Troubleshooting

+ Why won't my coffee machine heat up?

First check that the coffee machine hasn’t run out of water as all of my machines will turn off when the water level runs low.

If water is in the water tank, turn the machine off, pull the tank out and put it back in to re-set the internal low water switch, then turn the machine on again. If it doesn't work the first time, try it again. Note that sometimes the water tank will need a little jiggle and sometimes the machine will need to be switched off and then on again to reset the low water switch.

If the machine still doesn’t turn on and your machine has a magnetic float in the water tank the float may be unseated. To fix this simply remove the housing cap, re-seat the float so that it freely slides up and down, then replace the housing cap.

To stop this from happening again it's important to remember to top up the water tank regularly. The automated cut off is helpful but don’t rely upon it. Best practice is to keep the water topped up.

Finally, make sure your water is not too pure. Highly purified water (eg, deionised or sometimes water tank water) is not conductive enough for the conductivity sensor. If you think your water may be too pure, add a little salt to your water and see if that makes a difference.

+ Why is there no water flow from the group?

If your pump is running but there is no flow from the group the most likely cause is air in the pump. To fix this you need to prime the pump by forcing water through the water feed tube into the pump with pressure. A large syringe is the best tool for this.

Another possible cause of no flow is a faulty solenoid valve. Most coffee machines have a solenoid valves which controls water flow. Engaging the group lever causes the valve to open. When you engage the lever you should hear a click. If your don’t hear a click the valve may be stuck closed. Solenoid valve problems are rare but they can happen.

+ Why is there low water flow from the group?

If you suspect low flow rate, run your coffee machine's pump for 10 seconds and measure the water that comes out. If you get less than 50 ml you have a problem.

The most likely cause of low flow from an E61 group is a blockage caused by water scale. Coffee machines have many water pipes as well as small diameter restrictors that regulate water flow rate. Without water filtration these restrictors can block up regularly. Even with water filtration this issue may still occur from time to time.

If you suspect that scale may be the problem, the best place to start is with the E61 group mushroom. Remove the mushroom, dismantle it and clear the water pathway. Once you know how to do this it’s a simple 10 minute job.

+ Why is my steam wand / hot water wand blocked?

Damaged gaskets are the most common cause of blockages in steam and hot water wands. This damage is caused by application of too much force when turning off rotary valves. To prevent this from happening, turn your valves to the point where flow stops. Be gentle and don't apply any unnecessary additional pressure.

Another cause of blockages in steam and hot water wands is water scale. If you don’t use the wands regularly you need to include a monthly flush in your maintenance schedule to prevent scale issues. If you already have a blockage I recommend taking your machine to a technician for a professional descale.

+ Why won’t the low water light turn off?

All coffee machines that I sell cut off when the water tank runs empty to prevent the boiler/s from running dry. Most machines detect water by sensing conductivity between two detectors near the water intake. Some machines use an in-tank magnetic float sensor in addition to the water conductivity sensor.

Many machines also have a low water indicator light. This will switch off when a water conductivity sensor detects low water. However, the indicator light will not switch off when a magnetic float sensor turns off the machine before the water conductivity sensor comes into play. This means that there are times when the tank is empty and the machine is cut off, but the low water light remains on indicating that there is water. This is normal.

+ Why is my pump making a high pitched sound?

If your Italian coffee machine makes a high pitched sound, and water fails to pump, there is probably an air lock in the pump.

This can happen with a new machine that has not been primed. It can also happen if water runs low and air is sucked into the water inlet pipe. Another time I see this is when people replace an in-tank water filter without removing the air from the filter by filling the water filter with water.

To fix this you will need to prime the pump by injecting water into the water inlet pipe. The best tool for this is a large syringe. These are available at hardware stores, and automotive stores.

+ Why is my machine making a hissing sound?

A brief hissing sound just after a boiler reaches boiling point is normal. This is caused by a rush of steam as it exits the anti-vacuum valve. The sound stops when the valve seals.

