Elite Gourmet EHC-5055: problems, parts and running costs

Checked: 2026-10-17

Summary

A 600 W, 120 V automatic drip coffee maker with a 5-cup (24 oz measured) glass carafe, a permanent reusable filter, a Pause ‘N Serve drip-stop and a warming plate — on/off switch only, no programming. The recurring complaints are inconsistent build quality (some units arrive defective), occasional leakage during or after brewing, coffee some buyers find lukewarm, and some units failing within months; Consumer Reports lab-tested it and it met the 195 °F brew-temperature guideline. Running costs are just ground coffee — the reusable filter avoids an estimated $12–18 a year of paper filters — and at $18.99 from the manufacturer (2026-10) it is a hard-to-beat pick for one person, a dorm, an office or an RV.

Common problems and fixes

Inconsistent build quality — some units arrive defective; no manufacturer warranty statement was found in the sources, so a dead-on-arrival unit is a return-to-seller case. [4][7]
Occasional leakage during or after brewing — a recurring owner complaint; the sources document no fix beyond the manual’s usage warnings, so a persistent leaker is usually replaced rather than repaired. [4][6]
Coffee that some buyers find lukewarm — a recurring complaint even though the Consumer Reports lab test met the 195 °F guideline; the lab pass says the brew temperature is fine, so this comes down to preference and the 24 oz batch cooling fast. [1][4]
Units failing within months — mixed durability with some buyers reporting failures within months; no failure-rate data or warranty terms exist in the sources. [4]
Overflow from an overfilled permanent filter — Consumer Reports cautions not to overfill the reusable filter or it can overflow during brewing; fill only to the marked level. [4][1]
Cracked carafe from the warming plate — the manual warns never to leave an empty carafe on the warming plate while on and to let the filter basket cool before removing it; switch off after brewing. [3]

Parts and consumables

White vinegar for descaling — the manual’s documented maintenance: one part white vinegar to one part water through a full cycle, then two water-only rinse cycles; a household item bought as needed. [3]

Yearly running cost

Almost nothing beyond coffee. The only regular purchase is ground coffee; the permanent filter means no paper-filter purchases — the deal coverage estimates $12–18 a year of paper-filter cost avoided. Descaling vinegar costs a few cents a cycle (how often to descale is not specified in the sources). No electricity figure, subscription or pod cost is reported. A typical owner’s yearly spend is therefore the price of ground coffee plus an occasional bottle of vinegar.

When it is a good buy

At or below $25 it is an easy buy for a single person, dorm, office or RV: the manufacturer lists it at $18.99 (Shop Elite Gourmet, 2026-10) and a 2026-08-19 deal caught it at $17.99, with a lab-passed brew temperature, a 600 W brew, dishwasher-safe parts and no filter purchases. Between $25 and $45 it stays reasonable as long as the small 24 oz batch is the point. Above $45 it weakens: a third-party reseller lists it at $37.99 (Newegg, 2026-10), and at that money larger, better-supported 5-to-12 cup machines exist. The Mr. Coffee 5-Cup Mini Brew and the BLACK+DECKER 5-Cup sit in the same sub-$20 range with similar basic functionality — choose the EHC-5055 when the Consumer Reports verification and the never-replace filter matter more than a second opinion at the same price.