DeLonghi Brew Head Cleaning & Replacement Guide (Magnifica, La Specialista, Dedica)

Two Kinds of De'Longhi "Brew Head"

What a De'Longhi "brew head" is depends on the machine. On the bean-to-cup Magnifica S, Magnifica Start and Dinamica, it's the infuser: a brew unit behind a door on the right side that the owner lifts out and rinses at least once a month, with water only. On the Dedica and La Specialista, it's a group head with a boiler gasket, and the manuals say that gasket is replaced by Customer Services, not the owner.

Neither manual describes replacing the infuser or the group head as an owner repair. What they do describe solves most "clogged" and "leaking" complaints: cleaning the infuser correctly, clearing the coffee spouts, and descaling with De'Longhi's own descaler.

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Try This First

• Turn the machine off with its power button before touching the infuser. De'Longhi says it can't be removed while the machine is on.
• Check the coffee spouts for blocked holes.
• Run a rinse if the first coffee is cold or weak. The manuals blame circuits cooling after 2-3 minutes idle.
• Look for the descale light and the triangle (alarm) light on bean-to-cup models.
• Portafilter models: wipe the rim and turn the filter holder firmly as far as it goes.

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Which Problem Do You Have?

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Tools and Parts

No infuser, gasket or brew-head part numbers appear in these manuals.

⚠️ Safety: switch the machine off before removing the infuser, and unplug it before cleaning inside. Never immerse the machine. Descaling sends hot, acidic water from the spouts and steam wand, so De'Longhi warns of burns.

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Step 1: Remove and Rinse the Infuser (Magnifica S, Magnifica Start, Dinamica)

The Magnifica S manual says the infuser "must be cleaned at least once a month", and "without using washing up liquid as it could be damaged". The Dinamica's is blunter: "RINSE WITH WATER ONLY / NO DETERGENTS - NO DISHWASHER."

1. Turn the machine off with its power button. If the infuser won't come out, the manuals' answer is that the machine isn't off.
2. Remove the water tank.
3. Open the infuser door on the right side.
4. Magnifica S: press the two coloured release buttons inwards and pull the infuser out.
5. Soak it in water for about 5 minutes, then rinse under the tap. No detergent, and no dishwasher.
6. Brush out the housing where the infuser sits.
7. Slide the infuser back onto its support and push the PUSH symbol until it clicks. On the Magnifica S, check the two coloured buttons have snapped out.
8. Close the door and refit the tank.

Time: 10 minutes
Cost: Free
Difficulty: Easy

Hard to refit? The Magnifica S and Magnifica Start manuals say to adapt it first by pressing the two levers on the infuser. On the Magnifica S, a flashing triangle light alone means the infuser isn't back in place.

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Step 2: Clear the Spouts and the Pre-Ground Funnel

These are the manuals' remedies for coffee that won't come out, or comes out watery.

1. Coffee spouts: wipe them with a cloth. Clear encrusted holes with a toothpick.
2. Pre-ground funnel (Magnifica S, Magnifica Start): check it about once a month and clear any coffee deposits. The Magnifica Start manual lists a clogged funnel as a cause of watery coffee.
3. Inside the machine (Magnifica S): about once a week, check the area behind the drip tray. With the machine off and unplugged, sponge out coffee deposits and vacuum the residue.

Time: 10 minutes
Cost: Free
Difficulty: Easy

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Step 3: Descale With De'Longhi's Descaler

Descaling is the "descaling" part of a brew head clean-up, and the manuals tie it to the machine's own alert.

• Magnifica S: when the descale light flashes, empty the drip tray and grounds container, remove any water softener filter, and add descaler to level A (a 100 ml pack) plus water to level B (1 L). Put a container of at least 1.8 L under the spouts and steam wand. Hold the descale button for at least 5 seconds, and turn the steam dial to I when the light flashes.
• Magnifica Start / Dinamica: follow the descale prompts. The cycle "must be completed with the entire rinse cycle".

Time: The length of the machine's own cycle, plus the rinse
Cost: De'Longhi descaler
Difficulty: Easy

De'Longhi warns that "using unsuitable descaler and/or performing descaling incorrectly may result in faults not covered by the manufacturer's guarantee." Full steps for these machines are in our De'Longhi descaling guide.

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Step 4: Dedica and La Specialista: the Gasket Is a Service Job

On the portafilter machines, the troubleshooting row is "the espresso coffee drips from the edges of the filter holder rather than the holes". Work through its causes in order.

1. Fit the filter holder correctly and "rotate firmly as far as it will go". Clean it if it's dirty.
2. Clear the filter holder spout holes and clean the filters.
3. Still dripping from the edges? The last cause is that "the espresso boiler gasket has lost elasticity or is dirty". The remedy is "Have the espresso boiler gasket replaced by Customer Services."

The same rows appear in the La Specialista Arte, Prestigio and Maestro manuals. Also on the Dedica: if the filter stays stuck to the boiler outlet after a coffee, "insert the filter holder again, deliver coffee, then remove the filter holder".

Time: 5 minutes to check; a service visit for the gasket
Cost: Depends on warranty
Difficulty: Easy

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Model Differences

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When DIY Won't Work

Contact De'Longhi customer services if:

• "Impurities have been detected in the internal circuits" keeps returning after waiting (Magnifica Start, Dinamica)
• The infuser won't come out with the machine switched off, or won't click back in
• Coffee still drips from the filter holder edges after Step 4's checks
• Dedica: all the lights flash and it won't work. The manual says to disconnect it immediately and contact authorized Customer Services.

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Keep the Brew Head Clean

• Rinse the infuser monthly, with water only.
• Brush the infuser housing while the infuser is out.
• Check the spouts and the pre-ground funnel monthly.
• Descale when the light says so, with De'Longhi descaler, and finish the rinse.
• Run 2-3 rinses before brewing if the machine hasn't been used for 3-4 days, as the Magnifica S and Dinamica manuals advise.

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FAQ

Can I wash the De'Longhi brew unit with soap or in the dishwasher?

No. The Magnifica S manual says to clean the infuser without washing-up liquid, "as it could be damaged". The Dinamica's says "rinse with water only / no detergents - no dishwasher". Soak it in water for about five minutes and rinse it under the tap.

Why won't my De'Longhi infuser come out?

The machine isn't switched off. The Magnifica Start and Dinamica troubleshooting tables give exactly that cause: turn the machine off with its power button, then open the door and remove the infuser.

Do De'Longhi brew units need grease?

The manuals don't say so. They prescribe a monthly water-only clean and say nothing about greasing seals or the brew unit. Follow the manual rather than adding lubricant.

Can I replace the gasket on my Dedica?

The Dedica manual doesn't give owner steps. When coffee drips from the filter holder edges because the boiler gasket "has lost elasticity or is dirty", its remedy is to have the gasket replaced by Customer Services.

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Related De'Longhi Guides

• De'Longhi Won't Brew Coffee?: flow problems on bean-to-cup and Dedica
• De'Longhi Error Codes and Lights: the triangle and other lights
• De'Longhi Descaling Guide: every model's descale
• Espresso Machine Group Head Gasket Replacement: Breville, Gaggia and De'Longhi compared

Sources: De'Longhi Magnifica S ECAM20/21/22.11X, Magnifica Start ECAM22X.2Y/3Y and Dinamica ECAM35X.50 instructions; Dedica EC685/EC695/EC785 instructions; La Specialista Arte, Prestigio and Maestro instructions.