Q: I bought a Paris Rhône milk frother through Amazon. I barely used the item — less than 25 times, maybe -- and now it no longer turns on. I've had it for just over a year.

I contacted the manufacturer and even sent a video showing the problem. Paris Rhône admitted there was an internal defect but said the warranty had expired. It offered me a 12% discount on a new frother. I don’t think this is fair. Can you help me get a replacement? —Andrew Fogel, Wantagh, New York

A: I don’t blame you for feeling steamed. I would too. A product that dies just after the warranty expires smells a lot like planned obsolescence. Companies will point to the letter of the warranty — one year and you’re done — but that doesn’t end the conversation.

You do have legal protections beyond the manufacturer’s warranty. Under the Uniform Commercial Code, which governs most sales in the United States, every consumer product comes with what’s called an implied warranty of merchantability. That’s legalese for “this thing should work as intended for a reasonable amount of time.”

If a milk frother barely survives its first year, you could argue it’s not fit for its ordinary purpose. Some states enforce these implied warranties for up to four years, though you usually have to press the case in small claims court to get results.

That said, companies count on the fact that few consumers will take them to court over a $30 appliance. They know most people will sigh, toss the broken item in the trash, and click “Buy” again. It’s a frothy business model that guarantees them future customers.

I almost told you to check the reviews for your frother the next time, but when I looked up your Paris Rhône model, it came back with 4 1/2 stars on Amazon, which is pretty decent. Sure, there are a few bad reviews on the product, but that's pretty normal. You couldn't have known this appliance would stop working after 13 months.

In reviewing your email correspondence, I noticed that you didn't get Amazon involved in this problem. But you might have. After all, you purchased the frother on its platform, and Amazon has a reputation for standing behind its products, sometimes even after their warranties have expired.

Fortunately, when you asked my advocacy team for help, we were able to apply a little pressure to the manufacturer. We shared your correspondence and the video you took with Paris Rhône, and this time the company perked up. It agreed to send you a brand-new, upgraded frother at no cost, without even requiring you to return the broken one. That’s a much better response than a 12% coupon code.

The lesson? Don’t let a company whisk you away with a “sorry, out of warranty” line. Always document the problem, keep your receipts, and point out that consumer law expects a product to last a reasonable time — not just until shortly after the ink dries on the warranty card. If the company still won’t listen, you can escalate to executives, file a small claims action, or — like you did — ask a consumer advocate for help.

Your frothing failure wasn’t the end of the world, but it exposed how fragile these warranty promises can be. The company made things right when pressed, but you shouldn’t need an advocate to get a fair shot at preparing your morning latte.

©2026 Christopher Elliott. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.