De'Longhi Espresso Machine Troubleshooting

De'Longhi’s line of espresso makers provides a luxurious experience for your restaurant or café. That’s why it’s so important to diagnose and fix any issue that may arise in your unit. If you’ve noticed that your De'Longhi unit isn’t performing as it should, take a look through our espresso machine troubleshooting guide to solve the problem fast.

This guide is for the ECP3630, ECP3420 and ECP 3220 models. 

Problem: Espresso Isn’t Dispensing

Possible Causes

1. No water in the tank
2. Blockage in the filter holder
3. Blocked espresso boiler outlet
4. Limescale buildup in the water circuit

Solutions

1. Fill the water tank
2. Clean the filter holder
3. Clean the espresso boiler outlet
4. Perform a descaling procedure

Problem: Espresso is Dripping From the Filter Holder Edges, Not the Holes

Possible Causes

1. Filter is inserted incorrectly
2. Blockage in the filter holder
3. Worn out or dirty espresso boiler gasket

Solutions

1. Remove the filter holder and re-install correctly
2. Clean the filter holder
3. Have gasket replaced

Problem: Espresso is Cold

Possible Causes

1. READY light isn’t on when coffee delivery is selected
2. Unit wasn’t preheated
3. Cups weren’t preheated
4. Limescale buildup in the water circuit

Solutions

1. Wait for READY light to turn on
2. Preheat the unit
3. Preheat cups with hot water
4. Perform a descaling procedure

Problem: Pump is Excessively Noisy

Possible Causes

1. No water in the tank
2. Water tank is displaced and the valve on the base isn’t open
3. Air bubbles are in the tank connector

Solutions

1. Fill the water tank
2. Press down the tank lightly to open the valve
3. Follow the “Hot Water” instructions in your user manual

Problem: Coffee is Dripping Too Slowly From the Spout

Possible Causes

1. Pre-ground coffee is pressed too firmly
2. Too much pre-ground coffee being used
3. Blocked espresso boiler outlet
4. Pre-ground coffee is too damp or fine
5. Wrong type of ground coffee is being used

Solutions

1. Don’t press the coffee down too firmly
2. Use less pre-ground coffee
3. Clean the espresso boiler outlet
4. Only use pre-ground coffee and make sure it’s not too damp
5. Use a different type of ground coffee

Problem: Coffee Has an Acidic Taste

Possible Cause

• Unit wasn’t thoroughly rinsed after descaling

Solution

• Follow proper rinsing procedure in the “Descaling and Rinse” section of your user manual

Problem: Milk Froth Isn’t Forming While Making a Cappuccino

Possible Causes

1. For ECP3630 model: Cappuccino maker’s ring isn’t in the cappuccino position
2. Milk isn’t cold enough
3. Unit is dirty
4. Limescale buildup in the water circuit

Solutions

1. For ECP3630 model: Move the ring to the cappuccino position
2. Use 2% milk that’s been properly refrigerated 
3. Thoroughly clean the holes in the cappuccino maker
4. Perform a descaling procedure

For more help with your espresso machine, check out our large library of De'Longhi manuals and diagrams.

Please contact a local authorized service agent who can help with these specific units and all your commercial kitchen equipment needs.