# Lelit Elizabeth - weird tasting water from hot tap



## Manc087 (Jun 8, 2020)

Just got the Elizabeth - overall, blown away (big step up from the Bambino )

One thing I occasionally run into - when making Americano's, the water that comes out the hot tap on the machine sometimes has a really distinct plastic-y type of taste/smell to it. It's similar to the smell you get when something is new, which usually washes out.

I've had the machine for a couple of weeks, made 5 Americano's/occasional flat white a day on it, using the hot tap each time. So I'm surprised it's still there.

Strangely enough, 20% of the time it's fine, with no strange taste.

I'm using bottled Waitrose water.

Anyone had similar experiences with it?


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

I think this was mentioned on another forum,it is quite common for the water to pick up from the pipes and other components. The suggestion was to fill and flush 4-5 times with fresh water.
Did you flush the machine before you started using it ?


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## Manc087 (Jun 8, 2020)

Is this the same as back-flushing? If so, I did this at the weekend to give it a clean, following Dave Corby's videos.

Or do you mean simply fill the tank with water and run it through the machine? If so, I didn't do this then I first got it but I suppose by then I've ran at least 3 full tanks of water through it just by making coffee's.

I found another mention of the issue on Reddit, but unfortunately no mention of how to actually fix it.


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

No not the backflushing, running from tank through the boiler.


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## Jonathon White (Dec 7, 2021)

Just flush it a few times it goes away. I stopped noticing it after a few days. I thought it was coming from the water tank or the two water tank hoses. It seems that all the Elizabeth machines come like that.


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## Inspector (Feb 23, 2017)

When steam boiler is up temp, place a big cup underneath water tap and press 'draw water' It will dispense more than 500ml of water and when it finishes it will refill steam boiler with fresh water from tank. If you do this few times in one week smell/taste should go away.


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## Manc087 (Jun 8, 2020)

Inspector said:


> When steam boiler is up temp, place a big cup underneath water tap and press 'draw water' It will dispense more than 500ml of water and when it finishes it will refill steam boiler with fresh water from tank. If you do this few times in one week smell/taste should go away.


Followed these exact steps this morning, and there is no longer the strange taste/smell to the water.

This has really made a huge improvement - thank you!


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