Even the best coffee makers need regular maintenance, and the new year is the perfect time to give yours a thorough clean to make sure it's running like new. Yes, it takes a little time, but the results are well worth the effort.
Every part of your coffee maker that comes into contact with water, milk, or coffee is a potential breeding ground for bacteria, and needs thorough cleaning to stay fresh and hygienic. Over time, limescale can also build up inside the boiler and brewing group, causing problems with the machine's pressure, so descaling is essential as well.
You should clean your coffee maker each time you use it, and give it a deep clean at the end of the day, so it doesn't sit around dirty overnight. You should also descale it every month or 100 cups of coffee (whichever comes first).
Before you begin though, take a look at the manual for your coffee maker to see whether the manufacturer has any specific advice for your particular model. They may recommend certain cleaning products, for example, or advise avoiding others. If you don't have the paper manual, search for your coffee maker model on the manufacturer's website, and you should be able to find it as a PDF.
Daily maintenance
If you have a manual or semi-automatic coffee maker (one that uses a portafilter handle), make sure you rinse the brewing group with hot water after making an espresso. The machine may have a special button for this, or you might need to press the 'brew' button for a few seconds without the portafilter in place. This will wash coffee oils and grounds from the group and screen. Wipe out the portafilter basket with a damp cloth, and hand-wash the handle and basket at the end of the day. You might be surprised by just how much residue builds up.
At the end of the day, you should also empty and hand-wash the drip tray. Either dry it with a clean towel or allow it to air dry overnight before replacing it in the machine.
Every time you use your machine's steam wand, wipe the outside with a damp cloth while it's still warm to remove milk residue, then purge it by running it onto the cloth for a few seconds. This will keep the inside clear, and purging it onto a cloth will avoid making a puddle on your kitchen counter.
If you have an automatic coffee machine, it will recommend running a cleaning cycle each time you make a milky drink, which you should do without fail. It will probably also rinse its own brewing group (either immediately after making a drink, or after it's been idle for a few minutes). If not, open the machine's settings menu and look for an everyday cleaning program.
At the end of the day, remove and wash the drip tray and the container that holds waste coffee grounds. Also open the side of your coffee maker and remove the brewing unit, then rinse it according to the manufacturer's instructions. Leave everything out to air dry overnight. This will also give the inside of the machine a chance to cool and dry.
Clean the water tank
Using fresh water is the single biggest thing you can do to improve the taste of your espresso, but even the best water filter won't help if your coffee maker's tank isn't sparkling clean. The tank might look all right at first glance, but it’s important to stay on top of cleaning this thoroughly because it can harbor bacteria, and suffer limescale build-up in hard water areas.
No matter what type of coffee maker you have, you should always empty the water tank at the end of each day. I recommend leaving it out of the machine overnight to give it a chance to air dry. This will also allow water to evaporate from the soft rubber valve at the bottom of the tank, which can be difficult to dry with a towel.
When it's time to give your water reservoir a deep clean, remove it from the maker itself and empty it out making sure there’s nothing inside. Next, half fill the reservoir with white vinegar and the other half with water – leave it to soak for an hour or so. This solution helps to loosen any limescale from the walls of the tank. If you don’t fancy using this vinegar solution or the manufacturer warns against it) you can purchase descaler sachets, which are normally used in kettles, as these are also great at removing limescale with very little effort.
If you’re using an espresso machine or a drip machine, let the vinegar solution run through the pipes and out of the maker. This will treat the limescale and any grime left in the tubes. Once that’s all done, rinse the water reservoir in warm soapy water and swill to make sure there are no lingering odors. Let the water tank fully dry before you place it back into the machine.
Clean the steam wand (or milk system)
Wiping and purging your steam wand during the day is essential. but at the end of each day, I recommend removing it, soaking it in warm, soapy water for a few minutes, and then giving the outside a scrub and rinsing it through. Leave it out overnight to dry. Most coffee machines come with a pin-shaped tool designed for cleaning blockages in the steam wand tip, but with regular cleaning you should never have to use this.
If you have an automatic coffee maker, the manufacturer may recommend using certain products to clean the milk system (some machines I've tested require particular cleaning solutions). The manual will explain the necessary products. If nothing specific is recommended, the vinegar solution mentioned above should do the trick.
Clean the hopper and grinder
If your coffee machine has a built-in burr grinder, you should be able to access the inside by unscrewing the hopper (the container that holds the beans), then unscrewing the top portion of the grinder and lifting it out of the machine. Once that's done, you can use a small brush to remove debris that may be causing the grinder to stick. For hygiene reasons, don't use your vacuum cleaner's crevice tool.
You can also wipe the inside of the hopper with a damp cloth while it's removed from the machine. Let it dry thoroughly before replacing it.
Clean the exterior
Keep the outside of your coffee maker looking great by giving it a thorough wipe down with a damp cloth that has been soaked in soapy water. Even if it’s tempting to use a scouring pad to scrape off any dried-on coffee or milk, don’t use anything abrasive as this will damage the coating on the machine. To prevent water marks, dry your machine with a clean towel.
One more thing...
To make sure your coffee tastes as good as possible, avoid keeping lots of beans in the hopper. Although it might be convenient not to refill it frequently, light and oxygen cause coffee to degrade quickly. Only add the beans you need for the day, and keep the rest in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
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➡️ Read our full guide to the best coffee makers
1. Best espresso:
Breville Barista Touch Impress
2. Best drip:
Breville Luxe Brewer Thermal
3. Best all-in-one:
Ninja Luxe Café
4. Best Nespresso:
Krups Nespresso Pixie
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