Sunbeam Hot Shot II / Ahead of its time?

[paulg]

At an estate sale I purchased a new-in-box Sunbeam-Vista Hot Shot II circa 1976.
I really had no interest in such a thing. For a couple of bucks I suspected I’d take it apart, evaluate its construction, quality - then save the cord and recycle it. Sorry. Retired quality engineer can’t shut it off.
However...
I decided to put it through it’s paces.
I was impressed.
Indeed it heats water for tea or coffee remarkably fast. But a few things surprised me. It has a reusable mesh filter. Add four tablespoons of coffee (I use Starbucks) and what comes out in a very short period of time is a quite good ample cup of coffee.
Was the Hot Shot ahead of its time?
My Mother-In-Law has one of those pod-type coffee makers. It makes a great cup of coffee. However it creates plastic waste. I can use any coffee with the Hot Shot with no plastic waste.
I am sure coffee-snobs will thumb their nose at the thing. But do ya think that Sunbeam as a bit ahead of its time here?
I am NOT making this machine my daily-driver. But I will not scrap it. It’s fun to use and works well.
Comments welcome.

 

[frigilux]

I’ve been using a single cup machine (Keurig) for several years and it serves my needs well, so no thumbing my nose at the Hot Shot. I rarely drink more than one cup of coffee in the morning, so making even half a carafe using a standard drip coffeemaker is far more than I need.

I often have a decaf or two throughout the day, as well as iced tea with supper, so a single-serve coffeemaker fills the bill. I keep a dozen different brands of K-cups in the pantry. It’s fun to choose a different one each day.

Enjoy your Hot Shot!

 

[norgeway]

Been using

A Hot Shot 20 or more years WONDERFUL gadget

 

[fan-of-fans]

I have seen those Hot Shots online, I was thinking of getting one myself if I ever see any around. I never knew they came with a filter though, I thought they were just for hot water only.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Congratulations!

They were from around the time of the Sunbeam filter drip machines. The first hot shots did not have the brewing attachments. They did perform quite well and seemed to keep going on. Enjoy yours.

 

[combo52]

Sunbeam Hot-Shot Coffee Maker

Hi Paul, Most of these one shot coffee makers worked quit well and I totally agree about the waste of these stupid pods.

 

With pods you are not only wasting aluminum plastic and the used coffee itself becomes difficult to recycle. The boxes these pods come in are far larger packaging and you are paying 2-3 times as much for the same amount of coffee, the government should impose an environment waste tax on such wasteful crap.

 

PS , Paul what's this retired nonsense you are 10 years younger than me, I hope you are finding fun productive things to do in your retirement. You could go to Michigan and help Kevin with his Cavalcade mususem project or come and spend some time working on vintage stuff here in Beltsville.

 

John L.

 

[philcobendixduo]

Hot Shot

I bought my late mother one of the original "Hot Shot" units when they first came out. She was English and enjoyed her morning and afternoon tea so it got a lot of use. An English friend of hers bought one after seeing my mother's and kept it on her bedside table. She filled it with water at night and had her tea fixings ready so she could enjoy a cup of tea in bed every morning.

I think my mother went through 2 or 3 of these. The weak spot in the design was that the unit would drip water after a lot of use because the way ithe water was dispensed was through a hose that was pinched on and off via the paddle switch Because they were so inexpensive, it wasn't worth getting them fixed.

They are also great for heating water for instant soup, coffee, hot chocoate, etc.

After the last Hot Shot started leaking, I had a hot water dispenser installed at the kitchen sink.
I do not recommend them. They leak after a number of years (tank below the sink) and get noisy when heating.
Just use a kettle!

 

[circlew]

Seems like my sister had one of these at one time; probably something she and her first husband got as a wedding gift. Those were popular gifts when they married in 1979. I have no idea if she still has it.

