.
The malfunction is identified in the Mini Plus brewer made prior to July 2014. In their recall notice, Keurig says, "You can continue to use your brewer. [However], we recommend you avoid brewing more than two cups in rapid succession and maintain an arm's length distance from the brewer during the brewing process." Keurig found that the instance is more likely to occur when more than two cups of coffee are brewed in rapid succession, causing the machine to overheat and spray hot liquid.
Affected machines may have been purchased from a number of retailers, so the best way to know if your machine has been recalled is to check the serial and model number found printed on the bottom of the machine. Those with the model number K10 and serial number beginning with "31" are subject to the recall.
Customers with the affected machines can contact Keurig Customer Care to receive a free repair kit that fixes the potential issue. The Customer Care hotline is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (EST) and Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (EST). You can calso reach out via e-mail and the website at any time.
Keurig reported the incidents to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada. Now, the company is working on determining how machines have actually been affected and supplying retailers with safe models.
As an additional note, customers are asked to check serial numbers on machines that they may have purchased as gifts and act accordingly.
