Cleaning and descaling a Breville Barista Express are not the same job. Cleaning removes coffee oils and residue from the group-head circuit with the cleaning disc and a tablet. Descaling sends descaling solution through the coffee, steam and hot-water paths to remove mineral buildup. On the current U.S. BES870 control panel, a flashing CLEAN/DESCALE light calls for the tablet cleaning cycle, while a solid light calls for descaling.
This guide covers the Breville Barista Express BES870 series, including the BES870XL sold in North America. It does not cover the Barista Express Impress BES876, which has different controls and maintenance instructions. Because the BES870 has been sold with more than one panel label and manual revision, identify whether your machine says CLEAN ME or CLEAN/DESCALE before choosing a procedure.
Safety first: Switch off, unplug and let the machine cool before removing cleaning parts, clearing a blocked steam tip or brushing the grinder. Keep water away from the power cord, plug and grinder chamber. Never remove the portafilter while the machine is extracting or running a cleaning cycle, and keep hands clear of hot water, steam and the group head.
Which Barista Express maintenance procedure do you need?
| What you see | Procedure to use | What it removes |
|---|---|---|
| Loose grounds after brewing | Rinse the basket and portafilter; purge the group head | Fresh coffee particles before they harden |
| Milk on or inside the steam tip | Wipe and briefly purge the steam wand after every use | Fresh milk residue |
| CLEAN/DESCALE light flashing | Cleaning cycle with the cleaning disc and one tablet | Coffee oils and residue in the backflush path |
| CLEAN/DESCALE light solid | Descale mode with the specified descaling solution | Mineral deposits in the internal water paths |
| Older panel says CLEAN ME | Run the cleaning cycle; check that machine’s manual for its separate descaling method | Coffee residue, not mineral scale |
| Two months have passed since filter replacement | Condition and install a new compatible water filter | Helps reduce impurities and future scale buildup |
| Grinder output is becoming inconsistent | Empty the hopper and dry-clean the accessible burrs and chute | Ground coffee and oil around the grinder path |
The key distinction is where each product goes: the cleaning tablet belongs in the cleaning disc inside the portafilter; the prepared descaling solution belongs in the water tank. Never put a cleaning tablet in the tank or descaling powder in the portafilter.
The button combinations below follow the current official U.S. Barista Express BES870 manual. If the wording or lights on your panel differ, use the manual identified by the model and product code on your machine rather than forcing a sequence intended for another revision.
A practical BES870 cleaning schedule
Usage, coffee oils and water hardness vary, so the machine’s indicator and exact manual take priority over a calendar. This schedule prevents residue from accumulating while keeping chemicals out of routine daily care.
| When | Maintenance | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| After every espresso session | Discard the puck, rinse the basket and portafilter, wipe the group head and run a short water purge | Dry the basket and portafilter before the next dose |
| After every milk drink | Wipe the steam wand and briefly purge steam into the drip tray | Do this immediately, before milk dries on the tip |
| At least weekly or as buildup appears | Clean the shower screen exterior, basket holes, drip tray, storage tray and tank | Use soft cloths and hand-wash removable parts |
| Every two to three weeks, or when grinder residue builds up | Empty the hopper and brush the accessible burrs and grind chute | Keep the burrs and grinder chamber dry |
| About every two months | Replace the water filter | Replace it sooner in hard-water conditions |
| When the relevant light or manual calls for it | Run either the tablet cleaning cycle or descale mode | Do not substitute one procedure for the other |
What to clean after each brewing session
- Remove the puck promptly. Once extraction has finished and pressure has released, remove the portafilter and knock out the used coffee. Leaving a wet puck in place encourages oils and grounds to collect around the basket and group seal.
- Rinse the basket and portafilter. Use hot water to remove visible grounds and coffee oils. Check both the basket holes and the portafilter spouts.
- Wipe the group-head interior. Use a clean damp cloth around the shower screen and the accessible sealing surface. Do not reach into a hot group head.
