Problems with my coffee machine

[tpgc]

I have a problem with my espresso machine. The model is the DeLonghi Caffe Treviso. Espressos produce no crema whatsoever and come out as a dark, overly bitter lukewarm liquid. I know this is not a problem with the coffee itself: my flatmate's coffee machine which was sat next to it produced a perfect crema and taste using the same coffee. Can anybody tell me what I'm doing wrong?

 

[shadow745]

How old is the machine? How long do you let it warm up before using?

 

[tpgc]

It's a few years old now, and I wait a few minutes until the orange light comes on. Could I possibly need to wait longer?

 

[shadow745]

YES as pretty much any espresso machine will benefit from being ON for a decent amount of time. Let it warm up 20-30 minutes and give it a shot. Sounds as if it will be night/day in your case as it should be. The indicator light(s) simply show when the boiler water has reached a cut-off temperature, but surely isn't an indication of being ready to go as all the metal parts need time to heat up. Otherwise what starts out as hot water from the boiler ends up being lukewarm in the cup as you describe. You may also want to be sure the portafilter/basket is locked in during this time to ensure proper heating as well.

Has this been a problem the entire time you've owned/used the machine?

 

[CoffeeJunky]

Another thing to think about is the brewing time and ground you use. But to me, your boiler is not working properly. Try what Shadow have suggested and hope you can resolve your problem.