De'Longhi All-in-One Not Working? 7 Fixes (COM530M, COM532M)

Two Machines, Two Water Supplies, Two Descale Lights

The De'Longhi All-In-One (COM530M, COM532M) is a drip coffee maker and a pump espresso machine sharing one housing, and they barely share anything else. Each side has its own water, its own descale alert and its own fixes. If the espresso side delivers nothing, the usual cause is its removable tank not pressed all the way down, which keeps the valve underneath closed. If a light is double-flashing, that side wants descaling.

Work out which side is misbehaving before you start. The drip side fills through its own water-fill compartment and brews into the glass carafe. The espresso side has a lift-out tank under its own lid, a portafilter, and a frother. A slow carafe never means the espresso pump is failing, and a cold espresso has nothing to do with the warming plate.

This page follows De'Longhi's own instructions for the COM53X series, which cover both models, plus De'Longhi's FAQs for the two descale alerts. The COM532 adds a ring on the frother for cappuccino or hot milk, and that's the only difference the manual describes. For De'Longhi's single-purpose drip makers, see our De'Longhi coffee maker timer guide.

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Try This First

• Press the espresso tank down. Lift the lid and push the tank lightly down into its housing. De'Longhi lists an unseated tank under "no espresso" and "pump excessively noisy".
• Wait for a solid light. The Espresso ON/OFF light flashes while the boiler heats. Brewing before it goes solid gives cold espresso.
• Look for a double flash. Steam button double-flashing = descale the espresso side. BOLD double-flashing = descale the drip side. Neither one stops the machine working.
• Check the carafe fill. Over 10 cups of water spills out of the back of the machine.
• Clock flashing "AM 0:00"? The power went off, and the clock and timer need setting again.

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Which Fix You Need

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Fix 1: Get the Espresso Side Delivering Again (Works About 25% of the Time)

The espresso tank has a valve on its bottom that only opens when the tank is pressed fully into its housing. If the valve stays shut, the pump runs dry: it gets loud and nothing comes out. De'Longhi's troubleshooting table lists this alongside an empty tank, blocked holes and scale.

Signs it's this one: the pump sounds louder than usual, and little or no espresso comes out.

1. Lift the lid, check the tank has water, and press the tank down lightly until it sits fully in place.
2. Clean the portafilter's spout holes if they look blocked.
3. Clean the filters. Pull the perforated filter out by its tab, rinse it, and clear any blocked holes with a pin. De'Longhi says to do this weekly.
4. Clean the boiler outlet if it's been about 300 espressos since you last did (see below).
5. Still slow or nothing? Descale the espresso side (Fix 5). De'Longhi lists scale as a cause.

Time: 5-20 minutes
Cost: Free
Success Rate: About 25%
Difficulty: Easy

Cleaning the boiler outlet (about every 300 espressos):

⚠️ Safety: unplug the machine and let it cool fully before you start. The outlet is part of the hot boiler.

1. Unplug the machine and wait until it's cold.
2. Undo the screw that holds the boiler outlet with a screwdriver, and take the outlet off.
3. Wipe the boiler area with a damp cloth.
4. Clean the outlet in hot water with a brush, and clear blocked holes with a pin.
5. Refit the outlet, making sure it sits correctly on its gasket, and tighten the screw.

De'Longhi says that not cleaning the boiler outlet this way voids the warranty, so it's not optional upkeep.

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Fix 2: Stop Espresso Leaking Round the Portafilter (Works About 20% of the Time)

The portafilter only seals when it's turned as far as it will go. De'Longhi's manual tells you to do exactly that "to avoid water leaking out", and its troubleshooting row for espresso dripping from the edges gives one main cause: the filter holder isn't fitted correctly.

1. Wipe stray coffee off the rim of the portafilter before you fit it.
2. Fit it and turn it firmly to the right, as far as it will go.
3. If it won't go on at all, there's too much coffee in it, or the wrong filter. Use one level scoop per cup, in the matching 1-cup or 2-cup filter.
4. If it's fitted firmly and still drips, clean the spout holes (Fix 1, step 2).

Time: 2 minutes
Cost: Free
Success Rate: About 20%
Difficulty: Easy

Not a leak: a small puff of steam when you take the portafilter off is normal, De'Longhi says. So is a little water and steam into the drip tray while the boiler heats for steaming. Never remove the portafilter while espresso is still coming out.

Water under the machine? Check the drip tray. It has a red float that rises through the cup grid as it fills. De'Longhi warns that if you don't empty it then, water can spill over the edge and damage the machine and the counter.

