Espresso Machine Descalers: Citric, Lactic and What Manufacturers Specify

Scale builds up from the minerals in your water. Breville's manual says it reduces brewing flow, brewing temperature, the power of the machine and the taste of the espresso. Buying a product to fix that sounds like a simple search. The trouble is that your machine's maker may have views on what goes into its tank, and those views are the first thing to check. The white mineral flakes on the spoon in the photo above stand in for what you are trying to remove.

Find your machine

Where to go next

• If you own a Breville

  How to descale a Breville

• If you own a Gaggia Classic

  Our Gaggia Classic page

• If you own a Rancilio Silvia

  Our Silvia page

• If you own a De'Longhi

  Our De'Longhi page

• If your manual leaves the product open

  Read about universal descalers

What the manuals specify

Gaggia is the clearest of the group. Its Classic Evo manual says to use the Gaggia descaling product only, and to “never use vinegar or other descaling agents.” It also warns never to drink the solution or anything dispensed until the cycle is finished. We read the Evo's file (RI9481), so owners of a Classic Pro or E24 should look for their own.

Breville's Barista Express manual doesn't ban other products in so many words. It just writes its procedure around its own powder. De'Longhi's page calls EcoDecalk universal in a narrower sense than you might assume, meaning it works on almost all De'Longhi machines. It also says the frequency depends on your water hardness.

Citric, lactic and what's actually in the bottle

Search for descalers and you will read that one acid is gentler or works better. We looked for evidence and found only marketing and forum posts, which we don't use as sources. What we could read were two safety data sheets from the makers' side:

Three limits apply here. We read both as copies on retailers' servers outside the US, and a current bottle may differ. Breville's sheet covers a liquid, while the Barista Express manual we read asks for a powder. And percentages don't tell you how well a product works in your machine.

These are also real chemicals. The De'Longhi sheet classifies EcoDecalk as causing severe skin burns and eye damage, so read the label before you pour, and follow its first aid and storage notes.

Descaling deals with minerals. Coffee oils need a separate clean.

Those two jobs get confused all the time. Descaling removes minerals, and cleaning removes coffee oils. On the Barista Express, a solid light means the first and a flashing light means the second. How to clean an espresso machine covers the other half.

Universal descalers

The product we can link from this category is a universal one from a third-party brand. We list it here as an option for one case: your manual doesn't name or require a specific product, and you've checked the label for your machine type.

IMPRESAAd

IMPRESA descaler

A universal descaler from a third-party brand, per the listing title.

Seller data only: We only have the Amazon listing for this product. We list it as an option, not as a recommendation.

Why here: Sold as universal, per its listing title. We found no maker page or safety data sheet, so we can't tell you what's in it. Not for a machine whose manual requires its own product.

Best for: Machines whose manual leaves the descaler open, after you check the label

• +Sold as universal, per listing title

• –We only have the listing, and found no maker page or safety data sheet
• –Not for machines whose manual names its own descaler only, such as the Gaggia Classic Evo

View on Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon

Type

Descaler

Fits

Universal, per listing

Price class

Budget

If your manual does name a product, buy that one instead, from the maker or a retailer. We currently have no maker's descaler in our product list, and we would rather say so than steer you to the one we do have.

How to lower your descaling load

Water is the part you control. Breville says replacing the water filter every two months reduces the need to descale, and sooner in hard water areas. Gaggia says purified or bottled water is good for taste, and still asks for periodic descaling every 2 to 3 months. Our page on espresso water goes through hardness and filters.

Common mistakes

• Reading a general how-to first. The steps differ by machine. The Barista Express manual has you hold buttons to enter a descale mode. The Classic Evo has you run water by hand and wait.
• Assuming “universal” means your warranty agrees. Ask the maker if the manual doesn't settle it.
• Removing the tank mid-cycle. Breville's manuals warn that the tank should never be removed or completely emptied during descaling.
• Skimping on the rinse. The Barista Express rinses with a full tank, and the Classic Evo with four. Never drink anything from the cycle before it's complete.

Still choosing a machine?

If you are reading this ahead of a purchase, the care routine is a fair thing to weigh. These questions sort out which type of machine fits you.

Our recommendation

Open your manual, and buy what it names. If it names nothing, ask the maker's support, then pick a product whose label covers your machine type. On a Breville, our descaling guide has the steps from the manuals. Your home bar setup will also run better with the right water in the tank.