Hi folks, looking for some help with the below issue. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Issue:
Coffee is not extracting properly on my Sage Barista Express Impress. Water comes through fine when the portafilter is removed, but when brewing, extraction is either blocked (dripping only) or runs too freely with no pressure.
Steps I’ve tried:
Current state:
Coffee dispenses, but with almost no pressure, resulting in weak taste.
Issue:
Coffee is not extracting properly on my Sage Barista Express Impress. Water comes through fine when the portafilter is removed, but when brewing, extraction is either blocked (dripping only) or runs too freely with no pressure.
Steps I’ve tried:
- Tested the machine’s water flow – steam wand and hot water both work fine.
- Checked water filter in the tank – removed/reinserted, no issue there.
- Changed grind size (around 7) – results inconsistent.
- Used two cleaning tablets on the original basket – no improvement.
- With the original basket:
- Sometimes only single drops of coffee come through.
- On a second immediate attempt, coffee flows a bit better (possibly because puck is already damp).
- Bought a new 53mm basket (non-Sage brand) – fits fine, but water flushes too quickly with no resistance and no pressure build-up.
- Tried different beans and multiple grind sizes:
- Occasionally it worked properly after changing beans/grind.
- Now, regardless of bean/grind, I get weak extraction with little to no pressure.
- Problem has been inconsistent, on and off, for the past 3–4 months.
Current state:
Coffee dispenses, but with almost no pressure, resulting in weak taste.