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Switch (Power, Brew, Steam)
Mechanical rocker or push-switch on the front panel — handles the on/off, brew, and steam selections. They wear out after a few hundred thousand cycles.
Category: Boilers & Heating
The mechanical or electronic switches that control the machine's main power, the brew lever (on lever-controlled groups), and the steam mode (on single-boiler machines).
Why it matters — Switches are simple but high-failure-rate components — they get touched thousands of times per year. A failed switch can prevent power, prevent brewing, or get stuck in a mode that overheats the boiler.
Good to know
- Most switches are replaceable for very little money; the work is mostly in opening the case to reach them.
- A worn switch often signals failure with a slightly different feel — looser, stiffer, or with audible clicking — before it dies completely.