TROUBLESHOOTING - FAQ
Section reserved to owners or users of the Lavazza Espresso Point "Matinee" Model
I just received the machine, plugged it in and filled it with water. When I insert a coffee cartridge and push a button, nothing happens:
Before you can brew espresso for the first time,
or every time you turn the machine off and then on again, you must wait
a short time (usually 2 minutes or less) for the machine to warm up. The
machine is ready to operate as soon as the green lights next to the dispensing
buttons (on the right side of the panel) turn on. Therefore, do not operate
(including inserting a cartridge) before the panel is completely lit up.
If the machine is new or has not been in use for some time, you also need
to PRIME the unit by following the instructions provided with your machine,
or see the instructions below.
Copyright of Sovrana Trading Corporation, 1995-2003. Reproduction of this article prohibited without permission.
The machine's pump is very noisy and does not dispense any coffee when I push a button:
It could be that there is an air bubble inside
the water line, preventing the pump from dispensing water in the system.
This may be caused by not priming the pump before your first use, but may
also happen occasionally and if the machine has not been used for a while.
To prime the pump, make sure your machine is warm and ready (all lights
are on). Place a large cup or bowl under the steam wand and push the "Hot
Water" button (the one with the image of a faucet) to start a stream
of hot water through the wand. Be careful, as water will be very hot and
spray out at high pressure. Let it run for about 10-15 seconds to get rid
of any air inside the circuit, and then press the "Stop" (Red)
button. The problem should now be solved.
Copyright of Sovrana Trading Corporation, 1995-2003. Reproduction of this article prohibited without permission.
The coffee does not seem hot enough:
While occasionally a thermostat may fail (contact
your authorized dealer to have it replaced), many times the problem with
lukewarm coffee lies with the cup, not with the machine. This is true especially
for espresso, which is a very short beverage and will quickly cool down
if poured in a cold ceramic or porcelain cup. Therefore, make sure the
cups you will be using are pre-warmed by either storing them upside down
on the grilled top of your Espresso Point, or by quickly rinsing them under
hot water just prior to using them. The warmer the cup, the better. If
you are unsure, try brewing the espresso in a heat-proof paper cup. This
kind of cup quickly absorbs heat and will not significantly affect the
temperature of the coffee in it. An espresso should be consumed within
a few seconds of preparation. Do not linger on it for too long, especially
if you are used to adding sugar to it.
Copyright of Sovrana Trading Corporation, 1995-2003. Reproduction of this article prohibited without permission.
Water comes out of the steam spout when I press the "Steam" buttton:
This is by design, and is necessary to clear any
milk residues from inside the steam wand before frothing a new cup. The
discharge of water should only last a few seconds however, and steam should
quickly build up. From the moment you press the "Steam" button
to the one steam has built up sufficiently, some 10-20 seconds may go by,
so do not expect immediate steam when you start this function. To avoid
water from discharging in your milk, start with the steam wand "closed"
on top of the dispensing compartment grill (water will fall in the collecting
drawer underneath) then, as steam builds up, pull the wand out and quickly
plunge it in the milk.
Copyright of Sovrana Trading Corporation, 1995-2003. Reproduction of this article prohibited without permission.
There is water in the tank, but the "No Water" light keeps blinking and the function buttons don't work.
Try reseating the tank in its base. Remove the
top metal lid (unlock it with the key provided first) and remove the plastic
tank lid. Lift the tank out of is position a few inches, then replace it
making sure you apply enough pressure to seat it securely in place. Try
this two or three times, or until the "No Water" light stops
blinking. If it does not, the contacts may be dirty. Lift the tank out
of its receptacle, and completely empty it. Under the tank you will see
two plastic "feet". One is covered with two brass strips. Use
a cloth to scrub such strips dry and remove any grease or particles on
them. Check the plunger inside the tank and make sure it can freely move
up and down according to the level of water in it. Refill the tank and
firmly replace it in its receptacle, aligning the two plastic "feet"
with the corresponding plugs on the floor of the receptacle. If the problem
persists, call your dealer.
Copyright of Sovrana Trading Corporation, 1995-2003. Reproduction of this article prohibited without permission.
The "Power On" light blinks every now and then. Is there a problem?
No. The "Power On" light does double
duty as a diagnostic tool for temperature settings. therefore, whenever
the machine needs to warm up or cool down (such as after making steam for
cappuccino, which increases the temperature in the brewing chamber a few
degrees), this light may blink for a couple of minutes. This is normal
and will not affect in any way the performance of the unit, unless of course
the light blinks continuously for over 15 minutes. In this case, please
turn off the unit and call your dealer for service, as one of the thermostats
will probably need to be replaced.
