3 things you need to do to your coffee machine weekly for the best tasting brew, according to baristas

If you have ever stopped to wonder exactly how a barista keeps their coffee machine up to scratch you’d be correct in thinking there are certain things they do every week to keep their machine in tip-top shape.

If you’ve invested in one of the best coffee machines, one can assume it’s because you love quality coffee at home (don’t we all). But are you giving it barista-level care to ensure it stays in the best working order?

Of course, we all know the importance of cleaning a coffee machine, but coffee machine experts have revealed these are the three things baristas do every week to keep their coffee machine in the best working condition. To get the most out of your machine, you should wipe it down, clean the nozzles and flush it regularly.

1. Wipe your machine down every day

One of the most important things you should do is wipe your coffee machine down every day.

‘Rule number one is to always wipe your steam wand clean after use as this is the best way to maintain cleanliness and to ensure the wand steams your milk properly. Otherwise, you can end up with old milk residue in your coffee which will definitely affect the flavour!’ says George Warner, barista at Jaunty Goat Coffee.

The second rule for coffee machine owners is to always wipe the shower screen (where the water comes out) after pulling an espresso shot. If you don't wipe it you'll end up with old coffee grounds stuck to the screen, this will taint the flavour each time you pull another espresso shot giving you a bitter flavour if you don't maintain it. It's one I regularly remind people to do as it's more important than you think.’

Isabella Forgione, small appliances expert at AO.com, recommends: ‘giving your machine a quick once over after every single use. Wiping down the drip tray as well as the spout your coffee comes from. A regular full wipe down is always nice too, in case of any splashes from coffee or food you’ve cooked in the kitchen if it is placed near the hob.’

2. Clean the nozzels after use

‘If you are in a hard water area then you will want to pay particular attention to cleaning your coffee machine just as you probably already do with your kettle. If you use it for more than four to six cups in a day, then it’s worth activating the cleaning programme every few days and certainly wipe down any steam nozzle or milk wand and clean & rinse any milk container as if left this will start to smell,’ says Marcus Lux, Head of Gastroback UK, Export & Business Development.

If you don’t clean your milk wands and nozzles you can be left with a residue that negatively impacts the taste of your coffee. Isabella recommends using pipe cleaners to reach those hard-to-get areas.

‘Pipe cleaners can help to clean out the spouts as well as the steam wand (if you have one) to keep perfectly frothy coffees coming. Pipe cleaners are handy for cleaning inside the machine as well as getting rid of any excess coffee grounds that have built up in the corners,’ she says.

3. Flush your machine weekly

‘Next up is to backflush your machine once a week, which is essential for prosumer machines (coffee machines with solenoid valves). This is the process of inserting a blank filter disc into your portafilter turning on the brew button for five seconds and then off again and repeating this process approximately five times. Doing this helps to flush the pipes and helps to keep them clean and clear of sticky residue build-up. Once every month, you can use a coffee cleaner to backflush your machine if you want to go one step further,’ explains George.

Isabella explains you can also flush out your machine by putting it on an empty ru. This can be done more regularly than once a week.

‘If your machine is heavily used, it’s worthwhile putting your machine on an empty run, with just water running through the machine. It’ll help flush out any grimy build-up. If you don’t use your machine often, this will still help to ensure no bacteria builds up in between uses. Just make sure you empty your coffee grounds, so they aren’t wasted,’ she says.

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By incorprating these three tasks into your daily and weekly cleaning routines, your tastebuds will be thanking you for years to come.