With more than 50 years in the coffee machine market, the Philips brand has always been known for being at the technological forefront with its machines. It was the first brand to develop a single-serve coffee machine globally. It manufactured it for Senseo, which, together with Saeco and Gaggia, now belongs to the Philips family.
This brand specialises in producing manual and automatic espresso machines and includes filter and capsule coffee machines in its portfolio.
Suppose you have one of these coffee machines and have questions or problems with its operation. In that case, we invite you to review our article on all user manuals for Philips coffee machines, as they contain valuable information on the proper use, maintenance, and cleaning you should have with your machine to prolong its life.
Over time and with many uses, your coffee machine will experience faults and breakdowns. The solution may not be explicitly stated in the instruction manual but may be much simpler than you think. This article will find the most common problems you may encounter with your Philips coffee machine and the easiest solution.
Philips coffee maker drip tray water leakage problems
When you prepare your coffee, you notice that the water flow has decreased and water is leaking out of the drip tray; you should not be alarmed as this is a more common problem than you think and is easily solved.
It is common to see that these leaks are due to the wear and tear of some parts inside the water pipes. The O-rings of the preparation group are one of the parts most exposed to damage and must be replaced constantly, so in this case, we leave you the steps so that you can replace these seals without any problem:
- Turn off and unplug the coffee maker.
- Remove the water tank.
- Open the side door.
- Remove the brew group from the machine.
- When the brew group is removed, a spout will be visible inside the brewer, with two rubber O-rings that you will need to replace if they are already worn or in bad condition.
- To change the seals, drag them out with your fingers. And to replace them, put a little grease on the new gasket first, and it will slide easily into place.
- Insert the brew group back into the brewer.
- Close the side door and put the water dispenser back in place.
- The drip tray leak should now be resolved.
Problem with Philips coffee maker not dispensing coffee and water
If you have noticed that your Philips coffee machine is dispensing less and less water in your drinks and the sound of the pump is getting quieter at the same time, you are facing a clogging problem due to the build-up of debris and dirt.
The only solution to eliminate these blockages is to clean the parts of the machine most prone to coffee residue build-up, such as the brewing group. Here’s what to do:
- Turn off and unplug the coffee machine.
- Remove the water tank.
- Open the side door and remove the brew group.
- Remove the screws from the brew group and remove the spring and the piston inside; these parts regulate the water pressure.
- Remove the filter from the piston by removing the screw in the centre and wash it thoroughly under running water, using a brush to sweep off any coffee residue that may remain on it.
- Clean the entire piston thoroughly and screw the filter back into place.
- Check that all the O-rings on the brew group are in good condition; if you notice any wear or dryness, it is best to replace them with new ones.
- Put the piston and spring back into the brew group, and don’t forget to replace the screws.
- Wash the whole brew group thoroughly under running water and let it dry.
- Put the brew group back into the brewer.
- Close the side door and put the water tank back in.
Problem with Philips coffee machine brewing coffee that is too watery
There are several reasons why coffee may come out of your coffee maker too watery. Firstly, check the grinding level; if it is too fine, the result will be a more watery coffee with little flavour, but if this is OK, the next thing to check is that there is no blockage in the brewing system or that it has not been properly lubricated.
If the problem is a blockage due to dirt, you must give the preparation group a good cleaning, as indicated in the previous section. But if what is happening is that the brewing group has not been properly lubricated and the mechanical parts are not moving smoothly, you should follow these guidelines to solve the problem:
- Turn off and unplug the coffee maker.
- Remove the brew group from the machine and wash it thoroughly under running tap water.
- Allow the brew group to air dry thoroughly.
- Apply a very thin layer of lubricant to the brew group piston.
- Also, apply the lubricant around the shaft at the bottom of the assembly.
- Put a thin layer of lubricant on the rails on both sides of the preparation group.
- Insert the brew group back into the brewer.
Note: remember to lubricate the brew group frequently, depending on the use of the brewer: if you brew between 1 and 5 cups a day, you should lubricate every four months; between 6 and 10 cups a day, you should lubricate every two months, and if you brew more than 10 cups a day you should lubricate once a month.
The coffee funnel of the brewing group is blocked with ground coffee
If you do not regularly clean the brewing group and the coffee pipes, they will probably be blocked with coffee residues and dirt inside. Proper cleaning of the coffee duct will ensure that the coffee flows evenly through the machine and does not interrupt brewing.
This cleaning should be done weekly as follows:
- Switch the machine off and unplug it.
- Open the side door.
- Remove the brewing group.
- Inside the machine, you will find the coffee chute; clean it with the handle of a small spoon from the top through the pre-ground coffee compartment. If there is no pre-ground coffee compartment, insert the spoon from below and push all the coffee accumulated inside it.
- Once you have removed all the ground coffee stuck in the coffee chute, put the coffee group back in place.
- Close the side door.
Problem with Philips coffee machine not frothing milk
You should be aware that the milk system is highly susceptible to clogging due to the accumulation of milk residue, as milk is a much denser liquid than water.
Therefore, you must be very vigilant about the maintenance and cleaning of the milk frothers in the system to ensure the hygiene and consistency of the froth.
If your coffee machine is not frothing milk, follow the steps below to solve this problem:
- To rinse the milk circuits daily, place the milk pipe into a jug of clean water and press the milk frothing button.
- Once a week, disassemble and thoroughly clean all the parts of the milk circuit with lukewarm water.
- Once a month, use the Philips brand milk circuit cleaner, following the recommendations for use that come with the product.
