Cleaning espresso basket/filter/portafilter for dummies
July 5, 2022 2:32 PM Subscribe
My espresso machine is clogged after 2 years of good use. It’s my first machine and I feel a bit out of my depth Googling for answers. I scrub the basket and portafilter regularly but it’s still intermittently clogged — sometimes the shot will pull but increasingly it will just fill the basket with water and nothing will come out. What’s the best way to clean the basket or portafilter in this situation?
Best answer: I'm terrible about cleaning my espresso machine, so not much direct advice there, but before backflushing, check out your manual or machine-specific instructions. A lot of the machines that are sold for home use can't really be backflushed -- they different valves that can actually be damaged that way.
posted by duien at 3:21 PM on July 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by duien at 3:21 PM on July 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Came here to link the Clive Coffee video kdar did.
+1 to backflushing regularly (though tbqh I do it more like monthly than weekly, even though I make 2-3 espresso drinks a day, it's fine)
It's also a good idea to scrub the grouphead (the part the portafilter locks into) with a brush designed for that purpose, at least once a week or after any weird messy extractions that might have gotten grounds up in it.
It's also worth considering the equipment itself, both the machine and the grinder.
The machine: If you have a lower-cost espresso machine (zero judgement!), the portafilter basket may just be lower quality and prone to warping, which can lead to clogging. Especially if it's a pressurized basket common with many lower-cost or entry-level home machines, but even if not. If that's the case you might consider replacing the portafilter & basket. Or you may have a more advanced home espresso machine, but even with those, sometimes the stock parts are not the highest quality and could stand to be replaced and upgraded a little after a couple years of use (lookin' at you, Breville).
The grinder: If it doesn't grind evenly, either because you're using a blade grinder (which is unfortunately not appropriate for espresso machines) or a burr grinder that hasn't been calibrated or maintained in awhile, that can cause also cause clogging. If you haven't cleaned the grinder in awhile, the oils that build up from the coffee beans could clog, slow, or throw out of balance the grinder, or clog the portaflter.
And I really don't want to be a coffee snob, but if you're regularly using mass-produced grocery-store-shelf beans that can cause extraction problems too, but that doesn't usually look like clogging unless they're really awful beans or they've been kept in the freezer.
posted by rhiannonstone at 3:21 PM on July 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
+1 to backflushing regularly (though tbqh I do it more like monthly than weekly, even though I make 2-3 espresso drinks a day, it's fine)
It's also a good idea to scrub the grouphead (the part the portafilter locks into) with a brush designed for that purpose, at least once a week or after any weird messy extractions that might have gotten grounds up in it.
It's also worth considering the equipment itself, both the machine and the grinder.
The machine: If you have a lower-cost espresso machine (zero judgement!), the portafilter basket may just be lower quality and prone to warping, which can lead to clogging. Especially if it's a pressurized basket common with many lower-cost or entry-level home machines, but even if not. If that's the case you might consider replacing the portafilter & basket. Or you may have a more advanced home espresso machine, but even with those, sometimes the stock parts are not the highest quality and could stand to be replaced and upgraded a little after a couple years of use (lookin' at you, Breville).
The grinder: If it doesn't grind evenly, either because you're using a blade grinder (which is unfortunately not appropriate for espresso machines) or a burr grinder that hasn't been calibrated or maintained in awhile, that can cause also cause clogging. If you haven't cleaned the grinder in awhile, the oils that build up from the coffee beans could clog, slow, or throw out of balance the grinder, or clog the portaflter.
And I really don't want to be a coffee snob, but if you're regularly using mass-produced grocery-store-shelf beans that can cause extraction problems too, but that doesn't usually look like clogging unless they're really awful beans or they've been kept in the freezer.
posted by rhiannonstone at 3:21 PM on July 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
How often do you clean the machine? Is there a cleaning cycle? A descaling cycle? What does the manual say to do about cleaning? Our espresso maker (Breville) shows some warning lights after 200 shots, so about every 100 drinks. At 2+ drinks per day, we run the machine through its cleaning cycle every five weeks or so. There are cleaning tablets to insert into the portafilter, as well as descaling powder to dissolve in the water tank when it's time to descale.
posted by emelenjr at 3:40 PM on July 5, 2022
posted by emelenjr at 3:40 PM on July 5, 2022
Check the manual, if you haven’t got a copy google your exact make and model and you’ll find it. What does it say about cleaning and maintenance and about troubleshooting? Start there.
posted by koahiatamadl at 3:48 PM on July 5, 2022
posted by koahiatamadl at 3:48 PM on July 5, 2022
sometimes the shot will pull but increasingly it will just fill the basket with water and nothing will come out.
So it's the basket/portafilter that's clogged? I would just buy a replacement basket at this point, and then commit to a regular cleaning schedule. At the very least you should pull hot water through after every shot. (My other suspicion is that your machine is losing pressure, but without knowing the machine or exactly what's going on it's hard to say). Is the shower screen clean? Take that off and scrub or replace.
I've had my Miss Silvia for a good 12 years and rinse the basket after every shot/temp surf. I have never had an issue with the basket getting clogged. Over the past couple of years since we bought a dishwasher I throw the mallet/basket in there every feew weeks, but that's a new thing. never washed it before then other than hot water.
posted by oneirodynia at 3:56 PM on July 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
So it's the basket/portafilter that's clogged? I would just buy a replacement basket at this point, and then commit to a regular cleaning schedule. At the very least you should pull hot water through after every shot. (My other suspicion is that your machine is losing pressure, but without knowing the machine or exactly what's going on it's hard to say). Is the shower screen clean? Take that off and scrub or replace.
