Routine Before Turning Espresso Machine Off?
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BDEspresso
- Posts: 2
- Joined: 1 year ago
Hi Home Barista Community,
I have been going through the forum for a couple of months now, and I have learned a ton on this forum. This is my first post! So please keep up the great work here! I have found articles on these topics here and there, but I hope to have this information in one place. I am looking at the recommendation for turning off your espresso machine and when to empty boilers. I have the Profitec Pro 600 dual boiler. But I would assume that this information would also go for a single and HX boilers as well.
1) What is recommended after a day of using the espresso machine? I understand washing the device, shower screen, portafilter, back flush, and emptying the dip tray. But what do you usually do with the espresso machine itself? Do you just turn it off? When you turn it off, do you release any pressure from either boiler or just let it cool down?
2) For my lifestyle, I do travel and leave for a week, sometimes two weeks. Very really past two weeks and vacation would be two to sometimes three at most, but again rarely. Usually a week or two. What would you recommend in this scenario? Is it the same as question 1, or would you do anything differently? When you come back, I would assume to flush the boilers with new water.
3) At what point do you empty the boilers? Would it be more than 3 to 4 weeks and greater? Or do you suggest when I go on my 2-week trip?
Side note: I just received my espresso machine two weeks ago and am learning how to use it. I definitely have a long way to go to become somewhat of a home barista, but I am loving the process. I haven't opened my machine yet, but I will someday. From what I have gathered with the Profitec Pro 700 there is a way to empty the boilers. I might be wrong on this, so if I am, please correct me. What seemed like a little cap on the side of the brew boiler and another one that was accessible from the bottom of the steam boiler. I was wondering if anyone has done this, but I was thinking of getting heat hoses and extending those with the cap to the bottom, where it would be accessible by just removing the bottom plate. The Quick Mill Vetrano has this feature that I thought was pretty cool to empty the boilers. This would make it much easier empty boilers when needed. Has anyone done this? Do you see any negative or harm in doing so? Also, please bare in mind I haven't opened the device to see if it's even doable. If something is blocking the pathway or some other obstacle. And I would assume if it could have been done, ECM\Profitec would have implemented it. Anyways, if I am going to find that answer, I know it's on this forum. Thanks in advance for any advice and guidance on these topics.
I have been going through the forum for a couple of months now, and I have learned a ton on this forum. This is my first post! So please keep up the great work here! I have found articles on these topics here and there, but I hope to have this information in one place. I am looking at the recommendation for turning off your espresso machine and when to empty boilers. I have the Profitec Pro 600 dual boiler. But I would assume that this information would also go for a single and HX boilers as well.
1) What is recommended after a day of using the espresso machine? I understand washing the device, shower screen, portafilter, back flush, and emptying the dip tray. But what do you usually do with the espresso machine itself? Do you just turn it off? When you turn it off, do you release any pressure from either boiler or just let it cool down?
2) For my lifestyle, I do travel and leave for a week, sometimes two weeks. Very really past two weeks and vacation would be two to sometimes three at most, but again rarely. Usually a week or two. What would you recommend in this scenario? Is it the same as question 1, or would you do anything differently? When you come back, I would assume to flush the boilers with new water.
3) At what point do you empty the boilers? Would it be more than 3 to 4 weeks and greater? Or do you suggest when I go on my 2-week trip?
Side note: I just received my espresso machine two weeks ago and am learning how to use it. I definitely have a long way to go to become somewhat of a home barista, but I am loving the process. I haven't opened my machine yet, but I will someday. From what I have gathered with the Profitec Pro 700 there is a way to empty the boilers. I might be wrong on this, so if I am, please correct me. What seemed like a little cap on the side of the brew boiler and another one that was accessible from the bottom of the steam boiler. I was wondering if anyone has done this, but I was thinking of getting heat hoses and extending those with the cap to the bottom, where it would be accessible by just removing the bottom plate. The Quick Mill Vetrano has this feature that I thought was pretty cool to empty the boilers. This would make it much easier empty boilers when needed. Has anyone done this? Do you see any negative or harm in doing so? Also, please bare in mind I haven't opened the device to see if it's even doable. If something is blocking the pathway or some other obstacle. And I would assume if it could have been done, ECM\Profitec would have implemented it. Anyways, if I am going to find that answer, I know it's on this forum. Thanks in advance for any advice and guidance on these topics.
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baldheadracing
- Team HB
- Posts: 6279
- Joined: 9 years ago
Welcome to H-B!
