Dry puck

A firm, mostly-dry puck that knocks cleanly out of the basket as a solid cake — not a wet slurry.

Why it matters — A dry puck is not necessarily a quality indicator. On modern machines with 3-way solenoid valves, the valve releases pressure but not all moisture, so wet pucks are normal. Dry pucks tend to come from thermoblock machines or older lever designs that don't have 3-way valves.

Good to know

• The cup is the indicator, not the puck. Don't chase dry pucks if the coffee tastes great.
• If a puck is truly soaking wet and the shot channelled, the problem is the puck prep — not the moisture content.