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Espresso Machine Cleaner?
Hello all
Can anyone recomment a reasonably priced (nothing over £10) Espresso machine cleaner.
There is a vast array on amazon, and as im lazy, I just want one that is easy to do (i pull apart the basket and handle thing and leave in some hot water normally)
Suggestions please.
Thanks
John.
If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.
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18 comments
Well this thread prompted me to descale, dismantle and degrease the espresso machine. I can confirm that a years worth of gunk takes a substantial amount time to remove - all afternoon!
It's all reassembled and lubed up now though, looks like new and pumping out a fine brew. I will not leave it so long next time.
Got some kilrock liquid descaler and some of these dr beckmann coffee cleaning tablets from the local hardware store. Seemed to do the job ok.
My 10 year old machine has been descaled (rarely) but never dismantled or degreased or had the gasket changed. At this stage, the gunk may be all that's holding it together. I feel a project coming on.
Allocate more time than you think! I thought, about an hour - 2 maybe. Took nearer 5
(I'm a slow worker nowadays though!).
I'll be quicker next time, as I'll know what I'm doing. No pausing to watch youtube tutorials and hopefully less swearing!
It sounds like you just want to clean the portafilter and basket? If that is the case then Cafiza is pretty good. Just dissolve some in a bowl with water and soak the metal part of the portafilter and basket for 20 minutes or so (be careful not to submerge the handle as the solution will affect it).
Cafiza can also be used to clean the group by backflushing if your machine allows. You will need a blank (aka blind) basket in the portafilter and just pop a little bit of the powder in it. Place it in the group and then run the machine for a few seconds until the tone of the pump changes and the switch off. Repeat a few times then remove the portafilter and rinse the basket and repeat another few times this time without Cafiza just to flush it through. Finally replace the regular filter basket and make a sacrificial espresso and discard. Now you are all good.
Generally speaking depending on volume of use I would clean the baskets, portafilter and group like this about once a week for home use.
Periodically you may need to descale the boiler too. Typically every 6 months depending on your water. Note descaling is different from cleaning and just removes any limescale before it has a chance to build up inside theachine's boiler.
Coffeehit.co.uk or hasbean.co.uk are pretty good stockists.
+1 for cafiza. Works well on my Sage. Got it from Amazon from memory.
So Cafiza was what i purchased, And its amazing!
Clean as new!
Thank you for your recommendations!
You have to clean an espresso machine? I never knew. I just knock the puck of old grounds out, rince under the tap, and start over.
Occasionally I take a damp rag to the casing of the machine. And, when it asks, I run descaler through the system.
I bet your coffee tastes amazing. After a year or so you get nice pieces of disintegrated rubber gasket breaking off for some added acidity which is the secret the pros never tell you
No, my (silicone) gasket is fine, thanks. So's the coffee.
Not only do you have to clean it, you have to replace the rubber gasket. Or maybe not on yours !
Maybe because it's not rubber. But yes, I forgot to mention, the silicone gasket does get a wipe every so often. But seriously, the whole contraption is pretty much self cleaning and sterilising, it flushes through with piping hot water at every use. Full disclosure, I don't wash my kettle either.
The coffee will deposit oils on the portafilter and also inside the group head if it uses a solenoid valve in the group head to release pressure after brewing (most machines do). If you look inside your portafilter under the filter basket you will probably notice it is black rather than shiny metal. A cleaning agent can dissolve the deposited oils.
Try unscrewing the shower head and seeing just how much coffee deposit has built up on the components than make up the group head, it's gets pretty filthy in less than a month of regular use and that gunk will affect the taste of your coffee whether it's been sterilised or not (ps, it hasn't been as coffee machines only heat to around 93c). If you're lucky you might have a little verdigris built up on the brass components in there too. The "silicone rubber" gasket deteriorates over time thanks to the constant heat cycles and exposure to oils, the material expands, hardens, then begins to break down - do you ever have trouble tightening the portafilter in place?
I have used sachets such as this before
https://www.ferrari-espresso.com/product/scale-remover-scale-clean/
just use boiling water for external use on the basket and filter holder
add to the water reservoir for internal cleaning or some machines you put in the filter basket.
You should clean the shower head too. After removing the screw or bolts, you probably will need a large flat head screwdriver to pry it off.
I found this on Hasbean: https://www.hasbean.co.uk/collections/cleaning-products/products/urnex-cafiza
Haven't tried it myself as I rarely make espresso and have odd hand-powered equipment for when I do (Nomad or Wacaco).
For descaling, I've used Kilrock Espresso Machine Descaler, which seemed to do the job. Sounds like you might want a degreaser though? No experience there sorry, but will read recommendations with interest as I should really degrease mine.
Kilrock make some good stuff, their liquid descaler is great on the kettle and shower heads, and the thick stuff with the brush in the lid is incrdible. UK based too...