Copyright of Sovrana Trading Corporation, 1995-2003. Reproduction of this article prohibited without permission.
The machine is warm and ready and the tank is full, but after I insert a cartridge and push a button, nothing happens:
The machine resets each time any function button is pressed. In other
words, you will not be able to use the same cartridge twice by pressing
a function button without inserting a fresh cartridge in. However, in rare
instances the "reset" button may not detect when a new cartridge
is inserted in the system. This could happen if you do not push the cartridge
in far enough when you shut the feeding door. Simply try inserting a new
cartridge in, and firmly press the door to push it all the way in (NEVER USE YOUR FINGERS
TO PUSH THE CARTRIDGE IN). The machine should now work.
Copyright of Sovrana Trading Corporation, 1995-2003. Reproduction of this article prohibited without permission.
Is there a way to change the "programmed" coffee dispensing buttons on the machine?
No. For maximum ease of use the three pre-programmmed buttons on the
far right of the paanel will dispense respectively (from "Small Cup"
to "Big Cup") 2, 4, and 6 ounces. You can override these settings
at any time by pressing the "Stop" (red) button during "programmed"
dispensing, or by using the Manual button (located under the "Faucet"
button) to start dispensing and the "Stop" button to finish.
With these options, you can brew a drink as short or as long as you want,
although we do not recommend that you attempt to brew more than 6 ounces
with a single coffee cartridge, as the result will taste bitter and weak.
Copyright of Sovrana Trading Corporation, 1995-2003. Reproduction of this article prohibited without permission.
For best results, should I plunge the steaming wand well inside the cold milk or keep it just under the surface?
The steaming wand has a sleeve on it (which you can remove for cleaning
purposes) that makes frothing extremely easy by allowing air to be injected
in your milk along with the steam. Therefore, it is sufficient to keep
the wand an inch or two under the surface of the milk (don't attempt to
brew one gallon of milk at a time, though. This is beyond the scope of
this machine). The froth will rise by itself as the milk gets warm. The
top of the sleeve should always be clear out of the froth however. So it
may be necessary to lift the wand out of the milk a little as the froth
rises. Moving the wand just under the milk's surface will actually worsen
your results by creating big bubbles which will quickly burst, leaving
you with very little froth.
Copyright of Sovrana Trading Corporation, 1995-2003. Reproduction of this article prohibited without permission.
The steamer used to froth well , but now it seems to take forever, or makes very little froth:
Whenever milk is involved, things can get messy and dirty fairly quickly,
unless you take care to clean your steam wand regularly. Ideally, you would
wipe the wand clean with a wet cloth after each cappuccino is made. If
you "forget", and milk gets encrusted badly both on top and under
the sleeve, proceed as follows. If you can, remove the jacket on the wand
by gently grasping and pulling it out. This will considerably ease cleaning.
If there are a lot of residues, you may not be able to pull the sleeve
out. Do not force it or attempt to clean it with metal brushes, which can
permanently damage both wand and sleeve. Instead, soak the wand and its
sleeve (possibly overnight) in a tall cup full of hot water. Make sure
that the water covers the entire surface of the wand. After a few hours,
the residues will soften and it will be easy to remove them with a wet
cloth. If there are residues stuck inside the tiny hole at the tip of the
nozzle (you will have to remove the sleeve to see it), try disloging them
with a very thin object (such as a small, straigthened paper clip). Do
not force the object in the hole! You may permanently damage the nozzle.
When clear, run some hot water through the wand (place a cup under the
nozzle end press the "Hot Water" button) for 10-15 seconds to
completely clear the residues. Repeat if necessary until the steam comes
out plentiful from the wand.
Copyright of Sovrana Trading Corporation, 1995-2003. Reproduction of this article prohibited without permission.
.I am using "half-n-half" for better foam, but am unhappy with the results:
Half and half contains too much milkfat to make a light and consistent
froth. We recomment 1 or 2% skim milk or whole milk for best results. Nonfat
will work almost as well, although the foam may be too "fluffy"
for some tastes.
Copyright of Sovrana Trading Corporation, 1995-2003. Reproduction of this article prohibited without permission.
I have inserted a cartridge and steamed the milk. I push the "dispense" button for the espresso, but nothing happens:
You should steam the milk first, THEN insert a cartridge and push the
"Dispense" button. Remember that any time a function button (including
"Steam") is depressed, the machine resets, and the cartridge
already in the machine will become useless until you insert a new one.
In order not to waste cartridges, make sure you insert them immediately
before brewing.
Copyright of Sovrana Trading Corporation, 1995-2003. Reproduction of this article prohibited without permission.
