Struggling to figure out why a blinking orange light is coming from your Nespresso? Don't worry; it's not going on strike.
There are a few different things your Nespresso machine could be trying to tell you with its orange light - let’s dive into what potential issues could be happening and how to fix them.
With these tips, you'll be back to sipping that delicious cup of joe in no time.
Why Is My Nespresso Light Blinking Orange? (4 Common Reasons)
Unlike humans, your Nespresso machine cannot talk. The orange light blinks are a way of letting you know what it needs (but more clearly than when a baby cries and you have to work down a list).
Some common reasons why the orange light status, or error indicator, may start flashing.
1. Machine Needs To Be Cleaned/Descaled
One of the biggest, yet easiest to forget, elements of caring for your Nespresso machine is the cleaning and descaling schedule.
How often you need to clean and descale your Nespresso machine will differ depending on your location and how often you brew a cup.
It is easy to slip out of the habit, but make a point to clean and descale your machine regularly - it will extend its life and keep you chugging along for longer.
2. Low Water Pressure
If the water pressure in your Nespresso machine is too low, it cannot make your morning coffee.
When this flashing orange light appears, it typically means that your water tank is empty.
This is pretty quick to fix - just refill the water tank with fresh water.
3. Over-Heated Machine
An over-heated coffee machine is not a happy coffee machine.
This is rare for most people, but the most caffeine-addicted among us may find their Nespresso machine struggling to keep up after a quick series of espressos.
If your machine is too hot, give it a break. Your Nespresso coffee machine will be ready to go after a short rest.
4. Blocked Water Inlet
A blocked water inlet or funnel will make brewing coffee difficult for Nespresso machines.
These inlets can get blocked due to mineral buildup or lost coffee grounds and prevent water from getting through the machine to the heating element.
Giving your Nespresso machine a quick clean should remove the orange light and fix your coffee maker.
How To Decode & Fix Nespresso Flashing Orange Light
So what do these flashing orange lights mean specifically?
Let's investigate and discuss potential fixes for your coffee maker and its Nespresso blinking lights.
Two Blinks Per Second
When the orange light blinks twice per second, it means that you need to clean your machine. This is an easy fix, simply:
If it continues, you may have a blockage and need to repeat these steps to ensure the water reservoir is inserted correctly.
Three Blinks Per Second
When you see an orange light blinking three times a second or orange light blinking rapidly, this is a sign that you need to descale the machine.
This descaling alert is pretty urgent and means that you should break out a Nespresso descaling kit.[2] To begin the descaling process, simply:
This descaling process should get rid of most issues but may need to be done a second time if you live in especially hard water areas or left it too long.
You can choose to use a 1:1 white vinegar-to-water mix instead of a descaling solution, but it may not be as effective.
Once you have completed the descaling mode, the blinking orange light descaling alert should clear.
Two Blinks And Steady
If the alert light blinks twice and then gives a steady orange light for a moment, it typically means that there is a technical error that needs to be fixed.
To fix it, try doing a classic move first: -- power cycling:
If this orange light sequence continues, it means that you need to contact the Nespresso customer support team to troubleshoot or organize for repairs.
You can contact Nespresso customer service on their website, phone, fax, or mail.
Light On For 1.5 to 2 Seconds, Off For 1 Second
If your machine’s light alternates blinking orange by being on for two seconds then off again for a moment, then the water tank is empty. You can quickly and easily fix this by:
This should clear the blinking light issue on most Nespresso coffee machines.
Blinks 5 Times In 10 Seconds
When you see an orange light flashing five times in ten seconds, that typically means that an error has occurred and the coffee maker must be reset to factory settings.
Once the light stops flashing, you should have reset your coffee machine. If the flashing orange light persists, try again or contact Nespresso customer service.
Blinks Alternately 3 Times Then Steady
If your Nespresso blinks orange and white alternately three times and then gives a steady light for a bit, this is an urgent descaling alert.
The previous descaling alert was there to let you know to descale your machine fairly soon, but this one is meant to light a fire under your butt to break out the descaling solution.
Follow the tips above and use your coffee maker’s descaling mode to clear the alert.
Slowly Fading Off
A slowly pulsing orange light means that your machine has overheated and needs to cool.
