# Barista express grinder "ratcheting" and not grinding.



## Coffeenewboy (Sep 10, 2019)

My BE stalled during grinding some new beans. I took the hopper off and cleared the beans and tried to spin the grinder, but then it screamed quite high pitched. I removed the burrs and cleaned it totally empty. Rebuilt as per instructions.....and now it sounds like its "jumping" and the shaft for the grinder doesnt spin.....Is it fully broken ?

This vid, not mine, demonstrates the noise, but my grinder isnt even spinning.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

gearbox or gears missing teeth....or fecked is the technical term. You need some spares, if they will sell them to you. They won't in the UK.

If I'm right...time to check out the classifieds perhaps....

https://coffeeforums.co.uk/classifieds/


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## Coffeenewboy (Sep 10, 2019)

Should have stated above,machine ie about 5 weeks old and came from Amazon...


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

@Coffeenewboy Nothing like missing out important details 🤣

perhaps consider a semi automatic machine, get a refund and consider used machines from classifieds


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Drip feeding information does not get you the best / correct answer


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## Coffeenewboy (Sep 10, 2019)

El carajillo said:


> Drip feeding information does not get you the best / correct answer


 Hardly drip feeding, I forgot to mention it was new is all.

Thanks for the advice.


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## Bridds (Oct 7, 2021)

I have just had the same issue with my machine that is 7 years old. Grinder is making an awful noise and stopped producing. I followed the YouTube guidance and after cleaning everything out, still the same result.

Presumably this is fecked and not worth repairing given it's age?


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

@Bridds If the parts required can be sourced and fitted, worth trying for a few pounds, otherwise use a free pay it forward advert (perhaps someone can use some parts), or scrap it.

https://coffeeforums.co.uk/classifieds/category/33-pay-it-forward/


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## Bridds (Oct 7, 2021)

DavecUK said:


> @Bridds If the parts required can be sourced and fitted, worth trying for a few pounds, otherwise use a free pay it forward advert (perhaps someone can use some parts), or scrap it.
> 
> https://coffeeforums.co.uk/classifieds/category/33-pay-it-forward/


 Dave. Thanks for the response. I'm going to try and get it fixed locally


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## Coffeenewboy (Sep 10, 2019)

Bridds said:


> Dave. Thanks for the response. I'm going to try and get it fixed locally


 Sage are sending an engineer from

coffee classics to see my machine next Friday.

will update the thread when I'm know the results.


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## Coffeenewboy (Sep 10, 2019)

Sage engineer from coffee classics came today and replaced the grinder in my machine.

Once that was I done I gave him the beans I had to try 
It was all working ok, and he basically said these beans 
Are too hard for this really, they've only been
Lightly roasted and that's whats caused the clutch in
The grinder to release....

I now feel that if that is the case, the machine isn't actually fit for purpose is it ?

It's not like beans come with some kind of hardness
Scale, so I'm going to be permanently in fear
Of the grinder s







tting itself now.

Pretty disappointed all round.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

@Coffeenewboy It depends on how lightly roasted...if improperly roasted, then you're not missing anything by buying beans that light...do you have a photo of said beans?


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## Coffeenewboy (Sep 10, 2019)

DavecUK said:


> @Coffeenewboy It depends on how lightly roasted...if improperly roasted, then you're not missing anything by buying beans that light...do you have a photo of said beans?


 Can't get a decent pic now, but this is one of the packs


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## Coffeenewboy (Sep 10, 2019)

The beans


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

@Coffeenewboy Oh....


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## Coffeenewboy (Sep 10, 2019)

DavecUK said:


> @Coffeenewboy Oh....


 What do you mean, oh?


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

well unless it's the light or some peculiarity of the coffee.... the beans look...odd and as if they could be really hard?

The flavour description is a little unusual for a "light" roasted coffee, Light floral, fruity and *milk chocolate*?


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## Coffeenewboy (Sep 10, 2019)

DavecUK said:


> well unless it's the light or some peculiarity of the coffee.... the beans look...odd and as if they could be really hard?
> 
> The flavour description is a little unusual for a "light" roasted coffee, Light floral, fruity and *milk chocolate*?


 This is what I am starting to understand, I have been told these beens are barely roasted at all and I should speak to the roaster, but tbh, Im prepared to forget about it and move on.

The biggest issue for me now, is that I feel I have lost faith in the Sage and dont think I trust it as an out of warranty machine to own.

I think I could get Amazon to take it back on the grounds of it not really being fit for purpose.


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## Stox (Jul 19, 2020)

Coffeenewboy said:


> This is what I am starting to understand, I have been told these beans are barely roasted at all and I should speak to the roaster, but tbh, Im prepared to forget about it and move on.
> 
> The biggest issue for me now, is that I feel I have lost faith in the Sage and don't think I trust it as an out of warranty machine to own.
> 
> I think I could get Amazon to take it back on the grounds of it not really being fit for purpose.


 I used a Smart Grinder Pro for a while and it crunched through the high altitude/light roasts I threw at it fairly happily but I'm not sure how long it would have lasted. I believe the SGP is very similar mechanically to the integrated grinders on other Sage machines.

What is clear is that either the beans or the machine are not fit for purpose. Were you able to make a satisfactory cup of coffee from those beans?


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Coffeenewboy said:


> This is what I am starting to understand, I have been told these beens are barely roasted at all and I should speak to the roaster, but tbh, Im prepared to forget about it and move on.


 Otherwise known as doing a SUMO (credit to @dfk41)


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## Coffeenewboy (Sep 10, 2019)

Stox said:


> I used a Smart Grinder Pro for a while and it crunched through the high altitude/light roasts I threw at it fairly happily but I'm not sure how long it would have lasted. I believe the SGP is very similar mechanically to the integrated grinders on other Sage machines.
> 
> What is clear is that either the beans or the machine are not fit for purpose. Were you able to make a satisfactory cup of coffee from those beans?


 I never got any ground, they broke the machine and Im not willing to try again after having a replacement grinder indtalled.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Coffeenewboy said:


> I never got any ground, they broke the machine and Im not willing to try again after having a replacement grinder indtalled.


 Wise move


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## Stox (Jul 19, 2020)

Coffeenewboy said:


> I never got any ground, they broke the machine and I'm not willing to try again after having a replacement grinder installed.


 I think I would be talking to the roaster because there could be a QA issue at that end. The picture you posted was not reassuring, but that may be due to the lighting conditions. I would want to compare the beans you have against some from another batch and/or see the roaster grind and pull a shot with them. I think any decent roaster would be happy to do this for you.


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## Coffeenewboy (Sep 10, 2019)

Its on its way back to Amazon as we speak, I really dont think I could trust it again, and certainbly wouldnt want to own it out of warranty.

I accpet this could have been a one off, but why take that risk ?


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## lake_m (Feb 4, 2017)

Good move 👍


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

lake_m said:


> Good move 👍


 Agreed...plenty of great machines/grinders in classifieds, or new, for a slight increase in budget


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