All coffee guides · Equipment
Coffee oils and grounds collect on the basket and portafilter during brewing. Remove residue regularly to keep it from affecting flavour. Follow your machine’s cleaning guidance and check which parts can be soaked.
Coffee oils and grounds collect in the basket, portafilter, spouts and shower screen. Residue can affect taste and obstruct flow. Hole counts and screen designs vary; inspect the parts supplied with your machine rather than expecting a particular number of perforations.
Wait until pressure has released according to the machine’s instructions before unlocking the portafilter. Discard the puck, rinse approved parts and wipe away residue with a suitable cloth or brush. Avoid touching hot metal or rinsing it with a bare finger. Prepare the basket clean and dry before dosing again.
Use only a cleaner approved for the parts and materials. Follow its stated dose, temperature and soaking time. Keep handles, coatings, seals and aluminium out of a detergent soak unless their instructions permit it. Rinse thoroughly after cleaning and complete any prescribed rinse brew. Do not assume different cleaning powders share the same dilution.
Remove the screen only if the manual describes it as a user-maintenance task. Let the machine cool and follow its shutdown instructions before working around the group. Screens may be screwed in, clipped in or part of a different assembly. Clean approved parts as directed, then refit them correctly without overtightening.
Replace a basket that is cracked, visibly deformed or no longer fits correctly. Fast or uneven shots can also come from grind, dose, coffee age or puck preparation; they do not prove the holes have worn out. Use a compatible replacement and a dose suited to its capacity. Do not enlarge blocked holes with a sharp tool.
Browse all 98 coffee guides or start a free espresso journal on Baristalog.