Expert Sage Bambino repairs and servicing

First remove the portafilter and check whether water comes through the group head with nothing fitted.

If water flows normally without the portafilter, the machine may not actually have a water-flow fault. Your coffee could simply be ground too fine and choking the machine, particularly if the pump runs but almost nothing comes through the coffee.

Try a slightly coarser grind and test again.

If there is still little or no water with the portafilter removed, make sure the water tank is full and pushed fully into position.

Another thing that can be checked is your filter basket. Dual-walled filter baskets can become blocked over time; try using a different basket to rule this issue out.

Finally, check whether the steam wand can dispense hot water. If both the group head and steam or hot-water functions are affected, the problem is more likely to be somewhere within the machine’s main water path rather than just the brew side.

If the flow has gradually become weaker, a descale is worth carrying out before assuming a component has failed.

A blocked steam tip is one of the first things to rule out.

Allow the machine to cool, then use the small pin on the supplied cleaning tool to clear the steam-tip holes.

If the tip remains blocked, remove it using the spanner section of the cleaning tool, clean it thoroughly and refit it.

If the tip is completely clear but steam is still very weak or absent, particularly if water flow from the group head is also poor, the issue may be further inside the machine.

A water restriction, pump issue, heating problem or another internal fault can all produce similar symptoms.

The Bambino heats very quickly, but that does not mean every part of the brewing setup is already hot.

If the machine is producing coffee normally but the drink tastes cooler than expected, first preheat the portafilter and cup with hot water before brewing. You can do this simply by running a blank shot through the portafilter.

If the machine itself appears unable to produce sufficiently hot brewing water or steam even after it has been allowed to operate normally, that is different from simple preheating.

A genuine heating-system fault can affect both brewing and steaming performance and should be investigated by a professional.

The Bambino should route water differently depending on whether you are brewing coffee, dispensing hot water or using steam.

If you select one function but water comes from somewhere else, for example hot water or steam appearing through the group head instead of the steam wand, the machine may not be directing the water correctly.

This can indicate an internal valve or control problem rather than a simple blockage.

The Bambino is a relatively simple machine compared with Sage models that also contain grinders, touchscreens or automatic milk systems.

That means faults involving the pump, water system, steam system or heating circuit can often be isolated to an individual component rather than the whole machine being beyond repair.

At FMCM, if we can’t repair your machine, we don’t charge you for the repair, so it can still be worth having the actual fault diagnosed before replacing the machine.