| Coffee machines. 12:01 - Dec 13 with 1664 views | jeera |
Is a descaling and/or cleaning function a must?
Or more of a gimmick and something that can usually be achieved easily enough oneself?
I appreciate of course a water filter is probably the answer to the scaling but also believe there are a few experts on this knocking about.
Looking for bean to jug so warming function a necessity.
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| Coffee machines. on 12:05 - Dec 13 with 1647 views | SaleAway |
Probably depends where you live....
My folks in Harlow are constantly having to descale things... even with an inline water filter.
I'm in Manchester, never descaled anything. I'd imagine that Ipswich based peeps probably need descaling functions. |  |
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| Coffee machines. on 12:07 - Dec 13 with 1637 views | jeera |
| Coffee machines. on 12:05 - Dec 13 by SaleAway |
Probably depends where you live....
My folks in Harlow are constantly having to descale things... even with an inline water filter.
I'm in Manchester, never descaled anything. I'd imagine that Ipswich based peeps probably need descaling functions. |
I'm in Suffolk and we are allowed to have them here.
Only supervised of course.
Yes, the water here is still pretty hard despite having a water softener under the sink.
I don't think it's even attached to anything as it doesn't seem to do much. | |
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| Coffee machines. on 12:11 - Dec 13 with 1604 views | Dubtractor |
100% yes, essential, especially with Suffolk water. |  |
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| Coffee machines. on 12:13 - Dec 13 with 1595 views | jeera |
| Coffee machines. on 12:11 - Dec 13 by Dubtractor |
100% yes, essential, especially with Suffolk water. |
Fair enough ta.
I didn't know if it was any different to running through a solution yourself sort of thing which is what I would have expected to do before noticing some have the function.
Any other tips before I commit are welcome. | |
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| Coffee machines. on 12:21 - Dec 13 with 1578 views | SaleAway |
| Coffee machines. on 12:07 - Dec 13 by jeera |
I'm in Suffolk and we are allowed to have them here.
Only supervised of course.
Yes, the water here is still pretty hard despite having a water softener under the sink.
I don't think it's even attached to anything as it doesn't seem to do much. |
Is it a water softener, or a scale inhibitor?
In my experience, softened water tastes horrible, so you use the softened water for washing, but have a drinking water tap that is unsoftened ( and so still has scale problems for kettles etc).
A scale inhibitor would reduce the impact of scale on things like kettles and irons, but won't give you the benefits of softened water for washing.
A water softener will usually need to be refilled with salt on a fairly regular basis, as this is part of the ion exchange process that softens the water. A scale inhibitor will be more like an inline filter with a cartridge that needs occasional changing. | |
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| Coffee machines. on 12:25 - Dec 13 with 1564 views | SaleAway |
| Coffee machines. on 12:13 - Dec 13 by jeera |
Fair enough ta.
I didn't know if it was any different to running through a solution yourself sort of thing which is what I would have expected to do before noticing some have the function.
Any other tips before I commit are welcome. |
Simple rule, if you have need to descale your kettle, then you will need to do the same with a coffee machine, so a descaling function is useful.
The only thing to be wary of, is some of them decide that they need descaling based on a setting of how hard the water is, and then counting how much water has been pumped through. If you set this wrong, you'll end up doing a lot of descaling.
Our office machine is constantly complaining, as can't seem to comprehend that things don't scale up here. We never descale it, but it often flashes a warning at us. | |
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| Coffee machines. on 12:41 - Dec 13 with 1529 views | WeWereZombies |
I have never had to descale a coffee machine, even when I lived in East Anglia. But I have always used a very basic filter coffee machine (does that count as a machine or is more of a brewing up and keeping the coffee warm contraption ?) |  |
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| Coffee machines. on 12:51 - Dec 13 with 1504 views | jeera |
| Coffee machines. on 12:25 - Dec 13 by SaleAway |
Simple rule, if you have need to descale your kettle, then you will need to do the same with a coffee machine, so a descaling function is useful.
The only thing to be wary of, is some of them decide that they need descaling based on a setting of how hard the water is, and then counting how much water has been pumped through. If you set this wrong, you'll end up doing a lot of descaling.
