Mr. Coffee Iced Coffee Maker Not Working? 5 Fixes (No Coffee, Watery)

A Coffee Maker With No Power Switch

The Mr. Coffee Iced Coffee Maker has no on/off switch, only a START button, so most "not working" problems come from how it's started or from one small slider. If the LED lights but nothing reaches the tumbler, the drip-stop on the brew basket is closed. If the button does nothing, it usually needs water in the reservoir, the tumbler in place, a fresh plug-in and a press of START.

The machine works differently from a drip pot. It brews a small batch of hot, concentrated coffee straight onto ice in its 22 oz tumbler, and the melting ice is part of the recipe. It switches itself off when the brew ends, and pulling the plug is its pause button. Once you know those few rules, most faults fall into place.

Everything on this page comes from Mr. Coffee's own manual for the single-serve iced coffeemaker (P.N. 202160). The mrcoffee.com page that links to that manual names the model BVMC-ICMBG, and the model number of yours is printed on the bottom. Mr. Coffee's 4-in-1 latte maker and its iced-and-hot single-serve maker are different machines with different controls.

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Try This First

• Look at the drip-stop slider on the brew basket. If it sits at the crossed-out droplet, it's closed and the coffee can't get out. Go to Fix 1.
• Check the START button's LED. Lit means the machine is brewing. Unlit after a brew is normal, because it turns itself off when it's done.
• Lift the lid and look in the reservoir. Mr. Coffee says not to run the machine with an empty tank, and not to plug it in before the water is in.
• Try the outlet with a lamp. The plug is polarized. If it fits loosely or the outlet feels warm, the manual says not to use that outlet.
• Check the tumbler's markings. Water should go in to the WATER line, and ice should go in to the ICE line. Getting those wrong explains most watery cups. See Fix 3.

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Which Fix You Need

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Fix 1: Slide the Drip-Stop Open (Works About 30% of the Time)

The drip-stop is a small slide switch at the bottom edge of the brew basket. Open, it lets coffee run out of the spout. Closed, it holds the coffee back so nothing drips onto the counter after you take the tumbler away. If it's closed when you press START, the machine runs but the tumbler stays empty. Mr. Coffee's own FAQ gives this as the answer when coffee isn't dispensing.

Signs it's this one: the LED is lit, but nothing comes out of the spout.

1. Find the slider on the lower edge of the brew basket.
2. Look at the two icons beside it. The plain droplet means open, and the crossed-out droplet means closed.
3. Slide it to the droplet, so the coffee can run into the tumbler.
4. When the brew ends, after about 3-4 minutes and once the dripping slows and stops, slide it back to closed before you lift the tumbler away.

Time: Under a minute
Cost: Free
Success Rate: About 30%
Difficulty: Easy

Common mistake: closing the drip-stop as the last step each time, then forgetting to open it before the next brew. Make "slide it open" part of the setup, as the manual's step 6 does.

If the slider was already open and the LED is lit but nothing has come out after a few minutes, check that there's water in the reservoir (Fix 2).

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Fix 2: Start It in the Manual's Order (Works About 25% of the Time)

The manual's brewing steps start with the unit unplugged. That matters on a machine with no power switch, because plugging it in is part of starting it. Mr. Coffee warns not to plug it in until the water is in the reservoir and the tumbler is under the spout, both because of hot steam and "potential damage to the unit". It also says not to operate it with an empty tank.

Signs it's this one: START does nothing, the LED doesn't light, or the machine stopped part-way and you're not sure why.

1. Unplug the machine.
2. Fill the tumbler to the WATER marking with clean, filtered water.
3. Lift the lid, lift out the brew basket and pour the water into the reservoir. Never fill past the MAX line.
4. Put the brew basket back, add the filter and the coffee, open the drip-stop and close the lid.
5. Fill the tumbler with ice to the ICE marking and stand it under the spout.
6. Plug in and press START. Check that the LED lights.

