Espresso Machine Tune-up
I use my espresso machine nearly every day and as part of producing good coffee, I do my best to keep it clean. Twice a year, I decide to run through a small tune up process where I clean out the filter, replace the portafilter gasket and give the parts a nice scrub. While not directly related to roasting, I figured I would show this process just in case someone else has a Nuova Simonelli Oscar.
In order to access the brew-head components on this machine, it’s best to flip it upside down after removing the water tank. From here, you can easily see the screen and if you look carefully, the black gasket. Using a flathead screwdriver, it’s easy to remove the pieces and expose the brass diffuser.
If it’s been a while since you’ve cleaned your machine, it may be difficult to separate the screen from the diffuser. To help free the screen without damaging it, I like to place the entire setup in some boiling water.
After soaking for a few minutes, I’ll work the screwdriver or a small pick around the edges in order to split the screen from the diffuser.
After removing the screen, you’ll see the bulk of your work. If your machine is like mine, it’s got a significant amount of nasty coffee caked on to it. Similar to a glue, this gunk takes a while to get off and requires a hefty amount of scrubbing. Seeing that my diffuser was this dirty, it’s no wonder some of my coffee shots were channeling. Some of the holes were the water enters were obscured with nasty residue.
Similar to before, I like to place the diffuser in boiling water where I can let it sit. After a few minutes, I begin scrubbing and then repeat until I have a clean, smooth diffuser with limited or no leftover coffee garbage. In between my waiting, I will usually use my picks to remove the black gasket in the machine and drop a new one in.
Once I am happy with the results, I place the clean diffuser back on the brew-head, lay on the screen and screw everything back in. Knowing that the machine is as clean as it will get, I usually pull a shot shortly after and enjoy the fruits of my labor. The best part of using a cleaned machine is seeing how the water gets perfectly distributed across the brew-head. Oh, and the espresso shot is perfect.
