Equipment Care
Maintenance & Care
Keep your espresso machine running perfectly. Complete guides to daily cleaning, descaling, and long-term maintenance.
Keep your espresso machine running perfectly. Complete guides to daily cleaning, descaling, and long-term maintenance.
Espresso machine maintenance sounds intimidating, but it's actually straightforward. Most of it takes just a few minutes per day. The key is understanding what needs to happen daily, weekly, and monthly—and why each step matters.
Neglecting maintenance leads to three problems: bitter coffee (from oil buildup), broken machines (from mineral deposits), and expensive repairs. The good news? Proper maintenance prevents all of this.
What you actually need to clean daily vs weekly. Complete breakdown of real maintenance requirements and time commitments.
Is descaling as annoying as everyone says? Complete guide to descaling, how often you need it, and why it matters.
Want an espresso machine that doesn't need cleaning after every shot? Guide to low-maintenance models and automated features.
Run water through the group head before and after each shot to remove old grounds and oils.
Wipe out the portafilter and basket after each shot. Dry them completely to prevent corrosion.
Clean the steam wand immediately after steaming milk. Milk residue hardens quickly and becomes difficult to remove.
Run water through the group head with the basket in place, then stop. Repeat 5-10 times to remove built-up oils.
Soak the basket and shower screen in hot water with espresso machine cleaner (like Cafiza) to remove oils.
Run descaling solution through the group head and steam wand to remove mineral buildup from water.
Total: ~30 minutes per month
Oil buildup from old grounds creates bitter, rancid flavors. Regular cleaning removes this buildup and keeps your coffee tasting fresh.
Mineral deposits from water buildup damage internal components. Descaling removes these deposits and prevents expensive repairs.
A clean machine performs predictably. You'll pull consistent shots and have fewer variables to troubleshoot.
Skipping daily cleaning
Even one day of skipped cleaning leads to oil buildup. This is the #1 cause of bitter coffee.
Not descaling regularly
Mineral buildup damages your machine's heating element and pump. Descale monthly, or more often if you have hard water.
Using the wrong cleaning products
Only use espresso machine cleaner (like Cafiza) and descaling solution. Regular dish soap damages seals and gaskets.
Ignoring strange sounds or performance changes
If your machine sounds different or performs differently, address it immediately. Small issues become expensive repairs.
If maintenance isn't solving your issues, check our troubleshooting guides for common coffee problems.
View Problem Guides →Learn proper brewing technique to complement your maintenance routine and improve coffee quality.
View Brewing Guides →