Ascaso Uno with PID extracting pressure help..!

Got the machine as a gift and this is my first time using an espresso machine... did a lot of research online and watched a lot of videos. Most saying if I can get a 2oz shot in 25ish sec I should be doing correct.

I've tried multiple times and wasted a lot of beans and was never able to get to that result, and it's always extracting at under 5bar, sometimes even 2-3. For every shot I'm getting around 4oz coffee in roughly 23 sec. And they don't look like espresso at all, I'm assuming it's because of low pressure. The coffee pretty much extract at the time I press down the coffee switch, not what I usually see in other videos where the machine build up some pressure for a few seconds then the coffee starts to come out slowly. Mine felt like pour over. I also try my best to tamp but I'm still very new to this. The weight is roughly the same every shot at around 14-15g (wanted to use 18g but the stock basket says 14g on the side).

For grinder I'm using the eureka mignon perfectto. I googled potential cause for not extracting at 7 bars and shows the main cause is usually grind size, I have tried grind size on the grinder from 4 to 1.5 and the issue remains. Also used blind basket to see if there was a problem with the machine, it was fine and went up 10+ bars.

Also how often are you suppose to clean the group head? There are always some coffee remaining on it after every shot. I have a bit ocd so I wipe it clean every time but I don't think I've seen any barista do that in coffee shop from my memory.

Please please I desperately need help... what am I not doing wrong here? It's a very beautiful machine and I would hate myself so much if I can't use it properly...

To me, it is still too coarse. Grind even finer (go to 1 on your Mignon) and give it a try.

Hi there.
I also have/had Eureka's.

1 is NOT the minimum. You can overrotate the scale so maybe your 1,5 is a medium grind size. Try - while grinding - to slowly rotate towards finer grind. In my opinion you will easily reach "negative" numbers.

Or while not grinding rotate to finer grinds till you can't rotate more. That's your 0 (your metalplates are now touching and you can't grind). Rotate backwards (at least 3 full numbers) and try grinding. Be prepared that it still may be too fine and your machine may lock! If not try that shot.

Look at your grinded coffee. Does it look like powder? Rocks? Chunks? If it is not pouder-like you are too coarse.

Try these easy steps and report. Maybe take a picture of how your grounded coffee looks like.

Grind for espresso is generally finer than table salt, somewhere around white, granulated sugar, and coarser than flour.