Descaling the Breville Barista Express
Descaling clears scale from the single ThermoCoil heater and water path. The machine prompts you with a descale indicator; how often depends mostly on water hardness and whether you use the supplied filter.
Every 2–3 months, or when the descale indicator appears
| Soft / filtered water | Every 3–4 months |
| Medium-hardness water | Every 2–3 months |
| Hard water | Every 4–6 weeks |
Check your manual: These intervals are general guidance. Follow the descaling procedure and interval in your Barista Express (BES870) manual; your water hardness and filter use determine how often you actually need to descale.
Step by step
- Empty the drip tray and remove the water filter from the tank; fill with Breville descaler or Durgol mixed to the ratio on the bottle.
- Run the machine's descale routine through the group and steam wand as described in your Barista Express manual.
- Refit a fresh water filter (or refill with fresh water) and run two to three tanks through to rinse before brewing again.
- Wipe down the drip tray and group area once rinsing is complete.
- Remove the water filter before descaling so the solution doesn't ruin it.
- Rinse thoroughly so the next shot doesn't taste of solution.
What you'll need
- Breville descaler or Durgol
- Breville water filter
See the Breville Barista Express upgrade guide →
Breville Barista Express maintenance questions
How often should I perform descaling the breville barista express?
Use the cadence above as a planning reminder, then follow the Breville Barista Express manual because water hardness, usage, model revision, and machine alerts can change the interval.
Can I substitute a different cleaning procedure or product?
Do not assume procedures are interchangeable. These intervals are general guidance. Follow the descaling procedure and interval in your Barista Express (BES870) manual; your water hardness and filter use determine how often you actually need to descale.