I live in a hard water area, so I know I need to descale my coffee machine more often than I think. Most of the best espresso machines — like Breville and De'Longhi — and the best coffee makers — like Moccamaster and Keurig machines — have a timer that alerts you when you should descale. However, if you've got hard water, this preset timer won't be as accurate.
As you can't see limescale inside a coffee machine, it can be tricky to know when to descale. However, I've hacked it: I descale my electric kettle at the same time as my coffee machine. When my kettle starts getting limescaley, I know it's time to descale both appliances.
How I know when to descale
As I descale my kettle and my coffee machine at the same time, the limescale will recur at around the same rate. Obviously, the limescale amount won't be identical, as different machines have different materials and different internal mechanisms. Some hold water in certain places, some don't.
This isn't a hard-and-fast rule, but it's a good guideline to know when you should be descaling.
You can't see the inside of a coffee machine, but you can see the inside of a kettle. When I can see limescale forming inside my kettle, I know it's time to descale both my kettle and coffee machine.
When my kettle starts looking like this, it's time.
When you start seeing the white silt at the bottom of the kettle, you should descale. If you leave it too long, the limescale will start appearing in your hot drinks, or it could damage the heating elements.
How I descale my kettle and coffee machine
When my kettle starts looking silty, I know it's time to descale. I buy coffee-machine-safe descaler — this is easy to find at the grocery store — and follow the instructions on the back of the box.
Descaling a kettle is straightforward: you simply pour the solution into the just-off-the-boil water, leave it for a few minutes, and pour it away. Coffee machines are a little more complicated.
As each coffee machine has a different descaling process, I can't tell you exactly how to descale. Your user manual will be your best friend while descaling for the first time.
My Breville Bambino Plus calls for descaling solution in the water tank. Then, you press a few buttons, place a container under the steam wand and the group head, and water dispenses until the tank is empty. Then, you refill the water tank with clean water, and do it all again.
If you have a drip coffee machine — like the Moccamaster KGBV Select — there will be a different process. Make sure you read your user manual.
Descaling doesn't take long (on my machine), but I recommend setting aside a chunk of time to ensure the descaling cycle has time to complete.
Why you should descale
If you live in a hard water area, you know how gross limescale can be. Even if you're in a soft water area, you'll need to descale, but just not as regularly.
Limescale is just sediment found in mineral-heavy (hard) water. Over time, this builds up and can damage your appliances. Let's imagine a cast iron pan. If you don't take care of the pan, it will grow rust, and your pan will be ruined.
A similar thing happens to coffee machines when you don't descale. Limescale will affect the machine's ability to heat up, which can make it more power-hungry (therefore expensive), damage its mechanisms, and, ultimately, cause it to break prematurely.
And, finally: You must ensure your descaling solution is compatible with your coffee machine and kettle. You might not be able to use the same solution for both appliances. Always check the label to ensure you're using the correct chemical for your product.
I've linked De'Longhi, Breville, Keurig, and descalers below. Most coffee machines come with at least one pack of descaler when you first purchase, so make sure you actually need to buy a new pack beforehand.
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