Weak machine coffee is usually not the machine’s fault.
The ratio
60 g of coffee per litre of water. That is roughly a heaped scoop and a half per cup, and it is far more than machine markings suggest.
Most manufacturers assume one level scoop — around 7 g — per 150 ml cup, which is about 46 g per litre. Noticeably weak.
Weigh the coffee. Most complaints about machine coffee end here.
Bed depth
A machine basket wants to be at least half full. Brewing two cups in a ten-cup basket gives a shallow bed the water channels through.
If you routinely brew small amounts, a smaller machine is the fix.
Grind
Medium, and adjust by drain time. Under 4 minutes for a full batch is too coarse.
Pre-ground supermarket filter coffee is about right in size and stale, which is a different problem.
Temperature
If the machine brews below 90 °C, the coffee will be weak and sour and nothing you do about ratio will fix it.
Test it: brew into a jug and measure the temperature of the output immediately. It should be over 80 °C in the carafe, which implies a higher brew temperature at the bed.
The single-point dispenser
If water drops through one hole, part of the bed is barely wetted. Some people stir the bed once, mid-brew — it is inelegant and it works.
The order
Weigh the coffee. Fill the basket properly. Then question the machine.
Last reviewed 8 August 2026