Is your Hamilton Beach Flexbrew only making half a cup? It’s frustrating when you’re craving a full cup of coffee, but your machine isn’t cooperating.
This guide will walk you through some simple steps and solutions to get your Flexbrew back in action and filling your cup to the brim.
How To Fix A Hamilton Beach Flexbrew That Is Not Brewing A Full Cup?
- Ensure the correct brew size is selected and the water tank is sufficiently filled.
- Unclog the needles inside where the coffee pod is placed. Use a straightened paper clip to clear any blockages. Run rinse cycles with just water to clear debris.
- Perform a descaling process using a vinegar and water mixture: for the coffee pot side, mix 3 cups each of water and vinegar; for the single-serve side, use 1 cup each. Allow the solution to sit in the machine for 30 minutes mid-cycle, then finish the vinegar cycle. Rinse 2-3 times with clean water.
- If these steps don’t work, it might be a larger issue like a malfunctioning pump. Contact Hamilton Beach’s customer support for further assistance.
Let’s get into some more detail on how to do this below!
Brew Size And Water Level
Your Hamilton Beach Flexbrew not brewing a full cup usually goes hand in hand with the Flexbrew coffee maker saying ‘needle’. This can have a few different causes.
First, make sure you selected the correct brew size. You might have accidentally chosen a smaller size.
Next, check the water tank. If it’s not filled enough, the machine won’t make a full pot or cup.
Unclog The Needles In The Lid And Basket
Your Flexbrew might not brew a full cup if the two needles inside where you place the coffee pod get clogged with old coffee or hard water buildup.
To fix this, do the following:
Clean The Bottom Needle
To clean the bottom needle, first, remove the K-cup holder from the machine. Unbend a paper clip and poke it up through the needle to clear any clogs.
Push the paper clip further into the basket area to ensure it’s fully clean. Then, wash this part under running water in the sink.
For a deep clean, use a brush to get rid of any remaining bits.
Clean The Top Needle
Now, let’s clean the top needle. A cool thing about Hamilton Beach coffee machines is that this needle is easy to remove.
To do this, line up the arrow with the ‘unlock’ sign, pull the needle towards yourself, and slide it out.
Use a straightened paper clip to poke through the back end of the needle to remove any clogs. As you do this, pour water over the needle to rinse away any loose bits.
Wiggle the paper clip inside the needle to break up any blockages.
To return the top needle, align it with ‘unlock’, push up, and twist it until it snaps into the ‘lock’ position.
Run A Rinse Cycle
After cleaning both needles, run a few cycles with just water and no K-cup. This rinses out any leftover debris, ensuring your next coffee is clean.
Just close the lid of your coffee machine, select the single cup size, and brew with water only. Repeat as necessary.
If you had an ‘overload’ warning, cleaning the needles might clear it. But if the message remains, you might need to do more to solve the issue.
Clean and Descale Your FlexBrew
After you’ve cleaned the Flexbrew needles, it’s a good idea to do a descaling cycle. This makes sure your coffee machine is super clean and works perfectly.
Additionally, mineral buildup can block the water flow, which can also result in it not making a full cup or it can lead to your Hamilton Beach Flexbrew saying overload.
Before starting make sure the filter basket, capsule holder, and coffee pot are empty.
Descaling Coffee Pot Side
- Mix 3 cups of vinegar with 3 cups of water and pour into the reservoir.
- Start the brewing process.
- After 30-60 seconds, turn off the Flexbrew.
- Let the vinegar solution sit in the machine for 30 minutes.
- Turn the Flexbrew back on to complete the vinegar cycle.
- Once done, empty and rinse the pot.
- Fill the pot to the 12-cup line with fresh water.
- Run the clean water through the machine to rinse out any vinegar residue.
- Repeat steps 7 and 8, 2-3 times.
Descaling Single Serve Side
- Mix 1 cup of vinegar with 1 cup of water and pour into the reservoir.
- Begin the brewing process.
- As soon as the solution begins dispensing, turn off the FlexBrew.
- Allow the machine to sit for 30 minutes.
- Turn the FlexBrew back on to finish the vinegar cycle.
- Once completed, empty the container and clean the necessary parts.
- Refill the reservoir with clean water.
- Run a cycle with clean water to rinse out the vinegar.
- Repeat steps 7 and 8, 2-3 times.
When Everything Else Fails
If you’ve gone through all the steps and your Hamilton Beach Flexbrew still only brews half a cup, this might be more than a small glitch.
It could be a bigger problem, like a pump that’s not working right.
At this point, you should contact Hamilton Beach’s customer support. If your coffee maker is still under warranty, they might just replace it for you.
But even if the warranty’s over, they often give a nice discount to help you get a new machine.
Conclusion
Troubleshooting your Hamilton Beach Flexbrew might seem daunting at first, but with the right steps, you can easily address common issues and enjoy your full cup of coffee.
Whether it’s checking brew sizes, unclogging needles, or even reaching out to customer support, there’s a solution for every hiccup.
Here’s to many more perfect brews ahead!
Thanks for reading!