Mr. Coffee® 5-Cup Mini Brew Switch Coffee Maker, Black

Mr. Coffee® 5-Cup Mini Brew Switch Coffee Maker, Black

By Mr. · Coffee Makers · Kitchen & Cooking

  • Compact 5-cup mini format
  • Switch operation

Lowest price seen
~$26.99 (approx.)
from $26.99 at Amazon

Prices are snapshots. Check the current price with the store.

Problems, parts and running costs

Summary

A very small manual drip brewer that makes about two normal mugs, controlled by a single illuminated on/off switch. Check the model number before you buy: this revision has no automatic shutoff, and the warming plate stays on until you reach over and turn it off.

Strengths

  • Small footprint that fits a tight counter, a dorm room or a small office.
  • One switch and nothing else to learn.
  • Basket, carafe and lid all come out and go in the sink.
  • Grab-a-Cup lets you pour the first cup before the pot finishes.
  • No proprietary filters or pods; running cost is coffee and cheap paper filters.
  • One-year limited warranty on the current US switch model.

Weaknesses

  • No automatic shutoff on this revision, so the plate keeps heating until you switch it off yourself.
  • TechGearLab’s first pot took about nine minutes, later pots about eight.
  • Brew temperature dropped on consecutive pots and the coffee tasted weak at the maker’s suggested grounds ratio.
  • Owners repeatedly report the switch or heater failing within weeks or months, and leaks from the reservoir or bottom.
  • Plastic parts and the carafe feel thin, and no compatible replacement carafe is confirmed for this revision.

Verified specifications

Capacity25 fl oz, five 5-oz coffee-industry cups.
Power110 V, 650 W.
Controlsilluminated manual on/off switch. No timer, no clock, no automatic shutoff on this revision.
PauseGrab-a-Cup Auto Pause, so you can pull the carafe mid-brew.
Basketremovable Lift & Clean brew basket, hand-washable. Paper 4–5-cup basket filters are the consumable; no reusable filter is included.
Carafeglass, hand-washable, with a lid.
Housingplastic.
Grindsground coffee only.
Water-level window on the side.
Cord lengthabout 24 in.
Dimensions7.3 × 9.9 × 10.7 in.
In the boxcoffeemaker and glass carafe.
Full research notes and sources

Five cups means two mugs

The five-cup rating uses5-oz coffee-industry cups, which adds up to 25 fl oz. Count on roughly two 12-oz mugs and no more. That is a genuine feature for anyone who lives alone or works at a desk, and it is the reason this machine exists, but it is also the reason it is not a five-person brewer. Owners are broadly positive about size, simple controls and easy cleaning, and praise pouring before the pot finishes.

Brew quality

Independent testing is not flattering. TechGearLab found no pre-infusion, lower brewing temperatures on the second and later pots, weak coffee when the maker’s grounds ratio was followed, and some dripping even with the carafe lifted out despite the pause feature. Its conclusion was that the machine works but that cup quality is unremarkable. Treat this as a quantity brewer rather than a taste-first one.

Leaks and early failures

The recurring owner complaints cluster around two things: the unit stops brewing or the switch fails within a few months, and water escapes from the reservoir or the base. Recent retailer reviews for the same black switch listing include a bottom leak and a failure at fifteen months; other owner excerpts describe two failures inside roughly seven to ten months and a switch failure around a year. These are independent recurring signals, not a measured failure rate, so treat them as a known risk rather than a defect you can count on. Left-handed owners also complain that the side-hinged lid is awkward to open. Nobody has published a durability test for this exact revision.

Upkeep and repairs

Hand-wash the basket, carafe and lid, and descale the reservoir periodically, the same as any drip brewer. Beyond that there is little to do. There is no evidence of economical component-level repair, and since switch, heater and reservoir failures are the reported ones, a replacement machine is usually the sensible call at this size and construction. A confirmed compatible replacement carafe part number for this revision could not be established.

Is it worth it?

Buy it on sale. On a deep discount it is hard to argue with for someone who wants two mugs and no learning curve. At its regular shelf price the case weakens: other basic five-cup brewers in the same bracket add an automatic shutoff, and losing your attention to a hot plate is a real irritation. Its strongest case is footprint and simplicity, not brew precision or durability. Check the store panel above for current prices.

Which model this is

This page covers the black non-programmable switch model2129512, ASIN B08QD33PZ2, UPC 00053891137478. Newer stock with the same product name and design appears in other retail channels as model 2211804 (UPC 053891177313), and Walmart variant text shows 2134286 for white. The features match, but at least one brand answer on the newer listing claims the warming plate shuts off after two hours, while this revision’s own listing copy and independent testing show manual shutoff only. Do not merge it with the programmable Mini Brew, which is a different machine and does have a two-hour shutoff.

Sources

Manufacturer:

Independent reviews:

Owner reports:

Buying guides for this category

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