How To Clean A Breville Espresso Machine: 5 Easy Steps

If you own a Breville espresso machine, then you know it’s not always easy to keep it clean. Breville espresso machines are top-notch in terms of build quality, durability, and ease of use functionality. But if you don’t clean it regularly, it can become quite dirty and gunky. However, don’t worry – we’re here to help!

In this article, we will outline the steps necessary to clean your Breville espresso machine properly. We will also provide some tips on how to avoid build-up in the future. So read on for all the information you need – and be sure to put it into practice!

Let’s not waste any more time, and get started!

To clean your Breville espresso machine, you will need the following tools:

• A soft cloth or sponge
• A mild detergent
• A descaling solution
• A backflush needle or disc
• A toothbrush
• A small cup or bowl

You should also gather up these extra essentials on hand:

• A water filter
• Replacement parts, such as gaskets and seals

Here are some additional tips for cleaning your Breville espresso machine:

• Clean the machine after each use. This will help to prevent the build-up of coffee oils and residue
• Use a mild detergent. Harsh detergents can damage the machine
• Rinse the machine thoroughly after cleaning
• Dry the machine with a soft cloth
• Use a water filter. A water filter will help to reduce the build-up of mineral deposits in the machine
• Replace parts as needed. Gaskets and seals can wear out over time and need to be replaced

Breville is a world-class brand when it comes to kitchen appliances. They have a vast array of Espresso machines. As not all the machines are the same, hence, the cleaning processes are not identical too.

So, should we learn the cleaning process of all of their machines? Not really. We will try to give you a basic understanding/hint to avoid feeling stuck while you need to clean your machine.

No matter which Breville espresso machine you are using, first, you have to make sure that the water tank is full of cold water. Also, don’t forget to empty the drip tray.

Grab the portafilter, and attach the single basket and rubber gasket one after another to the portafilter. Put a Breville cleaning tablet in the middle of the rubber gasket. Now, it’s time to lock the portafilter with the group head.

These two steps are pretty much the same for all Breville espresso machines. Depending on the type of Breville machine, the following steps may differ from each other. Don’t worry, we won’t leave you in a no man’s land.

After locking the portafilter to the group head, the machine is ready to start its cleaning cycle. If you are using a Breville Barista Express or Breville Infuser espresso machine then you have to hold the 1-cup and 2-cup buttons at the same time and also hold the power button simultaneously for about 10 sec.

The cleaning cycle should be started shortly. If you are using a bit higher-end Breville espresso machine such as Breville Oracle Touch then it won’t require any tricky tasks. You just have to select the cleaning cycle from the touchscreen control and the machine will do the rest for you.

Machines like the Breville Dual Boiler need some manual work. You have to press the Menu button until you see the display shows “Clean Cycle” and “Push”. After that, press the “Manual” button, and the cleaning cycle should be started in no time.

The cleaning Cycle for some other Breville espresso machines such as Duo-Temp Pro and Duo-Temp is also not so different from the mentioned process. However, it’s crucial to read the instruction manual thoroughly before running a cleaning cycle. It will help you to make no mistakes in taking any necessary steps.

In general, the cleaning cycle takes about 5 minutes or so. If you see that the water flow is stopped several times during the cleaning, don’t panic, it’s completely OK. After completing the cleaning, you will hear two Beep sounds, which indicate the cleaning cycle is finished.

To get a better result, some folks used to do the same process twice at a time. If you see that the cleaning tablet is dissolved completely then place another cleaning tablet on the rubber gasket and repeat the cleaning cycle. As a result, you won’t get any unpleasant taste because of the residual in your coffee.

Doubtlessly, Breville Barista Express is the most popular espresso machine in the Breville espresso machine line-up. Most coffee connoisseurs think that it’s one of the best semi-automatic espresso machines on the market, right now. In this segment, we will talk about the cleaning procedure of Breville Barista Express. You can follow the following information too if you are a Breville Infuser user. As both of them share identical mechanisms.

• To clean the Breville Barista Express, make sure to fill up the water tank and then remove the portafilter. Rinse it precisely and then place a single-cup basket in it with the included rubber gasket. Place a cleaning tablet in the middle of the rubber gasket and lock everything into place before placing a pitcher underneath
• If your machine is ON, press the power button and turn it off. Now, hold down the 1-cup and 2-cup buttons simultaneously for about 10 seconds. The cleaning cycle should start within this amount of time. The whole cleaning cycle usually takes about 5 minutes to complete, during which you may see some breaks in liquid flow – FYI, it’s normal!
• If you see the Clean Me light is On, it’s important to clean your machine. After finishing the cleaning cycle, you’ll hear two beep sounds
• To descale the Breville Barista Express, you will need to detach the water tank and remove the filter. Pour about 1 liter of water into the tank and add the Breville Descaling Solution. Stir until it is clear, then replace the tank and clean out any residue from previous cleaning attempts. Rinse off all removable parts, reattach them where necessary, and make sure that no part is attached to the group head-you don’t want anything getting wet just yet!
• Place a 1-liter capacity container under the group head. To start the descaling cycle press and hold the power button and the 2-cup button for a few seconds. The power light should begin blinking which indicates that the unit is heating up
• When you see that the button is solid, press the one-cup button and the flow of the descaling solution will open. After finishing the flow through the group head, rotate the right-sided dial to the hot water position. That way, the descaling solution will come out from the water spout. Similarly, turn the dial to the steam position so that some descaling solution can come through the steam wand as well. That’s pretty much it

We would recommend you follow the ‘Breville Barista Express cleaning instructions’ manual in order to avoid any technical difficulties.

