How to Troubleshoot Your Coffee Machine
If you went to bed last night and have not had a particularly good night's sleep, you may have only one thing on your mind when you wake up—an invigorating cup of coffee. You will be relying on this pick-me-up ifs you have another tough day ahead, so the last thing you want is an issue with your machine. However, that's just what you've got, and so you need to twiddle a few knobs or do whatever it takes to deliver your trusty beverage. Where should you start?
To help you move forward, you need to identify the issue and perform a step-by-step routine.
Potential Faults
Perhaps liquid is pouring into the cup, but it's stone cold; in this case, you will want to know why it's not up to its usual operating temperature. Perhaps the filter holders are not locked into position properly, or they may have been moved out of the way prematurely.
On the other hand, coffee may be coming through, but it's very intermittent. You might find that the head is blocked and may need to clean it out, especially if it's been some time since you did so.
You might have put too much coffee into the filter holder, and this is causing a slowdown in performance. If your machine comes with a pressure gauge, have a look and see if that is operating at its highest level.
What about the grinder setting? If it is set at the lower end of the scale, then it may not be dispensing as it should be, and you will need to adjust it accordingly.
Is the machine leaking instead of diverting as it should? If so, where is this coming from? If the leak appears to be coming from the filter holder or brewing head, then you may need to clean this area and get rid of the accumulation of coffee on top of the gasket. Alternatively, the gasket itself could be damaged and it or the filter basket may need to be replaced.
On further inspection, you may see that the leakage is coming from the front of machine; if so, the waste pipe could be blocked. You will need to lift the drip tray off and clean it out carefully before running hot water through again to clear the flow. Any leakage from the back of the machine may indicate that the boiler is faulty, and this may require a service technician.
Looking Forward
Hopefully you've been able to kick-start your coffee machine and reset your enthusiasm for the day ahead. It may be a good idea to schedule a service for this appliance, however, to avoid the same type of situation tomorrow. Contact a company that offers coffee machines for sale for additional advice.