Cuisinart SS 15 series troubleshooting guide

In this article, we will take you through various steps to fix problems you may experience with your Cuisinart SS 15 coffeemaker.

Let’s get started.

Cuisinart SS 15 series troubleshooting [How to fix different Cuisinart SS 15 series issues]

Cuisinart SS 15 not powering on

To begin with, you will want to make sure that your coffeemaker is securely plugged in-to its own independent power outlet.

Next, make sure that the power has been turned on.

Now, if your coffeemaker is still not powering on, check to make sure that the circuit breaker is not tripped. If tripped, simply turn it back on.

Cuisinart SS 15 not brewing

First, make sure that your brewing chamber contains your favorite coffee capsule.

Also check to see if the buttons are illuminated and that the screen reads READY.

If not, it means that you may have not fully secured the brewing chamber handle- all you will need to do here is to fully secure the handle.

On the other hand, if your ADD WATER indicator is on or display reads NOT READY, it could mean that your water reservoir needs to be filled- here all you will need to do is fill the reservoir and fully seated on its base.

How do I fix my Cuisinart SS 15 not brewing but display has no reading?

Well, you first check your piercing and/or exit needles as they could get clogged by your coffee.

If so, you will need to unclog them.

How to unclog the piercing needle

To unclog it, use a paper clip to loosen and push out the clog.

Keep in mind that the piercing needle is located inside the brewing chamber.

How to unclog the exit needle

To unclog it, you will use a paper clip also.

But first, you will need to remove the capsule holder and then remove the funnel inside the holder.

Remember the exit needle is normally located on the inside bottom of the capsule holder assembly.

Cuisinart SS 15 is not brewing a full cup

To fix this issue with your Cuisinart SS 15, first check and make sure that the piercing and exit needles are not clogged.

If they are, follow the previous steps to unclog them.

Next, clean the brewing chamber.

Now, if none of these solutions work, you will need to descale your coffeemaker. To do this, follow the steps below.

Cuisinart SS 15 series troubleshooting – How to descale Cuisinart SS 15 coffeemaker

Requirements

• Distilled white vinegar.
• Fresh water.
• 12 oz ceramic mug.

 Steps to descale the carafe side

1. Remove the charcoal water filter.
2. Fill the water reservoir with 1/3 white vinegar and 2/3 water and close the lid. For accuracy, use the carafe to measure.
3. Press and hold the CLEAN button until the button starts flashing. This means that the unit is now in clean mode and you can release the button.
4. Once the cycle completes, you will hear 5 beeps and your carafe will be filled with the water-vinegar mixture.

Note: if the clean indicator still flashes after the cycle, you will need to repeat steps 2 and 3 with a fresh mixture of water and vinegar.

5. Discard the contents of the carafe and run a brew cycle with clean fresh water. This help rinse the unit.
6. Return the charcoal water filter and your coffeemaker should now be ready to brew.

How to descale the single serve side

1. Fill the water reservoir with 1/3 white vinegar and 2/3 water and close the lid.
2. Place a 12 oz ceramic mug into the drip tray.
3. Press and hold the 6 oz and 8 oz buttons until the CLEAN LED indicator starts flashing.
4. When the mug is full, discard its contents and put it back in place.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until the ADD WATER indicator goes on.
6. Fill the water reservoir with fresh water and put the lid back on. Then, repeat steps 3 and 4 for 3 complete cycles to completely rinse the interior of the brewing chamber.

Cuisinart SS 15 is brewing weak watery coffee

If your SS 15 suddenly starts brewing watery coffee, first, make sure that your brewing chamber has coffee-If it is low on coffee, the single serve will brew watery coffee.

Then, if you are using a capsule holder, you should try the extra-bold capsule. This tends to improve the quality of coffee(due to the 30% extra ground coffee).

Additionally, make sure that there are no clogged needles- unclog them, if necessary.

Finally, if none of the above solutions works, consider brewing a smaller cup.   

Brewed coffee suddenly tastes different or bad

Now, there are some factors that can result in your coffee suddenly changing taste including using water with a different quality or low-quality coffee.

To fix this, try these steps:

• Use high quality coffee beans– preferably the brand you were using before. If you haven’t changed the brand, check the other fixes below.
• Use the recommended proportions of coffee. For the single serve side, you will find the instructions under the Brewing with a Reusable Filter Cup and under the Brewing Coffee for the drip side.
• Use distilled or bottled water – this water is not chlorinated and has little to no minerals.
• Filter your water using the charcoal water filter in the water reservoir before brewing your coffee.

Cuisinart SS 15 blinking lights

For the most part, flashing lights are usually an indication that you need to descale your coffeemaker so descale it(follow the earlier steps).

Also unclog the needles if clogged(you already know how)

Cuisinart SS 15 clean light won’t turn off

If your clean light is not turning off, it could mean that the clean cycle is not fully completed.

To fix this, you will need to complete the cycle.

To do that, simply press and hold the 8 oz and 6 oz buttons simultaneously-This will dispense any water left in your coffeemaker.

Once all the water has been dispensed, your clean light should automatically go off.

Cuisinart SS 15 leaking on the single serve side

This is usually very messy as the coffee likely spills all over your counter.

The first step is to make sure that the needles in your brewing chamber are not clogged. If they are, unclog them with a paper needle.

If this happens frequently, try using more fine ground coffee.

Otherwise, it could be that your unit’s silicone or rubber water hose is faulty/cracked- it will need to be replaced.

Cuisinart SS 15 not heating

This is usually an indication that either your heating element or the control board is damaged.

Now, if your coffeemaker is still under warranty, reach out to the company on 1-800-726-0190 for further assistance(they could replace the coffeemaker).

However, if your appliance is no longer under warranty, you might have to discard it(as replacing these parts might not make money sense).

Cuisinart SS 15 series troubleshooting – final words

Even as you try the above Cuisinart SS 15 series troubleshooting steps, it is important to remember that proper maintenance is the surest way to keep many of the common Cuisinart SS 15 problems at bay.

You also need to operate the coffeemaker according to the instructions all the time..

Your Cuisinart SS 15 manual has all these details so reference it whenever in doubt.

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