--- title: "Coffee Machine Grinder Not Working or Grinding Unevenly: Causes and Fixes" description: "A coffee machine grinder not working may stay silent, run with no beans coming through, grind with a harsh clatter, or ask for beans while the hopper is still…" url: "https://coffeemachinerepair.center/problems/coffee-machine-grinder-not-working/" --- # Coffee Machine Grinder Not Working or Grinding Unevenly A coffee machine grinder not working may stay silent, run with no beans coming through, grind with a harsh clatter, or ask for beans while the hopper is still full. ## What it usually means. The grinder is the part of a bean-to-cup machine that works hardest. A motor turns a pair of conical or flat burrs, beans drop into them from the hopper by gravity, and the ground coffee falls down a short chute into the brew unit. Anything that stops the beans from falling gives the classic sign of a grinder running empty and the machine asking for more beans: very oily beans that stick to each other and form a bridge over the burrs, a hopper with a closed or half-open aroma lid, or a chute clogged with damp coffee. A stone or a bit of metal among the beans can jam the burrs outright, and flavored or caramelized beans leave a coating that slows them. The grind setting also matters; turned to its finest step while the burrs were still, it can lock them. Past those, the motor, its gearbox and the sensor that counts the grinder's turns wear out with use. None of those are reached by the owner, but many grinder problems end with stirring the beans and a cleaner chute. The 6 causes, cheapest first Answer these first 01 Is the grinder silent, or does it run and sound empty? 02 Does it make a harsh clatter or a sudden bang, as if something hard went through it? 03 Is the hopper full, and do the beans look glossy or clumped together? 04 Was the grind setting changed recently, and was the grinder running at the time? 05 Does the machine say to add beans when beans are in the hopper? ## Check these before you book. Coffee machine grinder not working: 5 checks, and none of them costs anything. 01 Stir the beans in the hopper with a wooden spoon and make sure any aroma lid is fully open. 02 Switch to beans with a dry, matte surface and avoid flavored or caramelized ones. 03 If the grind was changed while the grinder was stopped, set it back one step while the grinder runs. ### Also worth checking - With the machine off and cool, brush the chute with the maker's brush and vacuum loose grounds. - Never reach into the burrs with a finger or a tool; a stone or a jam that does not clear is a visit. ### How soon does it need a visit? A silent or empty-sounding grinder is not dangerous. Stop using it at once if it bangs or smells hot, because running a jammed grinder damages the motor. ## The causes, cheapest first. 6 things coffee machine grinder not working or grinding unevenly turns out to be, from oily beans bridging over the burrs to grinder motor or its sensor. [The cost guide](https://coffeemachinerepair.center/cost/) 1. 01 no repair ### Oily beans bridging over the burrs Glossy dark roasts cling together and hang above the burrs, leaving a hollow the grinder spins in. Stirring the beans and switching to a drier roast fixes it. No repair: check it yourself 2. 02 no repair ### Grind setting changed while stopped On many machines the dial moves only while grinding; turned at rest it can lock the burrs. Turning it back while the grinder runs usually frees them. No repair: check it yourself 3. 03 no repair ### Clogged chute Damp or oily grounds build up in the chute between the grinder and the brew unit. The maker's brush and, with the machine off and cool, a vacuum clear it. No repair: check it yourself 4. 04 low to moderate ### A stone or foreign object in the burrs A small stone in a bag of beans can jam the grinder with a loud crack and chip the burrs. It is removed and the burrs are checked or replaced. [Fixed by coffee machine grinder repair](https://coffeemachinerepair.center/services/coffee-machine-grinder-repair/) 5. 05 moderate ### Worn burrs or gearbox Worn burrs grind slowly and unevenly; a stripped gear lets the motor spin with the burrs still. Both are grinder repairs. [Fixed by coffee machine grinder repair](https://coffeemachinerepair.center/services/coffee-machine-grinder-repair/) 6. 06 moderate ### Grinder motor or its sensor A motor that hums without turning, or a sensor that stops reporting its turns, makes the board stop the grind. They are tested on a visit. [Fixed by coffee machine grinder repair](https://coffeemachinerepair.center/services/coffee-machine-grinder-repair/) ## What else it could be. Most often confused with coffee machine making weak or watery coffee, then no coffee coming out of the coffee machine. [All problems](https://coffeemachinerepair.center/problems/) Codes that come with it - [`Fill bean container` Bertazzoni · Grinder and beans](https://coffeemachinerepair.center/error-codes/bertazzoni-fill-bean-container/) - [`Ground too fine. Adjust grind level 1 level while in operation` Bertazzoni · Grinder and beans](https://coffeemachinerepair.center/error-codes/bertazzoni-ground-too-fine/) - [`FILL BEANS CONTAINER` Fisher & Paykel · Grinder and beans](https://coffeemachinerepair.center/error-codes/fisher-and-paykel-fill-beans-container/) - [`GROUND TOO FINE` Fisher & Paykel · Grinder and beans](https://coffeemachinerepair.center/error-codes/fisher-and-paykel-ground-too-fine/) - [`GROUND TOO FINE ADJUST MILL` Fulgor Milano · Grinder and beans](https://coffeemachinerepair.center/error-codes/fulgor-milano-ground-too-fine-adjust-mill/) - [`FILL BEAN CONTAINER` Fulgor Milano · Grinder and beans](https://coffeemachinerepair.center/error-codes/fulgor-milano-fill-bean-container/) [10 more codes, by make](https://coffeemachinerepair.center/error-codes/) Also related - [**What a Coffee Machine Error Code or Warning Symbol Means** 7 causes](https://coffeemachinerepair.center/problems/coffee-machine-error-code/) ### Coffee Machine Making Weak or Watery Coffee 6 causes ### No Coffee Coming Out of the Coffee Machine 6 causes Switch it off first ### Burning or Hot Plastic Smell From a Coffee Machine 6 causes ## The makes it happens on. 12 makes on this site; coffee machine grinder not working or grinding unevenly can show up on any of them. Each mark opens that make's own page. [All 12 brands](https://coffeemachinerepair.center/brands/) ## Coffee Machine Grinder Not Working or Grinding Unevenly, where we come out. 9 metros, each with its own page. 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The beans are not reaching the burrs, usually because oily beans formed a bridge or the chute is blocked. Stir the beans and clean the chute. ### Can pre-ground coffee go in the bean hopper? No. Ground coffee in the hopper clogs the grinder. Most machines have a separate chute for one dose of ground coffee. ### The grinder cracked loudly and now grinds unevenly. What happened? Almost always a small stone among the beans. It can chip the burrs; stop using the grinder and book a visit. ### Are flavored beans bad for a coffee machine grinder? They leave a sticky coating on the burrs and chute. Most makers of fully automatic machines advise against them. --- **[Read on the site: Coffee Machine Grinder Not Working or Grinding Unevenly: Causes and Fixes](https://coffeemachinerepair.center/problems/coffee-machine-grinder-not-working/)** **[Book a visit with CoffeeMachineRepair.center](https://coffeemachinerepair.center/schedule/)**