COFFEE MACHINE MAINTENANCE

The Importance of Coffee Machine Maintenance: Focus on Descaling

Coffee Machine Maintenance
Descaled Boiler VS Scaled Boiler

As a coffee lover, you want to ensure that your home espresso machine is working at its best at all times. One of the most important things you can do to keep your machine in tip-top shape is to perform regular descaling.

Descaling is the process of removing mineral buildup from the internal components of your espresso machine. Over time, minerals from water can accumulate and cause problems if not removed. These mineral deposits can clog the group head, hot water spout, steam wand, and even the pump, leading to a loss of heat transfer, poor espresso flavor, and complete machine failure.

It’s recommended to descale your espresso machine every 4-6 months, or more frequently if you use it on a daily basis. When water sits in the machine for long periods of time without being used, mineral buildup increases. In contrast, daily use of your machine helps to prevent mineral buildup, but it’s still important to descale regularly.

In conclusion, descaling is a crucial aspect of coffee machine maintenance that should not be overlooked. By removing mineral buildup, you can ensure that your espresso machine is working at its best, producing the delicious coffee that you love. So, don’t neglect this important task and make descaling a regular part of your espresso machine care routine.

How To Descale Breville Espresso Machines – A Quick Video Tutorial

Cafetto Restore Descaler
Cafetto Descaler

You can get your descaling solution from BrewRatio here.

Step-by-Step Guide to Descaling Your Espresso Machine

Maintaining the cleanliness of your espresso machine is essential for optimal performance and great tasting coffee. One of the key tasks in keeping your machine in good condition is descaling. Here’s a simple guide on how to descale your machine:

  1. Start by turning off the machine.
  2. Fill the water tank with 1 liter of water and add 25g of Cafetto descaling powder.
  3. Remove the portafilter from the group head and place a large container under the group head, steam wand, and hot water dispenser (if any).
  4. Power on the machine.
  5. Once the boiler reaches the optimal brewing temperature (91-96 degrees), activate the brew cycle to let the hot water flow through the brew head without the portafilter attached.
  6. After half the water in the tank has flowed out, turn off the brew cycle and empty the container.
  7. Move on to the steam wand. Turn it on and let the solution run through for around 30 seconds. Once complete, empty the container.
  8. Next, work on the hot water dispenser. Turn it on and let the solution flow for about 30 seconds, then empty the container.
  9. If you use hard water or a water softener, it’s recommended to repeat the process a second time.
  10. Remove the water tank and rinse thoroughly with fresh, clean water.
  11. Wait for around 20 mins, allow the descaling solution to breakdown the minerals buildup in your machine.
  12. Fill up your water tank with cold water, replace it in the machine, and then flush out the descaling solution from the espresso machine by flushing the water through the brew head, steam wand, and hot water dispenser.


By following these steps, you can keep your espresso machine in good condition and ensure that you always have great tasting coffee.”

The Importance of Coffee Machine Maintenance: Focus on Backflushing

Coffee Machine Maintenance
Dirty Group Head Affect Your Shots Quality

Many espresso machines, including those from Breville, come equipped with a 3-way solenoid valve that creates a dry puck for easy cleaning. However, when brewing espresso, some of the liquid remaining in the portafilter can become clogged with coffee oils and find its way into the group head. To keep your shower screen and brew group free from these oils, it’s crucial to perform regular backflushing cleaning.

One way to tell if your shower screen is clogged is if you notice small, high-pressure streams of water coming from the screen, which is a sign that the water flow is being restricted. That’s why it’s recommended to backflush your machine as part of your coffee machine maintenance routine, ensuring optimal performance and coffee quality.

Cleaning Tablets
BrewRatio Backflushing Cleaning Tablets

You can get your backflushing cleaning tablets from BrewRatio here.

Step-by-Step Guide to Backflush Your Espresso Machine

  1. Prepare your portafilter for backflushing by inserting a backflush disc. This can be either a blank filter basket with no holes or a rubber disc that covers the holes of a single shot filter basket.
  2. Add a back-flushing tablet to the backflush disc or blank filter basket.
  3. Turn on the machine and wait for the boiler to reach brewing temperature (91-96 degrees).
  4. Insert the portafilter into the brew group and activate the brew cycle for 15 seconds, then stop for 15 seconds. Repeat this process 5 times before removing the portafilter.
  5. Run water from the group head to rinse the portafilter.
  6. Insert the portafilter back into the group head and repeat the 15-second brewing and 15-second stopping process 5 times to flush away the cleaning solution.
  7. Finally, make and dispose of one espresso shot to make sure there’s no residue left in the machine.

MAINTAINING A CLEAN SHOWER SCREEN

Regular cleaning of the shower screen is an essential aspect of coffee machine maintenance. To keep the shower screen clean, it is recommended to remove the portafilter immediately after brewing and activate the brew cycle for a few seconds to rinse off the shower screen. This will prevent coffee particles from baking onto the surface. Additionally, wiping the shower screen with a damp cloth after each brew can help remove any ground coffee residue.

The Cleanse Duo
BRWC-320 Cleanse Duo

You can get your the Cleanse Duo from BrewRatio here.

The Cleanse Duo

At BrewRatio, we are dedicated to providing our customers with an effortless espresso machine maintenance experience. That’s why we have created the Cleanse Duo, a bundle of essential maintenance solutions at a discounted price, making it easier and more affordable for you to clean your espresso machine at home. If you haven’t maintained your machine for some time, head over to BrewRatio today and order the Cleanse Duo!

Enjoy your perfectly brewed coffee with ease.

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