It has been eight years since the first models of Cecotec coffee makers went on sale, more than enough time for the appearance of problems and other doubts about their maintenance and care.
And although they are high-quality coffee makers, even the youngest coffee makers are not exempt from problems in their operation. In this guide, we will see the possible problems that we will find in Cecotec espresso coffee makers.
NOTE: We must remind users to use the coffee maker’s warranty before even considering disassembling the machine.
Problems with Cecotec Cafelizzia espresso coffee makers
We will now deal with the main problems affecting the oldest and most classic Cecotec coffee makers, the models that use porta filter and ground coffee. Cafelizzia coffee makers are beautiful, but they are not exempt from problems in their operation.
The Cecotec Cafelizzia coffee maker overheats and stops working
One of the most classic problems with Cafelizzia coffee makers is overheating after brewing a coffee and frothing milk. The machine allows you to prepare one or several coffees in a row without any problem. However, when you use the milk frother, the machine overheats and does not allow you to prepare more coffee until after a few minutes.
This issue happens because the coffee maker does not use two thermoblocks but only one. Normally, coffee makers with steamer lance use separate water heating elements (milk and coffee) since each process requires different temperatures.
When we finished steaming water to heat milk, we increased the temperature of the thermoblock so that if the coffee maker allowed us to make a coffee at that moment, it would come out evaporated instead of hot. When you prepare several coffees, leave the milk froth for the end, as this is not the fault of the coffee maker but its design.
The Cecotec Cafelizzia coffee maker does not heat the coffee
This situation is closely related to the previous one. It is due to the problem of using the same thermoblock for two different tasks, such as coffee brewing and milk frothing.
The thermostat, by design, is set at a relatively low temperature to avoid overheating the coffee maker when brewing coffee, resulting in coffees that are not so hot.
To obtain coffee with a higher temperature, it is recommended to use the steamer for a couple of minutes before preparing the coffee; in this way, we will increase the temperature of the thermoblock and, therefore, the temperature of our coffees without the coffee maker stopping completely.
Internal explosion in the Cecotec Cafelizzia
It already seems a classic to hear a small “explosion” inside many household appliances, and coffee makers would not be an exception. These explosions usually occur in the control board when an electrolytic capacitor short-circuits and explodes.
If your Cecotec coffee maker is still under warranty, try to have it repaired under warranty. If you can no longer use the warranty, you should disassemble the machine, locate the defective capacitor, and replace it with a new one.
The filter holder of the Cafelizzia does not fit properly
The problem of the filter holder’s adjustment, together with the low quality of the materials with which it is made, makes it one of the weakest points of this coffee maker. Although all brands and models of porta filter coffee makers must be adjusted, this section shows that certain units of Cafelizzia are defective.
To fix this problem, we recommend putting the filter holder in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes until it has cooled considerably. Then proceed to simulate pouring a coffee several times so that the group of the machine is heated as much as possible.
Once we have the filter holder cold (contracted) and the hot group (dilated), adjust and readjust the filter holder in the group several times and repeat the process for several days. By performing this exercise, we will be able to reduce the filter holder by a few microns and increase the group by a few microns, which is necessary to achieve an adequate adjustment in the future.
Water leakage from the Cecotec Cafelizzia coffee maker
The first thing to do is to determine the problem of water loss, observing if the water is coming from the coffee outlet group or the base of the machine.
- If the water is observed at the base of the coffee maker, the problem is linked to the water tank and the circuits up to the pump inlet since there is probably a loose or broken pipe or rubber gasket.
- When water drips from the coffee group, it could also be a broken or incorrectly positioned rubber gasket.
- In the best case, it could be a problem of dirt, which can be solved with a descaling.
Problems with the Cecotec Express Power Espresso 20 coffee maker
When talking about faults with the Power Espresso 20, we are being a little unfair with this model since it has only one fault, but what a great fault! We are talking about the steamer, which stops working after a few months.
As we already said in the case of Cafelizzia, the Power Espresso 20 has serious problems with the water heating and the separation between the hot water for coffee and the water vapor for milk. As we said in the previous case, this is more of a design flaw than a malfunction; therefore, it is best to use the warranty and ask for a replacement of the machine.
Problems with the Cecotec Cumbia Capricciosa coffee maker
To close our guide on faults and problems with Cecotec espresso coffee makers, we did not want to end without naming a common fault in Cecotec Capricciosa coffee makers. This problem is related to the portafilter; with time, as this plastic component heats up and cools down, it dilates, making it very difficult to extract.
The best solution to this problem is to replace the portafilter with a spare one. However, this will not be easy to achieve. You can spend hours searching the internet without getting the desired new ladle, but even if you get it, the failure may reappear after a few months of use.
It could also be that if you used too much ground coffee, it might have stuck, so try using less in the future to see if the problem is solved.
