I got a bag of beans at a local retailer, and when I opened it I realized the beans are EXTREMELY oily. I imagine that the issues described in the video here happen after prolonged use. Do you think its a problem if I just run through this bag and then switch back to dry roasts?
You want to make sure that it indicates a medium roast; anything that is an espresso blend that is a lighter roast will work well. You can check out our blog for a table on common roast names and what shade they correlate to - Kat
This is why I feel there is another sensor in there doing something I don't understand. I'll try the Kenya beans again next week and see if with the coarsest setting I get it to work. Anyway I'm sure that it'll affect the flavor a lot. Sorry for making so many questions, but Saeco would tell me just to try another coffee. And thanks again ;) - Rodrigo.
I feel I didn't explain one thing correctly: When it goes wrong, the error (red light) turns on immediately after the grinder stops. I'd say, in the less-than-half-a-second it takes to stop spinning. Way before the brew group moves the ground coffee to the metal "brew head". Grinder stops, red light on, brew group moves only to discard the puck (totally dry ground coffee). Brew group does not stop at "brew position", water pump never starts, it never tries to brew.
What the sensor is sensing is that it can't force water through the grounds and it sees it as empty or not able to be activated, so just kicks the puck out. I'm sorry I can't be more precise than this, but if you're seeing it with some coffees and not others, it would lead me to believe that messing with the grind on the coffees that are erroring could be the answer. Let me know how it goes :) - Kat
yes, the machine will build up coffee in the chute, so if you change your grind, you will need to run a few shots through before you see the results. I think that the issue you're seeing is the fineness of the grind, which does need to be changed depending on the coffee that your using. Even beans that are a medium or light roast can have more natural fat/oil, be moister and, therefore, require a coarser grind. Play around with coarser with your beans that are being ejected - Kat
(...), this means that only a tiny amount of coffee was going to the brew group. And it was not showing the error (red light, discard), so I'm sure the "too oily coffee" is not technically the issue. This (grinder clogged with ground coffee) never happened with the Kenya beans, and they do activate this error. I've been using Moka beans bought in another store, I don't enjoy them so much but with them the machine never failed.
I wanted to add another thing: Sometimes when cleaning the machine I noticed that some amount of ground coffee stayed stuck in the exit tube of the grinder, so I thought that might be the problem (a sensor detecting stuck coffee in there). But then, once, I put some Tribute Blend beans (the one that works better than the Kenya) and after brewing some coffees I noticed that the hole on the upper part of the machine (outside) was full of ground coffee (...)
Thank you Kat. I've been trying to figure what is causing the problem and I can tell one thing: The error light turns on as soon as the grinder stops, it doesn't even try to brew it, and the grind seems to be fine (visually compared to other lighter coffees that work OK). So the problem starts in the grinder. Do you know what is this related to? I mean, what is happening inside? Which "sensor" can cause this? I'm just curious lol.
Usually grinding and discarding the puck means you are grinding too fine for the coffee you're using and the machine can't actually force water through the puck. Try going coarser -- with all dark roasts, you should be in the medium or higher level of coarseness to ensure the grinder and brew group do not clog. Hope that helps! - Kat
First of all thanks for all the information you are publishing to everyone! Last week I got a Saeco Xsmall machine and I'm having a hard time choosing the right beans and grind setting. The machine grinds the coffee but then throws it without brewing it. I tried with different beans, now it's going OK with the Starbucks Tribute blend. The one I want and doesn't work well is "Kenya", also from Sbux. Any recommendation with it? Thanks! Rodrigo.
Some that you might be able to source locally would be illy or Lavazza; I'm not sure if they have an espresso blend, but Dunkin Donuts' roast is nice and medium-hued. If you check out our blog, we have a post called Roast Shades, Names and Flavors and that will give you a good idea, also, of what a name means, color-wise, before you pop the bag open and find out. Hope this helps! - Kat
A few months ago we purchased a Saeco Royal Coffee Bar for our office at work. We have been trying various beans to find one that is not oily. Man has that been tough. I'm wondering if you could recommend a few brands that offer a dryer bean. We would prefer to find one in the local grocery store, because we have a business charge account there, but will buy online if that is the only option. Thank you in advance for your time and thank you for these videos. They're great!
You can use them there a bit easier as you're not going to have the same issues like you do with the grinder -- build up of oily residue. You don't want to grind it for that at a traditional espresso grind -- it needs to be a bit more coarse than what you might expect so that it works well with the brew group. If you want to stick with using oily/dark roast beans in the grinder, you can do so but just be prepared for a little more tech-assisted maintenance on the machines. - Kat
Ahh I would never have known about this unless I had seen this! We just got a new superautomatic (Saeco Syntia) and my husband loves dark beans. Are oily beans ever a problem in bypass dosers? We really love your videos btw :) Thanks for posting!
Great tip! - Kat
ReplyDeleteProbably not, but I might take the grind up a bit coarser than usual so you don't have any grinder back up, etc. - Kat
ReplyDeleteI like oily beans sometimes so I grind them in a cheap grinder I have and use the by-pass so the're not ground in machine.
ReplyDeleteI got a bag of beans at a local retailer, and when I opened it I realized the beans are EXTREMELY oily. I imagine that the issues described in the video here happen after prolonged use. Do you think its a problem if I just run through this bag and then switch back to dry roasts?