Our office machine is constantly complaining, as can't seem to comprehend that things don't scale up here. We never descale it, but it often flashes a warning at us. |
"The only thing to be wary of, is some of them decide that they need descaling based on a setting of how hard the water is, and then counting how much water has been pumped through. If you set this wrong, you'll end up doing a lot of descaling."
This is the sort of thing that's useful to know.
Thanks. | |
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| Coffee machines. on 12:54 - Dec 13 with 1502 views | Dubtractor |
| Coffee machines. on 12:13 - Dec 13 by jeera |
Fair enough ta.
I didn't know if it was any different to running through a solution yourself sort of thing which is what I would have expected to do before noticing some have the function.
Any other tips before I commit are welcome. |
The thing with built in functions is that it makes you descale it. If it doesn't make you, you won't, and it will knacker the machine.
Speaking from experience here..... | |
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| Coffee machines. on 12:57 - Dec 13 with 1477 views | DarkHorse |
I'd recommend using filtered water and doing the descale/clean when required. You don't necessarily need to use the one your manufacturer suggests if it's expensive though.
And depending on the type of machine, I'd also run a water-only shot/cycle before and after the coffee to warm the machine up and clean any residue (post-shot flush not needed on a filter machine as you should be washing it anyway). |  | | |
| Coffee machines. on 12:59 - Dec 13 with 1472 views | nodge_blue |
id say its a must. My Nespresso isn't as good as it was when I bought it. Think despite its cleaning out that it has got clogged up over time. The system relies on high pressure water going through small pipes - which with lime scale in Anglia as it is - can mean less efficiency as time goes on. That's my take on it. My machine often needs 2 or 3 goes at getting the milk frothed and out now and probably needs replacing. |  |
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| Coffee machines. on 13:04 - Dec 13 with 1457 views | jeera |
| Coffee machines. on 12:21 - Dec 13 by SaleAway |
Is it a water softener, or a scale inhibitor?
In my experience, softened water tastes horrible, so you use the softened water for washing, but have a drinking water tap that is unsoftened ( and so still has scale problems for kettles etc).
A scale inhibitor would reduce the impact of scale on things like kettles and irons, but won't give you the benefits of softened water for washing.
A water softener will usually need to be refilled with salt on a fairly regular basis, as this is part of the ion exchange process that softens the water. A scale inhibitor will be more like an inline filter with a cartridge that needs occasional changing. |
"Is it a water softener, or a scale inhibitor?"
Dunno now you've said it. Place is rented and is on the annual service list supposedly but it's never been changed. Their maintenance chap usually opens the cupboard, says it's fine and that's it.
I'm not convinced. | |
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| Coffee machines. on 13:07 - Dec 13 with 1449 views | jeera |
| Coffee machines. on 12:57 - Dec 13 by DarkHorse |
I'd recommend using filtered water and doing the descale/clean when required. You don't necessarily need to use the one your manufacturer suggests if it's expensive though.
And depending on the type of machine, I'd also run a water-only shot/cycle before and after the coffee to warm the machine up and clean any residue (post-shot flush not needed on a filter machine as you should be washing it anyway). |
Thanks all.
All noted.
I think it's one of those things then that could be false economy by leaving out.
That certainly narrows down the search somewhat too. | |
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| Coffee machines. on 18:19 - Dec 13 with 1285 views | factual_blue |
Yes. |  |
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| Coffee machines. on 18:24 - Dec 13 with 1276 views | factual_blue |
I'd recommend the Fracino PID Espresso Coffee Machine 3 Group White PID3. | |
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| Coffee machines. on 18:36 - Dec 13 with 1267 views | Dubtractor |
| Coffee machines. on 18:24 - Dec 13 by factual_blue |
I'd recommend the Fracino PID Espresso Coffee Machine 3 Group White PID3. |
Do you reckon that's big enough for the job? He might want something a bit grander. | |
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| Coffee machines. on 18:43 - Dec 13 with 1251 views | hoppy |
Surprised you've got room for a coffee machine, with all your microwave ovens. |  |
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| Coffee machines. on 19:25 - Dec 13 with 1218 views | factual_blue |
| Coffee machines. on 18:36 - Dec 13 by Dubtractor |
Do you reckon that's big enough for the job? He might want something a bit grander. |
I know Jeers likes 600 espressos an hour, so it should suit his needs. | |
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