Kitchen Small Electric Appliances - coffee maker/on switch

my coffee maker's on/off switch is screwy. first it got so when you turned it off,it wouldn't really turn off. the red light stayed on.so we just started unplugging it. now it won't turn on either!if you stand there and hold it in the red light will come on. it seems like its maybe dirty in there where the connection is. is there anything i can do to fix it?
thanks
lenora :confused:

Hi Lenora.
- unfortunately there are almost no spare parts available for coffeemakers. If this was mine I'd remove the switch and go to Radio Shack , find one as near the same as possible and simply replace it. :cool:

Do it Right - Do it once.

It's a lighted rocker switch, rectangular? If so there are many and though you may not find an exact replacement you'll find a selection at Radio Shack, any large home centre, most hardware stores, and certainly any used appliance store. I just searched the Radio Shack site and found only two appliance switches, just one lighted but it's a "mini" and maybe not able to handle coffeemaker amperage. Radio Shack has really slid over the years.

Most coffee makers use the same standard mount "appliance" types of switches. But best remove and inspect the original one before you shop:

Open the coffee maker case with phillips screwdriver. The switch is probably mounted simply through the front and stays in its hole with tabs on the switch case. Pushing these tabs in allows the switch to be wiggled out. Now you can de-solder the wires (or unplug/unscrew the terminals if you're lucky). Examine the switch for fine print. It's the amp rating you want. Shop for a switch rated at least as high, or convert this value from watts printed on the appliance case, or limit your selection to 15 amp switches (coffee makers can draw a lot).

lhoverson,

There are a handful of brands where parts are still available from the manufacturer. Can you provide a brand and model number?