Krups Botches Coffeemaker Repair, Replaces Shorted-Out Appliance

The Krups XP2070 is not a cheap coffee maker. Trevor received his as a gift two years ago. It sold for around $300 then, and it would be reasonable to expect the appliance to work for more than a year. While Krups accepted the machine for repairs, fixed it, and then graciously extended the warranty when it failed again. Trevor determined that the root problem with his XP2070 hadn’t been fixed during either repair, and it had been returned to him to break again. Was he stuck shopping for a new coffeemaker?

He wrote to Consumerist:

I was given a Krups XP2070 Coffee/Espresso Combination machine as a gift in September 2009. It worked wonderfully for us until approximately October 2010, at which point the machine failed to turn on. Krups CS graciously extended our warranty by 60 days and we sent it back for repairs. When it was returned to us, it worked for approximately 6 months, and in February 2011 it again failed to turn on. Again Krups CS agreed to extend the warranty and again they made the exact same repair they made the previous time.

Now this week, again my Krups device is no longer working. On my own, I’ve determined that the espresso water is leaking out of the machine and shorting the system. However, when I explained to the CSR (and manager) I spoke with that they’ve made the incorrect repair twice now and would have to make the correct repair this time, they refused, stating that the warranty has long since expired and they have extended it for me before.

I agree that Krups has been gracious in extending the warranty for me in the past, however they did not make the correct repairs and therefore the problem persists. Krups should either 1) repair my product in a satisfactory way so that it works for more than 6-8 months at a time, 2) replace my product for a brand-new unit that does not have these problems or 3) give me a full refund for this product.

Great complaint letter. No rambling, explains what happened and Trevor’s desired result. The best part: it worked. At the same time that he wrote to us, Trevor sent this same letter off to the CEO of Krups USA. I was getting this story ready for posting when this update came in:

I sent a letter yesterday detailing my issues with a combination coffee/espresso machine that was given to me as a gift. It was sent to the CEO of Krups USA and the president of Groupe SEB North America (their parent company), who apparently forwarded it on. Here’s the response I got this morning from someone who had obviously been sent the email from the president of North America:

I am in receipt of your email to Mr. Lixfeld dated 11 OCT 2011. After reviewing your comments I agree that some action needs to be taken to remedy the situation, and restore your confidence in the Krups brand. I have authorized the Krups After Sales department to send you a new combi model XP2280. This new product will be shipped directly to your home address of [address removed]. If this address is not correct please let me know. I believe you will be satisfied with this new model and improved function. If you have any further questions or concerns, feel free to contact me directly.

Hooray! Enjoy your delicious espresso of victory, Trevor.

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