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Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind

r/starbucksbaristas

Full History - 2022 - 06 - 29 - ID#vnrk2m

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has anyone been shocked by the coffee brewer? (i.redd.it)

submitted by lilly260_

StormTheParade 104 points 1y ago

I swear to god there's a warning on the machine *somewhere* but I just spent 10 minutes scrolling all the photos of this brewer on the sub and i can't find it

I've touched them before, it made my hand feel like it was cramping for like half an hour but it's not a serious shock. Just a dull pain that fades after a short period of time. I've gotten the same feeling from being an idiot with an outlet and a night light lmao

Galactic_9 11 points 1y ago

So you see that bit in French in the photo? Just searched it up... "Débrancher la source de courant avant d'effecture una reparation" translates to "Disconnect the power source before carrying out a repair." The warning it right there! Unplug before cleaning!!!

StormTheParade 13 points 1y ago

oof. does your store unplug it every time you wipe it down? That's so weird.

The stores I worked at wiped them down constantly. Any time the urn was off the base, both the base and the top were wiped clean. Otherwise coffee collects, stains, and dries in those spots - it looks gross and can cause issues with the spout part.

But also of course you're supposed to unplug it for repairs - the brewer uses computer boards and other electronics that could short or harm the technician if they work on it while it's plugged in. If you try to repair it while it's plugged in, you'll end up destroying it.

Briefly touching the contact points while cleaning the exterior delivers a tiny harmless shock. There is enough space for your hand to quickly move away from the source of the pain. It's not actually that big of a hazard unless you are doing something incredibly stupid

lilly260_ [OP] 4 points 1y ago

no we don’t unplug it😭 and i honestly thought that warning was just for someone who would be servicing it but i guess that applies to cleaning it too

StormTheParade 7 points 1y ago

Nah, I actually ended up finding the manuals for the two brewers I've seen the most at Starbucks. If I'm correct, some stores have the $1 and some stores have the $1 - both manuals have all the warning stickers listed in them and it looks like they all *only* warn about electric shock while servicing!

Honestly it's only really dangerous if you do shit like try to hold your fingers on it for as long as possible. The space is open enough to safely pull your hand away fairly quickly so you should be ok

Galactic_9 1 points 1y ago

Fair enough, I figure it could mean upkeep too. But I can imagine at least one of my supervisors saying "Yeah it's technically Starbucks illegal"

StormTheParade 2 points 1y ago

Nah, it wouldn't be feasible to constantly turn the machine off and on. They push employees to constantly clean while also constantly dishing out product, and shutting off the brewer would put a bit of a wedge between that.

Just... don't try to endure the pain and keep your fingers on it, or something.

okayjayson 2 points 1y ago

There’s a master power switch on the bottom right of our brewers, I usually turn that off when I want to detail the brewer itself and it prevents the lil shock!

lilly260_ [OP] 50 points 1y ago

i was doing the clean play and wiping down the brewer and accidentally touched one of those metal probes. i got shocked pretty bad and my whole arm and side hurt for awhile after. i’m wondering why there is no warning? i had no idea it was on when there was not a urn there lol.

HappyBarista 32 points 1y ago

I’ve felt a little zap but nothing that bad

-PersonalRevelations 2 points 1y ago

Your store might have peeled the warning

save-me-plz- 41 points 1y ago

i’ve done it before multiple times but it was a little zap nothing that serious

Sdee1234 21 points 1y ago

The teens at my store once did it to prove how tough they all were lol

ThankfulWonderful 10 points 1y ago

Me and another barista are grown adults who’ve shocked ourselves for fun hahaha

Radiant-Contact1706 13 points 1y ago

i was always told not to bc you can get shocked 😅😅

mischievoushannah 10 points 1y ago

How my electricity kink started. 👁👄👁

But seriously when I used to work at SB it wasn’t too bad thankfully. Like one person said there should be some type of warning.

Responsible_Snow7109 10 points 1y ago

I have never shocked myself while cleaning it but i kno others at my store who accidentally have and it wasnt anything serious, just a little zap

BrotherOswald 7 points 1y ago

We jokingly call them the "go home early buttons".

coffeegirrrl 7 points 1y ago

One of the first things I teach the green beans, when teaching how to brew. Even though I'm aware, I've still probably gotten a tiny shock around 5 times...but because I'm trying to avoid it, I have only a second of contact

anonymous18762 6 points 1y ago

I’ve done it so many times lol

voxinx 6 points 1y ago

shouldn’t be a lot of pain at all, just a small zap

3aTroop 4 points 1y ago

It’s a rite of passage.