ReplyDeleteYou want to make sure that it indicates a medium roast; anything that is an espresso blend that is a lighter roast will work well. You can check out our blog for a table on common roast names and what shade they correlate to - Kat
ReplyDeleteso what type of beans do you recommend that i can get from a local grocery store....or do you suggest buying online?
ReplyDeleteYes, this is exactly the symptom of the grind being too fine. - Kat
ReplyDeleteThis is why I feel there is another sensor in there doing something I don't understand. I'll try the Kenya beans again next week and see if with the coarsest setting I get it to work. Anyway I'm sure that it'll affect the flavor a lot. Sorry for making so many questions, but Saeco would tell me just to try another coffee. And thanks again ;) - Rodrigo.
ReplyDeleteI feel I didn't explain one thing correctly: When it goes wrong, the error (red light) turns on immediately after the grinder stops. I'd say, in the less-than-half-a-second it takes to stop spinning. Way before the brew group moves the ground coffee to the metal "brew head". Grinder stops, red light on, brew group moves only to discard the puck (totally dry ground coffee). Brew group does not stop at "brew position", water pump never starts, it never tries to brew.
ReplyDeleteWhat the sensor is sensing is that it can't force water through the grounds and it sees it as empty or not able to be activated, so just kicks the puck out. I'm sorry I can't be more precise than this, but if you're seeing it with some coffees and not others, it would lead me to believe that messing with the grind on the coffees that are erroring could be the answer. Let me know how it goes :) - Kat
ReplyDeleteyes, the machine will build up coffee in the chute, so if you change your grind, you will need to run a few shots through before you see the results. I think that the issue you're seeing is the fineness of the grind, which does need to be changed depending on the coffee that your using. Even beans that are a medium or light roast can have more natural fat/oil, be moister and, therefore, require a coarser grind. Play around with coarser with your beans that are being ejected - Kat
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks again. - Rodrigo. (p.s. read the three messages from bottom to top).
ReplyDelete(...), this means that only a tiny amount of coffee was going to the brew group. And it was not showing the error (red light, discard), so I'm sure the "too oily coffee" is not technically the issue. This (grinder clogged with ground coffee) never happened with the Kenya beans, and they do activate this error. I've been using Moka beans bought in another store, I don't enjoy them so much but with them the machine never failed.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to add another thing: Sometimes when cleaning the machine I noticed that some amount of ground coffee stayed stuck in the exit tube of the grinder, so I thought that might be the problem (a sensor detecting stuck coffee in there). But then, once, I put some Tribute Blend beans (the one that works better than the Kenya) and after brewing some coffees I noticed that the hole on the upper part of the machine (outside) was full of ground coffee (...)
ReplyDeleteThank you Kat. I've been trying to figure what is causing the problem and I can tell one thing: The error light turns on as soon as the grinder stops, it doesn't even try to brew it, and the grind seems to be fine (visually compared to other lighter coffees that work OK). So the problem starts in the grinder. Do you know what is this related to? I mean, what is happening inside? Which "sensor" can cause this? I'm just curious lol.
ReplyDeleteUsually grinding and discarding the puck means you are grinding too fine for the coffee you're using and the machine can't actually force water through the puck. Try going coarser -- with all dark roasts, you should be in the medium or higher level of coarseness to ensure the grinder and brew group do not clog. Hope that helps! - Kat
ReplyDeleteFirst of all thanks for all the information you are publishing to everyone!
ReplyDeleteLast week I got a Saeco Xsmall machine and I'm having a hard time choosing the right beans and grind setting. The machine grinds the coffee but then throws it without brewing it.
I tried with different beans, now it's going OK with the Starbucks Tribute blend. The one I want and doesn't work well is "Kenya", also from Sbux. Any recommendation with it?
Thanks!
Rodrigo.
Some that you might be able to source locally would be illy or Lavazza; I'm not sure if they have an espresso blend, but Dunkin Donuts' roast is nice and medium-hued. If you check out our blog, we have a post called Roast Shades, Names and Flavors and that will give you a good idea, also, of what a name means, color-wise, before you pop the bag open and find out. Hope this helps! - Kat
ReplyDeleteA few months ago we purchased a Saeco Royal Coffee Bar for our office at work. We have been trying various beans to find one that is not oily. Man has that been tough. I'm wondering if you could recommend a few brands that offer a dryer bean. We would prefer to find one in the local grocery store, because we have a business charge account there, but will buy online if that is the only option. Thank you in advance for your time and thank you for these videos. They're great!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! Let me know if you need anything else. - Kat
ReplyDeletewow, such a speedy reply! thanks Kat, that answers my question perfectly
ReplyDeleteYou can use them there a bit easier as you're not going to have the same issues like you do with the grinder -- build up of oily residue. You don't want to grind it for that at a traditional espresso grind -- it needs to be a bit more coarse than what you might expect so that it works well with the brew group. If you want to stick with using oily/dark roast beans in the grinder, you can do so but just be prepared for a little more tech-assisted maintenance on the machines. - Kat
ReplyDeleteAhh I would never have known about this unless I had seen this! We just got a new superautomatic (Saeco Syntia) and my husband loves dark beans. Are oily beans ever a problem in bypass dosers? We really love your videos btw :) Thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteWow!! Thank you :) I think you are our first commenter from Africa. Glad we can help you out! - Kat
ReplyDeletereally appreciate the videos you upload...and funny too...really helping me decide which machine to buy...all the best from maputo, mozambique
ReplyDelete