Sunbeam Cafe Series EM7100 Questions & Answers

Pump is not the issue....the thermoblock (which is downstream from the pump) that heats the water to generate steam is more than likely no longer functioning (not an unsual occurence for any thermoblock). As long as new thermoblock replacement parts for your model are still available, this should be able to be replaced by a competent small appliance repairer.

Bugger. Do you know if they can replace the steamer dial also I think the electrical mechanism is faulty also

When the machine is first turned on the button flashes while the thermoblock (the thing that heats the water) is heating up to its proper temperature. Most likely in this case the temperature sensor (usually affixed to the thermoblock) is not operating correctly and hasn't been able to communicate to the rest of the machine that the thermoblock has reached it's correct operating temperature....so the button just keeps on flashing. This is a likely scenario and not generally fixable by the owner....but should be a very easy fix for a coffee machine repairer if not under warranty.

Thank you so much for the your reply :) very helpful!

Hi Amanda, thank you for sharing your feedback using Sunbeam's Cafe Series coffee machine. Please give us a call at 1300 881 861 between 10am to 6pm - Monday - Friday AEST, our team will be glad to hear from you and help. Thanks.

The kind of water pumps in these type of machines will generally make a really loud racket when they aren't able to pass sufficient water through them, or unable to generate enough pressure as it sounds in your case. I'm guessing there is a leak somewhere between the water tank and the pump, or just simply leaking from the defective pump itself. The actual pump themselves are fairly standard and relatively cheap, but none-the-less best replaced by a service person who repair such appliances.

Hi Kenneth, the Cafe Series coffee machine should have all the parts and we recommend going back to Domayne if you're unhappy with the missing parts. With regards to the water gauge not working, do give us a call at 1300 881 861 between 10am to 6pm - Monday - Friday AEST so we can help by identifying the issues and provide our recommendations. Thanks.

I am afraid that you haven't taken the time to read and understand my problems. Domayne did supply the missing parts but through a third part parts supplier because SUNBEAM could not supply them "No stock" it took one month to get them. It wasn't just the water gauge that wasn't working it was the whole coffee making mechanism ie the expresso pump would not pump water via Group Head or via the Hot Water Knob. I have been in touch with Sunbeams Service Call Centre at 13008810861 on both occasions with by both detailed written report followed up by telephone calls again going through the problems in specific detail; only to receive ridiculous requests for information that sunbeam already had from Warranty registration plus request for Video of the problems, from frankly what appear to be totally disinterested parties, given their response. I checked out one of Sunbeams two recommended service agents in the Illawarra identified on Sunbeams website only to find out that they had ceased their Arrangements with Sunbeam. Yesterday I took the machine back to Domayne who confirmed my complaint that it did not work and would not pump water via the Group head or hot water knob. At this point I had the option to take the machine to a service repair shop in Nowra almost 2 hours drive away or returning it to Domayne getting a credit and buying a another brand machine. I chose the latter. I have always thought of Sunbeam as a trusted name that I could rely upon. . It would appear from the treatment I received at the hands of the people at your Call Centre that this is not the case and I will avoid the brand in future.

Most, if not all, coffee machines have a valve that controls the flow of the hot water to the group head. This same valve can also divert water to the drip tray where back flushing of the group head is involved. I haven't looked under the hood of my 7100, but if it should have such a valve, I'd say it is stuck in the divert position (doesn't take much for corrosion and muck to accumilate to make them go awry). Though I don't recommend an attempt by the owner, a reputable coffee machine repairer can whip it out and replace it with a new one. Certainly no reason to discard or buy a new coffee machine I would think!

thanks for that sounds like thats the problem i will let you know once we have it looked at

Don't throw the machine unless in your heart you really want to buy a new one. Coffee machines are the most notorious appliances in the kitchen and are prone to problems of one sort or another in time...mostly they are simple problems to fix eg, leaky valve, split hose etc.) Recommend taking it into a business that specialises in coffee machine or small appliance repairs.....no guarrantees, but it could be something rather simple.

Hello Montxsuz, Thank you for contacting Sunbeam and sharing your current experience. We understand your disappointment and apologise for any inconvenience that this may have caused you. If you'd like to speak to a repair agent, you can find your closest agent using our directory - external link 

Alternatively, our Sunbeam team will be happy to help troubleshoot this with you, we kindly ask you to give our Customer Service Team a call with your machine handy. Our helpline is open 10:00am to 6:00pm - Monday - Friday AEST (1300 881 861).