Time: 2 minutes
Cost: Free
Success Rate: About 25%
Difficulty: Easy

If it stopped on its own: the machine switches itself off when the brew is complete, so an unlit LED and an empty reservoir mean the brew is finished. If someone unplugged it mid-brew, the manual says plugging it back in resumes the brew without pressing anything. Put the tumbler back under the spout before you plug it in.

If the LED still won't light: try a different outlet. If a working outlet changes nothing, the fault is inside the base. Mr. Coffee says there are no user-serviceable parts, so go to the warranty steps under "When DIY Won't Work".

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Fix 3: Get the Ice and Water Ratio Right (Works About 20% of the Time)

The machine is designed around one ratio: water to the WATER line, one level scoop of grounds and ice to the ICE line. Mr. Coffee says the coffee "still tastes great even as the ice melts" because the ice is counted as part of the water. Change one of the three, and the cup comes out watery or the ice disappears.

Signs it's this one: no ice left in the tumbler by the end of the brew, or coffee that tastes thin.

1. Use large ice cubes. Mr. Coffee's answer to "no ice left in my cup" is bigger cubes, which melt more slowly.
2. Fill the tumbler to the ICE marking. Less ice than that can melt away entirely.
3. Measure water with the tumbler's WATER line, not by eye. More water than that thins the cup.
4. Use one level scoop with the scoop supplied. For bolder coffee, the manual suggests 1½ to 2 scoops. Its FAQ says to add half a scoop first, then a full extra scoop if it's still not strong enough.
5. Using your own cup? Most cups fit under the spout, the manual says, but keep the same water, grounds and ice amounts.

Time: 5 minutes
Cost: Free
Success Rate: About 20%
Difficulty: Easy

Tumbler not full? That's by design. Mr. Coffee leaves room for milk, cream or syrup. For a fuller tumbler, fill the reservoir to the MAX FILL line instead of using the WATER marking.

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Fix 4: Keep Grounds Out of the Tumbler (Works About 15% of the Time)

Grounds in your iced coffee mean they got over the top of the filter. Mr. Coffee's FAQ blames an over-filled reusable filter, where grounds spill over the top, and suggests using a little less coffee next time.

Signs it's this one: grit or sludge at the bottom of the tumbler, or grounds stuck around the top of the filter.

1. Unplug the machine and let it cool before opening the lid. The manual warns of scalding if the lid is opened during or just after brewing.
2. Empty and rinse the filter and brew basket.
3. Use the reusable filter that came with the machine, or a standard 12-cup basket-style paper filter. Those are the two the manual names.
4. Seat the filter down in the brew basket, and the basket squarely on the reservoir.
5. Measure level scoops, and don't heap them. If you use 2 scoops for strength, keep the grounds below the filter's rim.

Time: 5 minutes
Cost: Free (paper filters cost a few dollars a pack)
Success Rate: About 15%
Difficulty: Easy

The reusable filter and brew basket can go on the dishwasher's top rack, so keeping them clean is easy.

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Fix 5: Decalcify It With Vinegar (Works About 10% of the Time)

Minerals in tap water leave deposits inside the machine. Mr. Coffee says they "affect its performance", and recommends decalcifying once a month. There's no clean button or clean light on this model, so nothing will remind you, and a machine that has never been decalcified is worth doing before you suspect a fault.

Signs it's this one: the manual lists no specific symptom, but a brew that runs well past its usual 3-4 minutes, or a month or more since the last clean, points here.

1. Pour 1 cup (8 oz) of undiluted white household vinegar into the reservoir.
2. Put the reusable filter (or a 12-cup basket filter) in the brew basket, with no coffee, and close the lid.
3. Stand the tumbler under the spout and press START.
4. When the machine shuts off, pour the vinegar away. Rinse the tumbler, filter and brew basket with clean water.
5. Fill the tumbler to the WATER marking with clean water, pour it into the reservoir and press START.
6. Pour that water away and rinse the tumbler.
7. Run one more fresh-water brew the same way, so the machine is thoroughly rinsed.

Time: About 15 minutes
Cost: Under $1 of vinegar
Success Rate: About 10%
Difficulty: Easy

Remember to open the drip-stop for each cycle, or the vinegar and rinse water stay in the basket. The other Mr. Coffee machines use different amounts and steps. Our Mr. Coffee descaling guide compares them.