If you hear this hissing sound after the initial heat up period the anti-vacuum valve may not be sealing correctly. This occassionally happens on new machines as the seal sometimes needs a little help to bed in. This can also happen on older machines due to water scale build up on the seal, or due to aging of the seal.

This simple procedure may help to get the anti-vacuum valve to seal:

• Turn machine on to allow the steam boiler to reach full pressure
• Use a screwdriver to push the needle on top of the anti-vacuum valve in, to allow steam to blow out
• Repeat several times, until the valve seals
• If this hissing continues you may need to remove and dismantle the valve to manually clean it
• If all above fails you can order a replacement valve

Of course, you can contact a technician. However, keep in mind that warranty does not cover issues caused by water scale, and does not cover perishables including gaskets and seals. For help with finding a local technician get in Contact

+ Why is water dripping into my drip tray

Some machines vent steam from the anti-vacuum valve to the drip tray. With these machines, when the anti-vacuum valve doesn't seal, water will drip slowly from the rear of the group, into the drip tray.

To find out the reasons for this issue occuring along with the solutions to the problem see the "why is my machine making a hissing sound" FAQ directly above.

+ Why is my coffee machine making weird noises?

There is a range of “normal” noises for Italian coffee machines including squeak, hums and rattles. Even when comparing brand new machines there is a range of sounds that can be considered normal. These coffee machines are made by hand, not my robots, so every machine is a just little different.

Over time its normal for sounds (squeaks, hums and rattles) to change and to come and go. Some machines will get louder as they age. Some machines will get quieter as they age. They are all unique.

Expect minor changes. If you get significant changes it may be time for a service.

+ Why is my coffee machine squeeking?

A squeeking group and/or a squeeking lever indicates that your E61 group needs lubrication.

Why is extra lubrication sometimes needed earlier than expected? A simple reason. Too much backflushing. Backflush detergent dissolves not only coffee oils, it also dissolves lubricating grease.

I learned this from experience when I over-loved my own first E61 coffee machine. I backflushed daily and after just a couple of months I has a squeeky group. This is why I recommend backflushing only monthy, to keep your machine clean without removing lubricating grease.

If you are handy and willing then take a look on YouTube. You will find plenty of step-by-step videos that show you how to disassemble and re-lubricate an E61 group. All you will need are some basic tools and some food safe grease.

If you don’t want to do it yourself you can it to any coffee machine technician for a service.

+ Why is my steam/water wand squeeking/leaking

A squeeking or leaking steam wand or hot water wand is a sign that the wand needs a little lubrication and perhaps even a new gasket.

If you are handy then take a look on YouTube to learn how to dismantle and service you wand. It's a simple 10-15 minute task. All you will need is a shifter, some food safe grease and perhaps some new gaskets.

If you don’t want to do it yourself you can it to any coffee machine technician for a service.

+ Why does the pump turn on by itself?

All Italian coffee machines that I sell have low water sensors that trigger automated boiler filling. This will occasionally occur when the machine is sitting idle, and when this happens the pump will switch on for several seconds for a quick top up.

+ Why does brew pressure drop mid shot?

Occasionally a low water sensor will be triggered as you are pulling a shot. This will happen more frequently if you pull your shots and steam your milk simultaneously.

When this happens the coffee machine's pump will divert from the espresso extraction function to the boiler filling function. This will result in brew pressure dropping for several seconds as the boiler gets topped up.

If this happens regularly you should consider steaming milk towards the end of espresso extraction. Also, make sure that you don't begin an espresso extraction or steaming milk too soon after drawing hot water from the steam boiler. Get to know your machine and work to a pace that allows the machine to keep up.

+ Why is water leaking from the group seal?

Water leakage from the group seal as you are pulling a shot can have a number of causes.

