How to Clean Your Breville Coffee Machine

When it comes to coffee, there is nothing more important than taste.

If you have invested in a Breville coffee machine, it’s because you want great-tasting coffee — and regularly cleaning your machine is an essential way to ensure this quality flavour continues over time. Baristas and experts agree: clean coffee machines equal better taste.

But this is not the only reason to keep your machine clean. Like all kitchen appliances, coffee machines will experience an internal build-up over time. From stale and residual coffee grounds to scaling from minerals in hard water, coffee machines need to be maintained to keep them functioning properly.

If you neglect the maintenance of your machine, it may eventually clog up and stop functioning. Even skipping regular cleaning can decrease the overall longevity of your machine, forcing you to replace it earlier than necessary. 

So if you want to get the best out of your Breville coffee machine, follow our expert tips on cleaning and maintenance. Leave any questions for our team in the comments below.


In this article, we’ll cover these topics:

How often you should clean your coffee machine

When it comes to cleaning frequency, there are some parts of your Breville coffee machine that will require more regular cleaning than others. Assuming you are making a few cups of coffee in your machine each day, this is how often we recommend cleaning different features.


You should be cleaning a couple of components of your machine on a daily basis. In some cases, you should even be cleaning these parts every time you make a coffee. Here’s what we’d suggest doing on a daily basis:


  • Empty the filter basket after each shot
  • Flush the portafilter and group head before and after pulling each shot (for 5 secs)
  • Purge and wipe the steam wand with each use
  • Empty the drip tray daily

Some components warrant a more thorough cleaning on a weekly basis to keep your coffee tasting its best. Here’s what we would recommend cleaning weekly:


  • Deep clean the tip of the steam wand weekly
  • Wash the portafilter and filter basket weekly
  • Backflush the group head weekly
  • Remove and properly clean the drip tray weekly

Other parts of your Breville coffee machine can wait a bit longer for regular cleaning. These are the things that we’d recommend cleaning every 2 to 3 weeks:


  • Clean and brush the grinder every few weeks
  • Rinse and refill the water tank every few weeks

Every few months, there are a couple of additional cleaning tasks that you should complete to keep your coffee machine in tip-top condition. Here’s what you should do:


  • Change your water filter
  • Run a cleaning cycle on your coffee machine
  • Descale your coffee machine

You can read more details on these cleaning tasks below.



Cleaning the portafilter

The portafilter is one of the parts of your Breville coffee machine that you should be cleaning most often. After each shot, tap the filter basket over the garbage to empty the grounds. Then flush the portafilter and group head to clean away the remaining grounds and wipe it dry with a cloth.

In addition to this basic rinse, you should give the portafilter a proper clean on a weekly to monthly basis. To do this, remove both the portafilter and filter basket. Wash with a scoring brush, gentle detergent, and hot water. 

Alternatively, you can use a cleaning tablet and soak the metal filter basket in hot water. You should avoid soaking the portafilter as non-metal components can be damaged.


What is the portafilter?

The portafilter or ‘group handle’ is the scoop-like device used to hold the filter basket and ground coffee in a semi-automatic manual coffee machine. 

The portafilter is used to catch the coffee grounds from the grinder, then inserted and locked into the group head to pour the shot. It is made up of a plastic handle, a metal basket, and a single or double spout for pouring your coffee.



Cleaning the steam wand

Another component that should be cleaned on a daily basis is the steam wand. It is easy for milk to dry and calcify on your steam wand, which can block the holes on the tip of the device.

To produce microfoam with the right pressure and texture, you need to clean your steam wand after each use by purging and wiping. To purge your steam wand, switch to the steam setting for roughly 5 seconds to clear out condensation or milk buildup. Then wipe with a dedicated cloth (separate from what you use to clean the rest of your machine) to dry it off.

For best results, we recommend you purge your steam wand prior to use, then purge and wipe again after use. This will give you the best quality microfoam for your coffee.

In addition to this daily cleaning, we suggest doing a monthly deep clean of the tip of your steam wand. To do this, unscrew the tip and soak it in warm water, then poke the holes using the pin tool. This will remove the calcification that builds up in the steam holes. Finally, purge and wipe the wand again after cleaning.

What is the steam wand?

The steam wand is a common accessory for semi-automatic manual coffee machines, designed to expel hot steam at high pressure to transform milk into textured microfoam for your coffee. 

The steam wand is usually attached to the side of the machine and comes with a stainless steel milk jug, used for frothing the milk into microfoam and pouring it to create latte art.



Cleaning the group head

The group head is an essential part of your Breville coffee machine. You should purge the group head before and after every shot. To do this, insert the filter basket into the portafilter and lock in place. Then run a short flow of water through the group head for about 5 seconds.

This purging process will clean the shower screen of the group head and also stabilize the water temperature prior to extraction, improving the taste of your coffee. Repeat the process after you’ve finished making your coffee.

In addition, we would recommend running a full backflush cycle on the group head on a weekly basis at least. See more info on how to run a clean water backflush below.

What is the group head?

