Brief cases: getting a refund for a faulty coffee machine

Presumably somewhere a machine like this would declare the temperature at which coffee was made. Not meeting this temperature would fail the requirement of the CRA – goods not as described. It is a pity that JLP were not initially helpful; once they would have been on the customer’s side but their attitude seems to be changing.

At least this case shows that mentioning the CRA works. A pity it is not much more widely publicised and promoted as the customers protection.

Stores can be prosecuted for denying customers their rights. Perhaps if this were tested it might wake up delinquent retailers to their responsibilities in law.

I have had no trouble with the temperature of tasty coffee made in my John Lewis cafetiere that cost just £15 🙂

It seems to me that perhaps IF we kept a score for all those firms that denied the CRA it might provide an embarrassing reminder – and a public one – who are the real rogues.

There is a more interesting point here . Water temperature is measurable. JL and Nespresso presumably can tell customers how hot the water should be. Kenneth could measure it himself or take it to the John Lewis store. So we have an article extolling the benefits of talking to Which? Legal but totally misses the point that this refund could have been based entirely on fact.

The questions left are, are the JL demo machines tweaked and/or, are the products rather variable in the operating temperatures.

Spot on with temperature Malcolm as anything less can produce a weaker (paler) cup of coffee. According to some coffee connoisseurs it’s OK to boil the water as long as you let it cool to between 195 – 205 Farenheit before brewing so a thermometer is required to get it exactLy right. But to allow the water to boil for a long time before pouring is a definite no no.

A useful piece of advice that I may have learned from Which? is to seek advice on the suitability of products before purchase. Generally, shops are prepared to dig out the instruction manual for a product so that I can check specifications. Looking at manufacturers’ websites is a great help but they don’t always have all the information supplied with the goods. If you have confirmed that a product is suitable for your needs it is much easier to return it as unsuitable if you have taken advice and noted who gave it.

We often criticise retailers but in my experience they are often very good at exchanging recently purchased goods that don’t perform well. At one time it was very difficult to get an exchange if goods have been used or even unpackaged.

I use Which? recommendations as well as doing my own research to sort out the “wheat from the chaff”. I trust Which? to look at products critically for not only performance, but build quality and likely durability. These can be very difficult to assess ourselves for products where much of what matters is concealed.

Which? is important to consumers. I am critical of its operation and agendas from time time time (some may have noticed) but that is not to put Which? down but to hope that. if others agree, it can help perhaps raise its game. Consumers are the biggest pressure group there is and they to be adequately represented.

Which? (CA) should contribute to the formulation of consumer law, like the CRA, and be prepared to use the legal provisions available to get fair play, when necessary.

I have a Nespresso machine that is used daily inc milk attachment. It’s delivers great coffee everyday.

John Lewis gave me the “run around ” some years ago with a Dualit coffee machine. I sorted it by dealing with Dualit direct. They were very helpful. They paid to have it collected, repaired & returned. I can’t remember the details but I seem to remember that John Lewis should have taken the problem on board but weren’t interested, in other words I’d bought it , it was my problem. I DON’T buy from them anymore.
Sainsburies are brilliant in that regard by the way. Keep your receipt that’s all & exchange is immediate.

But was the machine actually faulty? Nespresso said it wasn’t. Perhaps the user was at fault?

When using our 3-year-old Nespresso machine (with which we’re delighted), we run a small quantity of hot water into each cup before starting. That warms not only the cups but also the machine. It isn’t reasonable to expect a cold machine to produce an espresso-size quantity of coffee in cold cups and get hot coffee.

I feel quite sorry for both John Lewis and Nespresso.