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Saeco Philips Technical FAQs

If your Philips/Saeco espresso machine is making a loud or unusual noise, please see below for the causes and solutions.

Water tank is not fully inserted

It is important that the water tank is placed properly in to the machine. In case it is not well inserted it can draw air instead of water.

1.    For espresso machine with water tank on the front of the machine, ensure that it is pushed fully to the back to make sure it is well inserted.

2.    For espresso machine with water tank on top of the machine, ensure that the area under the water tank is free from dirt, particles or coffee beans.

Air is trapped into the machine

When air is trapped, the machine makes a loud noise and no water will be drawn from the water tank into the machine. Follow the steps below on how to fix this:

1.    Switch OFF the machine

2.    Empty the water tank and remove the AquaClean (or any other water filter) filter

3.    Fill the water tank with water and place it back in position

4.    Switch the machine back ON. When the machine is heated up, select hot water and dispense 2-3 cups of hot water

If you use an AquaClean water filter, follow these extra steps to make sure the filter is prepared and correct installed for use:

1.    Shake the AquaClean water filter for 5 seconds. Watch video.

2.    Hold the filter upside down in a container/bowl with water until no more air bubbles come out

3.    Place back the filter into the water tank and fill the water tank with water

4.    Restart the machine and switch it off and back on

5.    Select hot water and dispense 2-3 cups of hot water

Note: If you have been using the AquaClean water filter for more than 3 months, replace the filter, as the filter might be clogged.

Brew group is dirty and needs to be greased

It is normal that your machine makes some noises while brewing your coffee. However, if the machine starts making an unusual noise , we advise you to clean the brew group and lubricate it.

It is important to rinse the brew group of your Philips/Saeco espresso machine weekly. Follow the steps below or watch our tutorial video:

1.    Switch OFF the machine and wait until it is completely off and does not make any more noises (this takes about 15-20 seconds)

2.    Open the service door and remove the brew group by pressing the “PUSH” button to the right side, hold it, and pull it towards you

3.    Rinse the brew group thoroughly with lukewarm water and let it air-dry before placing it back

If these solutions do not solve the issue, please contact us for further assistance.

When no water is drawn from the water tank of your Philips/Saeco espresso machine, it is because air is trapped in the machine and blocking the water supply. Check out below on how you can solve this, as well as other possible causes and solutions.

Water tank is not fully inserted

It is possible that the water tank is not placed properly into the machine, which no water will be drawn out.

1.    For espresso machine with water tank on the front of the machine, ensure that the water tank is pushed fully to the back to make sure it is well inserted.

2.    For espresso machine with water tank on top of the machine, ensure that the area under the water tank is free from dirt, particles or coffee beans.

Removing trapped air

Follow the steps below to remove trapped air for your espresso machine:

1.    Switch OFF the machine

2.    Empty the water tank and remove the AquaClean (or any other water filter) water filter

3.    Fill the water tank with water and place it back in position

4.    Switch the machine back ON. When the machine is heated up, select hot water and dispense 2-3 cups of hot water

If you use an AquaClean water filter, follow these extra steps to make sure the filter is prepared and correct installed for use:

1.    Shake the AquaClean water filter for 5 seconds. Watch this video.

2.    Hold the filter upside down in a container/bowl with water until no more air bubbles come out

3.    Place back the filter into the water tank and fill the water tank with water.

4.    Restart the machine and switch it off and back on

5.    Select hot water and dispense 2-3 cups of hot water

Note: If you have been using the AquaClean water filter for more than 3 months, replace the filter, as the filter might be clogged.

The hot water spout is clogged (machines with a Panarello/Classic Milk Frother)

When the hot water spout gets clogged, remove the outer part of the panarello/classic milk frother and check if the spout is clogged by inserting paper clip into the spout.

If it is clogged lime-scale (white particles in or around the spout), there is a build-up lime-scale, use some descaling solution to remove it.

If these solutions do not solve the issue, please contact us for further assistance.