KingdomKey_Aint_Bad 3 points 1y ago

I remember when I was a FRESH green bean I was wiping the brewer down and it shocked me and my first thought was “ OHH DID..that just shock me?” So naturally my next course of action was to touch it again to confirm source of shock… would not recommend

Any-Juggernaut-5048 3 points 1y ago

Yes I was shocked by it… told my SM and she didn’t say anything.

CharmyFrog 3 points 1y ago

It’s a right of passage.

absolutefoo 3 points 1y ago

i remember the first time i did it when i was in customer support by myself for the first time i didn’t tell anyone bc i thought it was just a weird body reaction that happened and then i looked at it for a second and i was like oh shit i just shocked myself 😂😂😂

Scueejee 3 points 1y ago

I love the way it feels. Buzzy 🐝 I touch it when I’m bored and need to feel alive.

DingoInteresting4984 3 points 1y ago

It’s part of initiation at my store to shock yourself.

stfuthomas 3 points 1y ago

Yup! My shift dared me to do it when I was a green bean lol

EffectiveIntention56 3 points 1y ago

no but ive heard about it happening and have been extremely paranoid about it since

Unknownbarista202 3 points 1y ago

All the time, everyone at work gets shocked even by touching it slightly

devilsreject4926 3 points 1y ago

I got shocked pretty bad bc I guess I left my finger on the spot that zaps for a little too long while cleaning. I was zoned out. It's been three years and I still make someone else clean it bc that felt bad

lilly260_ [OP] 2 points 1y ago

yeah the shock i got felt so bad but my hand was also wet idk if that had anything to do with it? i was having muscle spasms for a good day or two after

devilsreject4926 2 points 1y ago

My hand was also wet, I think that's why it felt worse than what other people are saying

Able-Ad-3248 2 points 1y ago

Welcome to your introduction to brewer cleaner it will shock you if you touch the warming prongs

Mea-fae_Owl73 2 points 1y ago

More than once sadly and yes I was very aware of the warnings. Just a little shock to residual tingling in my hand.

Alive-Buffalo7933 2 points 1y ago

the first thing my trainer did when teaching me how to brew coffee was that i had to clean the shocky things🤦🏻‍♀️😅

ProfessionalRock7940 2 points 1y ago

Yeah I always avoid that part when cleaning it

nickcavey 2 points 1y ago

Everyone

cody_1849 2 points 1y ago

You’re not a true barista until you have

ThePunkRockClimber 2 points 1y ago

YESSSS. We were deep cleaning the store and I was cleaning the brewers on like my second week as a partner. I kept cleaning those pegs and it made my tongue and lips itchy. After a few minutes, a SSV leaned over and said "oh don't touch that area. It can shock you" 😬 I had never been shocked before so I had no idea that's what it was

TopDiscombobulated13 2 points 1y ago

It’s the hi light of my day honestly.

Vaethund 2 points 1y ago

Yup! Many times! It's enough to hurt if you're not used to it. Once you've been zapped by enough things, it becomes more of a "Ow! Stop that you stupid thing, I'm trying to clean you! Gah! I said quit it!"

luvloping 2 points 1y ago

Yes!!!! The other day, after almost 3 years!

heartbreakhigh 2 points 1y ago

yes it was kinda fun

LycaenopsPictus 2 points 1y ago

It's a right of cleanplay passage.

Accomplished_Chef_14 2 points 1y ago

I do it just to feel something sometimes

Vosstonmass1 2 points 1y ago

They only shock when they are both pressed in at the same time. When I first started l, one of my shifts cruelly told me I had to press them together so that the machine would restart. That was bologna. You can clean around them as long as you do t push them both at the same time.

xKnicKxKnacKx 2 points 1y ago

Ive got a better one for you. Not at Starbucks but I used to work at another cafe that had a fridge with an exposed wire touching the back of it. On top of that there were stainless steel counter tops so if you put one hand on the fridge and the other on a counter top youd get a shock through your whole body. Nothing serious, felt similar to those button actually. But it was fun to see the new people figure that one out the hard way.

KurtzKOButtz 2 points 1y ago

Yeeeeees

saltynerdy 2 points 1y ago

It’s a nice little energy jolt for the opening shifts

dhorner017 2 points 1y ago

Yes. . .

adolfop_420 2 points 1y ago

I like to think of it as a rite of passage lol

RubySapphireSage 2 points 1y ago

A few times , like when I was hoping it down and felt a shock lol

pancakecafe 2 points 1y ago

Yeah my arm went brrrt

chaddybabydaddy28 1 points 1y ago

Sometimes i touch it just to feel something

Alternative-Crew-229 1 points 1y ago

Made me tingle 😂😂

[deleted] 1 points 1y ago

[removed]

Main_Friendship_6623 0 points 1y ago

At my old store we used to initiate green beans by telling them to clean the machine… the good old days when people weren’t sensitive

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