The Barista Express® | Our tutorial on how to descale your espresso machine | Breville USA

Introduction

This tutorial will guide you through the process of descaling your Breville Barista Express® espresso machine. Regular descaling is essential to keep your machine running smoothly and to ensure your coffee tastes great. You will know it’s time to descale when the Clean/Descale light illuminates.

Step 1: Prepare Your Machine

• Empty the drip tray.
• Remove the water tank and empty it.
• Take out the water filter.

Step 2: Prepare the Descaling Solution

• Dissolve one packet of descaling solution in one liter of warm water.
• Pour the solution into the water tank and reinsert the tank into the machine.

Step 3: Enter Descale Mode

• Press and hold the ‘Power’ button and the ‘2-cup’ button simultaneously to enter ‘Descale’ mode.
• The machine will start heating up, indicated by the flashing ‘Power’ button.

Step 4: Start Descaling the Coffee Component

• Wait until the following indicators illuminate:
  • ‘Power’ button
  • ‘1-cup’ button
  • ‘Clean/Descale’ indicator
  • ‘Hot Water/Steam’ indicator
• Press the ‘1-cup’ button to start the descaling process for the coffee component. This will take approximately 25 seconds, with the ‘1-cup’ button flashing continuously.
• If you wish to stop the descaling process before 25 seconds, simply press the ‘1-cup’ button again.

Step 5: Descale the Steam and Hot Water Components

• To descale the steam component:
  • Turn the ‘Steam dial’ to the left towards the ‘Steam’ icon. This takes about 13 seconds.
• To descale the hot water component:
  • Turn the ‘Steam dial’ to the right towards the ‘Water’ icon. This takes about 8 seconds.
• You can end the descaling process at any time by turning the ‘Steam dial’ to ‘Standby’.

Step 6: Complete the Descaling Process

• By now, half of the descaling solution should be in the water tank.
• To finish descaling, repeat Steps 4 and 5 to completely empty the tank.

Step 7: Rinse and Refill the Water Tank

• After descaling, remove the water tank and rinse it thoroughly to remove any residue.
• Refill the tank with fresh, cold water up to the max line and reinsert it into the machine.

Step 8: Finalize the Descaling Process

• Press the ‘Power’ button to exit ‘Descale’ mode. All LED lights should turn off, indicating the process is complete.

Conclusion

Descaling your Breville Barista Express® is a straightforward process that ensures optimal performance and flavor. Regular maintenance like this will help prolong the life of your machine. For ongoing maintenance, consider watching videos on replacing your water filter or performing a clear water backflush after each use.