 

[paulg]

Permissible topic drift / Retirement

Thank you John for your kind words regarding my “retirement”. If this variance of topic “takes off” I’ll move it somewhere else. But for right now let me explain... So why did I retire in my 50’s?
Well, keeping it very short - I had a really terrific long-standing position handling quality and safety issues at a very well known Japanese company that went into serious financial trouble. They closed my building in Illinois. (A huge mistake I think...). I could stay with the company and move to a tired microwave oven plant in Tennessee or take the very generous severance and go away.
My roots are very deep in Chicago. I also have aging in-laws that me and my husband vow to take care of until no more. I took the severance.
Quite by accident, and immediately after my departure from said company, husband’s HUGE promotion replaced my missing income entirely - and then some.
While on severance, clouds formed. House was damaged in accident. Friend’s business destroyed by accident. I had the time to handle both insurance claims simulateously. Thank you universe! In-laws took ill and we buried one. Storms have passed.
Not to get too deep, but I have reinvented myself numerous times but I truly don’t know what to do now. I have the time and the means to hop a car or plane anywhere, so indeed I can help out others if crap comes their way.
So what does a tv, appliance quality specialist who also is a certified fire investigator do at the age of 50+? Do I REALLY want to do the same thing? Or something new? It is more about life’s mission than just finding another job. All done... You know my story now...

 

[toploader55]

I used one of these years ago. Great for a cup of tea without having to heat a kettle.

And very fast too.

 

[twintubdexter]

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">I have one of the newer ones. They work great. Perfect for tea drinkers , instant coffee  lovers  and lots of other instant beverage things. They're still available on Amazon, although they're not as cool-looking as yours.</span>

 

[rp2813]

Paul, I know where you're coming from.  I had to retire at 54 due to Dave's massive stroke.  I became a 24/7 caregiver for the ensuing ten years.  Last spring it was clear that I could no longer manage him.  He had always been a fall risk but it had gotten to the point where he couldn't follow instructions when I was trying to help him off the floor.  I'd have to wait for help to arrive, sometimes leaving him on the floor for up to two hours. 

 

He's in an assisted living facility now, and I'm starting a new life that once again includes travel, entertainment, and dining out.  I'm pondering over volunteering but haven't decided on where.  Meanwhile, I've lost weight, I'm exercising somewhat regularly, and in many ways I'm feeling like a new person.

 

Your situation isn't exactly the same, but I'm sure you'll find ways to enjoy your newfound freedom.

 

And I agree that this Sunbeam system is much more responsible than today's pod method for single servings.

[this post was last edited: 1/18/2020-21:11]

 

[thomasortega]

OMG

I had no idea something like that existed

I need something like this on my desk YESTERDAY!

As a southern Brazilian, I drink Chimarrão (Yerba mate) a lot. (average 2 liters per day)

Since I moved to the USA I stopped drinking or drink chimarrão only occasionally because it's a pain to heat water just for 1 person and keep reheating it all the time.

How hot does it get? The perfect temperature for mate is when you start seeing bubble on the bottom, right before it starts boiling.

 

[paulg]

Thanks Ralph

It’s good to know someone who understands this kind of weird turn in life. Life IS good, and it seems yours is too. Just wonderin’ when things “click” back in...

Thomas - I don’t immediately know how hot the water gets, but I will try to check.

 

[paulg]

Thomasortega / Your answer

Forensic ;-) test results of 1976 Sunbeam Hot Shot II Catalog # 717-28 / Service # 717-2B using inexpensive household thermometer...
Water temperature was taken a few moments after it cycled off. Afterward the water rose a few degrees. 188.8 F appears to be the dispensing (final) temperature.

 

[rp2813]

189F seems to be perfect.  When we had an instant hot water dispenser, it would produce 190F.

 

Users need to keep in mind that the 212F figure for boiling water only applies in a STP (standard temperature and pressure) environment.  I'm at around 100' above sea level, and 200F is about where water boils here.  I think a Hot Shot II would be ideal for Thomas's situation.

 

Was there ever a Hot Shot I?

 

[thomasortega]

Thanks for the info!

I'll order one as soon as I can.

Have anybody else here in the group (except my husband that somewhat likes it) ever tried Chimarrão?

https://yerbamatero.com/introduction-chimarrao-brazilian-yerba-mate-how-to-prepare-it/

 

[petek]

Hot water dispensers

Are huge in Asia.. I think even Walmart sells them and they' aren't that expensive, usually $50 to $100 or a little more depending on brand.. Check how many there are on Amazon..

https://www.amazon.com/Secura-Stainless-Electric-Shut-Off-Protection/dp/B07L1GPDH4/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=hot+water+dispensers&qid=1579719163&sr=8-8

 

[ea56]

You can buy a new Sunbeam Hot Shot at Target for $19.99.

 

Eddie

 

https://www.target.com/p/sunbeam-hot-shot-hot-water-dispenser-black/-/A-10210654