Really, consumer-grade coffee makers aren't intended to stay on for days at a time. You need commercial machines for that, all metal and glass, that won't be a fire hazard or have melting plastic. Some facilities have strict rules about that.
The problem is that those companies are notoriously cheap. They won't buy coffee makers or poorly maintain them and their managers are trained to act like callous idiots when questioned about it. Really, in general, most employee disatisfaction comes from managers and executives acting like callous idiots instead of actually trying to solve problems.
Managers and executives are usually trying to solve problems, but generally not the problems of people below them on the org chart.
Generally, org charts are designed so that the people whose problems you are expected to (and held accountable for) working to solve are above, not below.
I always remember that the best way to succeed is not to do a good job, but to do whatever will help my boss; either make him look good, or take some burden off of his shoulders. It's cynical as hell, but that's how life is in corporate life.
1. If they're not meant to stay on how come most of them have clocks?
2. Many machines no longer warm the coffee by using a heating element underneath a glass carafe, they've switched this out for insulated carafes (no glass) which tend to work better anyway.
https://www.nbcnews.com/select/shopping/best-coffee-makers-b...
Specifically so that the machine is not on until a set time.
If you wanted the heating pad to be perpetually on, there would be no need for a clock. The clock is so that you can have it start brewing later.
The hand wringing is not necessary.
Surely a coffee maker would get a break in the afternoon/evening? I agree that using it at a duty cycle higher than it was designed might be an issue, but unless you have the entire floor share one machine it should be fine.
I know a lot of people who drink coffee all afternoon. Plus, they won't hesitate to dump and rebrew a pot if its been warming too long.
My circa-2002 Mr. Coffee brand drip coffee marker has an automatic cut-off. I have never bothered measuring it precisely, but I think it cuts off at around an hour and a half or two hours after being turned on. Believe me, there have been many times I put on a pot of coffee, got "in the zone" working on some code, got up a while later, walked in the kitchen, and found the pot of coffee stone cold. Much to my dismay. Although as a former firefighter, I do understand the intent behind this, and I can't really be mad about it.
"One-Hour Auto Shut-Off – Keeps your coffee warm for 1 hour after you brew, then automatically turns off."
Edit: In the US, for sure. Like most of the ones on Amazon right now that are under $30.
I inherited an older Moccamaster, which does not have the timeout, and the newer one went straight to storage. Unfortunately the old button without a timer is not sold as a spare anymore, or I would have "downgraded" the newer machine.
I personally can't stand the taste of 'cooked' coffee. I'll grind and make another mug when needed in an espresso coffee maker. Doesn't take long at all. Mine is manual but you can have automatic machine to shave off even more time.
I wonder EU have that 40 min cut off is due to their high voltage/amperage?
The only I know that consumer coffee maker don't have the auto shut off is the one that have a rocking switch and they are normally the most basic kind ($10 - $30 USD).
The plants had large office staffs, so having different rules for offices was more complex, and the culture of uniformity was a thing for them.