I was getting the descale indicator even after descaling, and either no brew or an espresso-size brew when set to 12 oz. A few things I've learned to get it back to work, needing a combination of all these to get back to brewing:
- Don't use a paper clip, you risk piercing the plastic hose above the needle. Instead, I use a gum stimulator, like GUM Soft Piks. They're definitely safe, flexible, and the little bristles scrub the needle innards gently. I use the same piks to clear the inside of the needle that pierces the bottom of the pod - mine was completely clogged, but that wasn't the only source of my problem.
- You don't need to fill the entire reservoir with vinegar to descale, just one standard bottle of white vinegar plus one same-size bottle of plain water should do. The amount of vinegar in the reservoir doesn't matter, it's the vinegar that sits in the tubing that is working to break down the deposits. Be sure to flush with plain water till you don't have any vinegar smell.
- I took the top of the lever part off by removing the 2 screws on either side of the pod-piercing needle, then removed the 2 small screws holding down the tubing between the valve and the needle. I then coaxed the tubing off the valve and used a Q-tip to clean the inside of the tubing (it was a lovely shade of brown) and also the firmer outlet from the valve. I then replaced them as they had been. I replaced the cover of the lever but didn't replace the screws - it stays on very well on its own and will make it easy to remove if I ever need to again (I'm sure I will at some point). FYI, the screws start to strip easily, that's another reason to keep them off, so make sure you have a good grip on them before you start twisting.
- I unplugged and did the whole "flip it over and spank it" stuff, I really don't know if it made a big difference, certainly no more than just unplugging does for just one or two cups, before, in my case, it reverted back to the very short cups. I'm not convinced that unplugging the unit for hours has any great effect that a few minutes wouldn't.
- I used a can of compressed dusting air, with the thin straw it comes with attached, to spray out the entry point into the machine, where it empties from the water tank. Try to seal off that hole as much as possible around the hole, and put a paper towel over it in case it sprays out.
- There is a rubber washer around the needle that pierces the top. You can slide it off and wash it - it has ridges that get clogged up with coffee. This probably doesn't stop the water flow at all, but it is kind of gross.
- Rather than sucking boiling water out through a straw held firmly around the needle, I attached a straw to a squeeze bottle, taped it on to keep it close to airtight, then gave the bottle a squeeze before holding it over the needle, then reversed the suction of the squeezed bottle by squeezing it at its indents. Did this a few times and it created enough suction to drag out more yuck. This made a big difference. The rubber washer noted above can be reversed so that a flat side is making a tighter seal with the straw, just reverse it again when you're done.
Working well again. Hope this all helps!