At end of brewing, steam clouds shoot out from filter basket

First things first, try a descaling solution, especially if you live where there's hard water. Sometimes minerals can crust up the brewing portion of the internal tubing. The steam part still works because it essentially leaves the limescal in the pot, channeling only steam through the steaming wand. Dump out any water in the reservoir, then put in a mix of half filtered or distilled water, and white vinegar. Run it through, setting the switch for brew mode only. Once you see it coming out of the filter holder, turn the machine off. Let sit for an hour or two, then run the same sequence again, shutting it off the moment you see the water/vineger mix coming out. Once again, let sit a while, then on the third cycle, let it run all of the vinegar solution through. Let cool, and rinse the reservoir with water, (put in water, swirl the machine around, then upend it to dump the water out.) then run the full reservoir of distilled wather through, repeating if necessary, to clear out the vinegar.

If that doesn't work, or if the vinegar solution never comes through, not even in a trickle, then there are other issues. Here's how to troubleshoot them.

The next steps will need to be done with some caution, as it may splash or shoot steam and/or boiling water out from the side of the porta filter holder!

Step 1...Remove the filter, and run it without coffee or filter in it. Do this from a few feet away or with something between you and the brew head of the machine, as it may cause hot water to spray with a fair amount of force!

Does the water come through the filter holder? If it does..

Step 2. Run it with the empty filter. If it the water doesn't come through with filter in place, then your filter is clogged, and you'll need to take a pin and clear the holes in it. If it does, then you're grinding your coffee too finely, or tamping it down to hard.

If the water doesn't come through with just the empty filter holder, then you've most likely got a valve (A.k.a. Brew/steam switch) problem. Frankly, it's easier to buy a new machine than replace that valve, especially if it's the automatic variety that switches you to steam whenever it's finished it's brew cycle.

If you've got one with the manual brew/steam switch valves, you can pull the knob off and see if it the stem turns with a needle nose pliers...{{NOTE: DO NOT DO THIS IF THERE IS STEAM LEAKING AROUND THE KNOB! Steam leaking around this knob can indicate that the ceramic valve is compromised, and could cause live steam to shoot out of the place where the knob is!}} if it does turn as smoothly as usual, and the machine works, then you just need to repair the knob because it's gotten stripped out or is broken where it meets the valve stem.

Remove the brew unit and check the screen under the red o-ring, find the 2 screws above the top piston and make sure the chamber that leads out to the tube is clear.

Usually this is the expansion of steam as the heating element quickly rises to the preset temperature. This process heats the water to the correct temperature and causes the water to flow upward from the water reservoir. Then out the brewing spout over the coffee grounds.

It will usually make strange noises at the end of this cycle too.
The water is used up and remaining steam is vented.
Sounds more like a burping and last minute gurgle really. :)

Hope this helps!

The amount of water you put in the carafe isn't the same amount you'll get out of the coffee maker, as some of the water is normally lost as steam vapor during the brewing process.

I would also look at the water level gauge inside the reservoir or on the sight gauge to make sure I have added the right amount to make the amount of brewed coffee I want.

As to the filter pre-soaking issue, it shouldn't matter since you likely made several pots since then and the filter has likely expelled any residue already. I would run a full pot of just water with a filter in the basket, just to see if you're getting a full carafe after brewing, making sure you have a full reservour to begin with.

As to the grind of the coffee, I find that a medium coarse is best for all but expresso coffee. However, you might want to experiment with your grind settings until you find the setting that makes the coffee to your likeing and taste. Coffee is all about what you like to drink, so take some time to find what you enjoy.

I use a high-end filter for all my drinking and coffee brewing water to get the best possible taste as it does make a difference.

My nieighbors have the same coffee machine and use the same coffee brand, etc., but don't filter their water. They've noticed the difference and always comment that they need to get a filter for their water.

When I run white vinegar thru my machine, I always run at least two (2) full pots of plain water thru the unit before I start making coffee again, to rid the reservoir of any vinegar residue.

Hope you find this helpful and best regards!

Greetings!

Put desired amount of water in resevoir (plus a little extra to be used to steam your milk for latte) and close up tightly.

Put espresso grind coffee in basket and tamp down with a tamper. If grounds are not packed, steam will seep through and will cause an erosion of sorts instead of just letting the steam hit the grounds.

Put the basket with handle group in recess rotating to the right as far as it will go.

Rotate the ON/OFF switch to the symbol for "Brew" until you get out the desired amount of espresso.

