Sunbeam 6131 Hot Shot Hot Water Dispenser
by Sunbeam
|
List Price: Our Price: $10.87 Category: Kitchen See more product details |
|---|
(Click here)
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Sunbeam 6131 Hot Shot Hot Water Dispenser
Customer Review: Lasted only -7 MONTHS
Summary: 1 Stars
I got this for my dorm in September. It worked great for tea, cup of noodles, instant coffee and was super-fast to use. Then a couple of days ago, as it was heating up, a very strong "burning plastic" smell occurred. The steam was omitting this smell, but I couldn't figure out what was the cause. I rinsed it out and tried it a couple hours later--same strong burning plastic smell. Since this renders the water totally useless (tasting and smelling like plastic), it's now shot. Unfortunately I don't have the box or the receipt, so I can't take it back. The heating compartment/area is metal, so I don't know what's going on there.
Even though this worked so great and I loved it, it didn't even last the whole school year. 7 months is just too short for something to go wrong. I really wish another brand made a quality version of this one, because all I need at a time is 1-2 cups of hot water, not a whole pot/kettle. Other reviewers say the original models were great, which only makes me more upset.
Do yourself a favor, and find something of quality. If you're going for cheap, like I was, it should at least last the whole school year! This isn't the answer.
**UPDATE 7-9-2010
I had still yet to throw this out since it didn't work anymore, but I decided to contact Sunbeam's customer service to figure out exactly why the problem even existed. I emailed them about the 'burning plastic' smell I'd been having, and to my surprise they responded by sending a brand new one my way, which will arrive in 2-3 weeks. Of course, I still don't know what the problem is, and in their email they said that problems are 'few and far between.' However I'm impressed with their service and am happy to try out a brand new one again. I'm hoping this new one lasts far longer and doesn't have any problems. If there are, well, I'll re-edit this review. But it's good to know Sunbeam's a company that stands by its product.
Customer Review: Basically you rent this, you don't own it
Summary: 1 Stars
Amazon didn't publish my last review so I am rewriting it from memory.
I owned this for 150 days and then it quit. We took it apart, basically this design is living on borrowed time as the unit will eventually fail.
Sunbeam placed the actual electronic switch below the aluminum bowl part and on top of the plastic housing. The grey button on the top is nothing more than a lever to another piece that actually depresses the electronic switch below the aluminum bowl. The real electronic switch is less than an inch from where the water flows from the aluminum bowl and out the dispenser. That switch, also sits right next to the heating element. Now you don't need to be an engineer to know that electronics don't care for heat and they don't care for water. In our case the heat killed the electronic "on" switch. I am not sure where the previous model's (3211) actual "on" switch was, but it had to be in a smarter location that this for it to last TEN years.
So the old design, built in the US apparently lasted 10 years and the new design, made in China lasted 150 days. I should have read the 1-star reviews as I would have found that just about every owner of the previous model have had nothing but bad experience with this model. Don't discount the opinions of those that owned the previous model. I don't think I will ever buy another Sunbeam product again, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
P.S. The only reason we replaced our ten year old 3211 model was because the rubber or plastic seal in the dispenser part had worn out and the unit would leak while dispensing.
Customer Review: handy, but porr quality
Summary: 1 Stars
I purchased model 6142 which looks exactly like this model only mine came with a red bowl. Not very handy, since it didn't have a handle and got hot quickly when filled with water. It leaks from the dispenser spout unless I pull up hard on the gray dispensing button after I dispense the water. This model also broke within a month of light usage (1-2 times/day). It just stopped working in the middle of heating some water. It was never dropped or abused, so it is definitely a quality issue. We had a hot shot when I was growing up and it lasted for years and years of daily use and we had 3 tea drinkers in the house at that time instead of just one. I would not buy this product again, even if it is convenient.Customer Review: Trash
Summary: 1 Stars
Another piece of junk from China! I had the original model in white that was made in the USA, and it lasted twelve years, and worked perfectly. This unit lacks the quality and features of the older model, and leaks as other reviews have indicated. It also does not heat to the temperature as the original. Stay away from this product. The Sunbeam name means nothing now.Customer Review: What a nasty metal taste
Summary: 1 Stars
I recieved one of these I would have to say in 1987(original model). A few years ago it died and my family has had several since(a different model than the original and the newest). But this new model is terrible, my mom's the gray pour handle fell out of it and mine when it heats the water everything gets this awful metal taste. Come on Sunbeam this is really sad.