Why Is My Coffee Maker So Slow? (Easy Guide in 2022)

A cup of coffee will help you start your day well since it helps boost the energy levels. One of the last things any coffee lover would tolerate especially on a busy day is a slow coffee machine.

In case you are experiencing the same with your coffee machine, then you have come to the right place! In this article, we have chronicled the main reasons why your coffee maker is low and offered the best solutions to each of the bizarre problems.

Definitely, there are several reasons why your coffee machine is slow.

Table of Contents

Reasons Why Is My Coffee Maker So Slow

Below are main reasons why your coffee maker is slow.

Buildup of Minerals

Mineral build up might be dragging this down making your coffee maker slow. As you know, water is always full of minerals that when given opportunity to pile up is capable of clogging your coffee maker. Limestone and calcium are the most popular minerals which remain in coffee makers making it slow after some time.

However, many people do not know how they can tell if it is mineral build up that is slowing their coffee maker down. In case you use tap water on a regular basis, high chances the water might have high natural minerals contents increasing possibilities of the coffee maker developing mineral buildup. However, when you demineralize your water, then mineral build up is not a possibility.

There are coffee machines that come with in built indicator lights to inform one whenever there is mineral accumulation. Whenever the light turns on, you can be that the coffee maker is slow due to accumulation of minerals.

Solving Mineral Buildup Problem

Have mineral buildup in your coffee machine? Relax no need to panic! You can easily solve this by carrying out descaling session.

Below is a step by step guide on how to perform a descaling session.

Collect Materials: You will require white vinegar and water
Get an empty coffee maker: Empty the carafe and properly rinse it using clean water. Ensure you check inside of the machine and remove any coffee grounds leftovers.
Prepare a solution of mineral blasting: Add water to one part of the white vinegar that is distilled. Thereafter, put the mixture into the coffee maker water chamber.
Switch on the Coffee machine: Turn the coffee maker on like on a regular brewing cycle. This will help in even distribution inside the coffee machine removing any mineral build up.
Empty Carafe: When the cycle is complete, remove all the contents from the carafe.
Fill water chamber with clean water: Run the coffee machine with clean water at least three times to help remove all the vinegar.

In case you have never descaled the coffee maker or it is taking long to brew coffee, consider performing a thorough cleaning session.

When done with pouring all the solution to the coffee maker water chamber and embarked on the brewing, you can pause halfway and give the coffee machine to sit for around 60 minutes. The solution will soak inside the coffee machine increasing the effectiveness of this method. Considering the hardness of the water, you might be forced to descale the maker three or several times annually.

Clogged Coffee Maker

There is a possibility of coffee articles, mold, dust particles and other materials getting into the coffee maker tubes when it is not cleaned well after every use. When this goes on for some time, it can clog the coffee machine slowing down its brewing time.

Whenever a clogged coffee machine is not properly cleaned, the clog will increase until it completely stops the coffee maker.

It is difficult to tell if your coffee machine is clogged by looking at it since the clogs take place inside the machine. Not properly cleaning the coffee maker after using it or having never deep cleaned it increasing the possibility of it being clogged.

Solving Clogged Coffee Maker Problem

You can unclog a clogged coffee maker using the same descaling procedure we have outlined in the buildup materials section. Running a mixture of water with white vinegar will help in clearing out the clogs.

You can also clear the clogs manually in case you have failed to clear them by running a mixture of water and white vinegar through the coffee machine. Clogs are normally situated in the coffee machines valves or tubes. You will have to disassemble your coffee machine before you can get to the inner tubes where there are clogs. Make good use of the user manual before you start disassembling the coffee maker. You will require the following tools to help you disassemble the coffee machine:

Screwdriver
Wrenches
Bottlebrush

Below is a step by step guide to help you disassemble your coffee machine:

Disconnect from power: Ensure the coffee maker is unplugged from power and cooled down to help prevent burns.
Open the Cover situated at the bottom of the coffee machine: Use a screwdriver to help you open and remove the cover situated at the bottom of the coffee maker. Since the coffee makers are of different designs, you will need to read through the user manual first.
Check presence of grime and gunk: After opening the coffee machine, check the valves situated at the end of the tubes. If they have gunk or appear dirty remove and properly clean them.
Dislodge Clog: use a thin and long bottle brush to help clean the inside of the tubes. After cleaning the clogs, reassemble the coffee machine and only run the brew cycle using water.

Excess Amount of Coffee Was Brewed

There are things that will always go wrong at one point especially if you are new to brewing. Putting excess coffee beans in the coffee machine means the water will take longer time to saturate the coffee before exiting the machine.

To be sure that excess coffee beans might be slowing down your brewing, you need to read through the set of instructions that comes with the coffee bag and ensure the amount added is the right amount.

In most cases, you need to be using at most two tablespoon of coffee for every 8 ounces of water. For instance, when interested in brewing two coffee cups, you will use 4 tablespoon of coffee beans.

Internal Component Malfunctioned

There are coffee machines which are quite easy to identify and fix problems since they have been manufactured using a simple design. However, there are coffees machines which are complicated hence can malfunction in different and unexpected ways. Such coffee makers will always require professional expertise or thorough understanding of the coffee machine. It is highly recommended that you always consult an expert or read through the user manual since the manual will provide you with the most accurate guide on how to solve every problem.

In case none of the above helps you to solve your coffee maker problem, feel free to always call the manufacturer of that particular coffee machine and get to have all the problems facing your coffee maker solved. On average, most of the coffee maker repairs will cost between $50 and more.

Conclusion

Most of the problems facing coffee machines can be fixed right from your home with the help of a few tools or ingredients. It does not matter if the issue making your coffee maker is the buildup of minerals or clogs, you can always be sure that there are simple tips and tricks that will help you effectively tackle and solve the problem.

However, in case you are not able to figure out what the problem is, all coffee makers come with a user manual that will be of great help. You can also consider contacting a professional coffee maker repair or the manufacturer to help you out.

FAQs

How do you speed up a drip coffee maker?

Fill the reservoir with straight vinegar, let it go through a brew cycle, then turn off the coffee maker. Put the hot vinegar back in, let sit for about 20-30 minutes, then run through one more time. Run fresh cold water through several times, and you are all set. Don’t waste that vinegar!

Can vinegar ruin coffee maker?

Vinegar can damage the internal parts of the coffee machine, especially the seals and the rubber gaskets. In addition, it is very difficult to rinse, and its smell and taste will remain for a long time in the espresso machine.

Why is my coffee machine taking forever?

Mineral Buildup Could Be to Blame. By far, the most common reason that your coffee machine is slow is that there is mineral buildup dragging things down. Water is full of minerals that, if given the opportunity to accumulate, can clog the inside of your coffee maker.

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Why Is My Coffee Maker So Slow?: (Easy Guide)