Have you used your calculator for something that was not really math related?

[4ster]

My 41 makes my married life easier.

I make my coffee using a stove top Moka Pot - on a glass topped electric stove. When I first bought the pot I didn't bother reading directions, I just turned the burner on HIGH, thinking the quicker the better. What got me to read the directions was forgetting the pot was on the stove while I was off doing something else. I ended up doing a nice heat treat to the stainless steel bottom when all the water boiled away, it is now a permanent straw color. More dire, the glass top on the stove cracked from the excessive heat. That mistake cost me a new stove top and an evening's install to make the wife happy again.

The directions for the Moka pot say to run a medium heat and to turn the heat down before it starts gurgling at the end of the brew. So now, when making a pot, I turn the heat to 5. (I just noticed the stove dial goes to 11! ;-) It starts at LOW, then 1-9, and HIGH.) I then run a timer program on my 41-CX:

01 LBL 'MOKA
02 STOPSW
03 'HEAT=5: R/S
04 PROMPT
05 -0.0745
06 SETSW
07 RUNSW
08 END

When the countdown alarm sounds, I lower the heat and shortly thereafter the pot gently gurgles, indicating the coffee is ready. The coffee tastes better and the wife is happy!