Bean-to-cup coffee machines are brilliant until a warning light starts flashing and the machine refuses to make coffee. Most error messages fall into a few groups, and many can be cleared without a technician. Here is what they usually mean.
Most bean-to-cup errors relate to the grounds container or drip tray (full or not seated), the water tank (empty, not seated, filter issue), the brew unit (missing, dirty, stuck), descaling (overdue), the grinder (no beans, jammed) or temperature and electronics. Empty, reseat and clean first, then switch off for a few minutes. Persistent errors need a technician.
Before anything else
1. Note the exact message or light pattern, or take a photo. 2. Switch the machine off with its power button, then at the wall, and wait a few minutes. 3. Switch back on and see if the error returns.
Many errors are triggered by a one-off event and clear after a restart.
Grounds container and drip tray errors
What it means
The grounds container is full, or the machine has counted enough cups to assume it is full. The drip tray may be full or not pushed in properly.
What to do
- Empty the grounds container and drip tray, even if they look half empty.
- Leave the container out for several seconds before reinserting it. Many machines reset their cup count only if the container is removed for a moment.
- Push both fully into place until they click.
- Clean any grounds stuck in the area behind the container.
Water tank errors
What it means
The tank is empty, not seated properly, or the machine cannot detect the water level. Sometimes a dirty float or an incorrectly fitted filter is the cause.
What to do
- Refill the tank and reseat it firmly.
- Check the float in the tank (if fitted) moves freely.
- Remove and refit the water filter, or try without it to see if it is the cause.
- Clean the tank valve at the bottom if it looks crusty.
Brew unit errors
What it means
The brew unit is missing, not seated properly, dirty or stuck. Coffee oils and grounds build up on the brew unit and can stop it moving freely.
What to do
- If your brew unit is removable, take it out, rinse it under lukewarm water, let it dry and refit it.
- Clean old grounds out of the brew unit cavity.
- If your brew unit is fixed, run the brew unit cleaning programme with the manufacturer's tablets.
Descale warnings
What it means
The machine has used enough water that it expects scale to have built up.
What to do
Run the descale programme with a descaler suitable for your machine. Do not interrupt it. In Cape Town's soft-water areas, descale prompts come less often, but they still matter.
Grinder and bean errors
What it means
The bean hopper is empty, beans are not feeding, or the grinder is jammed.
What to do
- Refill the hopper.
- If beans are very oily, they can stick together and stop feeding. Stir them and switch to a less oily roast.
- Never put ground coffee into the bean hopper.
- If the grinder makes a loud grinding or clicking noise, stop and call a technician. A small stone or foreign object may be jammed in the burrs.
Milk system errors
Some machines warn when the milk system needs cleaning, or detect a blockage. Run the milk cleaning programme and wash the milk parts.
Temperature and general errors
Messages about temperature, heating or a general error often point to scale, a heater or thermoblock fault, a sensor or the control board. Power surges can also cause these. If the error persists after a restart and descale, the machine needs a technician.
When to call a technician
- The same error returns after cleaning and restarting
- The grinder makes grinding or clicking noises
- Water leaks from inside the machine
- The machine does not power on
- Coffee is still weak or cold after descaling
We repair bean-to-cup, espresso and pod machines across Cape Town, and every repair carries a 6-month warranty.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my machine say the grounds container is full when it is not?
Many machines count cups rather than measuring the container. Empty it and leave it out for a few seconds so the count resets.
Can I ignore the descale warning?
You can make coffee for a while, but scale keeps building up and eventually causes blockages and heater failure.
My grinder is making a loud noise. What should I do?
Stop using it and call a technician. Something may be jammed in the burrs.
A1 Refrigeration is an independent company and is not affiliated with or authorised by any appliance manufacturer. This guide is general advice. For anything involving electricity or refrigerant gas, use a qualified technician.
Need a hand? See our coffee machine repair service in Cape Town.