Ryadom Master Male • Russian Federation

Why does my coffee machine grind beans but not brew coffee? Cleaning the brewing unit
Imagine that morning when the aroma of freshly ground beans fills the kitchen and you're waiting for a refreshing cup, but instead of a thick stream of espresso, you hear only the strained hum of the pump or watch dry grounds fall uselessly into the waste container. It's a common situation where a machine grinds beans but fails before the final stage—brewing—to brew. If your machine is acting up, appliance repair specialists can help get it back up and running. However, in many cases, the root of the problem lies in the brewing unit, which you can fix yourself.
Mechanics of the process: why water isn't passing through the coffee
When a coffee machine's grinder hums reliably, it means the control circuit is working, the bean sensors are working properly, and the burrs are doing their job. The problem of a dry grind or a lack of water supply when the pump is running is usually localized in the hydraulic system or directly in the mechanical heart of the machine—the brewing unit. Coffee isn't just water; it's an oily substance that, under high pressure and temperature, leaves a distinctive residue.
The main culprits of clogs
1. Coffee oils. Over time, they turn into a viscous, resinous substance that clogs the microscopic holes in the metal mesh of the brewing unit. If the mesh is blocked, the pump can't force water through the compressed coffee grounds, the safety valve is triggered, and the water drains into the drain pan instead of your mug.
2. Old lubricant. The brewing unit is a moving piston mechanism. If the factory lubricant has dried out or mixed with coffee dust, the piston moves jerkily or doesn't reach its full capacity. In this case, the electronics detect excess resistance and discharge the grounds, assuming a positioning error has occurred.
3. Calcification of the internal tubes. Even if you regularly descale the entire system, small particles of scale can break off from the heating element and become lodged in the narrow inlet of the brewing unit.
How to check the condition of the unit without disassembling it
To determine whether the unit needs cleaning, perform a simple test. Remove the brewing unit (if your model allows this) and try moving the piston manually. When properly functioning, the mechanism should move smoothly, without any unusual creaking or significant force. If you see black, sticky deposits or a whitish coating on the walls of the unit, it's time for a deep cleaning.