For coffee enthusiasts, achieving a rich espresso flavor every day is essential. However, even the best coffee machines require regular maintenance to maintain optimal taste. With daily use, oils and coffee grounds accumulate, impacting the espresso's quality. Here’s a quick two-step cleaning routine that helps restore the delicious flavor with minimal effort.
After each use, removing the portafilter from the machine’s group head and running a water flush without the filter helps keep the machine clean. This step clears away any residual coffee grounds that could affect the flavor during the next use. Regularly repeating this simple action keeps the group head fresh and prevents old coffee remnants from accumulating.
For deeper cleaning, it’s recommended to perform a backflush daily or weekly. Insert a special filter basket into the portafilter along with a rubber cleaning disc, then activate the espresso brewing function. This process forces water back into the machine’s pipes, clearing away residues and oils. Once complete, the dirty water flows into the drip tray, leaving the machine ready for a fresh shot of espresso.
Maintaining a clean espresso machine not only enhances the taste of your coffee but also protects your health. Over time, coffee oils and residues accumulate, providing a breeding ground for bacteria and potentially harming the machine’s functionality. Regular cleaning prevents blockages and ensures each espresso shot is fresh and flavorful, while also helping your machine last longer.
Started my career in Automotive Journalism in 2015. Even though I'm a pharmacist, hanging around cars all the time has created a passion for the automotive industry since day 1.