Setting confirmed · Nespresso Essenza Plus and CitiZ Platinum
Nespresso Essenza Plus and CitiZ Platinum: Buttons blinking after holding the hot water button for 5 seconds (machine off)
The machine is showing its water hardness setting, from level 0 to 4. The level decides when the descaling alert comes on: level 0 (under 50 mg/l calcium carbonate) after 4,000 cups of 40 ml, level 1 after 3,000, level 2 after 2,000, level 3 after 1,500 and level 4 (over 380 mg/l) after 1,000.
- Which light
- Cup, drink or strength buttons
- Colour
- Colour not named by the maker
- Steady or flashing
- Flashing or blinking
What Nespresso says to do
- Test your water with the strip supplied with the machine.
- Press the hot water button until the right level is shown.
- Press any coffee button to save and leave the setting.
From User manual of CitiZ Platinum and Essenza Plus: Descaling (alert levels), Water hardness setting and Troubleshooting. This is the Essenza Plus and CitiZ Platinum’s pattern; another Nespresso machine may use the same light for something else — check the manual for your model.
Other Nespresso Essenza Plus and CitiZ Platinum lights
Setting confirmed on other machines
The same need shows up as a different light on each machine — which is why a light cannot be read without the machine.
Sources
Every line on this page comes from Nespresso’s own documents, read on the date shown. Nothing is taken from third-party manual sites.
- Nespresso: User manual of CitiZ Platinum and Essenza Plus: Descaling (alert levels), Water hardness setting and Troubleshooting — CitiZ Platinum and Essenza Plus (shared multi-language manual). www.nespresso.com Checked 2026-09-29.