Delonghi Coffee Grinder Not Working (7 Reasons Why)

What happens when you wake up one morning and your coffee grinder refuses to cooperate? 

This happened to me recently – frantically bashing my delonghi machine in a uncaffeinated state to no avail.

While Delonghi is a well know and trusted brand, they’re no strangers to malfunctions. 

These faults don’t mean your machine is damaged. You can solve most of them without having to contact customer service. A few possible reasons your grinder isn’t working include electrical issues with the plug of power supply, a missing collection jar or incorrectly attached hopper, as well as a jammed burr or hopper.

In this post, we’ll explore these causes in greater detail and provide practical fixes for each of these. Let’s dive in! 

Why Is My Delonghi Grinder Not Working?

 Here are 7 common reasons why your Delonghi grinder isn’t working.

1. The plug is loosely connected, preventing power from reaching the machine.
2. You forgot to switch on the machine.
3. The hopper isn’t securely in place. Or you didn’t open the hopper gate to let the beans pass through the grinder.
4. You didn’t place the collecting jar on the tray. 
5. A faulty micro-switch that needs replacing.
6. A build-up of coffee residue, causing the burrs to jam.
7. The hopper is blocked, preventing beans from reaching the burrs.

Grinder Won’t Turn On

Let’s explore the common reasons your grinder won’t turn on. 

1. Issues With The Plug 

The most common cause of your grinder not working is energy flow. Maybe the cord isn’t plugged into the outlet securely, preventing power from flowing into your device. 

Solution

To ensure the plug is firmly in place, follow these steps.

1. Unplug the power cord.
2. Push the plug into the outlet.
3. Turn on the grinder. 

If the problem persists, it could be that the outlet itself is faulty. 

Plug your machine into a different outlet, then power on the device. If it switches on, best to fix the initial outlet.

2. It’s Not Switched on 

Sometimes, especially during those early mornings when you haven’t had your first coffee, you might have forgotten to switch on your machine.

It happens to the best of us.

Solution

Make sure both sources of power are on. 

Grinder Turns On But Won’t Run

A few of the Delonghi grinders have safety features in place. It prevents the machine from grinding out of turn, causing accidents. Here’s a deeper look at these factors.

3. Check the grind container is inserted 

The grinder won’t turn on when the removable parts are not securely in place. 

Solution

Place the grind container onto the device and start grinding. 

4. Check the hopper is connected properly 

If you haven’t correctly positioned the hopper, the grinder won’t run. 

Solution

Make sure the hopper is securely locked in place. Gently twist it until you hear a clicking sound. 

Also, if your hopper has a gate, ensure it’s open to allow the beans to flow through the grinder.

5. Faulty microswitch 

With frequent use, the microswitch can become worn down. It can be due to heat, moisture, dirt accumulation, or other electro-mechanical failures. 

Solution

The only way around this is to replace the switch. You can have a professional replace it. 

Or, if you can navigate electrical parts without ruining any internal components or electrocuting yourself, you can disassemble the machine. 

Here’s how to replace the switch.

1. Unscrew the machine at the base. 
2. Unscrew the PCB.
3. The switch will be attached to the wall. Loosen the screws to detach it.
4. Screw on the new switch and reassemble the machine.  

Grinder Runs But Won’t Grind

Isn’t it annoying when the grinder shows signs of life but refuses to do its job? 

We’ve found the reason the grinder runs but won’t crush any beans include the following. 

6. Burrs jammed 

When was the last time you cleaned the grinder? 

The culprit is often a dirty device. Coffee residue and oil build-up do clog the burrs.

Solution

Depending on how often you use the device, it’s best to clean it after every use or give it a deep clean once or twice a week. 

Using a soft brush, dust off any coffee debris. Wipe the grinding container with a damp cloth and brush out any coffee debris. 

To perform a deep clean, we recommend you use a coffee grinder cleaning tablet like Grindz. They effectively remove oils and residue that brush bristles have difficulty reaching. 

Here’s how to clean using cleaning tablets.

1. Remove any coffee beans from the grinding container.
2. Pour 30-40g of the tablets into the container.
3. Grind on the coarsest setting to loosen the large particles. 
4. Turn to the finest grind to remove the remainder of the residue.
5. Pour a tablespoon, or two, of coffee beans to remove the excess tablet residue. Discard the mixture.
6. Wipe the container with a damp cloth.

The burrs should be jam-free.

If you previously cleaned the burrs with rice, you might have a case of caked rice. 

Rice tends to be hard on the burrs and can damage the electrical components of your machine. Try doctoring this by running cleaning tablets through the grinder.

7. Grind Adjustment

The finest size does make it difficult for beans to pass through. When you hear the screeching sound of metal on metal, it means you have to adjust the grind. 

Solution

Slowly turn the dial to a medium to coarse grind until you see grounds pouring out.  

8. Hopper blocked 

When there are obstacles in the hopper, like lumpy coffee beans, the hopper does become obstructed. 

Solution

Open the hopper and take a look inside. If you notice some grounds lying around, unblock them. Use a soft brush to push them out. 

Still Not Solved?

You attempted every troubleshooting tip in this post, and your grinder still isn’t working? 

That’s heartbreaking. 

Contact your nearest customer service to have your machine booked for repairs. 

Summary 

There are several reasons why your Delonghi coffee grinder is defective. 

These include clogging, and faulty electrical parts and connections. Or, perhaps it slipped your mind to lock the hopper securely in place. 

Many of these problems can be resolved with a few troubleshooting steps. 

You can free excess residue by cleaning the blades and burrs, checking for any hindrances between the electrical circuit and the grinder, or adjusting the grind size. 

Before you book the machine for repairs, try the tips suggested in this post to go back to enjoying your favorite cup of coffee. 

If the problem persists, it’s best to contact your nearest customer service to diagnose and fix the grinder.

DeLonghi Grinder – Frequently Asked Questions 

Below are a couple of questions we’ve had asked via email of in the comments section which we want to share to hopefully help others with the same issues.