How is coffee made in a fully automatic machine? What is the difference compared to a classic filter coffee machine?
In a fully automatic coffee machine the coffee beans are freshly ground. The coffee is made in a short time under high pressure, whereas with a classic filter coffee machine the water flows through the ground coffee in the filter without pressure. The high pressure in a fully automatic machine means that the flavours are quickly released. A classic filter machine needs more time to release the full flavour of the coffee.
Where can I buy an appliance?
Our fully automatic coffee machines are available from consumer electronic stores, and all good specialist stores. Find a retailer near you here.
How long is the guarantee when I buy a new Melitta® Caffeo®?
The current guarantee conditions apply to new appliances bought after 01 September 2013. You can find the exact conditions here.
What is the grinder made of?
The grinder in your Melitta® Caffeo® fully automatic coffee machine is made of hardened steel and is therefore especially durable.
What kind of milk is recommended for firm, frothed milk?
It is important to use cold milk (approx. 4-8°C) for firm, fine-pored frothed milk. The protein content of the milk should be at least 3.3g per 100ml milk, ideally higher. The fat content is only important for a full bodied flavour. Use milk which is as fresh as possible, do not use milk shortly before its best before or use by date.
Why does the machine no longer brew coffee? Why does no coffee come out of the outlet?
a) The brewing unit may be blocked.
Remove the brewing unit following the instruction manual and clean the metal sieve in the brewing unit with warm water. Feel over the surface of the sieve to see if any ground coffee deposits remain. Finally place the brewing unit back in the machine.
For Caffeo® Bistro / Caffeo® Lounge / Caffeo® Gourmet /Caffeo® CI® / Caffeo Barista® T / Caffeo Barista® TS:
Open the lid of the ground coffee chute for at least 5 seconds and then close it again. Press the coffee dispensing button, this will start the rinsing programme.
b) The grinder may be set too fine.
During grinding set the lever on the grinder to coarse and adjust the setting after every 500-1,000 cups of coffee.
c) Carry out the cleaning and descaling programme.
Why does the machine no longer grind the coffee beans?
The beans may not be dropping into the grinder. This may be due to the beans being too oily. Clean the bean container with a damp cloth and normal mild washing up liquid. Ensure that no liquid gets into the grinder. If necessary tap lightly on the bean container.
For Caffeo® Bistro / Caffeo® Lounge / Caffeo® Gourmet /Caffeo® CI® / Caffeo Barista® T:
Check if the rocker arm or slider on the Bean Select is set to one of the chambers in the bean container. Move it carefully from one position to the other.
The display indicates that the drip tray should be emptied although I have just emptied it.
The drip tray should only be emptied when the machine is switched on. If you empty it when the machine is off, the sensor will not register that it has been emptied and this leads to an error message. With the machine switched on, pull out the drawer and then put it back in place.
Why is the water grey after the Claris® water filter has been inserted?
The greyish water is due to the active carbon which is flushed out when the water filter is inserted. This is a normal process and poses no risk to health.
The coffee is too bitter.
a) There may be coffee deposits such as coffee oil in the brewing unit. Please clean the brewing unit with clean water. Pay special attention to coffee deposits on the sieve. If necessary run the cleaning programme with Melitta® PerfectCLEAN cleaning tabs (click here (link missing) to download brief instructions for cleaning).
b) The appliance may be calcified.
Descale the appliance using the integrated descaling programme (click here (link missing) to download brief instructions for descaling). Use Melitta® AntiCALC descaler. This is perfectly suited to your machine and it gently and thoroughly removes limescale deposits.
c) The grinder may be set too fine.
During grinding, set for coarser grinding.
d) Did you use a different type of coffee?
Our recommendation: Use premium products, for example Melitta® BellaCrema® coffee beans.
The coffee is too weak
a) The beans might not be falling into the grinder.
It is possible that beans are not falling into the grinder. This may be due to the beans being too oily. Clean the bean container with a damp cloth and normal mild washing up liquid. Ensure that no liquid gets into the grinder. If necessary tap lightly on the bean container.
b) The grinder may be set too coarse.
During grinding, set for finer grinding.
c) Did you use a different type of coffee?
Our recommendation: Use premium products, for example Melitta® BellaCrema® coffee beans. For espresso we recommend our espresso beans.
The coffee is too strong
a) The coffee strength may be set too high.
Reduce the coffee strength or increase the amount of water.
b) The grinder may be set too fine.
During grinding, set for coarser grinding.
c) Did you use a different type of coffee?
Our recommendation: Use premium products, for example Melitta® BellaCrema® coffee beans. For mild coffee we recommend Melitta® BellaCrema® Speciale.
A squeaking noise when making coffee and/or rinsing the outlet.
If you have a new appliance then such noises are nothing to worry about when the appliance is being used or rinsed the first few times. After a while the noises will stop.
What can I do if an error message appears in the display?
Have a look at the chapter "problem solving" in the instruction manual. If you are unable to solve the problem or get your machine to work properly again, contact our service centre on 0571 86 1900 (calls charged locally). The hotline is open Monday to Friday from 8.00am to 6.00pm.
Usually dispatch within 3 to 5 working days
