5 mistakes you’re making with your coffee machine

If your daily cup tastes bitter, flat, or like something you’d politely refuse at your in-laws’, chances are you’re the problem—not the beans. Here are five ways you’re probably wrecking your coffee every morning.

Stale beans

Coffee goes stale faster than you think. Pre-ground coffee is basically dead on arrival, and even whole beans lose flavour once the bag’s been open a week or two. Buy smaller amounts, grind fresh, and for the love of caffeine, store them in something airtight. That “rolled-up bag with a clip” method? That’s how you get sad coffee.

Wrong grind size

The grind isn’t guesswork. French press needs big chunks, drip machines want medium, espresso requires dust-fine powder. Get it wrong, and you’ll either choke the machine or end up with brown water. A burr grinder is worth it—trust us, it beats drinking failure every morning.

Bad water

Your cup is almost entirely water. If it tastes like chlorine or old pipes, so will your coffee. Filter it, or use bottled. Bonus: your machine won’t fill up with limescale and die an early death.

Lazy cleaning

Coffee oils build up, go rancid, and ruin everything. Add in mineral deposits, and your machine becomes a bitter factory. No, a quick rinse isn’t enough. Descale it, scrub it, run water cycles. If you wouldn’t drink out of a dirty mug, why let your machine stay filthy?

Heat and time

Boiling water burns coffee, lukewarm water leaves it flat. The sweet spot is 90–98°C. And timing matters—too short and it’s sour, too long and it’s like chewing aspirin. Pay attention. You don’t need to be a “coffee snob” to avoid making sludge.