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How to choose Breville cleaning products
A Breville espresso machine needs three kinds of care. A cleaning cycle clears coffee oils from the group head. Descaling removes mineral build-up from the heating system. A water filter slows that build-up down. Everything on this page is Breville's own product, so it lines up with the steps in your machine's manual.
Cleaning tablets: for the group head
Coffee oils and fine grounds collect behind the shower screen and in the brew path, and they show up in the cup as bitter, stale flavours. Many Breville machines have a built-in cleaning cycle. You put the cleaning disc (the solid insert supplied with the machine) in the filter basket and one tablet on top. On the Barista Express, a flashing Clean/Descale light means the cleaning cycle is due. The cycle takes about five minutes, and if the tablet hasn't fully dissolved, Breville says to run it again. The Breville cleaning tablets come in a pack of 8.
Descaler: for the boiler or Thermocoil
Hard water leaves minerals inside the machine. Breville says this reduces brewing flow, temperature and power, and affects the taste of the espresso. On the Barista Express, a solid Clean/Descale light means it's time to descale. The Breville Eco Liquid Descaler 1 litre suits regular descaling or a household with more than one machine. The Breville Eco 2-in-1 Cleaner & Descaler is the smaller option, and Breville says it works with all espresso machines and Nespresso capsule machines. Take the water filter out of the tank before you descale, then follow the dosing on the pack and the descale steps in your manual. For other brands and formats, see our descalers and decalcifiers.
Which Breville water filter fits your machine
Breville uses two filter types, so check your model before ordering:
- Breville resin water filter: Barista Express (BES870), Barista Express Impress (BES876), Barista Pro (BES878), Infuser (BES840) and Duo-Temp Pro (BES810), plus earlier batches of the Oracle, Oracle Touch, Dual Boiler and Dynamic Duo.
- Breville Claro Swiss water filter: Bambino (BES450), Barista Touch (BES880), Barista Touch Impress (BES881), Oracle Jet (BES985) and Oracle Dual Boiler (BES995), plus the Oracle, Oracle Touch and Dual Boiler.
For the Oracle, Oracle Touch and Dual Boiler, the right filter depends on your machine's batch code. Match it against your old filter before you buy.
How often to replace the filter
Breville recommends replacing the Claro Swiss filter every 90 days. The Barista Express manual says to change the resin filter every two months, or more often in hard-water areas, because a fresh filter cuts down how often you need to descale. Soak a new filter in water for five minutes, rinse it, set the date dial and lock it into the tank.
Cleaning a machine from another brand?
See our full coffee machine cleaner range for cleaning tablets, milk system cleaners and descalers from other brands.
FAQs
How often should I descale my Breville coffee machine?
Descale when the machine tells you to. On models with a Clean/Descale light, such as the Barista Express, a solid light means descaling is due. How often that happens depends on your water. Hard water builds scale faster, so it comes up more often. Changing the water filter on schedule reduces how often you need to descale. Breville's manual says scale reduces flow, temperature and the taste of the espresso, so don't ignore the light.
What does the flashing Clean/Descale light mean on a Breville Barista Express?
A flashing light means the machine wants a cleaning cycle with a cleaning tablet. A solid light means it needs descaling. These are separate jobs. The cleaning cycle removes coffee oils from the group head, and descaling removes mineral build-up from inside the heating system. Use Breville cleaning tablets for the first and a Breville descaler for the second.
How do I use Breville cleaning tablets?
On the Barista Express, put the cleaning disc in a filter basket, place one tablet on top and lock the portafilter into the group head. Turn the machine off. Then press and hold the 1 Cup, 2 Cup and Power buttons together for three seconds. The cycle runs for about five minutes and beeps twice when it's done. If the tablet hasn't fully dissolved, run it again, then rinse the basket and portafilter. Other models differ slightly, so check your manual.
Which Breville water filter do I need?
It depends on your model. The resin filter suits the Barista Express, Barista Express Impress, Barista Pro, Infuser and Duo-Temp Pro. The Claro Swiss filter suits the Bambino, Barista Touch, Barista Touch Impress, Oracle Jet and Oracle Dual Boiler. For the Oracle, Oracle Touch and Dual Boiler it depends on the batch code, so compare against your old filter first.
How often should I change the water filter in my Breville?
Breville recommends replacing the Claro Swiss filter every 90 days. For the Barista Express, the manual says every two months, or sooner if you live in a hard-water area. A fresh filter helps prevent scale building up, which means less descaling. Before fitting a new filter, soak it in water for five minutes, rinse it and set the date dial so you know when the next one is due.
Can I use the Breville Eco 2-in-1 Cleaner & Descaler in other machines?
Yes. Breville says the Eco 2-in-1 Cleaner & Descaler works with all espresso machines and Nespresso capsule machines. Follow the dosing and instructions on the pack, and the descale steps in your machine's manual. Remove any water filter from the tank before descaling. For machines from other brands, you'll find more options in our coffee machine cleaner range.