How often should you clean & service a coffee machine?

Coffee Machine Care 101: A Comprehensive Guide to Filters, Cleaning, and Descaling

Whether you're a home barista with a Rocket espresso machine or a cafe owner with a La Marzocco, proper maintenance is crucial for a great cup of coffee and the longevity of your equipment. We've broken down coffee machine care into three key stages: pre-cleaning, general cleaning, and servicing.

Stage 1: Pre-Cleaning (The Importance of Water Filtration)

The first and most important step in coffee machine care is your water. What's in your water has a huge impact on the taste of your coffee and can cause serious, long-term damage to your machine.

Why Filters Matter:

• Mineral Buildup: Minerals like calcium and magnesium can cause scale buildup inside your machine's boiler, pipes, and group head. This buildup restricts water flow, reduces heating efficiency, and can lead to costly repairs.

• Bad Flavors: Chlorine, chlorides, and other impurities can impart unpleasant flavors to your espresso.

• Corrosion: Certain minerals can accelerate corrosion, eating away at your machine's internal components.

Choosing the Right Filter:

• Get a Water Test: Before buying a filter, get a water test kit to understand what's in your local water supply. This will help you choose a filter that targets the specific impurities you need to remove.

• Domestic Solutions: While pitcher filters are better than nothing, they're not designed for the specific needs of an espresso machine. For a more effective solution, consider a commercial-style water filter that connects to your kitchen's cold water line. This is an easy, non-permanent solution for renters.

• Commercial Systems: For high-volume use, a commercial-grade twin filter system is essential. One filter can focus on sediment, while the other targets specific minerals.

How to Tell if Your Filter is Working: If you're handy, turn off and de-steam your machine and remove a brew head nut. If you see green or blue buildup, it’s a clear sign your current filter is not effective enough, or it's overdue for a change.

Stage 2: General Cleaning (The Espresso Clean)

This is your day-to-day maintenance, focused on removing coffee oils and residue that can affect flavor.

The Magic of Espresso Clean: Espresso cleaning chemical is specifically designed to dissolve coffee oils that build up in your machine's group head. The biggest mistake people make is using too little. You need to use a full scoop—not just a pinch—to be effective.

How Often to Clean:

• Home Baristas: A great rule of thumb is to clean your machine every time you start a new bag of coffee beans. This ensures you're tasting the fresh, clean flavors of your new coffee, not the residue from the previous bag.

• Commercial Cafes: We recommend a daily clean, especially if you're pulling more than one kilo of coffee a day. Even a quick backflush with a blind basket during a quiet moment can make a huge difference.

The "Carbon-Caked" Shower Screen Test: A good way to check your cleaning routine is to inspect your machine's shower screen and group head seal.

• Removal: Carefully remove your shower screen (some machines have a screw in the middle) and seal.

• Inspection: A clean screen will look nice and shiny. If yours is caked with a black, carbon-like substance, you are not cleaning it enough. This is pure coffee oil, and every shot you pull is passing through this grime, tainting your coffee.

• Replacement: If your shower screen is beyond saving, or if your seal is hard and brittle, it's time to replace them.

Stage 3: Servicing (Descaling)

Descaling is a last resort, not a regular maintenance routine. Prevention is far better than cure!

When to Descale:

• Don't Overdo It: Descaling uses a powerful acid to dissolve mineral buildup. If used improperly or too often, it can eat away at your machine's element, boiler, and other internal parts.

• Listen to the Pros: A service technician should handle commercial descaling. They have the knowledge and tools to do it safely and effectively. For home machines, only descale if you have confirmed there is significant mineral buildup (like the green scale we mentioned earlier).

• Flush, Flush, Flush: If you do use a descaler, you must flush your machine thoroughly afterward. Leaving any residue can be harmful.

Final Takeaways:

• Invest in Water Filtration: This is the best way to protect your machine and ensure great-tasting coffee.

• Espresso Clean Regularly: Use the right amount of chemical, and do it every time you change your coffee beans.

• Avoid Descaling: If you follow the first two steps, you'll minimize the need for a descaler and extend the life of your coffee machine.

Got questions about your coffee machine's maintenance? Leave a comment below!