- Run a short group-head purge. With no coffee installed, briefly run water through the group to carry away loose particles. Breville also publishes a clear-water backflush procedure for more thorough water-only maintenance between tablet cycles.
- Clean the steam wand immediately after milk. Wipe the outside with a damp cloth, point the tip over the drip tray and briefly select STEAM to clear residue inside the tip. Return the dial to STANDBY.
- Empty the drip tray when needed. Normal automatic purging sends water into the tray after espresso, steam and hot-water use. Empty and wash it whenever the indicator rises or before a maintenance cycle that will add more water.
Routine rinsing uses water, not a cleaning tablet. Save the tablet for the machine’s programmed cleaning cycle unless the manual specifically directs you to dissolve one for soaking a blocked basket.
How to run the Barista Express cleaning cycle
Use this cycle when the current CLEAN/DESCALE light flashes or when an older BES870 panel’s CLEAN ME indicator calls for cleaning. It backflushes the coffee path; it does not descale the steam and hot-water circuits.
What you need
- The supplied 1 CUP filter basket
- The supplied silicone cleaning disc
- One espresso-machine cleaning tablet
- A full water tank, an empty drip tray and a large heat-safe container
Cleaning-cycle steps for the current U.S. BES870
- Place the 1 CUP basket in the portafilter. Insert the cleaning disc into the basket, then place one cleaning tablet in the disc.
- Lock the portafilter securely into the group head and place a large container beneath its spouts.
- Fill and firmly reseat the water tank. Empty and reinstall the drip tray.
- Press POWER to switch the machine off.
- Press and hold the 1 CUP and 2 CUP buttons together, then press and hold POWER as well. Keep all three pressed for about 10 seconds, until the programmed cycle begins.
- Leave the portafilter locked in place while the machine pulses. The cycle takes about five minutes and finishes with two beeps. Intermittent pump noise and pauses are part of the cycle; do not expect a continuous stream.
- After the cycle has ended, remove the portafilter carefully and check that the tablet has dissolved. If solid tablet remains, reinstall the assembly and repeat the documented cycle.
- Remove the cleaning disc, rinse the disc, basket and portafilter thoroughly, and run a short clean-water purge through the empty group head before making coffee.
Breville’s official Barista Express cleaning-cycle tutorial is useful for checking the order visually. Do not interrupt the cycle just because the pump stops between pulses, and do not remove the portafilter while the cleaning process is active.
How to descale a Barista Express BES870
Descale when the current U.S. machine shows a solid CLEAN/DESCALE light or when the correct manual for your revision calls for it. Scale is mineral buildup from water; it can gradually reduce flow, heating performance and taste. A tablet cleaning cycle cannot remove it.
These Breville Barista Express descale instructions apply to the current U.S. BES870/BES870XL procedure: enter descale mode, run the coffee, steam and hot-water stages, then repeat them with fresh water to rinse the machine completely.
Use the amount and type of descaler specified by your exact manual. The current U.S. instructions use one Breville descaling-powder sachet dissolved in 34 fl oz (1 L) of water. Do not guess a vinegar ratio or mix descaler with another cleaner.
Descale-mode steps for the current U.S. BES870
- Prepare the machine. Remove coffee from the portafilter, empty the drip tray and place suitable heat-safe containers under the group head, hot-water outlet and steam wand. Start with the machine switched off.
- Prepare the solution. Dissolve one specified descaling-powder sachet in 34 fl oz (1 L) of water and add it to the tank. Reinstall the tank firmly. If your exact manual directs you to remove the water filter before descaling, remove it first.
- Enter descale mode. Press and hold 2 CUP, then press and hold POWER at the same time. The POWER light flashes while the machine heats. Wait until POWER, 1 CUP, CLEAN/DESCALE and the STEAM/HOT WATER indicator are all solid.
- Descale the coffee component. Press 1 CUP. It runs for roughly 25 seconds; the button flashes during the process and becomes steady when that stage finishes.
- Descale the steam component. Point the wand into its container and turn the dial to STEAM. This stage runs for roughly 13 seconds. Return the dial to STANDBY when it stops.
