5 Reasons Why Coffee Machine Is Not Dripping – Troubleshooting Guide

Most coffee machines work by dripping hot water through coffee grounds and a filter. The water then absorbs flavor from the coffee before flowing into your cup or carafe underneath. But, of course, that process can’t happen if the coffee machine isn’t dripping, to begin with.

A coffee machine will not drip if there’s no water in the tank or the tank’s one-way valve is stuck. Besides that, a ball valve in the hose can restrict water flow and cause the same issue. Impurities in the water can also clog the machine’s hoses entirely, while a failed heating element will also stop all dripping.

Your coffee machine isn’t dripping right now, but it won’t be that way for long. Read this guide to know what’s causing the problem and how to get that machine dripping like usual again.

A coffee maker that refuses to drip can be a massive disruption to your morning routine. Here are the reasons that’s happening and what you can do to get coffee flowing again:

Water Tank Issue

What it does: Your coffee’s story begins at the water tank. All coffee makers have one, though they’re sometimes referred to in the user manual as water ‘reservoirs’ instead.

The tank holds enough water to fill at least one carafe, if not more. The water sits in the tank, ready to be boiled anytime.

Some coffee machines have a built-in water tank, while other tanks are removable for easy cleaning.

When that happens, the water will travel through hoses and eventually drip onto the coffee grounds to produce hot coffee ready to drink.

How it fails: When troubleshooting your coffee maker that’s not dripping, it’s best to start at the beginning, i.e. the water tank. Here, the problem is likely that the tank is empty or its one-way valve is stuck.

Without water in the tank, there’s nothing to boil and drip over your coffee. Meanwhile, a stuck one-way valve will prevent water from exiting the tank and supplying the coffee maker.

How to fix it: Firstly, ensure you’ve filled your coffee machine’s tank with water. Then, inspect the one-way valve at the bottom of that tank.

Over an extended period, there might be a buildup of impurities around the valve that prevents it from moving. Clean those impurities and press on the valve a few times to ensure it can move normally again.

Read: How To Clean A Breville Coffee Machine? Step By Step Guide

Faulty Ball Valve

What it does: Aside from the one-way valve at the water tank, there’s another valve inside your coffee machine’s hose. It’s typically referred to as a ball valve, ensuring water doesn’t flow backwards in the machine.

Thanks to the ball valve, water can only flow in one direction from the water tank, through the hoses and heating elements, and then to the machine’s top, where it drips down onto your coffee grounds.

How it fails: The ball valve in your coffee machine’s hoses can fail for the same reason the one-way valve failed at the water tank. Any water you fill your coffee machine with will have small amounts of impurities. That might include specs of dust and minerals like magnesium.

After using the coffee maker every day for many years, those impurities build up around valves and stop them from working correctly.

How to fix it: You can fix a faulty ball valve the same way you’d fix a stuck one-way valve at the water tank. The solution is to clean away buildups around the valve and to move the ball a few times to ensure nothing obstructs it.

Unfortunately, that’s trickier to do with the faulty ball valve. This valve, in particular, is typically located inside the coffee machine behind its panels. 

So, you’ll have to unscrew the panels and carefully inspect the hose to find and clean that valve.

Read: Why Breville Coffee Machine Not Turning On? – Troubleshooting Guide

Clogged Hose

What it does: The water from your coffee machine’s tank goes through quite a journey before it lands in your cup as coffee. Then, as you read, it goes from the water tank and drips down your coffee grounds.

Along the way, that water passes through the valves, the heating element, and one or more hoses.

How it fails: Earlier in this guide, you’ve also seen impurities’ effects on moving parts like the coffee machine’s valves. Unfortunately, impurities and even coffee grounds can also cause severe clogs in the hose itself.

A clogged hose will stop water flow right in its tracks. As a result, nothing moves through the coffee machine far enough to drip down onto the coffee grounds.

How to fix it: The water hoses in your coffee machine are typically split into different sections. In other words, it’s not just one very long hose.

So, you first need to remove the machine’s panels and inspect the hoses. You must first identify the clog’s location so you’ll know which hose section to detach.

Once you do that, you must flush that hose from both sides to loosen the clog inside.

