Coffee is very bitter, over-extracted, or has a burnt taste.

Safety: Allow the machine to cool before internal checks.

Steps:

• 1. Coarsen grind: Adjust the grinder to a slightly coarser setting and test again.
• 2. Reduce strength: Lower the aroma/strength setting to reduce coffee dose and extraction time.
• 3. Descale: Scale can cause uneven heating and hot spots. Run a full descaling cycle.
• 4. Sensor check (advanced): If coffee is still excessively hot or tastes burnt, test the boiler thermostat and NTC sensor. Replace if they are out of specification.