Coffee tastes burnt or bitter.

Possible Causes

Grind too fine, too much coffee dose, water temperature too high, coffee left on the hot plate too long.

How to Fix / Troubleshooting

Safety first: Use caution around the hot plate and hot coffee.

• Adjust grind and dose: Use a slightly coarser grind and reduce the coffee quantity per cup.
• Remove carafe promptly: Do not leave coffee on the hot plate for extended periods. Transfer it to a thermal carafe if possible.
• Descale: Scale can affect temperature control; run a descaling cycle.
• Check hot plate setting: If your Kenwood model has a keep-warm temperature or time setting, reduce it.