how-to-drain-a-bunn coffee-maker

How to Drain a Bunn Coffee Maker (And NOT Change its Settings)

Gear / By

Have you ever wondered how to drain a Bunn coffee maker?

I have the other day when my Bunn coffee maker was making some funny noises and was trying to troubleshoot and identify the problem. I found out that draining your Bunn coffee maker is key to maintaining it in top condition.

Let’s talk about when you should go about it, how to do it and more. 

What is Bunn coffee maker? 

What makes a Bunn coffee maker different to other coffee makers? 

Bunn coffee maker is pretty similar to a typical auto dripping coffee maker with water being heated and spreaded over the coffee grounds evenly and it start dripping in the brewer’s carafe. But what really put Bunn coffee makers on the map and urged many coffee addicts to buy one is the special mechanism the have attached to keep coffee warm for longer which is a god-sent feature – who wants to drink lukewarm coffee? 

When should you drain your Bunn coffee maker? 

The 2 most common reasons to drain your Bunn coffee maker are: 

  • Not using it for some time: if you have decided for whatever reason to give the coffee a pause for some time (especially if it causes you insomnia or anxiety) and you’re planning to put it away it’s wise to empty it, otherwise leaving water in it might develop into a form of mould and give off unpleasant odours. Plus, bacteria spread around and water minerals build up on the inside that makes your brewer malfunction, taking longer to brew coffee and making loud noises while brewing. And on top of this, when you start using it again, cleaning it properly and getting rid of the odours the water causes is going to be a tough task. 
  • If you’re planning on selling it: you obviously need to remove the water from it completely. If you send the machine over to the person that bought it with water, the odds are it’s going to be spilt some on the way, and then you need to deal with the courier as other items might be spoiled because of the water. Or even the buyer would find it frustrating to discover that water was left in the machine and ask for a refund. It’s also a good idea to empty the water the moment you decide on putting it up for sale (it might a few days or weeks to sell it and it’s no good leaving water in it for so long).

How to empty your Bunn coffee maker the right way

Here are the steps to follow to remove the water from your Bunn coffee maker:

  1. If it’s working switch it off and unplug it and let it sit for about 2 hours. (Another way that you can cool down the machine faster is to place an empty carafe in the hot plate and fill up another carafe, or any object, with cold water and pour it through the machine’s filter as if you were to brew coffee. Give it 15 minutes to cool down and remove the carafe filled with water and flash it in the sink).
  2. Take out the brew funnel, the spread head (this spreads hot water over the coffee grounds) and the coffee ground basket.
  3. Turn the machine upside down over a sink and you’ll soon see water coming out
  4. Once the water stops dripping, place the machine upside down on the counter in your kitchen and let it drip the last few drops of water (it’s a good idea to put a cloth and a towel underneath to absorb the water)
  5. Don’t forget to put back the parts (spread head and brew funnel) you removed 

Tips on how to use your Bunn coffee maker for better coffee

Let’s go over a couple of tips on how to use your Bunn coffee brewer and brew great coffee every time: 

  • When you use it the first few times, add the water, let it sit for a few minutes and then go ahead with the brewing
  • The machine has a timer you can take advantage of and set the time your want your coffee to be ready – have some hot coffee waiting for you in the carafe every morning
  • Its carafe that’s made of stainless steel is designed to hold 12-20 cups which is pretty decent.
  • The Max Brew version has a water filter attached that retains hard water minerals that could spoil the taste of your coffee
  • Because it has a stainless steel coil heater to warm up water, makes the brewing process snappy – you’ll be drinking great coffee in no time

Cleaning Tips on how to maintain your Bunn coffee maker

Here’s a bunch of cleaning tips on how to maintain your Bunn brewer in top condition:

  • Switch off the machine and ideally unplug it, give it about 2 hours to cool down before you get on with the cleaning.
  • Take off the head spread, brewer funnel and coffee basket and give them a good wash with washing-up liquid, rinse them off and put them back in.
  • Clean the outside of the machine with a dry cloth to remove the coffee grounds
  • Give the carafe a good wash to remove marks of coffee leaves on the inside
  • Don’t forget to throw the used coffee grinds right after you’re done with your brewing, otherwise, your next brew might taste more bitter than the previous one. 
  • Run the machine with vinegar to remove water minerals that build in the pipes and make it difficult for your brewer to heat water efficiently

Let’s wrap it up 

After reading this you should be able to force every single drop of water out of your Bunn coffee maker and put it away until the next time you’ll plug it in and brew heavenly coffee. Do you know how to use a Bloomfield coffee brewer?

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