VERIFIED
The night-before routine
Plenty of households tidy the coffee machine before bed: empty the drip tray, rinse the grounds container, wipe the front. The next morning, E23 is on the display. The code itself is model-dependent, yet the timing suggests a removable part is not where the machine expects it. The machine checks for each removable piece before it starts, so a piece disturbed the night before shows up first thing.
How a tray can fool a machine
Machines detect whether the tray, container and tank are present. If one is pushed in only partway, or if a drop of water sits on a contact, the control may refuse to start. Dried coffee grit under a tray can hold it a few millimeters out of position without it looking wrong. A presence switch only reports present or absent, so a tray seated slightly off looks like a missing tray to the machine.
Walk through each piece
- Slide out the drip tray and wipe underneath, along the rails and at the back where it docks.
- Pull out the grounds container and check for grit that could stop it sitting flat.
- Lift the water tank and look at its base for a wet film.
- Reinsert every piece until it meets firm resistance, one at a time.
Details to note
- Whether the code vanished after reseating
- If it returns when a particular piece is removed
- Whether any piece looks warped or cracked
Parts that matter if it persists
When reseating does nothing, the technician follows the detection path: the switches or sensors behind each removable part, their wiring and the board inputs. Because the definition of E23 varies by model, the first measurements are chosen after reading the rating label. The same code can point at the tray on one machine and another assembly on a different one.
Why not just keep removing and refitting
Each insertion wears the tray rails and sometimes pushes grit deeper. If two careful attempts leave the code in place, stop and have the machine looked at. A broken tray guide or bent switch arm does not mend itself.
Avoid using sprays near the front panel. Moisture in the wrong place can add a second fault to the first.
A second example
A family dishwasher-style routine, where the tray is washed in the sink, can leave water in the tray’s guide channels. The tray slides in smoothly, but a damp contact behind it reports nothing. Shaking the tray dry and giving it an hour to air solves more of these than one might expect.
Booking a visit
Having cleaned, dried and reseated everything, a returning E23 means the problem is not in your hands anymore. The technician diagnoses it first, writes up an estimate, and fits nothing without your go-ahead.
Frequently asked questions
On models that sense tray presence, moisture or grit may confuse the sensor. Dry and reseat the piece.
Not on its own. The definition depends on the model, and many cases trace back to a piece seated slightly off.
Cleaning means removing parts, and one may have returned slightly misaligned or damp.
The display, the tray area with the tray removed and the rating label.
Model compatibility: Bertazzoni reuses codes across series and model years, so E23 may mean something different on another appliance or generation. Confirm this against your model’s documentation and record your full model number before acting.