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Fix 3: Espresso Cold, or Burnt After Frothing (Works About 15% of the Time)

Both are temperature problems with simple causes. Cold espresso usually means it was brewed before the boiler was ready. Burnt espresso after making a cappuccino means the boiler is still at steam temperature.

For cold espresso:

1. Press Espresso ON/OFF and wait until its light stops flashing. Brewing while it flashes is the first cause in De'Longhi's table.
2. Preheat. With the empty portafilter attached and your cup underneath, run water through to warm both. Empty the cup.
3. Make the espresso in the warmed cup.
4. Still cold after that? De'Longhi lists scale. Descale the espresso side (Fix 5).

For burnt espresso after frothing:

1. Put a container under the boiler outlet.
2. Press the espresso button and let water run until the Espresso ON/OFF light starts flashing. That cools the boiler back down to coffee temperature.
3. Wait for the light to go solid again, then make the espresso.

Time: 2-5 minutes
Cost: Free
Success Rate: About 15%
Difficulty: Easy

Pro tip: making several cappuccinos? De'Longhi suggests brewing all the espressos first, then frothing all the milk at the end.

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Fix 4: Get the Milk Frothing (Works About 15% of the Time)

Steam reaches the milk through two small holes in the frother's steam connection nozzle. Dried milk blocks them, and the froth stops. De'Longhi's table also lists warm milk and, on the COM532, the frother ring in the wrong position.

1. Clean the frother. Turn the machine off. Hold the frother spout, unscrew the frother counterclockwise and pull it down. Pull the steam connection nozzle off the spout. Wash both in warm water, and clear the two small holes with a pin. Push the nozzle firmly back on, then screw the frother back on clockwise.
2. Use cold milk. De'Longhi recommends whole or 2% milk straight from the fridge. Its troubleshooting table suggests semi-skimmed. Use about 3.5 oz (100 g) per cappuccino, or 6 oz (170 g) per latte, in a pitcher big enough for the milk to double or triple.
3. COM532 only: set the ring on the frother down for CAPPUCCINO. Up is HOT MILK, which heats milk without frothing it.
4. Press the steam button and wait until its light stops flashing. Swing the frother out to the left, immerse it in the milk, and turn the steam dial counterclockwise to ON.
5. Stop at about 140°F (60°C): turn the dial back to OFF and press the steam button.

Time: 5-10 minutes
Cost: Free
Success Rate: About 15%
Difficulty: Easy

Limits from the manual: steam for no more than 60 seconds at a time, and don't froth more than three times in a row. Clean the frother after every use, starting with a few seconds of steam to push leftover milk out.

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Fix 5: Clear the Double-Flashing Descale Lights (Works About 10% of the Time)

Each side counts its own brews and asks for its own descale. The steam button double-flashes after every 200 espressos. The BOLD light double-flashes after every 40 drip brews. Neither alert stops anything working, and pressing that side's buttons postpones it, but it returns after the next brew. The light only stops once you've run that side's descale.

Use De'Longhi descaler. De'Longhi's FAQs give the dose as 100 ml (3.3 oz), topped up with water to the max line.

Espresso side (steam button double-flashing):

1. Pour the descaler into the espresso tank and fill with water to max.
2. Take the portafilter off and put a bowl under the boiler outlet.
3. Hold the steam button for at least 6 seconds to start the cycle. The steam button blinks, and the clock counts down from 27 minutes.
4. As the water starts to run, open the steam knob once for 2-3 seconds to flush the frother.
5. When it's done, rinse the tank and fill it with fresh water. Press the espresso button and let it run until the tank is empty, opening the steam knob for 2-3 seconds again.
6. Repeat step 5 once more.

The two official sources disagree on one point. The manual says the Espresso ON/OFF light should be kept off when you start, while De'Longhi's US FAQ says to press Espresso ON/OFF to switch the machine on first. If holding the steam button does nothing with the machine off, try it switched on.

Drip side (BOLD double-flashing):

1. Take out the antichlorine filter.
2. Pour the descaler into the water-fill compartment, and add water to max.
3. Put the empty carafe on the warming plate.
4. With the machine plugged in but switched off (De'Longhi's FAQ), hold BOLD for at least 6 seconds. BOLD blinks, and the clock counts down from 27 minutes.
5. Rinse by running at least 3 brew cycles with water only.

Time: About 45 minutes per side, with rinses
Cost: The price of De'Longhi descaler
Success Rate: About 10%
Difficulty: Easy

De'Longhi warns that if you don't descale regularly, limescale damage isn't covered by the warranty. An acidic taste afterwards means the rinse wasn't enough: run more water through.

