# Descaler / Water flush problem



## Craven (Nov 11, 2019)

Hi all

I got a Lavazza Modo Mio Jolie eleven months ago (Christmas present). The machine packed up a week or so back, wouldn't switch on. Looking at the instructions and troubleshooting I realise now I should have been descaling every three months, but hadn't done it at all. I ran descaler through and it took three (!) of them for the thing to run clear, as in with no spurting. What's bizarre - and prompting this post - is that even then, the water used to flush the descaler out is still not running through clearly. I've now run 6 descalers - all with no problems, but still the water is either just dripping, spurting or at best reduced flow. It definitely seems to be struggling, a lot of steam, the motor sounds a bit more laboured than usual.

Does anyone have any ideas? I can't understand how it seems to be differentiating between them!

I would have given up by now and taken it back since it's still within warranty except that Lavazza are not responding to any communication. I've emailed, tweeted twice and phoned. They are not even picking up the phone on the helpline! I'm still hoping something can be done

Thank you!

Craven


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

You have this capsule machine? Currently, £34.99 with free delivery from Amazon. It's not surprising Lavazza are not getting back to you, especially if it's a hard water problem which will not be covered under warranty. The postage costs back and forth are worth more than the machine and it's at a price point that almost makes descaling uneconomical....you're not quite there yet.

This sort of thing can be quite hard to descale once it's really bunged up....it depends on the descaler you use and the concentration (be careful here because of aluminium), information which you have not given us.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lavazza-Black-Capsule-Coffee-Machine/dp/B07DKHSSKD/ref=asc_df_B07DKHSSKD/?tag=cfukweb-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309884674229&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=798719254306889559&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045842&hvtargid=pla-567420671916&psc=1

However, getting real here....it's at a price point £34.99 that really if you keep descaling it, you're going to spend more in descaler than it's residual value. Why not use this opportunity to perhaps start drinking real coffee and enjoying what proper roasters grinders and machines have to offer. This is perhaps fates way of doing you a favour. Plus capsules are really really bad for the environment.


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## Craven (Nov 11, 2019)

Hi there

It wasn't that one, it was this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lavazza-Jolie-Coffee-Machine-Blue/dp/B01N5I2PBL

it was about £90 at the time it was bought, but I take your point about when descaler costs overtake the value. Also, I'm not happy about the coffee capsule situation either. Just when I'm trying to reduce our use of single-use plastic, this thing turns up! It's mainly used when only one of us (my husband and I are big coffee drinkers) is home and there is no point making a full cafetiere.

The descaler is Oust: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Oust-Purpose-Descaler-Quality-Guarantee/dp/B007A33MDC

As regards Lavazza's non-response, it's just bad customer service. They have no more details than "I have an issue with my Modo Mio Jolie". I've had bad experiences before, but companies at least did answer the phone when you called them!

Thank you for your help though!

Craven


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

Suggest you return it to the shop you got it from as not fit for purpose.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Craven said:


> Hi there
> 
> It wasn't that one, it was this:
> 
> ...


 Ah my apologies that one is now a heft £49. As for Lavazza's non response, I suppose they just don't care...if they did, they wouldn't have ever made machines like that. It could have been worse. You could have instantly got through to an Indian Call centre who would have asked you if it was plugged in, could you switch it on and off and then told you were the first one ever to have this problem. Then they would have told you they couldn't help you. After the inevitable phone survey would have had that "call centre" experience and rated the Indian operator paid very little, as excellent because you don't want him to get fired.

Seriously, if you like coffee....you can do hugely better for your taste buds and the planet by letting that thing die in peace and go to the great capsule graveyard in the Sky...on in reality to India where it will be stripped for the few pitiful parts in contains.

Disclaimer: I have nothing against Indian call centres as long as I don't have to use them to solve a problem I have in the UK.


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## Guest (Sep 10, 2020)

I have a Desea and I am following the instructions re the Descaling process but it's not working... am I missing something, I am pressing and holding the correct buttons but nothing happens?


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## H Adams (Jan 19, 2021)

In July 2020 I bought a Lavazza Jolie Plus pod machine from John Lewis online. By November water flow rate had slowed so I used descaler. After using it the machine began to leak water from around the base plate. I contacted Lavazza customer care, sent them a copy of the receipt and a photo of a sticker on the base plate, as requested. Within a week a new machine arrived. Great service.

Mid January 2021 we used a Lavazza descaler and immediately afterwards the machine, like the first one ,leaked a lot of hot water from the base plate. After several days we tried the machine again. We wanted to be sure we had used the machine properly before contacting Lavazza again. The machine worked without leaks. In both cases the leaks occurred immediately after descaling. Could this have been a factor?


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

@H Adams I suppose if it happened immediately after descaling both times, it would be reasonable to assume that although descaling might not be causing it...the removal of scale that was preventing the leaks was the problem.

Welcome to the forum......


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