We look forward to hearing from you and assisting further. Sunbeam Customer Care

Hello Donna, Thank you for contacting Sunbeam and sharing your current experience. Please try to reset the to factory setting. To revert back to the espresso machines factory settings; 1. Ensure the espresso machine is plugged in and switch on at the power outlet. Note: DO NOT press the POWER button on the espresso machine. 2. PRESS and HOLD DOWN the MANUAL button. 3. While still holding down the MANUAL button, briefly PRESS the POWER button and then release the MANUAL button. 4. 4 beeps will sound and the machine will power on.

Please try that and let me know how you go. Sunbeam Customer Care

I bought this model because it could do capsules, unfortunately (at least for me) the capsule part of it didn't work all that well as it released to much sediment from the capsule into the cup and made the drink very gritty. Having worked for a company that specialised in pod/capsule coffee machines for many years, this was not acceptable. It's only a guess but perhaps this is why the model was unpopular and was discontinued. My thoughts anyway. However, the Sunbeam "Cafe Series" of coffee machines I've owned have been excellent.

The issue with the capsule part is still present in later machines. I have a feeling the capsule part was just an after thought as the EM69xx series, the EM7000 and the newer EM7200 didn't have (and in the case of the 7200 dropped) the capsule option. Only the EM7100 seems to have ever had the capsule option, and honestly I feel if you buy an espresso machine, you likely will rarely, if ever, buy capsules. It's more a marketing point than a useability point. If you want an espresso machine, grab one that does that. If you want a pod machine, grab a dedicated pod machine of the type you like (nespresso, lavazza etc etc) and enjoy that. If you are the type that does both pod and manual espresso, grab two smaller machines, like the Bambino Plus by Breville (which makes quite good espresso for the price point) and a dedicated quality Pod machine and either have them side by side on the bench (similar footprint to the EM7100 anyway) or put the pod machine in the cupboard when not in use (pod machines generally have a smaller footprint, so easier to move them to a cupboard than the espresso machine).

These machines heat water via what’s called a thermoblock (as opposed to boilers as in more expensive machines)….from my experience, thermoblocks are notoriously prone to failure (and will no longer heat the water to the required temp.) and because of this the machine will not complete the starup sequence. Not something the user can solve unfortunately. I’m no authority on this model, but this is a very likely scenario for coffee machines.

I agree, but use case may be the thing too. Thermoblock ( or thermal block) design was really to get a quick heat up time for a small number of shots, maybe only a couple at a session. Boilers are better suited if you are pulling a lot of shots in a session. I've seen plenty of boilers fail with leaking seals or heating element failures also, so this is not unique to thermoblock design. Sometimes it is a case of use case and expectations. The light flashing indicates one of two failure points really. Either the heating element is failing and not heating the thermoblock or the electronics / sensor are failing and not reporting the temperature correctly. Both scenarios are usally too complex for the average home user to diagnose and fix at home. I know I am 3 years late to the party, so I expect the machine in question is long since repaired or replaced.

This is likely because your grind is not fine enough. You need around 21 grams of fresh coffee beans and ground for espresso, not plunger. I have the same machine and I have had your experience. You'll fine each batch of coffee beans are different so you'll need to adjust your grind for your 21 grams until the pressure gauge comes to the green zone.

Also, I've found the Star Bucks capsules from Coles work well and taste good, if you want to use capsules that is. :-)

Great! Fine grind seems to build up some pressure on mine as well. However, this is weird because the machine seems to adjust the pressure into the green zone by itself in the first two days using freshly ground beans. Never came to my mind that I have to adjust it by myself.

Starbuck says a lot lol. Sorry, couldn't resist. Starbucks, at least the stores in Australia, make some of the worst coffee you can pay for....... Okay, I am 3 years late, but the EM7100 may just have a faulty gauge. The gauges are electronic in this model, not mechanical. If water is flowing straight through the puck with little resistance, then the grind is too course or not tamped well and the water is just channeling through and not really extracting the oils, aromatics and other goodness from the coffee grinds. If it is cool and not getting up to temp, this would be a separate issue affecting the heater control when using the Espresso button(s) over the Capsule button. The capsule button tells the machine to tame things down a bit to suit the requirements of a capsule, Espresso from grinds does need a different set of parameters, usually higher temp and pressure. Now I know I am commenting 3 years late on this, so I expect the machine is repaired or replaced by now. Personally I did try the EM7100, and found it was really too much of a compromise and would, if I was drinking capsules regularly, get a dedicated capsule machine and a separate, smaller espresso machine. If you drink milk based coffee drinks, then ensure to get an espresso machine with a milk frothing wand. Those auto frothing things are pretty hopeless.

