Coffee is too strong or bitter, with very slow flow and drips instead of a steady stream.

Safety first: Unplug the machine before cleaning internal parts.

Restoring proper flow:

• Coarsen grind: Adjust the grinder one or two steps coarser.
• Clean brew head: Remove the portafilter or brew group and clean the metal shower screen and outlet channels with a brush and descaling solution.
• Descale: Run a full descaling cycle to remove internal scale that restricts flow.
• Check dose settings: Reduce the coffee strength or volume setting in the menu.