- Descale the hot-water component. Move the container beneath the dedicated hot-water outlet and turn the dial to HOT WATER. This stage runs for roughly eight seconds; return the dial to STANDBY afterward.
- Use the remaining solution. The current manual expects about half of the prepared solution to remain after the first three stages. Repeat the coffee, steam and hot-water stages once to complete the chemical pass. Watch the tank and never let the pump run dry.
- Rinse the tank. Remove it after the chemical stages have stopped, rinse it thoroughly and fill it to MAX with fresh cold water. Reinstall it completely.
- Run the fresh-water rinse. Repeat the coffee, steam and hot-water stages with clean water to flush descaling residue from all three paths.
- Exit descale mode. Press POWER. The indicator lights switch off. Empty and rinse the drip tray and containers, then refill the tank with fresh water for normal use.
The machine can leave descale mode automatically after about five minutes without input. If that happens before you finish, begin again from the manual’s descale-mode entry step rather than pressing random button combinations. Breville’s separate official BES870 descale tutorial provides a visual reference.
If the machine cannot move any water through either the empty group head or hot-water outlet, do not keep running descaler against a dry circuit. Diagnose tank seating, priming and outlet behavior before attempting another chemical cycle; the correct specialist guide is listed in the troubleshooting section below.
What if the CLEAN or DESCALE light stays on?
- Read the light state again. On the current CLEAN/DESCALE panel, flashing and solid call for different procedures. Completing the tablet cycle does not satisfy a solid descale reminder.
- Confirm the cycle actually started and finished. Holding the wrong buttons, releasing them too soon or losing power can leave the required maintenance incomplete.
- Check the tablet after cleaning. If it remains partly intact, follow the manual’s instruction to repeat the cleaning cycle until it dissolves.
- Complete all three descale paths and the rinse. The coffee component alone is not the whole descale procedure; the steam and hot-water components must also run.
- Match the instructions to the panel. An older machine labeled CLEAN ME may use a different descaling routine and does not use the current flashing-versus-solid rule in the same way.
- Stop repeating chemicals without evidence. If the correct complete procedure finishes but the indicator immediately remains or returns, switch off, review the exact model manual and contact Breville if the reminder will not clear.
How to replace the BES870 water filter
The current U.S. manual calls for replacement about every two months and recommends changing it more frequently in hard-water areas. Breville’s U.S. tutorial describes the filter life as 60 days or 10.6 gallons. A filter helps reduce scale formation, but it does not make descaling permanently unnecessary.
- Remove the new compatible filter from its packaging and soak it in a cup of water for five minutes.
- Rinse the filter under cold running water and wash the reusable filter holder with cold water.
- Place the filter into the two-piece holder and close the holder securely.
- Set the date dial two months ahead so the next replacement is visible.
- Align the holder with the adapter inside the tank and push it down until it locks.
- Fill the tank with fresh cold water, reinstall it squarely and push it all the way down to engage the machine’s inlet.
Use the filter type specified for the machine and market. The official Barista Express filter-replacement tutorial shows the holder orientation. If your manual says to remove the filter when using a particular type of already-filtered or bottled water, follow that machine-specific direction.
Clean the group head, portafilter and filter baskets
Group head and shower screen
- Wipe the group-head interior and the visible shower screen with a damp cloth after the machine has cooled.
- Run a short water purge without coffee to flush away loose particles.
- Clean grounds from the portafilter rim and the group-seal contact area; residue there can prevent a clean seal.
- Leave the shower-screen screw and silicone seal installed during routine cleaning. Removal belongs to the manual’s illustrated seal-service procedure, not an exploratory weekly clean.
Portafilter and baskets
- Rinse the basket and portafilter under hot water immediately after use.
- Hold the basket toward a light to check its holes. Use the fine pin on the supplied cleaning tool only on blocked holes; do not enlarge them with a drill bit or thick wire.
