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Steam espresso maker failure modes - 2005/10/13 15:28I've used cheap steam-type espresso makers, and I'm very happy with the product. They may be low-end, but I actually prefer the coffee to what I can get at a chain coffee shop.
The problem is I've had three or four, and they stop working. They're not used heavily (average maybe twice a week), but the last one lasted about a year, if that.
They all seem to fail the same way - they boil and bubble but nothing comes out of the spout - even with the coffee holder removed. Steam eventually comes out of the top (presumably a safety valve).
My guess is that there is a valve on the spout which is supposed to open when the pressure gets high enough, and it's getting jammed somehow. I have hard water, which I filter in a jug filter, and I descale quite regularly with consumer descaling liquid. (dilute - heat up a bit, leave a while, boil through, rinse through a couple of times).
My first question is - am I doing something wrong to these poor machines. My second is - is a low-end pump machine likely to be more reliable than these steam-powered ones?
Can anyone help?
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Colin the editor
Visitor
Re:Steam espresso maker failure modes - 2005/10/13 16:04Hmmmmm - My 1st thought was: Are you descaling. You are.
Second thought is - how hard is your water?
Would a pump machine be better? No - not until you figure out what is going on with your set-up.
I would suggest stepping up to a slightly higher than entry level unit with slightly tougher construction.
Colin
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dave
Admin Admin
Posts: 195
Karma: 42
Re:Steam espresso maker failure modes - 2005/10/13 17:27Do you normally gets lots of nasty stuff out when you descale? Can you remove the shower screen to check if it is clogged, or see what you can see behind it?
You might consider using a bottled water if you can get it in bulk and you like the taste of your coffee with it.
Next question: Can you describe a typical 'shot' from your machine? Does it come fast and loose or does it regularly jam up and trickle out?
Next: Do you normally open the boiler cap some short while after you use the machine, in order to equalize the pressure? Spring valves can get stuck and even become deformed over time, perhaps making this more likely. I wonder if letting an empty boiler depressurize might lead to a sticking valve if such a valve is present.
:dave:Dave is an Ottawa resident and Coffee Expert
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Andrew
Visitor
Re:Steam espresso maker failure modes - 2005/10/15 05:26How hard? I don't have measurements, but I think very hard - I'm sitting on top of a billion tons of chalk, and presumably that's where the water's drawn from.
I'd already removed the screen, but hadn't been able to see much behind it.
The water after descaling comes out a very dark grey, but not usually with any obviously nasty stuff (lumps or anything).
So, emboldened by your comments to persist with the scaling theory, I attacked the thing with several times as much descaling liquid as I usually use, and left it inverted overnight (in the hope of immersing the outlet tubes or valves.) It does seem to have done the trick. The root of my problems seems to have been not using enough descaler.
Thanks for your help.
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