Jim needed to replace the gold-tone filter on his $70 Hamilton Beach coffee maker, but the filter recommended by Hamilton Beach’s website clearly didn’t fit. When Jim called to complain, a customer service representative insisted that Jim’s coffee maker didn’t come with a gold-tone filter, and that if Jim thought otherwise, he was entirely out of luck and would need to buy a new machine.

Jim writes:

I’m writing to make you aware that Hamilton Beach is selling a product that you cannot purchase a replacement filter basket for, at all, in no way, shape, or form. It’s really too bad that we had to get this seventy dollar paperweight from Hamilton Beach before realizing how stupid we apparently are for wanting such an item. How foolish of us to think that we could actually get a replacement part for their coffee maker.

The model in question is the 47454, “Brewstation Deluxe” Coffee Maker from Hamilton Beach.

A few weeks ago after pulling the gold-tone filter for our Brewstation Deluxe from the dishwasher, I noticed that a hole had somehow been made in the metal fabric of which the filter is comprised. My wife ordered a replacement filter for the Brewstation Deluxe – the one that Hamilton Beach recommends as a replacement *on their website,* so we figured that all was in the clear. Once the replacement gold-tone filter arrived, it was immediately obvious that there was no way in Hell that this replacement was going to fit the coffeemaker. It’s too small on all sides by about 1/4″ to 3/8″ – and since the original filter basket had plastic tabs on the sides and back to make it sit flush in place, there’s no way that this replacement could possibly fit.

I called the number underneath the lid of my Brewstation Deluxe and spoke with a woman who spoke at first in a straightforward fashion, and became increasingly difficult as the point of the matter came to fruition. I asked her repeatedly if I could order a replacement filter for my Brewstation Deluxe, and her repeated answer was that the unit does not HAVE a gold-tone filter basket. I reassured her that, inside the box for my Brewstation Deluxe, was packed in plastic a gold tone filter basket that held the coffee for the coffeemaker. Again, she replied with the fact that there is no gold tone filter for the Brewmaster Deluxe.

The rest of the conversation went like this:

Me: “Ma’am, I just discarded of my damaged gold tone filter basket for my Brewstation Deluxe, model 47454.”
HB: “Sir, there is no such gold tone filter for the Brewstation Deluxe.”
Me: “I just threw mine away, which is why I am calling Hamilton Beach for a replacement.”
HB: “Sir, that model does not have a gold tone filter basket.”
Me: “Are you calling me a liar?”
HB: “Sir, that model has no replacement filter basket.”
Me: “The Hamilton beach website says that the filter that I purchased to replace my damaged one does not fit. Is the website wrong?”
HB: “The website is wrong.”
Me: “So, a customer needing a filter basket is ostensibly permanently out of luck?”
HB: “Yes.”
Me: “So, I now have a seventy dollar coffeemaker that has no replacement filter, and I have to buy another machine?”
HB: “Yes, that is correct.”

Hmmph. Well, knowing what I know now about my big ol’ seventy dollar non-coffeemaking piece of shit from Hamilton Beach, I want to make sure that other Consumerist fans don’t purchase this product. What a waste. I can rig it so that it works, but that means destroying the fifteen dollar replacement filter to make it kind-of work. What a joke. Thanks for nothing, Hamilton Beach.

I hope this helps SOMEONE, because I’m pissed about this. I like my morning coffee! Now I have a replacement filter that HB SAYS works, but does not fit at all.

Does anyone know of a DIY solution that can shrink a gold-tone filter?

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