Frances Campbell

Mine leaked only during brewing and it turned out to be two issues stacked... Mineral buildup had partly clogged the path so pressure found the weakest seal and and the outlet grommet on the reservoir had hardened. I actually filled the tank and set it on a folded paper towel on the counter for an hour to rule out a slow seep. Then I ran a cycle with plain water and watched with a flashlight from the side and looking for steam or drips around the basket area and base. If you see water appear only when the pump kicks in, suspect a hard seal or a hairline crack in a fitting. Descale thoroughly, rinse twice, then reseat the reservoir firmly and make sure nothing is preventing it from sitting flat, even a stray coffee ground can keep it from sealing, and that tiny tilt can cause a surprising leak. If the gasket at the bottom of the basket looks flattened or sticky, swap that out and clean the little drain plunger so it snaps freely. Cheap that model.

Hot rooms make these little bullet makers crawl. Mine was miserable until I like, treated it more like a tiny fridge than a magic box. I keep a pitcher of water in the fridge and only fill from that and I set the machine to the large that model size so the freeze cycle runs longer and makes thicker bullets. First couple batches are always small and wet, so I give it 15 to 20 minutes before judging. Keep the lid closed so the cold stays in. Works great. Airflow matters more than you'd think. I pulled it away from the wall a few inches, set it on a wire rack so heat can escape from underneath, and let a small fan blow across the vents when the kitchen is stuffy. I also dump meltwater and refill with cold water if the reservoir warms up, and I move finished that model to the freezer right away so the basket doesn't turn it back into slush which, yeah quick monthly descale and a dusting of the intake grille keeps the freeze times consistent.