Super-automatic machines are dosed conservatively from the factory, and most have more range than owners use.
Increase the dose
Almost every machine has a strength setting — often bean icons or a numbered scale. This changes how much coffee is ground.
Factory default is usually the middle. Move it to the top and taste.
Many machines cap the dose at 9 to 11 g, which is genuinely low. That is a hardware limit.
Grind finer
There is a grind adjustment, usually a dial inside the bean hopper.
Adjust it only while the grinder is running, or you can damage the burrs. The manual will say this and people skip it.
Move one step at a time and make several drinks before judging — the machine holds grounds from the old setting.
Reduce the volume
If the cup size is set to 60 ml for an espresso, the shot is being stretched. Set it to 30 to 40 ml.
Many machines let you program this by holding the button.
Clean the brew unit
A brew unit fouled with old coffee oils extracts poorly. On removable units, rinse under warm water weekly and let it dry.
On sealed units, run the cleaning tablet cycle as directed.
Check the beans
Oily dark roasts clog super-automatic grinders and chutes badly. A drier medium roast doses more reliably.
Stale beans give weak coffee regardless of settings.
Beans and the grinder’s limit
A light roast in a machine set up for dark will taste thin: super-automatic grinders usually have about a dozen coarse steps and suit medium to medium-dark roasts. If you have gone as fine as the dial allows and it is still thin, you have reached the machine’s limit rather than made a mistake.
The ceiling
A super-automatic will not make a 1:2 espresso from 18 g (0.6 oz). Know where the limit is.
Last reviewed 30 October 2026