Burst Coffee Pod Has Broken Coffee Machine

thescouselander

I've got a Nescafe Dolce Gusto machines that uses pods to make various drinks. Unfortunately at the weekend I unknowingly put a duff pod in there which was not sealed properly and the drink overflowed into the inside of the machine.

I got straight onto Nescafe via the internet to have a moan and they sent me a few quid as a goodwill gesture but it now seems the drink residue in the machine has become stick which is causing the lever that controls the water flow to stick so the machine doesn't shut off properly when the right amount of drink has been dispensed.

Do I have any comeback against Nescafe for a repair or new machine and whats the best way to proceed with this?

unholyangel

thescouselander wrote: »

I've got a Nescafe Dolce Gusto machines that uses pods to make various drinks. Unfortunately at the weekend I unknowingly put a duff pod in there which was not sealed properly and the drink overflowed into the inside of the machine.

I got straight onto Nescafe via the internet to have a moan and they sent me a few quid as a goodwill gesture but it now seems the drink residue in the machine has become stick which is causing the lever that controls the water flow to stick so the machine doesn't shut off properly when the right amount of drink has been dispensed.

Do I have any comeback against Nescafe for a repair or new machine and whats the best way to proceed with this?

Have you tried running it a few times with just hot water coming through it to see if that flushes the system? Boiling water will literally strip off dried in food etc so it should get rid of the "stick" also.

From looking at youtube videos (sorry, I hate coffee so no coffee machine for me!) it looks like the bit where the capsule sits comes apart. Have you tried taking that out and cleaning it?

You don't seem to have mentioned where or when you purchased the machine (or whether you purchased it at all) or the pods.

TadleyBaggie

Was the faulty pod a genuine Nescafe one, or a third party one?

thescouselander

unholyangel wrote: »

Have you tried running it a few times with just hot water coming through it to see if that flushes the system? Boiling water will literally strip off dried in food etc so it should get rid of the "stick" also.

From looking at youtube videos (sorry, I hate coffee so no coffee machine for me!) it looks like the bit where the capsule sits comes apart. Have you tried taking that out and cleaning it?

You don't seem to have mentioned where or when you purchased the machine (or whether you purchased it at all) or the pods.

I cant get to the part that's sticking because it's well inside the machine and I'd have to completely disassemble it.

The machine is from Debenhams and the pods are original Nescafe ones bought from Tesco. The pod seems to have not been sealed properly because of a manufacturing fault.

unholyangel

thescouselander wrote: »

I cant get to the part that's sticking because it's well inside the machine and I'd have to completely disassemble it.

The machine is from Debenhams and the pods are original Nescafe ones bought from Tesco. The pod seems to have not been sealed properly because of a manufacturing fault.

Then it would be tesco you would approach since you say the pods were at fault.

However, I think you'll experience some problems. Do you still have the pod for tesco to examine? Does the manual say anything about ensuring pods are undamaged prior to use?

Was there a manufacturers warranty provided? Would this be covered under the warranty? If so, it will be a lot easier to go via warranty than trying to get tesco to admit liability for a pod that may have been or may not have been (from their point of view i mean) damaged after they were sold.

thescouselander

unholyangel wrote: »

Then it would be tesco you would approach since you say the pods were at fault.

However, I think you'll experience some problems. Do you still have the pod for tesco to examine? Does the manual say anything about ensuring pods are undamaged prior to use?

Was there a manufacturers warranty provided? Would this be covered under the warranty? If so, it will be a lot easier to go via warranty than trying to get tesco to admit liability for a pod that may have been or may not have been (from their point of view i mean) damaged after they were sold.

I dont think its a machine warranty issue as it was working as it should. The instructions done mention anything about checking the pod. I still have the pod and the box it came in but I can't prove it's from Tesco and I'm not 100% it was sure myself - I've also bought pods from Sainsbury's and directly off the Dolce Gusto site

unholyangel

thescouselander wrote: »

I dont think its a machine warranty issue as it was working as it should. The instructions done mention anything about checking the pod. I still have the pod and the box it came in but I can't prove it's from Tesco and I'm not 100% it was sure myself - I've also bought pods from Sainsbury's and directly off the Dolce Gusto site

Yes it was, but now its not

Given what you say above (about not being sure where the pods were purchased from), it seems warranty may be your only option. Its possible this may be classed as misuse and therefore wouldn't be covered (debatable if the manual doesn't give warnings about damaged pods), but you've certainly nothing to lose by asking them.

hollydays

Coffee may be baked on the inside bits, I have no idea how these machines work but is it possible to switch it on , let some water run through , then switch it off to let it cool and leave for a few hours to " soak off " the residue? Do this a few times?

In addition, have a go at descaling it?

thescouselander

hollydays wrote: »

Coffee may be baked on the inside bits, I have no idea how these machines work but is it possible to switch it on , let some water run through , then switch it off to let it cool and leave for a few hours to " soak off " the residue? Do this a few times?

In addition, have a go at descaling it?

Yes, I might put the pod back in a let the machine flood again but with clean water. I don't think descaling will work as the machine is quite new and the flow of water is good. The problem is definitely more related to the lever mechanism being gunged up as I can feel it sticking when I turn it on.

donnac2558

I have one of these machines, the Oblo.

You cannot get into the actual workings. What happens pod goes into pod holder bit, sharp needle like things comes down and pierces the top of the pod. Hot or cold water flows through the needle like bit from the water tank at the back, fills pod with water which then flows out as coffee or milk from the pod into the cup.

I am not sure how it can flow back up through the needle bit into the lever at the back? If the pod was not sealed properly then it should over flow down into the cup and drip tray.

thescouselander

donnac2558 wrote: »

I have one of these machines, the Oblo.

You cannot get into the actual workings. What happens pod goes into pod holder bit, sharp needle like things comes down and pierces the top of the pod. Hot or cold water flows through the needle like bit from the water tank at the back, fills pod with water which then flows out as coffee or milk from the pod into the cup.

I am not sure how it can flow back up through the needle bit into the lever at the back? If the pod was not sealed properly then it should over flow down into the cup and drip tray.

What happened was the pod had burst towards the back and the drink overflowed across the top of the tray towards the back and then went inside the machine and then escaped out of the hole where the power cord goes in at the bottom.