For 1) just turn the machine off. Every week or two, I would pull a cup or two of water out of the hot water wand.
For 2) when you return, empty, clean/disinfect, and refill the (presumably) plastic water reservoir.
For 3) only for long-term storage, say, for more than four months.
In general, the boilers never need to be emptied unless there is something wrong.
For 1) just turn the machine off. Every week or two, I would pull a cup or two of water out of the hot water wand.
For 2) when you return, empty, clean/disinfect, and refill the (presumably) plastic water reservoir.
For 3) only for long-term storage, say, for more than four months.
In general, the boilers never need to be emptied unless there is something wrong.
-"Good quality brings happiness as you use it" - Nobuho Miya, Kamasada
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mctrials23
- Posts: 86
- Joined: 2 years ago
Very little usually.
After a shot I:
Run the basket/naked PF under the tap to clear out remaining grinds.
Run water through the grouphead for a few seconds to clear any coffee off the screen.
Replace PF as loosely as I dare to avoid damaging gasket
Turn off machine
A few times a week I will either use the espazzola or a grouphead brush to get around the sides of the shower screen / gasket.
Once a week I might put in the blind filter and run the pump against it for 5s a few times.
Once a month I do a proper backflush with cafiza.
After a shot I:
Run the basket/naked PF under the tap to clear out remaining grinds.
Run water through the grouphead for a few seconds to clear any coffee off the screen.
Replace PF as loosely as I dare to avoid damaging gasket
Turn off machine
A few times a week I will either use the espazzola or a grouphead brush to get around the sides of the shower screen / gasket.
Once a week I might put in the blind filter and run the pump against it for 5s a few times.
Once a month I do a proper backflush with cafiza.
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mrgnomer
- Posts: 971
- Joined: 18 years ago
Daily:
I take a J Cloth folded over a small spoon handle and clean out the grouphead portafilter lock in groove. Then I pull water through the open grouphead and give the shower screen a scrub. Then I lock in the portafilter with an empty basket and do a wiggle flush. I look at the empty basket to see what came out.
If I steamed for milk I take a container with water and stretch it until hot. I do a wand purge a few times just to make sure everything is clear. I take a look at the steam wand end and clean off any milk that might have dried on.
Then, if the drip tray isn't plumbed in I empty it, clean and dry the tray and machine, set the tray back in, shut the machine off. If there's wood handles I give them all a good wipe and rub. If they need polish, they get a polish treatment. All the wiping and polishing done with separate microfiber cloths for wood and machine.
Regular Maintenance:
Cafiza back flushes for e61s every couple weeks, removing and cleaning the showerscreen every couple months, an HX descale atleast once a year and taking apart the whole e61 for a clean, lube, gasket replacement when needed, usually when the pump lever got stiff or the portafilter gasket got over compressed.
I take a J Cloth folded over a small spoon handle and clean out the grouphead portafilter lock in groove. Then I pull water through the open grouphead and give the shower screen a scrub. Then I lock in the portafilter with an empty basket and do a wiggle flush. I look at the empty basket to see what came out.
If I steamed for milk I take a container with water and stretch it until hot. I do a wand purge a few times just to make sure everything is clear. I take a look at the steam wand end and clean off any milk that might have dried on.
Then, if the drip tray isn't plumbed in I empty it, clean and dry the tray and machine, set the tray back in, shut the machine off. If there's wood handles I give them all a good wipe and rub. If they need polish, they get a polish treatment. All the wiping and polishing done with separate microfiber cloths for wood and machine.
Regular Maintenance:
Cafiza back flushes for e61s every couple weeks, removing and cleaning the showerscreen every couple months, an HX descale atleast once a year and taking apart the whole e61 for a clean, lube, gasket replacement when needed, usually when the pump lever got stiff or the portafilter gasket got over compressed.
Kirk
LMWDP #116
professionals do it for the pay, amateurs do it for the love
LMWDP #116
professionals do it for the pay, amateurs do it for the love
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BaristaMcBob
- Posts: 275
- Joined: 4 years ago
I just turn it off.
I rarely need the hot water, but I use it once a day to rinse the portafilter. I just do that to prevent the concentration of minerals from building up.
I run descaler solution through the boiler every year (my water is very soft).
I rarely need the hot water, but I use it once a day to rinse the portafilter. I just do that to prevent the concentration of minerals from building up.
I run descaler solution through the boiler every year (my water is very soft).
