Nespresso Vertuo Plus Poor Water Flow

When little or no water flow is dispensed from the machine during a brew cycle, a few issues may be causing poor water flow. This may result from improperly seated or blocked water tank, blockages caused by coffee grounds or limescale buildups, air in the feed lines, or a faulty pump system.

First, ensure the water tank is filled with water, fully seated on the base, and the opening is free from debris or buildup. Check if the tank can dispense water.

Fill tank with water
Over a sink depress spring button on underside of tank (water should drain from here)
Ensure water can flow freely

If the problem persists, continue with troubleshooting instructions

Ground or limescale buildup can clog the lines and dispenser. Running cleaning and descaling cycles is the first step to clearing routine blockages. Run the complete cleaning cycle with the following steps:

Eject any capsule and close the machine head.
Fill and reinstall the water tank.
Place a container holding at least 27 fl oz. (0.8 L) beneath the outlet.
Press the button three times within two seconds.
Allow the approximately five-minute cleaning cycle to finish

If persisting, run the descaling cycle with the following steps:

Eject the used capsule and turn the machine off.
Empty the capsule container and cup support.
Add one unit of Nespresso descaling liquid and at least 17 fl oz. (0.5 L) of water to the tank.
Enter the machine’s descaling mode.
Run the complete descaling cycle.
Rinse the tank and cup support thoroughly.
Refill the tank with fresh water and complete the machine’s rinse cycle.
Exit descaling mode and allow the machine to dry for ten minutes.

If problem persists, more severe build ups can occur in the spiked waterspout that inserts into the coffee pod when the lid is closed. This can be cleared using a toothpick or similar instrument. Ensure a cycle is run with just water (no coffee pod) before continuing regular brews.

If cleaning/descaling isn’t improving water flow, there may be air in the line. Air in the pump lines reduces the pump’s ability to draw water from the reservoir. The pump line can be filled with water to induce flow using a syringe or baster.

Remove tank from base and use syringe or baster to pump water into valve while running a brew cycle

If none of the above works, there me a problem with the internal pump and/or pump line. The repair to replace these will involve disassembly of the machine and replacement parts. (Link to Guide)