Delonghi manufactures capsule coffee makers for Nespresso and Dolce Gusto and has a line of super-automatic, espresso, and drip coffee makers. And it is in this guide we are going to deal with all those problems that, at some point, can affect your drip coffee maker (or combi).
Note: In the case of the “combi coffee makers”, we will only deal with the problems that affect the drip coffee maker side since the espresso area of the coffee machine has been dealt with in previous guides: see here.
No coffee comes out of the drip coffee maker
Fortunately, Delonghi drip coffee makers are not very complex in their internal constitution, with few components and very well distributed. Although it will be difficult for the drip carafe heater to fail, it can happen.
This coffee maker is designed so that any excess temperature or current does not damage its internal components. Delonghi uses thermal fuses that open the circuit in case of failure to protect the coffee maker and the user.
Problem: The thermal base of the drip carafe does not heat, no sound is heard, and no coffee comes out of the top of the drip carafe.
Cause: One of the two thermal fuses is blown, or the thermostat is broken.
Solution: Disassemble the coffee maker and access the thermal fuses and the thermostat (with the coffee maker turned off and disconnected from the mains). Check continuity with a multimeter; if any of these components does NOT give continuity, it should be replaced.
Very little coffee comes out of the drip coffee maker
One of the biggest problems with coffee makers is the accumulation of limescale inside them. Normally this lime builds upon the walls of the pipes and clogs valves and other components, preventing the water from flowing with adequate pressure.
Problem: When trying to prepare a coffee through the drip zone of our coffee maker, we notice that hardly any coffee comes out, but the base heats up.
Cause: At the outlet of the thermoblock dedicated to the preparation of drip coffee, there is a plastic pipe with a valve inside, which, when blocked by the lime in the water, does not allow the water to flow properly the top of the drop zone. If the base becomes hot, this is a clue that the thermoblock is working properly.
Solution: Disassemble the coffee maker, access this pipe, disassemble it, and clean it well with white vinegar. If you cannot clean it, buy a spare.
We can hear the water boiling, but no coffee comes out of the drip coffee maker
If we can hear the water boiling, it is good news because we are sure that the thermoblock is working. In addition, the coffee maker is taking water from the tank and heating it to rule out water entering the thermoblock as a possible problem.
Problem: The water boils inside the coffee maker but does not fall into the coffee decanter.
Cause: In this situation, there can be two different possibilities; on the one hand, the valve that presses the coffee decanter when it is placed in the machine does not do its function; on the other hand, some internal piping from the thermoblock outlet to the top of the coffee maker is disconnected.
Solution: In the first case, make sure that the carafe is correctly positioned and press the valve. If the carafe is correctly positioned, investigate the valve in depth. In the second case, you should disassemble the coffee maker and look for disconnected pipes at the thermoblock outlet.
