Don't Forget This Step Before Pulling Espresso Shots On Your New Machine

Invested in a shiny new espresso machine to pull the perfect shots at home? The urge to immediately rip open the box, plug in your appliance, and make that first caffeinated beverage is all too real. However, it's important to momentarily temper your excitement so you don't miss one vital step before making your premier espresso shot: cleaning your machine.

In the same way as you'd wash a new set of crockery prior to use, you must clean your coffee machine before giving it an inaugural whirl. As much as it may have that brand new smell and gleaming surface, the truth is you can't be certain the exterior and interior mechanisms are spotless in reality. In all likelihood your appliance will be covered in unwanted residues, such as dust or fine particles, from the shipping and manufacturing process, which might not be visible at first sight. Moreover, this grime could adversely affect the taste of your first coffee, wrecking the entire experience of that initial ambrosial sip and perhaps even making you think there's something wrong with your beans.

To make an espresso that's crisp and clean, the first step is to remove any bit and pieces that easily come off your machine, such as the water receptacle, drip tray, and filter basket, before washing in soapy water. Follow up by wiping down the exterior of your appliance with a damp cloth and putting it through a brew cycle with plain water to clean the internal parts.

Take a look at the manual for your new coffee machine and it should contain information on how to initiate cleaning mode if you want to go for a deeper clean. For example, Nespresso coffee machines have different ways to start and exit their cleaning modes, such as pressing and holding certain buttons on the top or sides. If you put your machine through a cleaning or descaling mode, fresh water will run through the entire system and flush out anything that shouldn't be in there, thought you won't need to mix a descaling product in the water as there won't be any limescale buildup in your fresh new machine. Run the mode through once (some brands go through several cycles and may pump the water through three times), but feel free to repeat it until you're happy your machine is immaculate. After that, you're good to go make that coffee you've been craving.

Once you've had success with making your first espresso, take care to clean your machine regularly to boost its lifespan. How often should you really be cleaning your espresso machine? We recommend once a week if you're making a couple of coffees a day.