1. The portafilter may not be turned tightly enough to create a tight seal. This is often experienced by new coffee machine owners because they tighten the handle to the 6 o'clock position instead of to the "tight" position. It's rare to have a handle sit at 6 o'clock.
2. If the portafilter is turned tightly and there is still a leak at the group seal there may be grit caught in the seal. To fix this give the group a good backflush, then wipe clean.
3. If the leaking continues it’s time to replace the E61 group gasket. Standard rubber gaskets last 1-2 years so I recommend upgrading to a silicone gasket which should last 10+ years. To buy a silicone group gasket Click Here

+ Why doesn't the pressure gauge go back to zero?

You may notice that that after pulling a shot the brew pressure gauge doesn’t go to zero.

Don't worry. This is normal. This is because the brew pressure gauge measures pressure in the brew line, not pressure as the group head. Some pressure gets trapped in the line after pulling a shot. This is why the gauge doesn't go to zero.

+ Why is the brew pressure unstable

You may notice that your brew pressure is unstable, or that brew pressure changes from shot to shot.

There's a very easy way to troublehoot this. Insert the blind basket and perform a backflush. When pressure builds watch the gauge and check the pressure reading.

If the pressure is stable, and reading between 9 and 12 bar, there is no problem with the machine. The problem is your espresso workflow so go back to my Training Page. Watch my training video and read all of my handy FAQs.

+ Why is there water under my machine?

Water leaks are very rare but they do happen from time to time. The most common cause is a dry o-ring at the base of the water tank.

To fix this leak:

• Remove the water tank
• Apply grease to the o-ring at the base of the water tank
• replace the water tank

In most cases a little grease on the o-ring will stop the problem.

+ Is my machine's brew water temperature too low?

I’m occasionally asked if a machine's brew water is too low and this is always due to a misunderstanding of the role of brew temperature.

Brew temperature plays no significant role in the temperature of your drink. The role that brew temperature plays is to influence the flavour of your espresso. In general, cooler brew water will give you a fruitier and more acidic espresso and warmer brew water will give you a more cholcolatey and bitter sweet espresso.

A coffee machine’s brew temperature setting has a negligible effect on the temperature of the coffee in your cup. To get a hot coffee you need to pre-warm your cups. This is why warming cups is Step 1 of my Espresso Workflow

+ How can I measure brew water temperature?

A while back I started playing with thermocouples. I soon learned that there is a big difference between the set brew temperature of an Italian coffee machine and the measured temperature of water running from the machine. One reason is that when water runs it cools very quickly. Another reason is that even a responsive thermocouple cannot accurately measure the temperature of a thin stream of water.

The next thing I tried was to insert a thermocouple into brew water flow path, inside the E61 group, to measure the temperature of water just before it hit the coffee puck. Again, water temperature measurements did not match the set brew temperature.

I learned that a device with the capability to measure temperature within a simulated coffee puck is required. There is a professional device, called a SCACE, that does just this. I’m pretty handy so I put a lot of time and effort into building my own. After many iterations I was unable to get the results I was looking for. This all taught me that the SCACE costs $1000 for good reasons.

The journey above shows the technical difficulty involved in brew temperature measurements. My advice is not to waste your time with the same frustrations. When it comes to machine calibration you can rely on coffee professionals who do this day in, day out.

+ Why is my machine struggling with in a large jug?

Many home espresso machines will struggle to maintain their steam pressure when steaming a large volume of milk. To get the best results I recommend using a small jug and steaming small volumes of milk. ie, steam milk separately for each milky drink. This helps the machine to maintanin high pressure during steaming and also, allows you to pour a little art for each drink you prepare.

+ Why has steam pressure decreased?

If you notice a steam pressure decrease the first thing to check is the steam boiler gauge.

• If the steam boiler gauge drops by more than 0.5 Bar during steaming your machine may have a thermostat or a PID problem so you will need support from a technician.

• If the steam boiler gauge shows a 0.3-0.5 Bar decrease during steaming your machine does not have a problem. It's normal for steam pressure to drop during steaming. (eg, a machine starting at 1.3 Bar will drop to ~1.0 Bar, a machine starting at 2 Bar will drop to ~1.5 Bar)

If the steam boiler gauge is in the normal range during steaming the most likely cause of steam pressure decrease is a blockage in the steam wand.