The group head is one of the most important parts of a Breville espresso machine. It is located on the front of the machine, typically in the centre. 

The group head is used to force high-pressure hot water through the coffee grounds to pull the shot for your cup. Below the group head is a slot where the portafilter can be inserted and locked into place. 
How to Run the Backflush Cycle
  • A clean water backflush cycle is designed to fully clean the group head of any residual grounds. To run a backflush cycle, follow these steps:
  • Insert the single shot filter and silicon cleaning disc into the portafilter.
  • Insert and lock the portafilter into the group head.
  • Run a shot through the empty portafilter on the brew cycle. 
  • Wait for the pressure to build up and then discharge the shot. 
  • Repeat the process 3-4 times on average.

When you have completed the backflush cycle, you can also use your pin tool (also used for cleaning the steam wand) to clean the holes in the filter basket as well. This will also clean out the last of the grounds from the filter.



Cleaning the drip tray

The drip tray is the section designed to catch drips from the group head and steam wand. The drip tray should be removed, emptied, and cleaned regularly with soap and hot water. We recommend emptying daily and cleaning at least weekly.

Watch out for the ‘Empty Me’ indicator to know when the drip tray is ready to be emptied. Take care to remove all residue from the tray when emptying. Avoid the use of abrasive cleaners when washing, as they can scratch the surface of the tray.

In addition to the drip tray, most Breville coffee machines also come with a storage tray for filter baskets, silicon cleaning filters, and other cleaning tools. This tray can also be removed and cleaned with a damp cloth.



How to clean your built-in coffee grinder 

If your Breville coffee machine has a built-in grinder, it is important to be careful when cleaning the grinder and its conical burrs. You should never use soap or water to clean your burrs, as this will cause them to rust, so follow our steps carefully.

  1. Unlock and empty the hopper to remove any remaining coffee beans.
  2. Set the grinder size to maximum and run to empty the grinder. Stop when complete.
  3. Remove the upper burr by twisting, unlocking and lifting it out.
  4. Use the burr brush accessory to remove any stale grounds from the burrs.
  5. Clean the grinder outlet with the brush to remove any grounds from the bottom end too.
  6. Replace the upper burrs and hopper. Refill the hopper with coffee beans.

If you are having trouble brushing the burrs, you can even use a smaller vacuum attachment for a thorough cleaning. Make sure the attachment head is also cleaned before use. Most importantly, do not use soap and water to clean your burrs.

This cleaning process will ensure you don’t have any stale beans or grounds affecting your coffee flavour. You should clean your grinder and conical burrs every 2-3 weeks on average.



How to change the water filter in your coffee machine

Most Breville coffee machines use either a ClaroSwiss or charcoal filter for your water tank. These filters should be changed at least every 3 months for best results.

Regular filter changes will keep your coffee taste consistent. You may find you need to replace your filter more often if you have hard water in your area, as this will help to prevent scaling. Remember that the cleaner the water, the cleaner your coffee.

To change your water filter, follow these steps:


  1. Remove and drain the water tank.
  2. Remove and discard the old water filter.
  3. Soak the new water filter for five minutes in lukewarm water.
  4. Rinse the new water filter and install it in the tank.
  5. Fill the water tank and insert it into your coffee machine.


Cleaning and descaling your coffee machine

Over time, it is typical for mineral deposits and hard scale to build up on the internal parts of your coffee machine. The speed of this build-up will depend on the hardness of the water in your area (i.e. the amount of minerals in your water).

If you leave your coffee machine for a long period of time without cleaning/descaling, your machine may eventually clog up and stop working. That’s why it’s important to keep a look out for the clean or descale prompts on your Breville coffee machine and aim to clean them every 2-3 months.



  1. Empty your drip tray and water tank. Refill the tank with cold water.
  2. Insert the single shot filter basket into the portafilter, along with the silicon cleaning disc and a single cleaning tablet. Cleaning tablets are included with most Breville models.
  3. Insert and lock the portafilter into the group head.
  4. Run the cleaning cycle following the instructions in your Breville manual. Details will vary depending on your specific model.
  5. Repeat the cycle until the cleaning tablet is fully dissolved in the portafilter.
  6. Rinse the portafilter and filter basket.

In addition to these steps, we recommend running another cycle without a cleaning tablet to flush the taste from your machine. If you don’t run an additional cycle with clean water, you may notice a slight taste for your next few cups of coffee.


  1. Empty your drip tray and water tank. Remove the water filter.
  2. Dissolve one packet of descaler with the appropriate amount of warm water. Descaler is included with most Breville models.
  3. Pour the descaling solution into your water tank and insert into the coffee machine.
  4. Run the descaling cycle following the instructions in your Breville manual, including specific instructions for your steam wand. Details will vary depending on your model.
  5. Repeat the process (steps 5-6) until there is no descaling solution left in the water tank.
  6. Remove the water tank and rinse thoroughly.
  7. Run another cycle with clean water to flush the descaling solution from your machine

Repeating the cycle with clean water is vital for rinsing the descaler. If you don’t complete this step, you may notice an unpleasant taste in your next few cups of coffee.
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