I've had my Miss Silvia for a good 12 years and rinse the basket after every shot/temp surf. I have never had an issue with the basket getting clogged. Over the past couple of years since we bought a dishwasher I throw the mallet/basket in there every feew weeks, but that's a new thing. never washed it before then other than hot water.
posted by oneirodynia at 3:56 PM on July 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I have an inexpensive Delonghi. I descale the machine with branded descaler as per the manual, so I don't think backflushing is the right idea. I have descaled it recently but it didn't solve the problem. So now I'm thinking -- either replace portafilter/basket, or clean it with Cafiza? Or the machine is a goner?
posted by vanitas at 4:05 PM on July 5, 2022
posted by vanitas at 4:05 PM on July 5, 2022
It's possible the pump is going bad if you are performing regular cleaning and this is still an issue. Have you tried contacting support at Delonghi?
posted by oneirodynia at 9:20 PM on July 5, 2022
posted by oneirodynia at 9:20 PM on July 5, 2022
What happens when you run the pump without a portafilter inserted? Does water come out of the pump? It should be coming out in a fairly steady stream. If it's just dribbling out of the shower screen, the issue is with your machine, not the portafilter/basket assembly.
If you put a kitchen scale under the shower screen with no portafilter and run the pump for 60s, how much water comes out? That is called the "water debit" and is commonly used to troubleshoot whether or not machines are having internal issues. (It's measured in ml/s though commonly folks take the total quantity over 30s or 60s.) Not knowing the exact make or model of your Delonghi I'm not sure what the water debit should be but you might be able to research that and compare it to your results. This is probably not necessary though -- I bet you'll be able to eyeball it and see if it's a steady stream vs dribbling out.
If it looks like the issue is within the machine, you can try removing the shower screen and soaking it in some Cafiza to remove coffee oils and solids. This is a pretty common issue with espresso machines and is a cheap thing to try first.
Beyond that, you have a few things that might be going wrong:
1) The pump has gone bad. If you're mechanically inclined, you might be able to buy a new one and replace it yourself for far less than the cost of the machine.
2) There's a leak somewhere in the machine, probably after the water pump, so pressurized water isn't making it to the shower head. This should be pretty easy to suss out if you can take the case off -- you'll see water dripping while you're running a cycle, or a pool of water at the bottom of the machine (if there isn't water on your countertop already).
3) A piece of scale has broken off and lodged itself somewhere in the machine. Unfortunately the best remedy for this is to take the machine apart and try to find and dislodge the scale manually. You might also find that another descaling round will work if your water is especially hard. My guess is that this isn't the issue given that you've recently descaled it.
Good luck to you! If this doesn't work out, you can always try registering on the Home Barista forums and asking if they have any advice for your make and model. I've been lurking there a lot myself and have found the forums to be fairly non-toxic and accepting of different levels of experience, different tastes in coffee, and different tiers of equipment.
posted by kdar at 11:09 AM on July 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
If you put a kitchen scale under the shower screen with no portafilter and run the pump for 60s, how much water comes out? That is called the "water debit" and is commonly used to troubleshoot whether or not machines are having internal issues. (It's measured in ml/s though commonly folks take the total quantity over 30s or 60s.) Not knowing the exact make or model of your Delonghi I'm not sure what the water debit should be but you might be able to research that and compare it to your results. This is probably not necessary though -- I bet you'll be able to eyeball it and see if it's a steady stream vs dribbling out.
If it looks like the issue is within the machine, you can try removing the shower screen and soaking it in some Cafiza to remove coffee oils and solids. This is a pretty common issue with espresso machines and is a cheap thing to try first.
Beyond that, you have a few things that might be going wrong:
1) The pump has gone bad. If you're mechanically inclined, you might be able to buy a new one and replace it yourself for far less than the cost of the machine.
2) There's a leak somewhere in the machine, probably after the water pump, so pressurized water isn't making it to the shower head. This should be pretty easy to suss out if you can take the case off -- you'll see water dripping while you're running a cycle, or a pool of water at the bottom of the machine (if there isn't water on your countertop already).
3) A piece of scale has broken off and lodged itself somewhere in the machine. Unfortunately the best remedy for this is to take the machine apart and try to find and dislodge the scale manually. You might also find that another descaling round will work if your water is especially hard. My guess is that this isn't the issue given that you've recently descaled it.
Good luck to you! If this doesn't work out, you can always try registering on the Home Barista forums and asking if they have any advice for your make and model. I've been lurking there a lot myself and have found the forums to be fairly non-toxic and accepting of different levels of experience, different tastes in coffee, and different tiers of equipment.
posted by kdar at 11:09 AM on July 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Cafiza did the trick. After soaking the portafilter and basket in hot water with a Cafiza tablet, it’s pulling shots without any problems again. Pro tip: you know the Cafiza is working when you see a bunch of black dots in the soaking water. I am thinking it was the holes in the basket that were clogged.
posted by vanitas at 1:45 PM on July 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by vanitas at 1:45 PM on July 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
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Are you backflushing regularly? You should be doing that too if you're not. Daily with detergent is a bit much for home use, but weekly is reasonable.
posted by kdar at 2:35 PM on July 5, 2022 [1 favorite]