All coffee guides · Troubleshooting
Use this checklist to compare espresso shots one adjustment at a time. Keep a record of grind, dose, yield and taste; changing several settings together makes it harder to tell what helped.
Warm and prepare the machine as its manual directs. Use a clean basket, a suitable weighed dose and a repeatable distribution and level tamp. Check water and machine settings. Flush only as the model’s routine requires.
Check dose and preparation. If the shot reaches the target yield quickly and tastes thin or sharp, try a small grind adjustment finer. A fast time alone does not prove under-extraction, especially with a recipe designed for fast flow.
Stop a stalled shot and allow pressure to release before handling the portafilter. Check that the dose fits the basket. Try a small adjustment coarser if necessary, keeping dose and target yield steady. Do not use a loose tamp to compensate.
If flow is otherwise reasonable, try a little more yield at the same dose and grind. For unusually fast flow, consider a finer grind instead. Change one variable and taste again. The coffee itself may also have acidity that you do not enjoy.
Try a slightly shorter yield if flow is otherwise reasonable. For a very slow shot, check dose and grind first. Check cleaning and consider the roast style. Bitterness alone cannot establish an extraction percentage.
Check distribution, tamp level, basket fit and cleanliness. A bottomless portafilter can reveal spraying, but visual signs alone do not prove a specific fault. Replace damaged parts with approved replacements; do not file or modify a basket to fix extraction.
Check the model’s warm-up routine and whether retained grounds are entering the first dose. Prepare cups and brewing parts consistently. Use a flush or purge only where appropriate for the machine and grinder. Compare repeatable measurements before making several adjustments.
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