Adjusting the water level when your Senseo brews too little coffee. Also for the Senseo UP!

Before you adjust the water level, we strongly recommend making sure the pod holders are clean and that the machine has been descaled. Pod holders with a blocked hole, or with dirt in them, also cause problems with the amount of coffee.

This method is not suitable for the HD6556 Viva Cafe

Setting the water amount on all Senseo machines that do not have an adjustment screw on the circuit board.

On the newer generation of Senseo and Latte machines, there is no longer an adjustment potentiometer on the circuit board. (See this link for mechanical adjustment)

The settings are made using the buttons on the front of the Senseo.

Before you start, make sure there are no leaks or other defects in the machine, otherwise there is no point in following this procedure.

For most Senseo machines you can use the instructions below.

For the Senseo Up, you can read the instructions further down this page.

Setting the water amount:

1. Fill the water tank completely with water.

2. Place the pod holder for one cup, without a coffee pod.

3. Turn the Senseo on.

4. Once the Senseo has reached temperature, press the button for one cup.

5. Once the machine is done, you can determine whether too much or too little water was dosed.

On the standard version the amount of water can be set between 125 and 141 cc/mL.

6. Unplug the machine from the wall socket.

7. Hold down both the buttons for one and two cups while plugging the machine back into the wall socket.

8. When you now release the buttons, all three lights (buttons) will light up continuously. (Not applicable to older Senseo models)

9. To increase the amount of water, press the button for two cups. When you press and release the button, the light of the on/off button briefly goes out, then comes back on continuously. Each “button press” extends the run time by about 0.5 seconds. Pressing the button for two cups 4 times in a row keeps the water running 2 seconds longer.

10. The same applies to reducing the amount of water, for example if you want stronger coffee. Only now you use the button for one cup.

11. To end and save the programming, press the On/Off button.

12. Then switch the machine back on, wait until the Senseo has reached temperature, and press the button for one cup again. You will see that there is now more water in the cup.

13. If the amount is still too little or too much, repeat the steps starting from step 6. If you pressed the button e.g. 2 times last time, and you need more water, you must press the button e.g. 4 times. The number of seconds the Senseo was programmed for the previous time is not remembered.

The above also works for the HD7860, except there are no 3 lights (only the on/off button is illuminated). When pressing the buttons for 1 and 2 cups while plugging in the machine, only the on/off button will light up. When repeatedly pressing the button for 2 cups, this on/off button will briefly blink and then stay on continuously, just as described above.

The following method for adjusting the water level is only suitable for the Senseo Up HD7884

You can program the amount of coffee for both recipes.

1. Hold down the button for the recipe of your choice until the light starts blinking quickly.
2. Release the button.
3. The machine heats up for about 90 seconds while the light blinks slowly.
4. The machine starts brewing coffee.
5. Press the button briefly again once the desired amount of coffee has been reached.
6. The light blinks quickly to confirm that the amount of coffee has been saved.

Restoring the factory settings of the Senseo Up:

To restore the factory settings for the amounts of coffee, hold down both buttons. Release them when the light starts blinking. Small coffee = 60 ml, regular coffee = 125 ml (France: 100 ml).