 

If you are unable to insert the brew group into your Philips/Saeco espresso machine, set the brew group in neutral position and try to place it back

The brew group is not in neutral position

Before you try to insert the brew group, ensure that it is set in neutral position. The brew group is in neutral position, when the arrow on the yellow cylinder on the side of the brew group is aligned with the black arrow and “N.”. And the yellow hook on the side needs to be on the upright position (watch video)

To set the brew group in a neutral position and place it back into the machine follow the steps below:

1.    Leave the brew group out and close the service door. Place all other parts back into the machine(drip tray/ coffee grounds container, water tank).

2.    Press the ON/OFF button to switch OFF the machine. Wait until you hear no more sounds (this can take up to 15-20 seconds).

3.    Press the ON/OFF button to switch the machine ON. Do not take any actions as opening the service door/ removing the drip tray/water tank before the machine is ready for use.

4.    Set the brew group in a neutral position before inserting it. To set the brew group in neutral position, first push down the lever until it is in contact with the base of the brew group (see image 1), then check if the yellow hook is in the upper most position, if not push it upwards (see image 2)

5.    Open the service door and slide the brew group back into the machine along the guiding rails until it locks into position.

6.    Close the service door and switch the machine OFF and back ON.

Note: Instructions may differ depending on your specific espresso machine’s model. For a more accurate step-by-step instructions, check the usermanual.

Does your Philips/Saeco espresso machine grind coffee beans but no coffee is coming out? Below you will find a few reasons on why this might happen.

Using the pre-ground coffee function

When using the pre-ground coffee function to brew your coffee, the machine needs to be switched ON and ready for use before addin pre-ground coffee into the pre-ground coffee compartment.

Only use one full scoop of coffee grounds with the spoon provided and strike off the top access. Exceeding the amount of coffee grounds can cause the brew group to be overfilled and the coffee brewing to be aborted.The coffee powder will be thrown away and no coffee will be dispensed.

Brew group is dirty

A dirty or clogged brew group can cause no coffee dispensing from the machine. It is important to rinse the brew group weekly. Follow the steps below.

1.    Switch OFF the machine and wait until it is completely off and does not make any more noises (this takes about 15-20 seconds)

2.    Open the service door and remove the brew group by pressing the “PUSH” button to the right side, hold it, and pull it towards you

3.    Rinse the brew group thoroughly with lukewarm water and let it air-dry before placing it back

Not enough coffee beans or water

If there is not enough coffee beans or water before brewing your coffee, the brewing will be aborted, and the coffee powder will be thrown away into the coffee grounds container.

To fix this, ensure that you have enough coffee beans or water before you start brewing.

If these solutions did not help solve the issue, please contact us for further assistance.

There are a few different causes why coffee is not dispensing from your Philips/Saeco espresso machine. Below you will find some solutions on how to solve this yourself.

Note: if you are using the machine for the first time, it is normal that during your first brew, only a few drops of coffee are dispensed. Brew a few more cups of coffee to optimize the extraction of the coffee with the compactness of the ground coffee.

Air is trapped and is blocking the water supply

When air is trapped, the machine makes a loud buzzing noise and no water will be drawn from the water tank into the machine. Follow the steps below on how to fix this:

1.    Switch OFF the machine

2.    Empty the water tank and remove the AquaClean(or any other water filter) filter

3.    Fill the water tank with water and place it back in position

4.    Switch the machine back ON. When the machine is heated up, select hot water and dispense 2-3 cup sof hot water

If you use an AquaClean water filter, follow these extra steps to make sure the filter is prepared and correct installed for use:

1.    Shake the AquaClean water filter for 5 seconds

2.    Hold the filter up side down in a container/bowl with water until no more air bubbles come out

3.    Place back the filter into the water tank and fill the water tank with water

4.    Restart the machine and switch it off and back on

5.    Select hot water and dispense 2-3 cups of hot water

Note: If you have been using the AquaClean water filter for more than 3 months, replace the filter, as the filter might be clogged.

Brew group is dirty

A dirty or clogged brew group, can cause no coffee dispensing from the machine. It is important to rinse the brew group weekly. Follow the steps below or watch our tutorial video.

