Detailed Instructions for Repair of the KitchenAid Ultra 12-Cup Coffee Maker Model # KCM200 OB0

Nov 99	Purchased KitchenAid Ultra 12-Cup Coffee Maker from Chef's Catalog for $79.99 + P&H. Carafe impossible to pour from when full without dripping all over the place.
Jan 00	Sent Letter #1 to KitchenAid addressing the "dribbling" carafe.
Jan 00	Received replacement coffee maker from KitchenAid. It's carafe drips as bad as the original coffee maker. No information received concerning what to do with original coffee maker (i.e., do they want me to send it back?)
May 00	Received bill from KitchenAid for $80. Evidently, I was supposed to send the original coffee maker back (oops!).
May 00	Sent Letter #2 to KitchenAid concerning "bill" for replacement coffee maker. Informed them that I'd be sending back the original coffee maker.
May 00	Received several (supportive) emails from KitchenAid Customer Service. They confirmed my "dribbling" carafe and would like to either "buy back" the coffee maker or send me another carafe. I choose the carafe.
Jun 00	Received new carafe from KitchenAid. Still drips (dribbles) when carafe is more than 2/3's full, but not as bad as previous two carafes.
Jul - Oct	On several occasions, the filter assembly overflowed, spilling coffee & grounds into carafe, on to counter, and even on to the floor a few times. We've been using the same coffee & filters as always.
9 Oct 00	Filter assembly overflowed -- coffee & grounds all over the counter, in the carafe and on the floor. I followed the above 10 steps for disassembly of the KitchenAid Ultra 12-Cup coffee maker. Picked up all pieces, put in original box, and wrapped for shipping.
10 Oct 00	Sent Letter #3 and photos to KitchenAid, along with the remaining "pieces" of the coffee maker.
11 Oct 00	Sent email to KitchenAid, giving them a heads-up concerning the "inbound" coffee maker pieces.
12 Oct 00	Rec'd email from KitchenAid. They offered to either replace the coffee maker or buy it back. (Now THAT'S Customer Service!!!!)
13 Oct 00	Sent email to KitchenAid stating that they were not obligated to replace or buy back a coffee maker that I destroyed.
13 Oct 00	Received email from KitchenAid. They're going to replace the coffee maker, but thoroughly test it out first. (Amazing!)
14 Oct 00	Sent email to KitchenAid with some details about the type of coffee we're using and to see if they want me to send the dripping carafes back.
22 Oct 00	Uh-Oh.... Haven't heard a word back from KitchenAid. Maybe they changed their mind about replacing the coffee maker? (or maybe they just saw this web page?)
27 Oct 00	Received email from KitchenAid. They've offered to buy back the coffee maker. I just have to send them the receipt.
16 Nov 00	Two engineers from KitchenAid flew out to visit us from St. Joseph, Michigan. They brought with them a new Ultra coffee maker (an upgrade from our previous one) to leave with us and performed tests on our water, power, coffee we use, and the coffee maker itself. (Can you believe that a company still exists that performs this level of customer service???) The new coffee maker had a redesigned carafe that pours much better (although this one was defective & still dripped a little). As for the overflowing filter assembly, apparently our coffee was ground too fine and was clogging the filter. They're going to send us another redesigned carafe as soon as they return. In the mean time, I bought a new Capresso coffee grinder to see if it would correct the overflowing problem.
5 Dec 00	Received new (redesigned) carafe from KitchenAid. This one is DEFINITELY a keeper! Doesn't drip one single bit, even when pouring from a completely full carafe! HAT'S OFF TO YOU, KITCHENAID!!!
Summer 2001	Went back to the Mr. Coffee coffee maker. The KitchenAid carafe started dripping again (leaking under plastic rim) and the coffee maker overflowed on several occasions, even though we're now using the new Capresso coffee grinder. Oh well... at least they tried, eh? It did make one fine pot of coffee... I'm just tired of cleaning it off the floor and counter.
Spring 2003	Due to breakage of the Mr. Coffee carafe, we brought the KitchenAid Ultra Coffee Maker out of retirement. We used different filters this time, as we couldn't find the old ones, and guess what? The coffee maker doesn't overflow anymore!!! To think that all this time it was just the ultra-cheap filters we were using that was probably causing the overflowing problem (actually, when you think about it, it's a rather obvious solution). Now I REALLY feel bad! We've been using the KitchenAid Ultra Coffee Maker now for over 2 months, and it hasn't overflowed once. Other than the dripping & "difficult to pour when full" carafe, this is one FINE coffee maker!