Coffee tastes bitter or burnt.

Safety first: Avoid touching the hot plate; it can cause burns.

• Adjust grind and dose: Use a slightly coarser grind and reduce the amount of coffee per cup.
• Remove carafe promptly: Do not leave coffee on the warming plate for extended periods. Transfer to a thermal carafe if you need to keep it hot.
• Check keep-warm time: If your Calphalon model allows, reduce the keep-warm duration or temperature.
• Descale: Heavy scale can cause uneven heating and scorching; run a descale cycle.
• If coffee scorches quickly: The warming plate thermostat may be running too hot and could require replacement.