1.    Switch OFF the machine and wait until it is completely off and does not make any more noises (this takes about 15-20 seconds)

2.    Open the service door and remove the brew group by pressing the “PUSH” button to the right side, hold it, and pull it towards you

3.    Rinse the brew group thoroughly with lukewarm water and let it air-dry before placing it back

Note: For a thorough cleaning of the brew group, we recommend you to use Cafiza espresso machine cleaning tablets.

Coffee dispensing spout is clogged

When no coffee is dispensing, it could also be that the dispensing spout is clogged. To clean it you can use a pipe cleaner or need let to get rid of the dirt.

Using the pre-ground coffee function

When using the pre-ground coffee function to brew your coffee, the machine needs to be switched ON and ready for use before adding pre-ground coffee into the pre-ground coffee compartment.

Only use one full scoop of coffee grounds with the spoon provided and strike off the top access. Exceeding the amount of coffee grounds can cause the brew group to be overfilled and the coffee brewing to be aborted.The coffee powder will be thrown away and no coffee will be dispensed.

Machine needs to be descaled

When was the last time you descaled your espresso machine?All machines have a dedicated descale indicator, we advise you to descale the machine as soon as the machine indicates to do so. Not descaling your espresso machine can cause limescale to build up inside and cause malfunction.

Refer to the user manual on how to descale your espresso machine or click here.

The pre-ground coffee compartment is clogged

If the pre-ground coffee compartment is clogged, no coffee can be dispensed. To fix this, follow the steps below or the instructions.

1.    Switch OFF the machine and wait until it is completely off and does not make any more noises (this takes about 15-20 seconds)

2.    Open the service door and remove the brew group by pressing the “PUSH” button to the right side, hold it, and pull it towards you

3.    Open the lid of the pre-ground coffee compartment and insert the spoon handle into it

4.    Move the handle up and down until the clogged ground coffee falls down

If these solutions do not solve the issue, please contact us for further assistance.

 

If you cannot remove the brew group from your Philips/Saeco espresso machine, check out below causes and solutions to help you.

The brew group gear inside the machine is not in neutral position

Follow the steps below how to set the brew group gear inside the machine in neutral position:

1.    Close the service door, and place everything back (water tank/ drip tray/ coffee grounds container).

2.    Press the ON/OFF button to switch OFF the machine. Wait until you hear no more sounds (this can take up to 15-20 seconds).

3.    Press the ON/OFF button to switch the machine ON. Do not take any actions as opening the service door/ removing the drip tray/water tank before the machine is ready for use.

4.    Open the service door and try again to remove the brew group by pressing the “PUSH” button to the right side, hold it, and pull it towards you

Tip: Turn the machine in a 45 degrees angle so that you facet he brew group when you open the service door.

Machine is still in descaling mode

If your espresso machine is still in descaling mode, the brew group cannot be removed. To solve this, finish the descaling process ad try again after completing.

If these solutions do not solve the issue, please contact us for further assistance.

If you find coffee powder in the interior or under the brew group of you Philips/Saeco espresso machine, please see below for the solutions.

Lubricate the brew group

Coffee powders could end up under or around the brew group if the brew group and its parts are not well greased. Follow the steps on which brew group parts need to be greased:

1.    Switch OFF your espresso machine and wait until it is completely off and does not make any more noises (this takes about 15-20 seconds)

2.    Remove the brew group from the machine and rinse it under a fresh and lukewarm water. Let it air dry

3.    Apply a thin layer of grease on the piston of the brew group

4.    Apply a thin layer of grease around the shaft located on the bottom of the brew group

5.    Apply a thin layer of grease to the rails on both sides.

The Brew group is dirty

Because of the fineness of the ground coffee powder, some coffee powder can fall in the interior and under the brew group, which is seen as normal. We advise to rinse the brew group of your Philips/Saeco espresso machine and clean the interior weekly.

To clean it, follow the steps below or watch our tutorial video:

1.    Switch OFF the machine wait until it is completely off and does not make any more noises (this takes about 15-20 seconds)

2.    Open the service door and remove the brew group by pressing the “PUSH” button to the right side, hold it, and pull it towards you

3.    Rinse the brew group thoroughly with lukewarm water and let it air-dry before placing it back

If any of the solutions did not solve the issue, please contact us for further assistance.