Blockages in the steam wand can occur if the wand tip is not wiped with a damp cloth immediately after steaming milk. To remove these blockages unscrew the steam wand tip and clear blockages in the steam wand tip.

Another cause of blockages is water scale. If your blockage is caused by scale you can do a DIY descale, of you can get your machine serviced by a technician.

Note that removal of blockages caused by milk or by scale are not covered by warranty.

+ Why is there water in the steam wand?

All steam wands on Italian coffee machines will have some condensed water sitting in the bottom when sitting idle. Before steaming, purge water for 1-2 seconds until you get to dry steam.

If you are using a single boiler coffee machine, check that you have switched from brew mode to steam mode, and also, waited for the boiler to reach steaming pressure (> 1 bar).

+ How do I set up a new coffee grinder?

When setting up a new coffee grinder you need to adjust the gap between the cutting burrs to get coffee particles that enable a 30 second espresso extraction.

This process is known as tuning in a grinder. Here are the steps:

• Grind some coffee and check the particle size. If the particle size is too coarse (like caster sugar) adjust the grind finer (smaller number). If the particle size is fine (like flour) adjust the grind coarser (larger number).
• Continue until you get a particle size that is somewhere between caster sugar and flour.
• Follow the steps in my Espresso Workflow and pull your first shot.
• Note the extraction time.
• Follow the steps in my Espresso Workflow to fine tune your coffee grinder.
• When you are getting extractions near 30s your grinder is tuned in.

+ How do I find my coffee grinder’s zero point?

It’s not necessary to find the zero point of a grinder but if you are interested in finding it then this is how you can do it:

• Start with an empty and clean grinder.
• Adjust the burr gap until the top and bottom burrs touch. This is the real zero point.
• The zero reading on the grinder will not align with real zero point as the numbers are only there to give a relative scale with a bigger number for a coarser grind and smaller number for a finer grind.

+ Why has my coffee grinder stopped working?

I'm often asked about grinders that stop working. The most common cause is seized burrs.

This happens when fine coffee grinds build up in the exit chute resulting in chute blockage, or when coarse coffee grinds get compressed between the burrs.

If your grinder seizes the first thing to do is to check that the chute is clear. Grab something like a straightened paperclip and stick it right up the chute. Wiggle it around to break up any blockages and to clear out the chute.

If the grinder’s chute is clear but the grinder is still seized the likely cause is coarse coffee grinds compressed between the burrs. This commonly occurs when you change the grind setting from coarse to fine without pulsing at intervals. Follow these steps to fix the issue:

• Back the grind size off to coarse so the motor can run again.
• Slowly work your way back towards espresso grind.
• As you adjust from coarse to fine, pulse regularly to prevent seizing.
• Fine tune the grinder for by following the steps in my Espresso Workflow

If you still can’t produce a fine grind and cannot turn the collar there is a chance that a foreign object, such as a stone, has that made it into the grinder. If you are qualified to work with electrical equipment your can follow the steps below to fix this:

• Unplug the coffee grinder.
• Remove the bean hopper.
• Remove the top burr assembly.
• Clean out the grind chamber by tipping the grinder upside down, brushing the burrs, brushing out the grind chamber and clearing out the chute using an unraveled paperclip.
• Reassemble.
• Slowly work your way back towards espresso grind.
• As you adjust from coarse to fine, pulse regularly to prevent seizing.
• Fine tune the grinder by following the steps in my Espresso Workflow

If you are unable to remove the blockage yourself please complete the Support Form

I will then direct you to a service technician. Note that clearance of blockages is not covered by warranty.

If you are local (Melbourne) I may be able to assist with Grinder Cleaning & Tuning. To learn more Click Here

+ How should I clean my coffee grinder?

I recommend cleaning your coffee grinder annually. You don't need to disassemble your grinder to clean it. Simply fill the hopper with coffee grinder cleaning granules, then grind the granules to clean oils from the grinding burrs and the grinding chamber.