Again, this is roughly every two weeks after a bag of coffee. This includes the steam wand (take off the tip), basket, portafilter, screen, etc. I use Cafiza powder, so I clean all components in a water/powder solution in addition to the clean me cycle on the machine. I haven't used any rice or grinder cleaner. Typically I just take it apart and clear out larger particles. I run a double shot of water through the portafilter after the last shot of the session just to try to clear out anything that may immediately linger.Ĭlean the grinder after every bag of coffee. I like cleaning after every bag of coffee. The 'clean me' light lit up roughly every 30 days when I first started using the machine. I use 1lb coffee per week at 2-4s shots per day. There are a few factors such as: how many shots per week? and how hard is your water? I've been keeping my 870XL going for over a year now. Really trying to avoid a 'this is why we can't have nice things!' outcome here so really appreciate any input, advice, or suggestions you guys have found from maintaining your machines. How can you tell/at what point is it necessary to decalcify the machine? How frequently do you need to run the cleaning cycle? Supposedly the machine 'clean me' light turns on but I was trying to get a sense of when that generally occurs (eg. How frequently do you clean each of the main components of the machine (burr grinder, the steam wand, shower screen, replace water filter, etc.)? I'm trying to set reminders every x weeks or y months to make sure I remember to clean or replace each at the right time as necessary. I've never had an espresso maker before and wanted to make sure I take proper care and don't ruin it!Īnyway, as far as maintenance and cleaning goes. I am a big espresso drinker and as a special gift, I received a Breville Barista Express machine.

Breville clean me cycle