Alex Espresso Machine
15
Regular Maintenance
Backflushing
is a vital maintenance procedure you must follow to help keep your machine
running flawlessly for years to come. There are two types of backflushing; one with plain
water, and the other with espresso machine cleaner.
Plain water backflushing
should be done
at least
once a week, however if you are so
inclined, feel free to backflush with plain water as often as you like. It won't harm the
machine and keeps the shower screen clean.
To backflush, you use the portafilter‟s blank insert (the round stainless steel disk without
holes). To remove your single or double portafilter basket, use the blank portafilter insert.
Turn it upside down and use its edge to pry the basket out of one of your portafilters. (If you
always make double espressos, you may choose to keep the blank portafilter insert in your
other portafilter so you always have one ready.) Next, place the blank insert into the
portafilter and slap it hard with the palm of your hand to secure it in place.
To perform a plain water backflush, place the portafilter into the group and snug it firmly.
Next, raise the brew lever all the way up for 15 seconds, and then lower it all the way down.
Water will forcefully discharge out of the bottom of the group into the drip tray; this is
normal. Repeat three to five times.
Backflushing with espresso machine cleaner
is the same procedure as above with a
few minor differences. The first difference is backflushing with espresso machine cleaner
only needs to be done approximately once a month or every 35-50 espressos. I don't
recommend backflushing with cleaner more often than once every three weeks since
overuse will remove oils that lubricate the brew lever and valves. You can water backflush
as often as you prefer.
To begin, place 1/4 of a teaspoon of espresso machine cleaner into the blank portafilter
insert, then lock the portafilter into the group. Now follow the same procedure as above
until the cleaner is dissolved and the water runs clear (about 5-10 flushes). Remove the
portafilter from the group and rinse thoroughly. Then take a damp cloth and wipe the
underside of the group. After you have finished this procedure, I recommend you pull a shot
of espresso and dispose of it to cure the group. You're finished and ready for another
month of espresso.
Note:
I only recommend using either Puro Café or Urnex Full Circle Espresso Machine
Wash because they are specially formulated for this purpose. The use of other cleaners
may affect the performance of your machine and could even damage it.
