Where the water appears tells you most of what you need to know.
Around the portafilter, during a shot
The group gasket has hardened. This is a rubber seal in the group head that the portafilter presses against, and it stiffens with heat and age — typically every one to three years of regular use.
The symptom before the leak is that the portafilter starts sitting further round than it used to. It is a cheap part and a five-minute job with the right tool.
If the gasket is fine, check that the basket is not overfilled — a puck pressed against the shower screen can break the seal.
Under the machine, gradually
Usually the drip tray, which is fuller than you think. Machines without a three-way solenoid drain into it after every shot, and it fills faster than expected.
If the tray is empty and water still appears, look for the drain tube: it can slip out of the tray and discharge inside the case.
From the water tank area
The tank seal or valve. Tanks push onto a spring valve, and if the tank is not fully seated or the seal has perished, water escapes as the pump draws.
From the steam wand or group, when idle
A failing valve. Steam wands that drip when closed usually need a new valve seal. A group that drips continuously between shots suggests a solenoid not closing.
When to worry
Water plus a tripped circuit breaker means stop and get it looked at — that is water where electricity is. Everything above is normal maintenance on an appliance that pushes hot water at nine bars, and none of it means the machine is finished.
Questions people actually ask
How do I know if the group gasket needs replacing?
The portafilter handle position drifts over time — it starts pointing further right than it did when new. That, plus any weeping during a shot, is the signal.
Is a small drip from the group normal after a shot?
On a machine with a three-way solenoid, a brief discharge into the drip tray is the valve doing its job. A continuous drip is not.
Last reviewed 8 August 2026