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Fix 6: Sort Out the Drip Side (Works About 10% of the Time)

The drip side has a short list of its own: scale makes it slow, too much water overflows out of the back, and the clock, timer and keep-warm settings catch people out.

1. Taking longer to brew? De'Longhi's table gives one cause: the drip side needs descaling (Fix 5, drip side).
2. Water spilling out of the back? Fill only to the carafe's 10-cup MAX. The manual says any extra spills out from the back of the unit.
3. Use the right dose. One level scoop (about 7 g) per cup, in the gold-tone filter.
4. BOLD is for 1-4 cups only. De'Longhi says not to use it for a whole carafe.
5. Timer didn't brew? Set the clock first: hold HOUR for 3 seconds, then set it with HOUR and MIN. Then hold AUTO for 3 seconds, set the start time, and press AUTO again so it stays lit. The timer only makes drip coffee: the espresso side doesn't switch on.
6. Clock flashing AM 0:00? It doesn't survive a power cut. Set the clock and timer again.
7. Switched itself off? Keep-warm runs for 2 hours by default. To change it, hold Coffee ON/OFF for 3 seconds and set any time up to 11 hours 59 minutes.

Time: 2-5 minutes
Cost: Free
Success Rate: About 10%
Difficulty: Easy

Steam from the drip side while it brews is normal, and it beeps when it's finished. Replace the antichlorine filter after 80 cycles, or at least every 6 months.

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Fix 7: Fix Espresso That Runs Too Fast or Too Slow (Works About 5% of the Time)

The espresso side takes pre-ground coffee or ESE pods, so the grind is whatever's in the bag. De'Longhi's table puts the remaining causes down to how much coffee you use and how hard you press it.

1. Use one level scoop (about 7 g) per cup, in the matching filter.
2. Spread the coffee evenly and press it with the tamper end of the scoop.
3. Knock out old grounds first. De'Longhi says the filter must be empty before you refill it.

Time: 5 minutes
Cost: Free
Success Rate: About 5%
Difficulty: Easy

Pods: use ESE-standard pods in the pod filter, centred, and turn the portafilter all the way in.

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When DIY Won't Work

Stop using it and contact De'Longhi Customer Services if:

• The pump runs but nothing comes out with the tank seated, the holes clear, the boiler outlet clean and the machine descaled
• Water collects under the machine when the drip tray isn't overflowing
• The power cord is damaged (De'Longhi says it isn't user-replaceable)
• You smell burning, or the breaker trips

De'Longhi's manual says not to remove the cover, and that trying to repair or modify the machine voids the warranty. Repairs go to an authorized service center, which you can find on delonghi.com. The manual doesn't print a phone number or the warranty length, so check your warranty card. Remember the two maintenance conditions: clean the boiler outlet, and descale when asked.

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Keep Both Sides Running

• Don't run the espresso side without water, or without its tank.
• Never fill the carafe past 10 cups.
• Keep it somewhere above freezing. De'Longhi warns the machine can be damaged if water inside freezes.

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FAQ

Why is the steam button flashing twice on my De'Longhi All-in-One?

The espresso side needs descaling. The double flash comes on after every 200 espressos and doesn't stop the machine working. Hold the steam button for 6 seconds with descaler in the tank to start the 27-minute cycle (Fix 5). If the steam button just blinks steadily, a descale is already running.

Does the BOLD light mean something's wrong?

Not when it's lit steadily: that just means BOLD brewing is on. A double flash means the drip side needs descaling, which happens every 40 drip brews. A steady blink means a drip descale is running.

Can I make espresso and drip coffee at the same time?

The manual doesn't say. It describes each side separately, with its own water and ON/OFF button. The auto-start timer only makes drip coffee, and the espresso side stays off.

Does the All-in-One take K-Cups or capsules?

No. The espresso side takes pre-ground coffee or ESE pods (paper pods marked with the ESE symbol) in its own pod filter. The drip side uses ground coffee in the permanent gold-tone filter.

What's the difference between the COM530M and COM532M?

In De'Longhi's manual, the COM532 has an adjustable cappuccino system: a ring on the frother that switches between cappuccino froth and hot milk. Everything else in the instructions applies to both.

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Related De'Longhi Guides

• De'Longhi error codes and warning lights: every De'Longhi light, by model
• De'Longhi descaling guide
• De'Longhi Stilosa not working: De'Longhi's manual espresso machine
• De'Longhi coffee maker timer not working: De'Longhi's programmable drip makers

Sources: De'Longhi Instructions for use, Coffee Maker COM53X; De'Longhi COM532M and COM530M quick guides; De'Longhi FAQs on the double-flashing steam and BOLD lights (COM530 and COM532).