It sounds like your grind is too fine. When grind is too fine, the water struggles to come through and some fine particles might get through the holes in the portafilter basket. Possible cause: If you dismantled the lower burrs in the grinder, you might not have reseated them correctly, or not tightened them enough. PS. Using Sydney tap water and dark Aldi beans, I only need to run a cleaning tablet every week or two, and descaling lasts about 9 months.

Hi Anna F, Are you using the dual wall basket?. If you are try using the other basket provided & let me know if the same issue is occurring?. Thanks

3 years late I know, but I will comment in case someone else, like me, finds this later. This issue sounds like either the "shower screen" is partially blocked, the brew basket has blockage, or there is some other internal blockage in the pipework ofthe machine. What @stephenbgood said is a possible cause, but I read your post and you said you tried multiple grinds and had cleaned your grinder, so I will say that is eliminated as an issue. I'd go on the blockage. Pump seems okay as pressure goes right up. Electronics may be an issue, the gauge is electronic, but probably doubtful as water flow is badly affected. Easiest place to start is the basket, making sure it is all clean. Using the supplied Single Floor basket with the EM7100 instead of the Dual Floor basket. will help too, though you really have to be spot on with your grind, tamp and dose when using single floor as the basket is no longer pressurised. ( better in a lot of peoples eyes ). If the basket makes no change, move to the shower screen on the group (the part the portafilter clips into). This can get blocked as the holes end to be fine. A good scrub with a nylon brush in some dish soap and a really good rinse after can clean both the brew basket and the shower screen nicely. If the issue persisted after that, it would likely need the machine taking apart to check the internal water path for any kinked pipework or blockages. A blockage could be caused by many things, but is often a scale issue and descaling will not reallly budge it once it is blocked. Could look at it similar to our arteries etc. Maintenance to prevent a block is much more effective than finding a blockage that is causing issues and trying to dissolve it.

I have two grinders, one Breville grinder and the other is a Sunbeam Cafe Series grinder. I have since quit using the Breville grinder because it will not grind fine enough (despite having some nice features). This causes the water to run through the group too quickly. Imagine 2 buckets with a hole in the bottom...one filled with sand (fine) and the other filled with rocks (coarse)....further imagine how water poured in will flow through the bucket differently. The combo of correct grind, and amount of grind in the group handle will create plenty of lovely crema and a desired flow. The ultimate goal is to strive for spent grinds that can be knocked out of the group handle like it's a solid, yet fragile biscuit. If it comes out of the group handle something akin to wet mud....chances are your grinder cannot grind fine enough. Hope this helps.

Hi Harini, It sounds like you need to adjust your grind to finer settings. You want it to start looking like caster sugar & see how that goes but you may also need to adjust to finer then that but see how you go. Thanks

This sounds like a question about the Breville grinder, rather than the EM7100.

3 years on, hopefully solved, but this is likely a grinder issue, where this thread is for the EM7100. In case someone, like me, finds this later. The Sunbeam grinder should be a conical burr type. Making sure the burrs are correctly seated is critical to the correct grind. If these burr type grinders are not aligned correctly or assembled incorrectly, the will still appear to work, but will not achieve the desired grind coarseness, being way out one way or other and not able to be adjusted.