Alternatively, you can use a small brush to push the clog through to the other end of that hose.

Most coffee machines work by dripping hot water through coffee grounds and a filter. The water then absorbs flavor from the coffee before flowing into your cup or carafe underneath. But, of course, that process can’t happen if the coffee machine isn’t dripping, to begin with.

A coffee machine will not drip if there’s no water in the tank or the tank’s one-way valve is stuck. Besides that, a ball valve in the hose can restrict water flow and cause the same issue. Impurities in the water can also clog the machine’s hoses entirely, while a failed heating element will also stop all dripping.

Your coffee machine isn’t dripping right now, but it won’t be that way for long. Read this guide to know what’s causing the problem and how to get that machine dripping like usual again.

A coffee maker that refuses to drip can be a massive disruption to your morning routine. Here are the reasons that’s happening and what you can do to get coffee flowing again:

Water Tank Issue

What it does: Your coffee’s story begins at the water tank. All coffee makers have one, though they’re sometimes referred to in the user manual as water ‘reservoirs’ instead.

The tank holds enough water to fill at least one carafe, if not more. The water sits in the tank, ready to be boiled anytime.

Some coffee machines have a built-in water tank, while other tanks are removable for easy cleaning.

When that happens, the water will travel through hoses and eventually drip onto the coffee grounds to produce hot coffee ready to drink.

How it fails: When troubleshooting your coffee maker that’s not dripping, it’s best to start at the beginning, i.e. the water tank. Here, the problem is likely that the tank is empty or its one-way valve is stuck.

Without water in the tank, there’s nothing to boil and drip over your coffee. Meanwhile, a stuck one-way valve will prevent water from exiting the tank and supplying the coffee maker.

How to fix it: Firstly, ensure you’ve filled your coffee machine’s tank with water. Then, inspect the one-way valve at the bottom of that tank.

Over an extended period, there might be a buildup of impurities around the valve that prevents it from moving. Clean those impurities and press on the valve a few times to ensure it can move normally again.

Read: How To Clean A Breville Coffee Machine? Step By Step Guide

Faulty Ball Valve

What it does: Aside from the one-way valve at the water tank, there’s another valve inside your coffee machine’s hose. It’s typically referred to as a ball valve, ensuring water doesn’t flow backwards in the machine.

Thanks to the ball valve, water can only flow in one direction from the water tank, through the hoses and heating elements, and then to the machine’s top, where it drips down onto your coffee grounds.

How it fails: The ball valve in your coffee machine’s hoses can fail for the same reason the one-way valve failed at the water tank. Any water you fill your coffee machine with will have small amounts of impurities. That might include specs of dust and minerals like magnesium.

After using the coffee maker every day for many years, those impurities build up around valves and stop them from working correctly.

How to fix it: You can fix a faulty ball valve the same way you’d fix a stuck one-way valve at the water tank. The solution is to clean away buildups around the valve and to move the ball a few times to ensure nothing obstructs it.

Unfortunately, that’s trickier to do with the faulty ball valve. This valve, in particular, is typically located inside the coffee machine behind its panels. 

So, you’ll have to unscrew the panels and carefully inspect the hose to find and clean that valve.

Read: Why Breville Coffee Machine Not Turning On? – Troubleshooting Guide

Clogged Hose

What it does: The water from your coffee machine’s tank goes through quite a journey before it lands in your cup as coffee. Then, as you read, it goes from the water tank and drips down your coffee grounds.

Along the way, that water passes through the valves, the heating element, and one or more hoses.

How it fails: Earlier in this guide, you’ve also seen impurities’ effects on moving parts like the coffee machine’s valves. Unfortunately, impurities and even coffee grounds can also cause severe clogs in the hose itself.

A clogged hose will stop water flow right in its tracks. As a result, nothing moves through the coffee machine far enough to drip down onto the coffee grounds.

How to fix it: The water hoses in your coffee machine are typically split into different sections. In other words, it’s not just one very long hose.

So, you first need to remove the machine’s panels and inspect the hoses. You must first identify the clog’s location so you’ll know which hose section to detach.

Once you do that, you must flush that hose from both sides to loosen the clog inside.

Alternatively, you can use a small brush to push the clog through to the other end of that hose.