Slow shot

Extraction runs much slower than expected, or the machine struggles to produce flow.

Category: Common Faults & Symptoms

The pump runs but the shot extracts very slowly — sometimes "chokers" that barely produce any flow, or shots that take 50+ seconds to hit target yield.

Why it matters — Slow shots usually mean over-extraction. The coffee tastes bitter, dry, and hollow. The first suspect is grind too fine; the second is dose too high.

Good to know

Coarsen the grind a notch and re-pull before changing anything else.
If coarser grind doesn't speed it up, check: dose (may be over-packed), shower screen (may be clogged), gicleur (E61 machines — may be partially blocked).