Are you confident about how to use espresso machine cleaning tablets?
If you’re an espresso owner you’ve probably been there already, thinking about how to clean properly your coffee machine. And although vinegar or other product you’ll find in your cupboard can do an alright job some of those tablets are probably the best thing to use to make your machine work like brand new. Stick around, in this article, I’m going over how to use espresso machine cleaning tablets the right way and make your machine work like BRAND NEW.
What are espresso machine cleaning tablets?
Cleaning tablets have been created to clean thoroughly espresso machines.
They can clean every single little corner on your espresso brewer where coffee residue builds up.
To use them most of the time you need to dilute them in water and soak removable parts of your espresso including portafilters in it to clean them. Another common way is to use them as if you were to brew espresso; this way the tablets diluted in water run through the whole system and clean thoroughly. You need to use water to rinse the machine and get rid of the taste of the tablets.
If the brand of your espresso machine has its own cleaning tablets product, it’s wise to opt for this, as it’s probably tested with the machine multiple times and these 2 work great together before it was released in the market.
The good news is that over the last few years, we see an increasing number of eco-friendly products that do the job and don’t harm the environment; if you’re conscious about the environment, you’ll be able to find a variety of eco-friendly espresso cleaning tablets.
How to use espresso machine cleaning tablets?
Let’s go over the steps to clean your espresso machine with tablets:
- Make sure that the water tank has at least 1L in it
- Remove your tray from your machine, throw the water away, and give it a good wash. When you’re done put it back in.
- Find the cleaning disc (it should have come with your machine) and put it on the group head and add a tablet to it.
- Place the group head on its place as if you were to brew coffee
- Start the cleaning cycle of your espresso machine (if you aren’t sure how to start the cleaning cycle, it’s a good idea to look at the manual booklet that came with your machine)
- The cycle takes on average 4-7 minutes, but it depends on your machine.
- Once the cycle is done you’re good to go.
Top tip: After every time you run a cleaning cycle with a tablet, it’s wise to throw away the first espresso shot you brew; the chances are that it will taste a little bit of the cleaning tablet. To be on the safe side just drink the second espresso after each cleaning cycle. This is going to help you also get rid of unpleasant odours of espresso.
In terms of cleaning your espresso machine, it’s also vital to know how to remove an espresso puck.
How to clean thermos and coffee or tea pots with tablets?
Let’s go through the steps of this process:
- Place a tablet in your thermo or pot
- Fill up 2/3 of it with water and stir it up
- Give it 30 minutes to work its magic
- Rinse with water, turn it upside down to dry out and you’re good to go
How often should I use espresso cleaning tablets?
To keep your espresso machine in top condition you need to use cleaning tablets regularly.
First off, it’s a good idea to briefly clean it every time you brew an espresso; remove the coffee grounds from the group head otherwise, your next espresso will become bitter.
When it comes to cleaning the machine with a tablet, you need to do it once a month to keep your brewing in excellent condition and prolong its life saving on repair costs.
Are cleaning tablets the same as descaling?
Cleaning tablets clean the pipes and bits of the coffee machine where the coffee flows; they typically get rid of coffee deposits, oils, and residues. This way coffee grinds don’t end up in your cup and your espresso doesn’t turn bitter.
On the other hand, descaling solutions are more effective in removing hard water minerals that stack where water flows and cause your machine to malfunction over time or even spoil the taste of your coffee.
Let’s wrap it up
Are you ready for cleaning your Marzocco espresso machine or any other brand with tablets? It’s easy to go about it and pretty affordable. You have every good reason to clean your brewer regularly so you’ll find out what great espresso tastes like.
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