As we covered above, you will need to turn off and unplug your machine for a few minutes before getting brewing once again.
Which Models Have A Blinking Orange Light?
Nespresso has two types of coffee makers: Original and Vertuo.
There are some models that may have red light blinks or steady green or half-green lights to indicate errors, but these are orange-focused machines.
Now that the Nespresso orange lights have been broken down, it is time to cover what Nespresso machines blink orange in the first place.
Original
Released in 2004, the Original Nespresso line creates expresso-based coffee by pumping hot water into each coffee pod at high pressure to extract coffee.
This creates a more traditional espresso experience with a crema top.[5]
There are various models in this line that range between $180 and $849, including:
Vertuo
Released in 2014, the Nespresso Vertuo line aims to create the ultimate modern coffee experience through a new design and technology.
A centrifugal one-touch system causes the machine to read the barcode on a new coffee pod and automatically tailors the brew to the capsule.
Hot water is pushed through a spinning capsule during the brewing process to extract both espresso and drip-style coffees.[14]
There are various models included in the Nespresso Vertuo line, ranging from $199 to $219, including:
Each line uses green lights to indicate that the coffee outlet is on and orange or pulsing red lights to indicate that there is an issue to be addressed.
For specific details regarding an individual product, consult your manual.
How To Get Orange Light Alerts On The Nespresso App
Nespresso knows how hard it can be to know what orange light alerts can mean on their Nespresso machines.
To help with this, Vertuo Next and Pop are two coffee makers that have Bluetooth sync abilities, which means that they can send alerts to their app to help diagnose your unit.
Common alerts they flag are:
So how do you connect your mobile app to the machine?
Once done, the app should tell you that your machine is connected.
If you have any issues connecting the Vertuo Next or Pop to your app, contact the customer service team for help.
It is important to bear in mind that both versions of the Nespresso app have mixed reviews, but they can be really helpful to understand why the Nespresso machine is blinking orange.
Nespresso Blinking Orange Light Questions
What does a Nespresso Vertuo red light after descaling mean?
A Nespresso Vertuo machine that gives a steady red light or pulsing red light after descaling can mean that you have an issue with your machine. Contact the Nespresso support team to troubleshoot the issue.
How do you reset the Nespresso descaling light?
You can reset the Nespresso descaling light by factory resetting your machine. Most models require you to press the button for 3-5 seconds or push the button multiple times to perform this reset - consult your manual for product-specific reset instructions.
Conclusion
An orange blinking light on Nespresso coffee makers typically indicates one of a few common alerts to let you know that something is wrong.
Most of these are easy fixes once you know what to look for - give our tips above a try and see what works for you.
If you encounter any issues or the light does not stop blinking, consult your product manual or contact the Nespresso support team for personalized troubleshooting tips.
References:
1. https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/machine-assistance
2. https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/order/accessories/original/descaling-kit
3. https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/choose-your-technology-original
4. https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/original-coffee-pods
5. https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/vertuo-coffee-pods
6. https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/order/machines/original/creatista-pro-coffee-machine-breville
7. https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/order/machines/original/nespresso-creatista-plus-metal-stainless-steel-coffee-machine
8. https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/order/machines/original/lattissima-one-coffee-machine-shadow-black
9. https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/order/machines/original/lattissima-pro-automatic-delonghi
10. https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/order/machines/original/gran-lattissima-coffee-machine-black-sophisticated-darks
11. https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/order/machines/original/nespresso-citizandmilk-cherry-red-refresh
12. https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/order/machines/original/essenza-mini-c30-intense-grey
13. https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/order/machines/original/nespresso-pixie-electric-aluminium
14. https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/choose-your-technology-vertuo
15. https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/order/machines/vertuo/vertuo-plus-deluxe-navy-blue
16. https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/order/machines/vertuo/vertuo-next-matte-black-limited-edition
17. https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/order/machines/vertuo/vertuo-evoluo-silver
18. https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/order/machines/vertuo/vertuo-vertuoline-titanium
19. https://www.nespresso.com/uk/en/order/machines/vertuo/vertuo-pop-liquoriceblack-nespresso-coffee-machine
20. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nespresso.activities&hl=en&gl=US&pli=1
21. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/nespresso/id342879434
