Our normal coffee maker shuts off automatically, and I didn’t realize the one I was using last night didn’t, and my dad was seriously annoyed with me that it had been left on all night and said it could have caused a fire. Is that really true? Could a small coffee maker REALLY have the potential of causing a fire?
13 Answers
In reality ….no
Several things would have to go wrong in order for it to start a fire. The warmer control would have to fail ….not just fail, but fail in the closed position. Then the casing would have to melt down ……then the burner would have to melt through the laminate {if you have laminate counters} and get hot enough ignite the MDF.
What your Dad is saying is “be careful & be aware ….. Please do not go to him with this information ….that will start a fire
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Could a coffee maker accidentally left on all night really be such a huge fire hazard?
Our normal coffee maker shuts off automatically, and I didn't realize the one I was using last night didn't, and my dad was seriously annoyed with me that it had been left on all night and said it could have caused a fire. Is that really true? Could a small coffee maker REALLY have the…
Yes, It is possible for a coffee maker left on to be a fire hazard. I speak from experience. A few years back I had one that over heated and actually burnt the counter top where it sat. I was lucky it stopped heating all together before it set the counter on fire that time.. When my coffee maker is done brewing now I unplug it right away. When my coffee cools off I just warm a cup at a time in the microwave.. It is much safer.
Yes it is possible.
No it would more than likely ever happen.
They have built in safety devices like thermostats and fuse links and such that if something goes out of wack they basically kill themselves instead of catching fire.
On the other hand almost everyone has purchased something that didn’t work and safety devices are no different. There are faulty coffee makers that will catch fire.
I am not an appliance expert, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving a heated appliance on when no one is home. When left on the burner gets hot, if the appliance should short out, that plastic will flame up really good, catching the cabinets or the curtains on fire rather quickly.
I seriously doubt that it would cause a fire, but I suppose anything is possible. Coffee pots, along with a lot of other appliances are equipped with a thermal fuse. If the thermostat in the appliance fails, and the appliance gets too hot the thermal fuse will melt, and shut the current off to the appliance. Here is a site that explains thermal fuses: http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4969160_thermal-fuse-… …Good Luck…
Any thing is possible and you might get away with it today but tomorrow it could all go wrong. Play it safe at all times. Just take what dad gives you and learn to protect yourself because that’s what he’s teaching you to do is be responsible and think. We all make mistakes and often times mistakes are good because it teaches us to do better.
It is possible, especially if the coffee pot had no liquid in it. Also possible that coffee makers have a built it safety device to shut themselves off if this occurs; not sure though….Dad will get over it :]
Leaving Coffee Pot On
You never know. Probaly not, because it;s a small appliance, but don;t take any chance sin the future. make sure its turned off next time.