If you’re like me, you just love your morning cup of coffee, but it’s not always easy to make. Recently, my Delonghi Coffee Maker has been producing less than stellar cups of java and I was getting ready to toss it when I noticed some instructions on the side of the machine that said To increase the pressure release valve and run 2 minutes, which I tried and it worked!
Here are those instructions if you ever find yourself in the same situation or just want your next cup of coffee to be a little stronger. Hopefully, this will help someone else too!
Remove the water tank
Carefully remove any filters inside of your machine that you may have installed to prevent sediment from entering your brew. Unscrew and remove anything you need to access, being careful not to knock or damage anything inside.
You’ll also want to avoid spilling any water on a hot machine – steam burns are no fun! Once everything is removed, set it aside for now. We’ll come back for it in a minute.
Replace The Water Filter Cartridge
Oftentimes, you’ll find that when your coffee machine isn’t producing enough pressure, it’s due to a clogged water filter. A quick test of your water filter is easy and can give you an indication of whether it’s time to change it out or not.
Simply run hot water through a cycle in your machine without a pod or capsule inserted. If there are still visible particles after running that first test, then you may need to swap out your old one for a new one.
Replace The Water Filter Base Gasket
If your coffee maker is equipped with a water filter base, chances are good that it also has a water filter base gasket. Over time, these gaskets tend to crack and allow water to leak into your machine. As a result, you’ll start noticing leaks around your coffee maker.
To repair and replace the base gasket of your coffee maker, follow these steps
1) Remove any screws from your coffee maker’s top cover
2) Lift off the top cover by applying pressure along its edges while gently pulling upon it
3) Find and remove any screws located on either side of your old base gasket.
4) Using a flathead screwdriver, pry out and remove any leftover pieces of your old base gasket from inside your coffee maker.
Flush Out Steam Wand
One way to troubleshoot a low-pressure situation is to try flushing out your machine’s steam wand. Turn on your machine and hold down your steam wand for 10 seconds or so. This may clear some of the residues from inside of it, helping produce more pressure.
Also, check that your brewer has been cleaned according to manufacturer instructions. You can find these instructions in your owner’s manual. And make sure that no coffee grounds are stuck in any other part of your machine either.
Use an unplugged appliance cleaner like Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and run hot water through all parts until clean; wipe them dry after each use.
Check The Steam Knob O-Ring and Steam Valve O-Ring
This is a quick fix that will often solve your low-pressure problem. Every coffee maker comes with a small O-ring.
These are used to prevent steam from escaping during brewing and also to keep water from dripping out of your machine when you remove its carafe after brewing.
Take off your brew basket (the thing with all of those holes in it) and clean it thoroughly. Check these o-rings for damage. If you find any, replace them immediately and continue with brewing!
Also read: How To Fix Cuisinart Coffee Maker Clock Not Working
Also watch the video to fix the problem
Conclusion
The coffee maker has a low-pressure warning light that will come on to let you know that it isn’t brewing correctly. The first thing you should do is check your filter for any large debris or buildup of calcium deposits, and replace it if necessary.
You can also ensure that your water level is not too high; make sure you are using clean and clear water.
If neither of these two things fixes your problem, it may be time to call an expert plumber to check out your machine.
There could be a problem with one of the parts inside (which would be very expensive to fix) so it’s worth knowing whether it’s worth fixing or replacing before you get started down that road.