I am talking about the ones shaped like the Pallo tool with the angled little round head (NOT necessarily that brand though)

How much better (if at all) are these than just a toothbrush or these other stiff nylon pastry brushes I use? I am buying some stuff and have not yet done my first backflush (will be once the Joe Glo arrives) but don't really want to buy unnecessary items so I would like to get some opinions.

Thanks.

Once you burn your fingers a few times with a typical group / tooth brush, the genius of the Pallo becomes immediately apparent.

Other niceties like a cleaning spoon, steam nozzle probe and replaceable bristles are icing on the cake.

Hello Sarah - I have not used the Pallo, but I have religiously used a stiff angled nylon brush between every shot for the past seven years. I think it has helped prolong the life of the group head gaskets, and in any case, helps ensure the gh is clean before the next shot. I'd say it's worth the small investment. The angled head makes it dead easy to get into the gh, and the bristles are much larger in diameter and stiffer than a toothbrush - I don't think a toothbrush would be much help. There are alternatives to the Pallo, although they are just a brush - a quick search turned up a couple for around $4.

Enjoy your experience.

Like Ian says, burning your fingers is no fun. I am sure I spend extra time cleaning since ordering the Pallo because I am not worried about burning myself.

I have misplaced my Pallo during a recent move, at the moment I am using a nylon brush from Home Depot. The manufacturer is WorkForce. They are found in the paintbrush aisle in a 3 pack, one nylon, one brass, and one stainless steel for about $3.50. I have not burnt myself yet with the nylon brush, and will keep these brushes around as spares or for cleaning other things.

The Pallo works great!

I have been using a Pallo for a couple of years. The handy scoop on the handle is nice for dosing out Joe-Glo for backflushing or soaking portafilters. There is also a small wire tip on the brush end that you can use to clean the holes on your steam wand, but I have never needed to use that.

The Pallo is definitely worth the small investment. You will not regret getting the real thing.

Hi guys,

I got a Pallo for free a while ago and use it from time to time, but I don't think it's the best. The bristles are too stiff in my opinion and you can't reach everywhere. I've used an ordinary toothbrush a couple of times with good effect and haven't burnt myself, so I guess I was lucky or it's not so easy to actually do it.

Regards,
dsc.

Actually I like the stiff bristles . . . I found that toothbrush bristles were too soft. urther, it's not just the grouphead that can burn you. That water is pretty hot, too!