The coffee seems to taste funny or "stale" compared to a while ago:
Water in the tank should be replenished regularly (being careful not
to overfill). Once a week, the tank should be emptied and refilled with
fresh drinking water. Once a month, the tank should be thoroughly washed
with soap to remove the natural deposits that water may leave on its inner
surfaces. These deposits can, with time, end up in the dispensing system.
They will not only "ruin" the flavor of the coffee, but may also,
in the long run, clog the machine, requiring expensive repairs. Espresso
Point has a built-in, inline softener to avoid these instances, but it
is better to use bottled or softened water, rather than tap. The softener
resins should be replaced by an authorized Lavazza dealer every year or
two, contact them for an estimate.
Copyright of Sovrana Trading Corporation, 1995-2003. Reproduction of this article prohibited without permission.
Sometimes, coffee "sprays" out of the dispensing nozzle at high pressure, and makes a mess! Is there a problem with the machine?
Not unless it happens regularly. If the machine is not in use for a
day or two, sometimes coffee residues (or milk residues if a cup of frothed
milk was placed under the coffee dispensing nozzle) may dry up inside the
dispensing nozzle and form a "lid" that will burst under the
pressure generated by the water when brewing. This may cause a temporary,
highly pressurized "spray" of coffee that will splash outside
of the cup. It happens very rarely, but it's happened to me before! Therefore,
do not stand too close to the machine when you are brewing your first cup
in the morning, just to be safe (and don't wear a white shirt... ;-) ).
Copyright of Sovrana Trading Corporation, 1995-2003. Reproduction of this article prohibited without permission.
The bottom drawer (where the spent cartridges are collected) is stuck:
The drawer has probably overfilled with cartridges. Part of the very
limited maintenance of your Espresso Point should be to empty the refuse
drawer daily (or more often if the usage is high) from spent cartridges.
If the drawer is jammed, simple jiggle it while gently pulling it out.
After a few attempts, the "cartridges" inside will settle and
you should be able to completely remove it. Some cartridges may fall out,
make sure you remove them before replacing the drawer in its receptacle.
Copyright of Sovrana Trading Corporation, 1995-2003. Reproduction of this article prohibited without permission.
There are some spots on the outer body (fingerprints, coffee or milk stains) that I cannot remove with simple water and a soft cloth. Can I use a detergent without damaging the finish?
Non-abrasive detergents only may be used sparingly on the stainless
steel body of Espresso Point. Always use a soft cloth. In our shop, we
have found that "Formula 409" seems to work wonders on
just about any stain, and turns the machine as good as new, with the obvious
exception of scratches or dents.
Copyright of Sovrana Trading Corporation, 1995-2003. Reproduction of this article prohibited without permission.
What is the mechanical counter on the back panel of the machine for?
It is used mainly for service calls, to shedule service intervals, and
for you to check the inventory of your cartridges. The counter is non-resettable,
and increases by one digit every time a cartridge is inserted in the machine.
Do not attempt to tamper with it, as the machine will be disabled if you
do. Like new cars, new Espresso Points may show a number anywhere from
7 to 50, as each unit is throughly tested, both in Italy and here by your
dealer, before it is sent out to the customer. Some units easily reach
10,000 clicks without ever needing a service call, proof that these are
indeed extremely durable machines.
Copyright of Sovrana Trading Corporation, 1995-2003. Reproduction of this article prohibited without permission.
What is the best way to preserve the coffee cartrdiges? How long are they good for?
As long as they are kept inside their sealed packets and stored in a
cool, dry place, the cartridges' shelf life should be of at least six months
for the coffee (Aroma Point, Crema & Aroma, Aroma Club, Espresso Decaffeinato) and
nearly two years for all other flavors (teas, consomme etc.). It is not necessary to
refrigerate the cartridges, and they must never be frozen. If you are unsure of the
expiration date, you should find it stamped on each packet or on the box, often along with the production date.
Once opened and in contact with oxygen, the cartridge life is only of 1
or 2 days. Therefore, do not leave open packets around, and always use
both cartridges from an open packet before opening a new one.
Copyright of Sovrana Trading Corporation, 1995-2003. Reproduction of this article prohibited without permission.
I am trying to steam milk, but water drips out of the coffee spout instead, and the milk does not froth. What's wrong?
Some hardened milk has probably clogged up the nozzle where steam is normally dispensed from.
Since the steam cannot break through the milk deposits, it flows back inside the machine and
exits through the coffee dispensing spout. You need to clean and clear the steaming wand. First,
try blasting the milk residues by spraying hot water, rather than steam, from the wand (push the hot water button for a few
seconds). If water still flows from the coffee spout rather than from the steam wand, follow the
more thorough cleaning instructions described above
Copyright of Sovrana Trading Corporation, 1995-2003. Reproduction of this article prohibited without permission.
