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What does Pause and Serve Mean on a Coffee Maker

Coby McKinley Profile image

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Updated August 29, 2022

If you’re using the best coffee maker, then it is packed with features. One of the most helpful brewing cycle settings on a coffee machine is the “Pause and Serve” option. While the words might seem straightforward, you may wonder just what does pause and serve mean on a coffee maker.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • With pause and serve, you can momentarily stop your coffee machine to pour yourself a cup of freshly-brewed coffee.
  • For your machine to resume brewing, you must replace the coffee pot within 30 seconds.
  • This feature is helpful in large groups where people can serve themselves as the coffee maker replenishes the coffee over a long brew cycle.

Luckily, it isn’t high stakes for your fresh coffee, but you should still understand how to take advantage of this handy feature. So, read on to learn more.

Insider Tip

An electric coffee maker with a pause and serve function should have a coffee drip lock to stop your brew from leaking out of the liquid outlet.

What is the Pause and Serve Setting?

The Pause-Serve mechanism allows you to serve cups of coffee mid-brew. This automatic feature activates when you slide the pot away from the coffee maker housing.

As a result, your brew basket outlet will stop dripping, but the brew cycle will continue once you replace the pot on the warming plate. Keep in mind that you’ll need to replace the pot of coffee under the filter basket within 30 seconds for your machine to continue brewing.

Why Use the Pause and Serve Mechanism?

It’s no secret that the average coffee drinker wants flavorful coffee as soon as possible, and with a pause and serve mechanism, you don’t have to wait until the flow of coffee stops. It’s a must for a great-tasting, hot coffee because you can serve it as it is brewed. Without the pause-serve tool, your coffee grounds might overheat, leading to a bitter brew.

That said, this function is most useful if you plan to drink multiple cups of coffee over a prolonged period of time. If you want a smaller or stronger serving of coffee, you should read our guide to what the 1-4 cup function does on a coffee maker.

If you’d like to learn more about other things you can make using your brewing device besides coffee, read about how else you can use a coffee maker. On the other hand, if you’re using a different type of machine, you’ll want to learn how to use a Vietnamese coffee maker.

Warning

Do not touch the hot plate after you pull the coffee pot away. The warmer plate will still be too hot to touch.

F.A.Q.S

Can you run coffee through a coffee maker twice?

While it is possible, you should never pour brewed coffee back through the water reservoir housing. If you do, you risk damaging the internal lines, such as getting loose grounds stuck in the water lines of your machine. Instead, it’s best to use a stovetop or microwave to warm cold coffee.


What is a drip coffee maker?

A drip model slowly drips water onto the coffee maker brew basket and the coffee grounds. Hot water flows from the water tank, through the beans, and delicious coffee drips into the coffee pot.


Why is French press coffee bad for you?

French press coffee contains a compound called cafestol that is known to raise cholesterol levels in some people. However, filtered coffee from an automatic machine does not contain this substance.


Are single-serve coffee makers worth it?

If you live alone, you may not want to invest in a 12-cup programmable coffee maker. In most cases, a single-cup coffee maker will deliver a great drink, and they brew quickly enough to serve multiple people in rounds.


STAT: In a recent survey from Gallup, coffeehouses in the US grew by 40% from 1999 to 2005. (source)

Coby McKinley Profile image