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When DIY Won't Work

Stop using it and unplug it if:

• The LED stays dark in a working outlet, even with water in the reservoir and START pressed.
• Water leaks from the base rather than from the brew basket or spout.
• The cord or plug is damaged, or the outlet gets warm when the machine is plugged in.
• There's a burning smell or the machine trips a breaker.

Warranty: Mr. Coffee gives a 1-year limited warranty from the date of purchase, with proof of purchase. Don't take it back to the store for repairs. The manual says to call 1-800-MR COFFEE (1-800-672-6333) in the U.S., with the model number from the bottom of the machine and the purchase date ready. The warranty doesn't cover disassembly or repair by anyone other than Sunbeam or its authorized service centers. Mr. Coffee says there are no user-serviceable parts inside, and the service panel warns not to remove the cover.

Repair or replace: this is an inexpensive countertop machine, and the manual gives owners nothing to repair beyond cleaning. Out of warranty, a machine that won't power up in a working outlet is usually a replacement, not a repair. Mr. Coffee's line can still tell you whether an authorized service center near you handles it.

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Prevention

• Decalcify once a month with 1 cup of white vinegar and two water rinses (Fix 5).
• Open the drip-stop before every brew, and close it when the dripping stops.
• Keep ice out of the reservoir. The manual says ice goes in the tumbler only.
• Fill the water, then plug in. Never start the machine with an empty tank.
• Use clean, filtered water, as the manual's brewing steps specify.
• Wash the tumbler lid and straw by hand. Only the reusable filter and brew basket are dishwasher-safe, on the top rack.
• Give it space. Use it on a hard, level surface with 6 in (152 mm) clear on all sides, and nothing above it, because steam escapes from the top.

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FAQ

How do I turn off a Mr. Coffee iced coffee maker?

You don't need to. It turns itself off once the brew cycle is finished. To pause a brew part-way, unplug it. When you plug it back in, it picks up where it left off and switches off again at the end, so keep the tumbler under the spout.

Can I put ice in the water reservoir?

No. Mr. Coffee's parts list says plainly not to put ice in the reservoir. The ice belongs in the tumbler, filled to the ICE marking, and the reservoir takes only the water you measured with the WATER line.

Can I make hot coffee with it?

Not as designed. Mr. Coffee's manual only describes brewing over ice, and its water and coffee amounts assume a tumbler full of ice. For hot coffee, Mr. Coffee sells separate iced-and-hot models, which have their own controls and their own manuals.

Is the tumbler dishwasher-safe?

No. Mr. Coffee's FAQ says the tumbler lid and straw should be washed by hand. The parts the manual lists for the dishwasher, top rack only, are the reusable coffee filter and the brew basket. The base, cord and plug must never go in water.

Does it have a reset button?

No. The only control is START, and the manual describes no reset. If the machine misbehaves, unplug it, set it up in the manual's order (Fix 2) and press START. If the LED still won't light in a working outlet, it needs Mr. Coffee's warranty service.

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Related Mr. Coffee Guides

• Mr. Coffee Descaling Guide: the vinegar method for every Mr. Coffee machine, side by side
• Mr. Coffee Not Brewing or Stopped Working?: for the 12-cup drip makers
• Mr. Coffee Weak Coffee Fixes: measuring and strength settings on the drip makers
• Mr. Coffee Won't Turn On: outlet and power checks in more detail
• Mr. Coffee 4-in-1 Latte Not Working?: the single-serve brewer with a milk frother and HOT BREW / OVER ICE buttons
• Mr. Coffee Frappe Maker Not Working?: the iced-and-hot brewer with a built-in blender for frozen coffee
• Keurig K-Iced Coffee Too Watery?: the same watery-ice problem on Keurig's iced brewers

Sources: Mr. Coffee Single Serve Iced Coffeemaker User Manual (P.N. 202160 Rev. A); Mr. Coffee Iced Coffee Maker product page (mrcoffee.com).