- If the holes remain blocked, dissolve one cleaning tablet in hot water and soak the basket and portafilter for about 20 minutes, then rinse them thoroughly.
- Dry both parts before grinding and dosing. Moisture in the basket can encourage uneven water paths through the coffee puck.
Clean and unblock the steam wand
- After every milk use, return the dial to STANDBY before removing the jug.
- Wipe the outside of the wand promptly with a clean damp cloth. Do not leave it soaking in milk or wrap a wet cloth around it for storage.
- Point the tip over the drip tray and briefly select STEAM to clear milk from inside, then return the dial to STANDBY.
- If a tip hole is blocked, switch off, unplug and let the machine cool. Use the pin on the supplied cleaning tool to clear the hole gently.
- If the blockage remains, use the cleaning tool’s integrated wrench to remove the cooled tip, soak the tip in hot water, clear its holes with the pin and reinstall it securely.
If the tip is clean but the machine still produces no steam, weak steam or poor frothing, maintenance is no longer the complete answer. Continue with the steam-wand diagnosis listed below for the heat-up, scale, water-supply and internal-fault checks.
Clean the grinder and bean hopper safely
Coffee oils and fine particles can collect around the burrs and grind outlet. This maintenance is dry: water inside the grinder can damage coffee, corrode parts or create a safety risk.
- Unlock the hopper, empty the beans, reinstall and lock it, then run the grinder until no more grounds dispense.
- Switch off and unplug the machine. Unlock and remove the empty hopper.
- Turn the upper burr to its unlock position and lift it out by its handle. Burr edges are sharp, so hold only the intended grip points.
- Use the supplied brush to clean the upper burr, accessible lower burr and grind chute. Do not pour water, cleaner or rice into the burr chamber.
- Align and lock the upper burr correctly, then reinstall and lock the completely dry hopper.
- Wipe the removed hopper with a soft damp cloth only when needed, and let it dry fully before beans are added.
The manual’s advanced lower-burr procedure is intended for a blockage between the burrs and grinder outlet, not routine cleaning. If the grinder remains silent, jams, runs without dispensing or makes an abnormal noise after the accessible dry clean, move to the grinder fault guide listed below instead of dismantling the machine further.
Clean the water tank, drip tray and exterior
Water tank
- Remove the water-filter holder before washing the tank.
- Hand-wash with warm water, gentle dishwashing liquid and a soft cloth. Rinse thoroughly so no detergent remains.
- Refit the filter if used, fill with fresh cold water and push the tank completely down when reinstalling it.
Drip tray and storage tray
- Remove the drip-tray grid, coffee-ground separator and full-tray indicator. Discard water and grounds.
- Wash the removable drip-tray parts by hand in warm soapy water with a soft cloth, rinse and dry thoroughly.
- Pull out the storage tray behind the drip tray and wipe it with a soft damp cloth.
- Reassemble and push the drip tray fully into place so normal automatic purging lands inside it.
Outer housing and cup-warming tray
Switch off and unplug the machine. Wipe stainless-steel and painted surfaces with a soft damp cloth, then polish dry. Do not immerse the machine, direct water into openings or use abrasive cleaners, scouring pads or cloths that can scratch the finish. The current U.S. manual directs owners to hand-wash the removable parts rather than putting them in a dishwasher.
