Your Nespresso doesn’t pierce the capsules of coffee? Water from the coffee maker is flowing and you just get a cup of hot water? This is a classic and recurring fault, but it is easy to repair on your own. It can be due to the pods being misplaced in the tray, a lever that is not fully closed, a water pump malfunction, lack of descaling, etc. all leading to your Nespresso not piercing pods correctly.
Read on to have the causes of the problem of a Nespresso not piercing capsules and the procedures to repair your Nespresso machine by yourselfin most cases.
Why is my Nespresso not piercing capsules
First check the easy causes of why your Nespresso machine doesn’t pierce pods:
- The pod or capsule is incorrectly positioned in its tray: make sure the pod it’s not at an angle when you close the lever.
- The lever is not fully pushed down: check that you hear a click and that the lever is fully in contact with the machine.
If all is well with the placement of the capsules and the closing of the lever, there are two main reasons for coffee capsules or pods not pierced by Nespresso machine:
- The water pump is defective. It manages the pressurized water which flows through the punctures of the capsule: in the following paragraph, we tell you how to test and prime the pump of your Nespresso machine.
- The piercing mechanism is dirty or defective: grooves position the capsules against the plastic pins of the brewing unit that pierces the pod, when damaged or dirty the coffee pods are not pierced correctly, read on for the procedure to fix a Nespresso not piercing the pods.
Repairing my Nespresso machine not piercing pods
Before tampering with your Nespresso machine, unplug it. First check the condition of the piercing mechanism. If this doesn’t solve the problem of your Nespresso not piercing capsules, move on to checking the water pump.
Check the capsule holder
Visually inspect the pod chamber to ensure that there is no obstruction such as a stuck capsule membrane, coffee grind, or limescale. When the lever is closed, the pods are pushed against pointed plastic pins that pierce the lid. Any obstruction can lead to the Nespresso not piercing the capsules.
First, clean it with soap and water and a plastic brush like a toothbrush. If there is limescale, you need to descale your Nespresso machine.
Once cleaned, make a coffee. If water leaks from the capsule membrane (the front part of the pod), the part with the pointed plastic pins is probably defective and must be replaced with a new one.
The plastic pins can be damaged or worn out when using incompatible capsules. In that case the Nespresso no longer pierces the capsules: replace the part with a new one.
Read our guide on why compatible and reusable coffee capsules are probably interesting for you!
Prime the pump of the Nespresso machine and test it
The pods or capsules are first pierced mechanically when the lever is pressed down. The pressurized water then pushes through the punctures to pass through the coffee. If the water pump is not working, there won’t be enough pressure to push the water through the coffee and it will seem like the Nespresso won’t pierce the pods.
Prime the Nespresso water pump
A problem with the water pump usually occurs because the Nespresso machine has been used with an empty water tank: the pump loses its priming and can’t generate water pressure.
Procedure to prime the water pump of the Nespresso machine:
- Fill the water tank.
- Press the large cup or lungo button once and open the lever.
- Keep it open until the water flow starts, the water comes from the coffee outlet.
- Press the large cup button again to stop it.
The Nespresso pump is restarted, and the water is pressurized. You can use your coffee machine again.
Once your Nespresso machine is fixed, don’t forget to check out our coffee drink recipes, you’ll find mochaccino, lattes, etc. and even coffee cocktails!
If priming the pump didn’t work, the water pump may be damaged: test the Nespresso water pump for malfunction.
Testing of the Nespresso water pump
This operation is more complex, so if you don’t feel comfortable, have it done by a professional. Unplug the machine and wear protective gloves.
Procedure to test the pump of the Nespresso machine:
- Disconnect the water pipes/tubes and the power supply from the pump.
- Connect a hose/pipe at the water inlet of the pump and put the other end of the hose in a container filled with water; the fitting of the hose/pipe must be tight to prevent air leaks.
- Connect a second hose/pipe to the water outlet of your pump and place the other end of the pipe in an empty container (large enough to hold the water from the first container).
- With an electrical cord, connect to the electrical terminals of your pump and plug it into an electrical outlet to run the Nespresso water pump.
- Diagnostis: the pump should make water flow from the full container to the empty one if not or if nothing happens, the pump is defective and must be replaced.
I’ve tried everything, but my Nespresso won’t pierce the capsules!
We have listed the most common causes of a Nespresso not piercing the coffee pods, if the problem persists:
- Enforce the warranty if it is still valid.
- Call in a professional if the cost is not higher than a new espresso machine.
- As a last resort, buy a new or used Nespresso.
