i think i cleaned the physical external button and that it's aligned well, but the internal button itself is kind of rusted and not responding well to being pushed. i was not able to turn it on by pushing it in with a screwdriver.

something i noticed before it stopped working was that the machine would turn on when i plugged it in, without pushing the button, indicating it may have been stuck in the on mode and having difficulty turning off.

i could in theory use anything for the external button. it's just a piece of plastic; i could even rip it out and just turn it on with a screwdriver or a knife. however, if the internal button is broken, it needs to be replaced.

let me let it sit for a few hours, and i'll make the decision a little past sunrise. i will take the walmart bike out for a spin this afternoon to get a coffee machine of some sort, one way or another.