Gaggia Cadorna: Bad Flavor or Puck Problems
Learn what to do if your Gaggia Cadorna is suddenly brewing bad tasting shots or the pucks in the dump box are messier or less consistent than previously.
Flavor issues will generally have more to do with the coffee, the settings, or some cleaning that needs to be done. It also may have to do with how the beverage is being brewed. If you're trying to make a coffee, and the flavor is too weak, it may just mean you need to brew multiple cycles to get a stronger flavor. Each brewed beverage will just use 1 shot of espresso which is generally not going to be enough for a good coffee flavor in a larger beverage. The rest of the volume selected in the settings will be hot water. So for example, if you want 6 oz of coffee, instead of doing one brew for 6 oz you can do 2 brews of 3 oz each. If adjusting the settings, weekly maintenance, and scheduled maintenance have not resolved the issue, there are some steps to help improve the flavor and strength of your brewed espresso.
What to check out in your brew unit area:
- Deep clean and relubricate brew unit.
- Be careful when taking apart the selector valve. It contains small parts that are easy to lose or may not function properly if replaced incorrectly.
- Removing the shower screen for cleaning will resolve most clog issues.
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The brew unit o-ring being dried out, loose, cracked, or damaged will be the main source of connection issues in the brew unit area. Check the o-rings on the boiler spout as well.
- Boiler Spout Cleaning
If the brew unit area cleaning does not resolve the problem, cleaning out the grinder to address any buildup may be helpful as well. This will help ensure the grinder is able to grind and dose the correct amount to the brew unit. After cleaning, I'd also recommend running a steam out to reset your machine and allow for recalibration. Selecting Factory Reset from your machine’s main menu will also reset the machine in the same way, so either method is fine to use:
**Please note that after the cleaning, the machine may take a little time to recalibrate. You may continue to see weak shots or sloppy pucks for the first few shots. The machine has a built-in algorithm that makes micro adjustments over time, so it will return to proper calibration on its own.**
Warranty Disclaimer: Failure of normal wear and tear items such as group gaskets, seals, and shower screens are not covered under warranty. Issues due to scale build-up, coffee oil build-up, or lack of maintenance are not covered.