Then, take a caraf of milk and immerse it with the plastic black steam arm. Rotate switch to "STEAM" and froth milk. In the beginning, ensure that you have enough water for the espresso AND enough left to froth without having to shut off machine, refill with water, just to froth.

Be careful when you open the water resevoir cap after brewing because there is a vaccuum created and a burst of steam will shoot out the lid and may burn you.

The gasket above the grounds hopper eventually will deteriorate and more steam will escape than espresso is produced. There is no replacement parts for this machine since it was made in China according to a Mr. Coffee representative that I called this morning at 1-800-MR-COFFEE (800) 672-6333.

Good luck with your machine. Hope this helps! If you don't have a tamper for the grounds, I found one at Bed Bath and Beyond. It is stainless steel with 2 sizes. The smaller size works for this model.

the proper replacement steam ring has an up-side & down side. the brew-head plate must be installed with the grooved side facing up; the steam ring has a groove in one side that fits over the top up the brew-head plate...does this solve the problem? if not, you may have the wrong steam ring/the brewhead plate may be installed incorrectly...oh, nov of 08...i seriously hope you've figured this out already. if not, you don't happen to still have machine in your possession, do you? if so, i'll buy it for $5.

It sounds like you were using the gold permanent coffee filter in addition to a paper filter. You should use one or the other.

The gold permanent filter must be cleaned between each brewing cycle.

Try this:

1. Remove the filter basket from the coffee machine.

2. Remove the gold permanent coffee filter from the basket.

3. Clean the basket thoroughly. Ensure there are no grounds clogging any holes.

4. Insert a new paper filter only into the basket. Do not use the gold permanent filter for this test.

5. Fill the water reservoir with the desired amount of water.

6. Add the desired amout of coffee grounds into the paper coffee filter.

7. Replace the filter basket into its holder in the coffee machine, and close the water reservoir lid. Press firmly on top where it says, "Press to Close".

8. Ensure the glass carafe is placed correctly in its position on the heating plate.

9. Turn the Function Knob to "BREW", then flip the Power Swich to "ON"

Hope that helps.

I think I've figured my yard sale EX 80 out. First, the way I think it works... in the tightly sealed boiler the water is heated to boiling, it must have a pressure release valve that sends the water/steam through the coffee and into the carafe. So dangerously hot and under pressure. Before opening the big round cap at the top (reservoir) relieve pressure at the steam tube valve (right side)

Here's how I made my first batch:

When opening reservoir always turn unit off, let reservoir cool a little between batches or you may get a cloud of steam in your face when pouring in water, might not be good for the heating element to shock it with sudden drastic temperature changes either.

Cleaned by running a couple of jugs of water through, cold water (4 on the supplied jug) into the reservoir all parts installed. I read somewhere online (not specific to any machine) not lukewarm water, if it's online it must be true... right?

Put coffee into filter basket/basket holder, matching amount of water in reservoir, 2 or 4 (markings on filter and jug). Espresso coffee should be very finely ground

Install all covers and the coffee basket/filter basket, close steam tube valve, install carafe and turn on the machine. Should get blast of espresso after a couple of minutes.

The steam tube (operated by the valve) seems a little cheesy on first try but I'll get better with practice. There's no steam to the tube until the reservoir starts to send steam to the coffee, the coffee kinda restricts the steam enough to send it to the tube. I was thrown a little because I didn't get steam when I was cleaning the thing, but I think that was because there was no coffee to block the flow. So I opened the valve at the start of the brew, steamed the milk, closed the valve and then the steam blasts through the coffee, tasted good.

Great $1 find.

Hope this helps.

Possibly you might need the Brew Head Screen and/or filter basket cleaned of built up coffee oils. Depending on how much you use it, is best to clean it every week or couple of weeks.
Remove brew head screen and filter basket, also if you have a screw in the filter basket and soak with in a cleaner for removing oils (not descaler) at: www.urnex.com or Dezcal etc.
Or, if you have not used it in awhile you might need to prime the pump manually:
Fill water tank.
Turn power on.
Open the steam knob all the way.
Press the coffee button.
Put a cup under the steam pump wand.
Wait until you see a steady flow of water and no air.
When you see the flow of water, close the steam knob.
Turn off the coffee button.
Now the machine should be ready to brew an espresso.
For further details email: [email protected] or the service center:
Electra-Craft
41 Woodbine St
Bergenfield NJ 07621
phone 201-439-1700
fax 201-439-1701
[email protected]
www.electra-craft.com