How to Clean Breville Barista Express: Complete Guide

Why Regular Cleaning Matters for Your Barista Express

Coffee oils and grounds build up fast in espresso machines. I've seen Barista Express machines go from pulling perfect shots to producing bitter, weak espresso in just 2-3 weeks without proper cleaning. The good news? A thorough cleaning takes 20-30 minutes and restores your machine to peak performance.

This guide covers every component: grinder, portafilter, group head, steam wand, and drip tray. Follow these steps weekly, and your Barista Express will keep delivering cafe-quality espresso for years.

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What You'll Need

Cleaning Supplies:

• Breville cleaning tablets (or Cafiza)
• Microfiber cloths (2-3)
• Grinder cleaning brush (included with machine)
• Blind filter basket (rubber disk)
• Small bowl for soaking
• Toothpick or needle for steam wand tip

Time Required: 20-30 minutes for full cleaning

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Part 1: Clean the Steam Wand (5 Minutes)

Do This After Every Use — milk residue burns on quickly and becomes difficult to remove.

Symptoms of Dirty Steam Wand:

• Weak steam pressure
• Milk sputtering instead of smooth steam
• Crusty white buildup on wand
• Steam comes out at angle instead of straight

How to Clean:

1. Purge immediately after frothing — blast steam for 2-3 seconds into drip tray
2. Wipe with damp cloth while wand still warm (not hot) — removes milk before it hardens
3. Remove steam tip by unscrewing counterclockwise (hand tight only)
4. Soak tip in warm water for 5 minutes if clogged
5. Clear holes with toothpick or needle — each hole should be open
6. Reattach tip and purge steam again to test

Time: 2-3 minutes daily, 5 minutes weekly deep clean
Cost: Free
Difficulty: Easy

Model Notes:

• Barista Express (BES870): Standard steam tip with 4 holes
• Barista Pro (BES878): Faster heat-up, same cleaning process
• Barista Touch: Digital prompts remind you to clean — don't ignore them

Pro Tip: Never let milk dry on the wand. Dried milk is 10x harder to remove and can permanently clog the tip.

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Part 2: Clean the Portafilter and Baskets (5 Minutes)

Do This Daily — old coffee oils turn rancid and create bitter, off flavors.

Symptoms of Dirty Portafilter:

• Coffee tastes bitter or stale
• Basket holes appear clogged
• Oily residue visible inside portafilter
• Water channeling during extraction

How to Clean:

1. Remove basket from portafilter by pushing up from underneath
2. Knock out grounds and rinse both pieces under hot water
3. Scrub basket holes with nylon brush — grounds block extraction
4. Check spout on double-wall baskets for clogs
5. Wipe portafilter inside and out with damp cloth
6. Weekly soak — submerge basket in hot water with 1/4 cleaning tablet for 15 minutes

Time: 2 minutes daily, 5 minutes weekly
Cost: Free (or $0.50 per tablet)
Difficulty: Easy

Basket Types:

• Single-wall (1-cup, 2-cup): For fresh ground coffee — more holes, needs more frequent cleaning
• Double-wall (pressurized): For pre-ground coffee — has internal pressure valve that clogs easily

Pro Tip: Rotate between two baskets if you have them. Lets one dry completely while using the other.

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Part 3: Backflush the Group Head (10 Minutes)

Do This Weekly — removes coffee oils from inside the group head and three-way valve.

Symptoms Indicating You Need to Backflush:

• Espresso dripping after you stop extraction
• Puck is soupy wet instead of firm
• Machine makes gurgling sounds
• Slow drip from group head when idle

How to Backflush:

1. Insert blind filter into portafilter (rubber disk that blocks water)
2. Add cleaning tablet — drop one Breville tablet on top of blind filter
3. Lock portafilter into group head normally
4. Start brew cycle for 10 seconds — machine builds pressure
5. Stop brew cycle — pressure releases through three-way valve
6. Repeat 5 times — run 10 seconds, stop, run 10 seconds, stop
7. Remove portafilter and rinse under water
8. Repeat without tablet — same process but plain water only, 5 cycles
9. Pull test shot — discard first shot after cleaning

Time: 10 minutes
Cost: $0.75 per cleaning (tablet cost)
Difficulty: Easy

Warning Signs You're Overdue:

• Water pools on top of puck
• Bitter, harsh espresso
• Slow water flow from group head

Model Notes:

• Barista Express/Pro: Blind filter included in accessory drawer
• Infuser (BES840): Same process applies
• Dual Boiler (BES920): Backflush both group heads if dual-head model

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Part 4: Clean the Grinder (5 Minutes)

Do This Weekly — stale grounds stuck in grinder chamber affect every shot.