Cleaning mistakes that cause more problems
| Mistake | Why it is a problem | Safer action |
|---|---|---|
| Putting a cleaning tablet in the water tank | The tablet cycle is designed around the cleaning disc and backflush path | Put one tablet in the disc inside the portafilter |
| Using descaler in the cleaning disc | Descaler must circulate from the tank through the water paths | Prepare it in the tank exactly as the manual specifies |
| Treating every maintenance light as descaling | A flashing current-panel light calls for cleaning, not descaling | Identify the panel wording and whether the light is flashing or solid |
| Using vinegar or a homemade chemical mix by default | Strength and compatibility are uncertain, and residue or odor may remain | Use the product and dilution specified by the exact manual |
| Washing burrs or pouring rice through the grinder | Moisture and foreign material can damage or obstruct the grinder | Use the supplied dry brush on accessible parts |
| Running repeated descale cycles when every outlet is dry | Solution cannot clear a path the machine cannot draw into, and the pump may run dry | Diagnose the water supply and outlet pattern first |
| Skipping the fresh-water rinse | Descaling solution can remain in the coffee, steam and hot-water paths | Rinse the tank and run all three components with clean water |
| Putting parts in the dishwasher | The current U.S. manual specifies hand washing and warns against dishwasher cleaning | Use warm water, gentle dishwashing liquid and a soft cloth |
If a problem remains after cleaning or descaling
Maintenance can remove residue and scale, but it cannot prove that every symptom was caused by dirt. Choose the next guide by what the machine now does:
- No water from the empty group head or hot-water outlet: use the water-delivery diagnosis.
- Water flows, but shot flow or gauge pressure is wrong: use the Barista Express pressure troubleshooting guide.
- The group head works, but steam remains absent or weak: use the steam-wand diagnosis.
- The clean grinder remains silent, jammed, noisy or inconsistent: use the grinder fault guide.
- The whole machine is unresponsive or shows a different symptom: start with the complete Barista Express BES870 troubleshooting guide.
Stop using the machine and arrange service if it leaks underneath or near electrical parts, repeatedly trips power, smells burned, produces smoke, overheats, or still cannot circulate water after the documented external checks. Do not open the outer housing to reach pumps, valves, wiring or internal water lines.
Barista Express cleaning and descaling FAQs
Is cleaning the same as descaling a Breville Barista Express?
No. The cleaning cycle uses a tablet and cleaning disc to remove coffee oils from the backflush path. Descaling uses a prepared solution in the water tank to remove mineral buildup from the coffee, steam and hot-water paths.
What does a flashing CLEAN/DESCALE light mean?
On the current U.S. BES870 manual, flashing means the machine requires the cleaning cycle with the 1 CUP basket, cleaning disc and one tablet. A solid light means descaling is required. Older panels labeled CLEAN ME should be matched to their own manual.
How often should I clean my Barista Express?
Rinse the basket and portafilter and purge the group head after each brewing session; wipe and purge the steam wand after every milk use. Clean the trays, tank and accessible grinder regularly as residue appears. Run chemical cycles when the relevant indicator and exact manual call for them rather than adding tablets to every routine rinse.
Can I use a cleaning tablet to descale the machine?
No. A cleaning tablet targets coffee oils through the portafilter backflush setup. Descaling powder is diluted in the water tank and circulated through three separate components. Using one product in place of the other does not perform the missing maintenance.
Can I descale a Barista Express with vinegar?
The current U.S. BES870 instructions specify Breville descaling powder and a defined dilution. Use the product stated in the exact manual for your machine rather than improvising a vinegar concentration, combining chemicals or relying on advice for another espresso-machine model.
Why is water entering the drip tray during cleaning?
The Barista Express normally sends water into the drip tray during automatic purging and maintenance. Empty the tray before a cycle and keep it fully installed. Water appearing underneath the machine or near electrical parts is different and requires you to stop using it.
Why did the light stay solid after the cleaning-tablet cycle?
On the current CLEAN/DESCALE panel, a solid light calls for descaling. The tablet cycle answers a flashing light, so completing it may still leave a separate descale reminder. If your panel or manual differs, use that revision’s indicator instructions.
Does this cleaning guide apply to the Barista Express Impress?
No. This article is for the Barista Express BES870/BES870XL. The Barista Express Impress BES876 uses different controls and should be maintained with its own manual and tutorials.
The simplest way to maintain a BES870 correctly is to separate residue from scale. Rinse coffee and milk residue promptly, use the cleaning disc and tablet only for the programmed backflush cycle, and put the specified descaling solution only in the tank for descale mode. Match every button sequence to the panel and manual on your machine, complete the fresh-water rinse, and move to symptom-specific diagnosis when proper maintenance does not restore normal operation.