If your Philips/Saeco espresso machine is brewing watery coffee this can have multiple reasons. Please check the possible causes and solutions below.

Using the machine for the first time

If this is the first time using your espresso machine, it is normal that the first brewed coffees are watery as the system is still adjusting.

Try to brew a few more cups of coffee in order to optimize the extraction of the coffee with the compactness of the ground coffee.

The brew group is dirty

It is important to rinse the brew group weekly as a dirty brew group filter can cause a bad water flow and affects the coffee taste. To clean it, follow the steps below or watch our tutorial video:

1.    Switch OFF the machine and wait until it is completely off and does not make any more noises (this takes about 15-20 seconds)

2.    Open the service door and remove the brew group by pressing the “PUSH” button to the right side, hold it, and pull it towards you

3.    Rinse the brew group thoroughly with lukewarm water and let it air-dry before placing it back

 

Grinder setting needs to be adjusted

It is possible that when adjusting the grinder setting to a finer grind, it was accidentally overturned and resulted the two grinding stones set too close together. This could resulted the grind to be very fine and not absorbing the water.

To solve this, simply re-adjust the grind setting to a coarser setting by turning the knob inside the coffee bean container to a higher number or bigger coffee bean.

Some of the machine settings need adjustments

The aroma setting, cup volume, grinder setting are machine settings that can influence the strength of the coffee. We advise you to play around with these settings.

To increase the strength you can for example choose the highest aroma setting, medium cup volume and set the grinder to a finder grind.

The pre-ground coffee compartment is clogged

Open the lid of the pre-ground coffee compartment to check if it is clogged with ground coffee. If this is the case, you can unclog this area by following the steps below:

1.    Switch OFF the machine and wait until it is completely off

2.    Remove the brew group from the machine.

3.    Open the lid of the pre-ground coffee compartment and insert the spoon handle into it.

4.    Move the handle up and down until the clogged ground coffee falls down

If these solutions did not solve the issue, please contact us for further assistance.

If you find that your drip tray of your Philips/Saeco espresso machine is filling up quickly, below you will find out why you may experience this and what you can do to prevent this.

Drip tray fills up quickly due to the automatic rinsing water

Even if you catch the rinsing water from the coffee spout into a cup, rinsing water will always end up into the drip tray. This is because the machine directly drains rinsing water into the drip tray of the automatic rinsing to manage the rinsing of the circuits to ensure optimum performance of the machine. Automatic rinsing is performed when switching the machine ON and OFF, after brewing a drink, or after using the milk frother.

Due to this rinsing water, you may experience that there is always some water in the drip tray or that the drip tray fills up quicker than expected. However, this does not indicate a machine leakage.

To prevent this, empty it daily or as soon as the red indicator pops up.

Note: In case the drip tray is full after brewing 2 cups of coffee, or drip tray fills up with water overnight, we advise you to contact us for further assistance.

If the frothing quality of the milk from your Philips/Saeco Espresso Machine is less than expected try our tips to solve this issue yourself. 

Milk temperature

Milk temperature can affect the frothing quality. We advise to always use cold refrigerated milk to ensure great milk foam.

Amount of milk

To prevent air from being drawn and to ensure a perfect frothing result, it is important that you use enough milk. Try increasing the amount of milk to improve the milk foam.

Milk type

Different types of milk can result in a different amount of foam and quality. We recommend you to use one of the following milk types:

1.    Semi-skimmed cow's milk

2.    Full-fat cow’s milk

3.    Lactose-free milk

The milk system isdirty.

Always make sure that when using the milk system, all parts are clean. Clean the parts according to the information in the article "How to clean and maintain myPhilips/Saeco espresso machine" or refer to the user manual.

Always pay special attention to cleaning the milk circuit system in your coffee machine. Try to prevent milk from drying up in it, as as dried up milk is difficult to remove.

Note: Only the LatteGo milk system is dishwasher safe. Other milks systems, such as milk carafes, are not dishwasher safe.In case you have tried cleaning and other tips but the machine still does not work please contact us for further assistance.

