There are several factors that can affect the taste:* The type of coffee can affect strength. De'Longhi recommends agood espresso coffee. Origin and blend (i.e. whetherit is robustaorarabica),and the darkness ofthe roast affect strength.*Thegrindmay be too coarse. The grind can be decreased one notch at a time during the grinding process.* Try increasing the strength of coffee on your machine settings which will increase the amount of coffee during the grinding process.