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BTW, most Starbucks Barrista espresso machines are OEM'ed by SAECO in Bologna, Italia. That, my friends, DEFINITELY results in me being able to fully appreciate my Lavazza Super Crema-based espresso, caffe lungo (caffe crema) and capuccino with NO bitterness caused by a dirty machine. In all this time, the machine has only prompted me to decalcify ONCE. It bases this on a water pH test you perform at the time of new machine commissioning and the coresponding water hardness setting of the machine resulting from the set-up test. If you're going to spend the money on an expensive machine, and use expensive coffee, you might as well get great tasting caffe, right.My vote: HIGHLY Recommended. I have nearly 6,000 shots (). I NEVER have an issue with taste after cleaning and I am anal about coffee taste, freshness and machine cleanliness. Maybe it's just me, but I really don't get it.Unless you're using your machine commercially to make hundreds of shots a day or week, you're wasting your money, not to mention killing your machine by decalcifying constantly.
Just my TWO CENTS:Expensive to use. for decalcifying, think again. FWIW, the machine uses the Aqua Prima in-reservoir micropore and charcoal filter, and I use supermarket-brand spring water (loaded with mineral and micro-organisms, LOL) in the one-gallon jug (lots of them, with the amt. Don't believe me, call the manufacturer and ask yourself.it's in the owner's manual as well. I ignore the prompt and just decalc every THREE months or so (i.e, like the package instructions recommnd, LOL). I've never noticed a decrease in water flow (during coffee or steam/hot water wand usage), nor has there been any decrease in coffee temperature. Bitter taste after usage. Not Recommended by OEM's.
does not remove and flushes it out. SAECO USA as well as Whole Latte Love (authorized SAECO sales/service) will tell you to use SAECO Dezcal (it's also made by Urnex)or Urnex Cleancaf ONLY for decalcification. of espresso I brew, LOL).For those of you thinking of using a non-authorized acidic solution (lemon juice, vinegar, etc). If you use lemon juice or white vinegar you will very likely cause water circuit damage and VOID your warrantee. Then I rinse with TWO reservoirs full of clean warm water.
You can see it work as it "peels" the layers of stuck-on coffee residue that even constant rinsing on my part (remember, I am anal, LOL). Just use it sparingly and enjoy your coffee. My machine has been in to the local factory authorized repair center (broken grinder.fixed FOC under the OEM warrantee), and they remarked on how spotless the machine was, inside, in the brew circuit and in the hot water circuit.especially considering the amount of shots I make.SAECO, WLL and the local warrantee station (The Repair Shack) also recommend Urnex Cafiza (I use the Tablets, you can also buy it in powder form) to keep the COFFEE circuit as spotless as the HOT WATER circuit. Use lemon juice. They're non-toxic, bio-degradeable, chelation-process cleaners (Dezcal is weak sulfonic acid, Cleancaf is classified "non-hazardous" per their respective MSDS hazardous sheets).
It DOES take a while.the machine is next to the sink, so I aim the wand at the drain, let the thing go and walk away to do other things. on my one year-old Saeco Incanto Sirius machine and I just finished my FIRST 3-package Cleancaf box. FWIW, I fill the machine reservoir (I have spare reservoir that I use for decalcifying only) all the way up with warm water and one packet of Cleancaf.it has a two-litre capacity.
I'll try no pulp lemon juice the next time. even after 5 rinses. I recently purchased a three pack of Cleancaf Urnex and I won't be purchasing this product again. after three months of use my expresso machine I thought needed a cleaning, so I use one packet of urnex and although it did clean my machine, it left a bitter taste.
Don't throw those machines out. I also used it on my coffee maker with excellent results.
(And one doesn't need to use it as often as they say. That makes this product a money saver.
Do you have an espresso machine which is slow & sluggish - not frothing milk the way it used to. I have used it on two espresso machines I thought I would have to replace and they have been reborn.
It depends on how often you use your machines, if you use filtered water, etc., but my machines are kept like new with semi-annual use). Or how about a coffee maker which is making bitter coffee that doesn't taste as good as it once did.
Urnex Cleancaf Cleaner really works.
Great cleaner & doesn't smell up the house. Works great on both coffee makers & espresso machines.
It's worth a try, given the expense. The product is just as effective (was for our situation) if you half the packet and use in two cups of water (instead of four) and run through your machine.
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