The Delonghi La Specialista coffee maker has state-of-the-art technology; its grinder, for example, allows for precise grinding to ensure the production of an exquisite coffee. Without a doubt, we are talking about a machine of excellent quality; however, over the years, some parts can begin to fail.
In this article, we will talk about the most common problems that can arise if the grinder of your Delonghi La Specialista coffee maker breaks down, and we will also tell you how to fix it.
Grind grade adjustment appears to be loose
Every time we turn the ring to adjust the grind, it is normal to hear the clicks produced by this movement, but if you do not hear them. You also notice that the coffee is coming out too thick and does not allow you to prepare a good espresso; you will have to check the coffee maker to repair the issue.
The problem: The ring has been disconnected from the grinder, which does not allow you to adjust the degree of grinding, so no matter how many times you try to turn it, the grinding grade will not change.
The cause: The disassembly or improper handling of the coffee maker can cause some parts to become loose or broken. If this happens with the adjustment ring, the connection with the grinder will be lost and unable to perform its function.
The solution:
- Turn off and unplug the coffee maker.
- Turn the grinder hopper to the “open lock” position and pull it upwards.
- Turn the grinder’s base to the “remove” position (you will find it on the opposite side of the grinding degrees) and remove the grinder burrs by pulling them upwards.
- Remove the water tank from the coffee maker.
- On the upper rear part of the machine, you will find two screws, remove them and lift the upper cover of the coffee maker by hand; the clips on the edges will come out easily by pulling upwards.
- Turn the grinder base back to the “remove” position.
- Inside you will find a plastic pillar that you should move counterclockwise until the end.
- Then push the pillar two clips in the same direction as clockwise.
- Replace the top cover of the coffee maker.
- Put the screws and the water tank back in place.
The coffee bean container light keeps flashing
The coffee bean container light flashes when the hopper is not properly set in place.
Sometimes, even though the hopper is properly set, the light keeps flashing the same; in this case, we will show you why and what to do.
The problem: The hopper was badly placed in its place, and the coffee maker blocked the preparation of the coffee. When correcting the position of the hopper, leaving it very well placed and adjusted, the coffee maker does not detect it and continues to block the brewing.
The cause: A switch inside the grinder is activated by the plastic tabs of the hopper. If any of these tabs are damaged, the switch will stop working, and the coffee maker will not allow us to prepare coffee.
The solution: In this case, replacing the hopper with a new one will be better. Fortunately, its price should not exceed 10 Dollars.
Little or no ground coffee comes out of the grinder
It is necessary to remember that not all types of coffee are suitable for automatic coffee makers, such as La Specialista; roasted coffees mixed with sugar can cause obstructions in the grinding burrs or other parts of the grinder. So, if you do not want to damage your coffee maker, always use a natural roast coffee.
The problem: When trying to make a preparation, we place our filter holder in the ground coffee group, but we notice that the machine dispenses little or no ground coffee.
The cause: Coffee residues have accumulated, obstructing the grinder or the grinding group ducts. This happens mostly when the wrong coffee is used, and the grinder is not properly cleaned.
The first solution:
- Remove the grinding burrs from the grinder (as mentioned in one of the previous sections) and clean them very well, ensuring no coffee residue remains.
- With the help of the cleaning rod that comes with the coffee maker, try to clean the ducts that transport the ground coffee.
The second solution: If the cleaning done with the cleaning rod were not enough to unblock the ducts, it would be necessary to disassemble the coffee maker to thoroughly check the channel through which the coffee passes since it is most likely that a coffee “pill” is causing the obstruction. In this case, just disassemble the part and try to remove the obstruction.
The coffee grinder does not turn on
It can also happen that the grinder of our Delonghi La Specialista stops working completely; that is, it does not start, does not make any movement, and does not emit any sound; in general, the part seems to be useless.
The problem: The electrical current does not reach the grinder, so it will never start.
The cause: The problem comes from the grinder control board conflicting with a separate board. If the capacitors on the control board are damaged, no current will reach the grinder.
The solution:
- Disassemble the coffee maker.
- Check that the capacitors are in good condition, and if they are damaged, they should be replaced.
- If the problem does not lie in the capacitors, you should check the entire control board because if it is damaged, it should also be replaced.