If you want to keep your espresso machine up and running for an extended period, descaling is a must. Depending on the water hardness level Breville usually recommends descaling an espresso machine every 60-90 days. However, we would recommend you to descale your machine within 60 days as you might not know the water hardness level of your area. Like the cleaning process, the descaling process also differs from machine to machine.

First, you need to detach the water tank and remove the water filter placed inside the tank. Fill the water tank halfway with some cool water. Now add some Breville Descaling Agent with that water and mix the solution well.

Place the water tank again and clean the drip tray. After attaching the water tank and drip tray, remove the portafilter from the group head and place a 1-liter capacity pitcher underneath the group head, water spout, and steam wand.

If your Barista Express machine has only a “Clean Me” light then your machine is Version 1 and if you find that it has a “Clean|Descale” light then your machine is version 2 of Breville Barista Express.

For the version 1 machine, press and hold the 2-cup button for about 30 seconds. You will see that the flow of the descaling solution has started. On the flip side, if you are using Version 2 Infuser or Barista Express then you have to press and hold both the 2 cups button and power button simultaneously. After you see that both button lights are ON, press the 1 cup button, and flowing will start shortly through the group head.

After finishing the liquid flow through the group head, rotate the right-sided dial to the hot water position. Flowing through the water spout will be started. After finishing the flow through the hot water spout, turn the dial to the steam position, and the flow through the steam wand will be started. Repeat these processes until the water tank is empty.

When you see that all the descaling solution has flowed through the machine, rinse the water tank and drip tray again. Now fill the water tank with some fresh cold water and repeat the process mentioned above. And that’s pretty much it for Barista Express or Infuser users.

If you are using Breville Bambino Plus then the process is pretty similar. The descaling process for all the Breville machines is almost identical. You just need to know how to begin the descaling cycle. For Bambino Plus, press and hold both the steam button and the 1-cup button.

Do the same thing again to get ready for the descaling mode. After you set up the machine for descaling (as mentioned above for Barista Express) press the 1-cup button to start the flow of the descaling solution. In this machine, you don’t need to rotate any certain dial, the machine will do everything on its own.

If you are using Breville Oracle, Dual Boiler, Barista Pro or other machines then check out Breville Support where you will find machine-wise detailed information from the manufacturer.

We would recommend you run a blank water cycle at the end of the day. It will ensure that there’s no residual in your final cup of coffee. Too much residue can clog the group head and significantly affect the taste of coffee.

If you ever see that the Clean Me light is ON, be ready to run a complete cleaning cycle using the Breville Cleaning Tablet. Make sure to clean the drip tray when the Empty Me tab pops out.
Descaling is probably the highest rank of cleaning. The purpose of running a descaling cycle is to not create any scale deposits inside the machine. This can clog the machine’s group head and will deliver continuously bad-tasting coffee.

As we have mentioned earlier, depending on the Water Hardness level of your residential area the manufacturer recommends running a thorough descaling cycle within 60-90 days. If the hardness level is 4 then you have to descale your Breville Espresso Machine within 90 days. On the flip side, for the 6 levels of hardness, it is suggested to run a descaling cycle within 60 days.
So how often should I backflush my espresso machine? In short, it would be great to backflush your espresso machine every day. However, if you want to do so with detergents or cleaning solution then we would recommend you backflush your machine every 1-3 weeks (depending on the use).

It is important to clean the steam wand of an espresso machine if you don’t want any stinky taste in your favorite Latte or Cappuccino. We would highly recommend you wipe the steam wand with a dry cloth after every single frothing. After that, turn the milk pitcher away from under the wand and let some steam come through the milk frother/steam wand. That way, no milk residue will hide inside the wand and give your coffee a bad flavor.

Now, if you find that the steam wand of your espresso machine is clogged, what should you do?
Simply grab the steam wand cleaning tool and clean the tip of the wand. Now, turn the steam mode on so that any residue can come out.

If the tip of the wand is too clogged, remove it by using the center of your cleaning tool and soak it in some warm water. By doing so, all the hard residue can be softened and come out easily after starting to steam. If you find these processes a bit troublesome, please take a look at your machine’s instruction manual for an A to Z guideline.

We have already mentioned a detailed process of cleaning the Breville espresso machine with tablets. The process is pretty straightforward. Make sure to check out our step-by-step cleaning process.

You can also clean your Breville espresso machine using water and vinegar solution. The ratio should be 50:50. Add the solution of Vinegar and Water to the water tank. The whole process is pretty much the same as descaling.

You have to operate the machine as if you descaling the machine. By doing so, you can keep your machine safe from building any scale deposit which can significantly affect the taste of coffee.

Purchasing a Breville Espresso machine is certainly not a joke. You have to spend a handsome amount of money. Aside from their pricing, they are pretty well-built as well. By following some proper maintenance procedures, you can keep your machine for a longer time. Here are some tips:

• Run a blank water cycle at the end of the day to make sure that the machine is clean inside without any residue
• Always wipe the Steam Wand and run a free steaming after every single milk frothing
• Make sure that the water filter is activated inside the water tank
• Don’t forget to descale the machine every 60-90 days depending on the hardness of your area
• Run a cleaning cycle with tablets within 1-3 weeks depending on the use

Lastly and most importantly, follow the instructions manual of your own Breville Espresso machine.

Hopefully, this comprehensive guide will help you with cleaning your Breville Espresso Machine properly. We have covered lots of information aside from the cleaning. Make sure to read it carefully and implement all the processes.

If you have any kinds of queries regarding this topic, feel free to leave them in the comment section below. We would love to answer your queries as soon as possible. Don’t forget to share this guide with your coffee-lover friends and ask them how they clean their machines.

Happy Caffeinating!