If you find that your Philips/Saeco espresso machine is leaking, there might be a few causes why this happen. Below you will find a list of where you can find leakage and how you can fix them:

1.    Is there water leaking into the drip tray?

2.    Is clear water leaking from under the machine or on the side of the machine

3.    Do you see brown-ish water stains on your kitchen table or under the machine?

1. Water leaks into the drip tray

Even if you catch the rinsing water from the coffee spout into a cup, rinsing water will always end up into the drip tray. This is because the machine directly drains rinsing water into the drip tray of the automatic rinsing to manage the rinsing of the circuits to ensure optimum performance of the machine.

Automatic rinsing is performed when switching the machine ON and OFF, after brewing a drink, or after using the milk frother.

Due to this rinsing water, you may experience that there is always some water in the drip tray or that the drip tray fills up quicker than expected. However, this does not indicate a machine leakage.

Note: In case the drip tray is full after brewing 2 cups of coffee, or drip tray fills up with water overnight, we advise you to contact us for further assistance.

2. Clear water under the machine or water tank

If you see clear water under the machine or beside the water tank, it is because the water tank is not placed properly into the machine.

To fix this, make sure that you push the water tank firmly into the machine by pushing it back fully.

If the water tank is well-placed and clear water is still coming out from under the machine, please contact us for further assistance.

3. Brown-ish water stains on the kitchen table or under the machine

There are two reasons why you may experience some water stains on the kitchen table or under the machine:

1.    The drip tray was too full and spilled while removing it. To avoid this, empty and rinse the drip tray daily or each time when the drip tray full and the red indicator pops up.

2.    When the drip tray is removed or pulled forward, a small amount of rinsing water of the brew group can end up on the kitchen tabletop under the right side of the machine. We advise you to dry this area weekly with a cloth, but is not a reason to worry for a leakage of your machine

If you find the brewed coffee with your Philips/Saeco espresso machine is not warm enough, try to use these tips to improve the coffee temperature.

Adjust temperature settings (possible on some models only)

If your espresso machine has an option to adjust the coffee temperature, simply set the temperature to the highest possible setting.

Pre-heat the cup before brewing a drink

A cold cup reduces the temperature of the drink. We advise to pre-heat the cup by rinsing them with hot water before brewing the coffee. Read this blogto learn more.

When drinking coffee with added milk

When you add cold milk or steamed froth milk to your coffee, it will always reduce the temperature of the coffee. .

Machine needs to be descaled

When was the last time you descaled your espresso machine?Limescale could build up inside your machine and cause it to decrease the temperature of your coffee.

There are a couple of reasons why your Philips espresso machine is telling you to descale your machine after installing the AquaClean filter.Please see below for the possible solutions. Note: It is important to note that if you are already using an AquaClean water filter, at a certain point you still need to descale your machine.

Not replacing the AquaClean filter on time

When the AquaClean filter icon starts flashing orange, it indicates that you need to replace your filter. As long as it flashes, you can replace the filter without having to descale the machine first. If you do not replace the AquaClean water filter, the orange light will go out eventually. In that case, you need to descale your machine first before replacing it with anew water filter. As the machine has to be limescale free before starting to use the AquaClean filter.

The AquaClean filter is not yet activated

Once you have installed the AquaClean filter and activated it, the AquaClean light turns blue to confirm that the AquaClean water filter is active. If the AquaClean light is not blue, it indicates that the filter is not active, and you will need to install and activate it. To do so, follow the steps below or watch our video:

1. Shake the filter for about 5 seconds.

 2. Immerse the filter upside down in a jug with cold water, shake/press it a bit and wait until no more air bubbles come out

3. The filter is now prepared for use and can be inserted into the water tank

4. Switch the machine ON. 

5. Insert the filter vertically onto the filter connection in the water tank.Press it down to the lowest possible point

6. Fill the water tank with fresh water to the MAX and place it back into the machine

7. Press and hold the AquaClean filter icon for 3 seconds until the lights starts blinking

8. Place a bowl under the hot water spout and press start. The machine will dispense some warm water.

9. Once done, the AquaClean filter light will turn blue, which indicates that the AquaClean water filter is activated.Do these solutions not solve the issue? Please contact us for further assistance.

Read this page to learn about what each of the warning lights refers to on your Philips 3000, 4000 or 5000 series coffee machine.