Symptoms of Dirty Grinder:

• Inconsistent grind output
• Static causing grounds to stick everywhere
• Grinder making unusual sounds
• Stale taste despite fresh beans

How to Clean:

1. Empty hopper — remove remaining beans and store in airtight container
2. Grind remaining beans — run until hopper and chute are empty
3. Remove upper burr — twist counterclockwise and lift out
4. Brush burrs — use included brush to remove grounds from both burrs
5. Vacuum chute — use brush attachment to clear grinding chamber
6. Wipe hopper with dry cloth — don't use water on hopper
7. Reassemble — align burr notches and twist clockwise to lock
8. Grind 2-3 grams of fresh beans — discards any dust from cleaning

Time: 5 minutes
Cost: Free
Difficulty: Easy

Monthly Deep Clean:

• Use Grindz tablets (follow package directions)
• Run through grinder like coffee beans
• Cleans oils you can't reach with brush

Pro Tip: When reassembling, grind setting resets to default. Check your setting matches what you had before cleaning.

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Part 5: Clean the Drip Tray and Water Tank (5 Minutes)

Do This Every 2-3 Days — standing water breeds mold and bacteria.

How to Clean:

Drip Tray:

1. Slide out tray and remove grate
2. Dump liquid — check "full" indicator wasn't missed
3. Wash with soap and warm water
4. Dry completely before reinserting

Water Tank:

1. Remove tank and dump old water
2. Rinse with fresh water — swirl and dump
3. Check filter if installed — replace every 2-3 months
4. Refill with filtered water — reduces scale buildup
5. Wipe exterior of tank and sensor area on machine

Time: 3-5 minutes
Cost: Free
Difficulty: Easy

Water Quality Tip: Use filtered or bottled water. Hard tap water causes scale buildup 3x faster and affects taste.

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Cleaning Schedule Summary

After Each Use:

• Purge and wipe steam wand
• Rinse portafilter and basket
• Empty drip tray if full

Daily:

• Wipe exterior with damp cloth
• Check water level

Weekly:

• Backflush group head
• Clean grinder burrs
• Soak portafilter basket
• Deep clean steam wand tip

Monthly:

• Descale (separate from cleaning — see our descaling guide)
• Use Grindz in grinder
• Replace water filter if needed

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When Professional Service Is Needed

Signs You Need a Technician:

• Machine leaking from internal components
• Grinding sounds but no grounds come out
• Error codes that won't clear after cleaning
• Brewing temperature wildly inconsistent
• Machine older than 5 years with heavy use

Professional Service Cost: $75-150 depending on issue

Breville Warranty: 2 years — cleaning neglect may void warranty if it causes damage

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FAQ

Can I use dish soap to clean the portafilter?

Not recommended. Dish soap leaves residue that affects espresso taste. Use hot water and a brush for daily cleaning. For deep cleaning, use espresso-specific cleaning tablets that rinse completely.

How often should I replace the grinder burrs?

Breville burrs last 500-1000 lbs of coffee — about 3-5 years for home use. Signs you need new burrs: inconsistent grind size, excessive heat during grinding, dull appearance on cutting edges.

Why does my espresso taste burnt after cleaning?

You likely didn't rinse thoroughly after using cleaning tablets. Run 4-5 water cycles through the group head and pull 2 discard shots before drinking. The chemical taste fades after complete rinsing.

Can I put the portafilter in the dishwasher?

No. Dishwasher detergent is too harsh and can damage the finish. The high heat can also warp the basket. Hand wash only with hot water.

My grinder adjustment changed after cleaning. Is that normal?

Yes. Removing and replacing the upper burr resets the calibration slightly. Dial in with 1-2 test shots after cleaning to find your ideal setting again.

How do I know if the three-way valve is clogged?

After you stop brewing, watch the puck. If water continues dripping for more than 2-3 seconds, the valve isn't releasing pressure properly. Backflushing usually fixes this. Persistent issues need professional service.