The grinder is not working and will not produce any grounds?

This can be caused if the machine is not cleaned regularly and a build-up of coffee can stop the grinder from working as it should.

 

Please follow the steps below to clean your Smarter coffee machine.

 

Empty the bean compartment. Do this by tipping the machine on it's side carefully on a clear surface to help get the beans out. This can be hazardous so do be careful and make sure that any liquid in the machine has been emptied before.

 

Clean the grinder feeder with a pipe cleaner. We advise you do this when the machine is off and you have emptied the bean compartment as it makes it easier to access. You can insert a pipe cleaner from the top of the machine and gently clean the grinder.

 

Clean the bean door by removing the carafe and opening the filter door. At the top of the opening is a silver door, please use a cloth dampened slightly with only water to gently clean the bean door. Please be careful while cleaning the machine.

 

Repeat step 2 then test with a brew!

 

As well as clearing the bean compartment as mentioned above, open the filter cabinet and if you look up you’ll see a silver plate. You need to slide this back carefully and then use a pipe cleaner or something similar to free all the dried grounds. Once you’ve done that, slide the plate back and this should help

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14 Comments

  • 1
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    Samuel

    Have tried these processes over and over and still the grinder motor runs but no ground is produced :-(

    I can’t actually see down inside the grinder to conduct any tests and can only just about get a pipe cleaner in. Is there a way to remove the bean hopper to get a better look?

    Getting very frustrating. Not been working for 5 weeks now and running out of ideas

  • 1
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    Samuel

    Usually you see movement / jumping within the beans when the grinder is operating properly - but my beans remain static as the motor spins. I don’t believe the grinder is moving at all but incredibly hard to prove / see anything

  • 1
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    cosmiccliff

    Hi Samuel, I’m having the same problem, did you get anywhere with this?

  • 1
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    Unbeaten0304

    I have tried this process too, cant see inside but it looks like the grinder is not moving at all. No noise to indicate it is trying to either.

  • 1
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    William Liptrot

    I’m on my 2nd one of these. The first one just didn’t grind beans, made no noise or sound at all. Obviously faulty. 

    Received a replacement. It worked fine for two weeks and now it just makes a popping sound and does not grind. Have tried cleaning to no avail. To make matters worse no stock to send a replacement. 

    Not happy with the product as it’s obviously a design fault, it’s so hard to clean in the grinder.

    What are you supposed to do?

  • 0
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    Mimi

    Hi all,

    With any issues with your products please email support@smarter.am and we either repair or replace under warranty.

    Please ensure you send through your proof of purchase along with the video of your issue.

    Thanks

    Smarter Support

  • 0
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    Carlos

    I believe the problem you're all facing is a blockage at the filter basket end of the shaft through which the beans are ground. This seems to get clogged and then means the coffee cannot drop out into the filter basket and you can't actually move the grind coarseness dial at all.

    The way I got through this was manually cleaning out that shaft from the bottom end with the help of a coarse brush and a vacuum which meant getting the small silver door underneath to open up whilst getting the brush in there. This is clearly beyond routine maintenance and could well be dangerous. You certainly wouldn't want to be poking your fingers in there!

    Honestly had I returned this for repair I would have done so three times in 18 months. Similarly if a replacement, I would be on my third new machine. For about half a year now we've used it as a straightforward filter machine without grinding anything but considering the price you pay, that's not right.

    The concept of this product is a good one, the product itself is not and it needs to go back to the drawing board. The exit from the grind shaft becomes clogged far too easily and this in my experience is what causes the problem. It may well be too narrow and this would be a design problem.

    My long term remedy to this? I've bought a different machine because life is too short for this sort of PITA!.

  • -1
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    Tolga Ahiska

    Use a pipe cleaner?
    Could you please elaborate? Is this a tool, or a solution? Where do we do this? Is it below the restrictor plate? And if so should this be removed? Are there any vidoes\images?

     

    in my opinion, the product seems robust, but perhaps these problems could be avoided with more illustrative maintenance instructions.

  • 1
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    Steve

    I’ve been having the same issue but, have just managed to sort it.

    As well as clearing the bean compartment as mentioned above, open the filter cabinet and if you look up you’ll see a silver plate. You need to slide this back carefully and then use a pipe cleaner (or chopstick in my case) to free all the dried grounds. Once you’ve done that, slide the plate back and you should be good to go.

    Now having my first coffee from beans in months.

  • 0
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    Lawrence Migliore

    The method above with sliding the door and then cleaning the inside (door track as well) worked for me.  

  • 0
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    marcy gaynes

    The cleaning from the plate worked for me but now I only get half as much coffee as before. Help!

  • 0
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    Andrew Bent

    Can someone explain how to slide the silver door back please? I can't get it to move and I can't get a pipe cleaner into the grinder from the top of the machine because there's a plastic cover in the way.

     

    Ediit:

    Customer support suggested running the machine a few times in Bean mode but with no beans, this seems to have cleared the problem.

    Edited by Andrew Bent
  • 0
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    Dave k

    Mine didn’t grind after not long after buying it years ago. Put the crap in loft. I’ve dug it out to make something else out of it and was curious what broke it. Taken apart and after the metal motor before the metal grinder gearbox is a hollow plastic stump that inserts into the gearbox. It’s broken off. Not sure why all the torque funnels throu a half inch drive ‘bit’ made of weak plastic.

  • 0
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    darrel seify

    See my review here for how to fix. A pipe cleaner is definitely not going to be effective at fixing this. I'm glad I've got three of these machines that I can use for replacement parts... Have had to fix many many times https://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R3LXCN9SKKWCZJ/ref=pe_1572281_66412651_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

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