Hi David, The temperature of the thermoblock has been calibrated to 92°C. However the coffee maker can adjust the temperature of the espresso thermoblock in increments of 2°C up and down, should it be desired. Did you follow the below steps to increase the temperature correctly? 1- Ensure the espresso machine is plugged in and switched on at the power outlet. Note: DO NOT press the POWER button on the espresso machine. 2- PRESS and hold down the 1 CUP button. 3- While still holding down the 1 CUP button briefly PRESS and RELEASE the POWER button and then release the 1 CUP button. To indicate you have activated the programmability of the espresso thermoblock temperature, a light on one of the buttons will illuminate; 1 CUP = Factory setting 2 CUP = +2°C CAPSULE = +4°C MANUAL = -2°C POWER = -4°C This light will remain on for up to 5 seconds before automatically returning to factory settings if no action is taken. The espresso machine will then power on. 4- PRESS and RELEASE one of the buttons below depending on the required steam pump rate; +2°C = PRESS the 2 CUP button +4°C = PRESS the CAPSULE button -2°C = PRESS the MANUAL button -4°C = PRESS the POWER button When the new temperature setting has been selected the espresso machine will beep twice. 5- The espresso machine will then automatically power on. Let me know if this has assisted you. Thanks

As I had said, I had adjusted the temperature up by the 4°C but still get coffee at 64°C. I have checked this new setting a number of times and it shows the current setting as the "Capsule" button each time.

Hi David, Unfortunatley the temp of the cut will only ever be at 60 to 64 degrees. When it starts of it at 92 degrees but as it moves through the machine & flows through to the cup it cools down to around the 64 degree mark. You could try running hot water through first before making your coffee or running hot water through the cup to heat the cup up first. Also you could try descaling the machine & taking out the filter screen & cleaning this too this will help hold the heat for longer. I have attached the product manual if you could refer to pages 23-24 external link  this will show you how to descale. Thanks

The only one of your suggestions I haven't tried is to run hot water through the machine before attempting to get a hot cup of coffee ( something akin to a hot cup of tea ). It is frankly appalling that the steam wand can produce "steam" and even the hot water wand produces greater heat than the espresso component. It would seem my only alternatives are to dump the machine and find an alternative or to continue to use a microwave to heat the delivered coffee to a temperature approaching hot. Thank you for your advice in attempting to rectify this disappointment. D

3 years late I know, and hope your issue is resolved. Ideal brew temperature of Espresso is around that 90 degree mark, so Sunbeam were extremely unhelpful suggesting the machine loses over 25 degrees of temperature from thermal block to portafilter/group head. That is an extremely incorrect response given your machine use to give decent coffee but degraded over time. The preheating is a really good suggestion, and about the only good thing to come from Sunbeams response. Capsules use a much tamed down paramter, temp is lower and often pressure is lower for capsules. If, when doing espresso from grinds, it's indicating Capsule paramters, this is an electronic fault with the machine. Even if the group head was completely cold, I find it hard that the thermal design could be so disgustingly bad that it would lose 1/3 of the heat from Thermoblock to group head. The way the fault developed is screaming electronic fault or sensor fault to me.

Edit: Temperatures I list are in degrees celsius

Hi Alli, The steam coming out of the machine will only heat the milk, it is up to the coffee maker to aerate the milk in a way that allows the creation of beautifully textured micro foam and it’s all about the positioning of the steam tip and how you move the jug. If you refer to page 14 of the product manual attached external link  this will show you how to get the steam wand to work properly for you let me know if this assists you. Thanks

It doesn’t appear to be heating it either and there is water under the machine. Could the steam wand be blocked? I couldn’t work out how to actually remove the steam wand.

Hi Alli, Can you hear the pump working when in use? & if so is the volume of water underneath the machine getting bigger when its running?. There could be a air block so you may need to bleed the machine out firstly you will need to make sure the tank is completly full of water then switch between the hot water & steam to run the line out (do this for around 2 to 3 minutes). Let me know if this helps. Thanks

Hi, Try checking the water tank to make sure you have enough water. Also you may need to do a descale so try this I have attached the product manaul for you external link  please refer to page 21 to 24 please let me know if this helps you. Thanks

Hi Carole, The metal ring stays in the handle as it is the part which clicks in the basket to the handle. It is hard at first due to being new but it will loosen the more times you use. Thanks

Thank you for responding.

Hi Stephen, The EM7100 is still a current model. Thanks

Hi arnalla, Yes you can adjust the temperature I have attached the product manual for you if you could please refer to pages 16 & 17 external link  this will show you how to adjust. Thanks

Thankyou so much. I only upped it by 4 deg and it is much better. Good to now have a cuppa that is not luke warm. :-)

Glad this worked for you arnalla, I am still getting luke warm coffee at best despite upping the temp ! Very dissappointed in this machine ( my third from sunbeam )