According to the Atlas Of American Coffee report released by the National Coffee Association USA, seven in every ten Americans drink coffee every week, and 62% drink it every day. The average coffee drinker takes just over three cups daily. If you love the taste of freshly ground coffee, owning an espresso machine is an excellent way to enjoy a hot cup at any time of the day.
Maintaining Your Bean-To-Cup Coffee Maker
After pulling a shot or streaming milk through your espresso machine, the residual coffee grounds or milk may form a grime build-up. The build-up may affect your portafilter, group head, water screen, and more, damaging the machine. Besides, the grime may affect the quality of coffee coming out of your espresso. You may notice rancid flavors that make it to your cup.
The key to preventing this build-up is never allowing it to happen in the first place. Establishing a periodic maintenance schedule, depending on how you use your coffee machine, is critical to keeping your investment running for years to come.
Here is an easy-to-follow guide on how to maintain your espresso machine.
After Each Use
Remove the Spent Puck
You may need to knock out the spent grounds. Leaving them on the coffee machine or the portafilter may cause a build-up on the filter screen or the filter basket. You may also rinse the portafilter for two to three seconds.
Purge the Steam Wand
You may need to purge your steam wand after each use to prevent milk particle build-up. You may want to clean your steam wand before and after steaming your milk. You can use a damp cloth that you place at the end of the steam wand and turn it on for 1-2 seconds. After steaming the milk, you may need to purge the steam wand again.
Daily
Water Backflushing
Running a water shot through the machine can help clear the oils left behind from the shots brewed. Making clean water backflush every ten or so cups can help reduce the grime build-up. You can load your portafilter with a backflush blank to help with the cleanup.
Purging the Group Head
Cleaning the group head may require a special cleaning brush. Scrub out all of the loose coffee from your screen. Replace the portafilter with a blank screen and add an espresso detergent. Insert the portafilter into the group head and run water for at least ten seconds on, and ten seconds off, repeating this process three times. You may leave the blind filter in the group head for at least five minutes to allow the detergent to loosen the stubborn oils and residue. Rinse off the group until the water clarity is perfect.
Every Few Weeks
You may need to target a deeper cleaning for your expresso machine every few weeks. Consider replacing your group gaskets every quarter. Testing the water quality, the group flow rates, and temp can help keep your unit in tip-top shape.
Your espresso machine may require close attention to keep brewing fresh shots of coffee for you and your office mates. Following the tips above can help prevent build-up in your unit. To learn more about protecting your Javabar Espresso machine or to buy a bean to cup coffee machine, contact us today.