When I was new to using my Keurig machine, I panicked when I received the warning message – water line under pressure. And when I tried to Google, I could not find a solution. All I could find were people facing the same issue. I had to contact the Keurig personnel to get an answer. Now I like to share my experience with the issue and hopefully this will help you solve your issue. Read on to learn how you can rid yourself of the problem. This works for all types of Keurig machines.
When does my Keurig say water under pressure message?
When you are brewing, there is a needle in your Keurig that punctures the pods. As a result, some coffee grounds get stuck around the needle and become dry and hard. Once the coffee grounds build up, they block the flow of the hot water. Hence the machine cannot create enough water pressure to brew the coffee. You can prevent this by discarding your pods as soon as you are done brewing as well as regularly cleaning the Keurig needle.
What are the warning signs of a clogged Keurig needle?
You can detect the issue before the message pops up because there are always early warning signs. One warning sign is your coffee starts to taste bitter. It tastes bitter because the old coffee grounds start falling into your fresh coffee. Also, the machine makes the coffee more slowly because the build-up of the grounds increases the time that the filtered water takes to flow in the device.
When do you do Keurig needle maintenance?
Keurig needle maintenance should be carried out regularly even before you see the Keurig under water pressure warning. This is important as it will affect the taste of your coffee. Also, just like regular maintenance on your car helps to keep your car going longer, regular Keurig needle cleaning will prevent stress on the Keurig needle. And this effectively prevent the Keurig needle clogging which otherwise may adversely affect the lifespan of your machine.
How to fix Keurig under water pressure?
If you have already encountered the warning, it is still possible to fix the Keurig under water pressure. It is a quick process that is easy to learn. You can solve it using either of these methods:
- Keurig needle cleaning tool
- Paper clip method
- Replace the entire Keurig needle gasket (if 1 & 2 fails, or if you already have the Keurig needle broken)
1. How to clean Keurig needle with cleaner tool?
Most Keurig models have this accessory cleaning tool. However, if you don’t have or lost it, you can still get it in from Amazon.
Here’s how to clean the Keurig needle with cleaner tool.
- It would be best if you do not fix it when it is plugged in; hence, ensure you turn off the power and unplug it.
- There is a silicon bulb in the middle of the brewer, which you should fill with water.
- Open your brewer and place the brewer in the pod holder. Push it firmly and ensure that the arrows on the ring point down.
- Raise and lower the Keurig’s handle five times to help draw out the coffee grounds.
- After the fifth time, the pod holder should be free of the coffee grounds. You can now remove the cleaning tool.
- You can perform a rinsing brew. You should only use water without pods. Let the water flow and cleanse the needle and discard the water.
Keurig Needle Cleaning Tool
2. Paper clip method : How to clean Keurig needle without tool?
If you cannot find your Keurig needle cleaner tool, you can try this method. You can use a paper clip, but you must be careful when handling sharp needles.
Here are the steps to clean the Keurig needle with paper clip.
- Power off the Keurig. Also, remove the water reservoir.
- Straighten the clip on one end.
- Remove the pod holder gently to avoid damaging it.
- Separate the holder by pressing a button on each holder’s side.
- Once you spot a lever, push it down until you spot the exit needle
- Hold the lever down and flip the holder.
- Using the straight end of the paper clip, remove the dry coffee grounds by moving the clip in circular motions a few times.
- Using some warm water, rinse the pod holder.
- Open the handle and, using the paper clip, cleanse the exit and entrance needles by moving the clip around.
3 Last Resort: Replace your keurig needle gasket
I hope you will successfully resolve the issue with the above 2 methods. But if you fail or if you already have a broken Keurig needle, consider replacing the needle gasket. Replacing a needle gasket is cheaper than getting a new Keurig. These needle gaskets are easy to find, and you can even source one from Amazon. Also, the gaskets are easy to install. You only need to take out the old one by pushing it up and putting in the new one.
Keurig Needle Gasket
Bottom Line
I hope this guide helps you. Some people usually throw away accessory tools and regret the decision later. If you still have your Keurig cleaning tool, keep it safe because it may come in handy later. If you spot the early warning signs, you can clean the Keurig needle immediately. But it would be better if you clean the needle regularly. After that incident, I throw away the used pod and clean the Keurig needle after every use. Also, you can consider replacing the gasket if the methods above don’t feel appealing to you.
Related: Keurig Instruction Manuals