# Cherub water filters



## Wombat (Nov 12, 2013)

Hi all,

I initially started the day looking to price up a new water filter for inside the tank of my Cherub, however after a quick search I'm getting conflicting ideas and wanted to see if a riling had yet been made.

I'm using bottled water (Volvic) in my Cherub after having done a bit of research, and I live in a hard water area. I have a Brita filter should I ever need to resort to tap water.

Would everyone recommend replacing the filter frequently or does the bottled / filtered water simply make it redundant? If so I'll prolly just throw it out as apparently bacteria can build up in old filters that haven't been replaced...


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## JayMac (Mar 28, 2015)

Not sure if this helps, but in case It does... I bought an Ariete, so basically the same machine a month ago and likewise live in a very hard water area. I split the hardness test strip it came with in half so as to test both my tap water and the bottled water I bought down the road (ashbeck). According to the chart I would need to replace the filter every 100L with tap and 200-250L with the bottled water. While generally quite soft bottled water does have both calcium and magnesium, so cannot be totally buildup free. I know I read a thread on here comparing the content of various weather, including Volvic. Let me know what you do / where you source one, as I'll be making the same call in a few months.


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## Bruce Boogie (Dec 1, 2014)

My Piccino needs a new filter before long and at almost £20 and is it plus postage from Fracino? This does mount up when you see the price of Brita filters normally.

Is there a source of suitable filters?

I have a Franke filter for drinking/coffee water and those filters can vary from £10 to £35.00.


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## Bruce Boogie (Dec 1, 2014)

Still no answer for the Fracino branded filter. - it is rather pricey, but I suppose it's cheaper than a new boiler!!!

Any more ideas on a better value purchase.?


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## Wombat (Nov 12, 2013)

Nope, everywhere I've looked they're at least £20.

Given what I've read here I think I'm just going to bin the filter and keep on top of the scale. I plan to take it for regular servicing anyway so hopefully that should keep it pristine.

If I were using tap water though I'd likely buy a new filter and stick to double filtering


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## Yes Row (Jan 23, 2013)

Fracino used to do an offer. Buy what they deem a years supply ( 4 I think) and they give you an extra one or two. Call them and ask, you guys could do a group buy?

It postage is an arm and a leg let me know and I will collect them for you and post onto one address


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## gwapenut (Nov 5, 2011)

If you do go the filterless route, take out the filter adaptor at the bottom of the tank. This gives you a little more headroom before the tank level gets too low for water to be pushed through the grouphead, and changed things for me needing to get it almost "just right" deciding when to refill with a bottle of water, to having several cups' tolerance. Make life a lot easier.


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## Wombat (Nov 12, 2013)

Thanks gwapenut - what does the adapter look like? All I've got in my tank is this:










Which brings me to a side bar: I've made the mistake of keeping my tamper on top of the machine (to keep it warm so as to not shock the coffee) and grinds seem to have accumulated and found their way into the tank. Sloppy, I know... Lesson learned!

Is there a way to remove the tank for cleaning in these updated models?


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## gwapenut (Nov 5, 2011)

Wombat said:


> Thanks gwapenut - what does the adapter look like? All I've got in my tank is this:
> 
> Which brings me to a side bar: I've made the mistake of keeping my tamper on top of the machine (to keep it warm so as to not shock the coffee) and grinds seem to have accumulated and found their way into the tank. Sloppy, I know... Lesson learned!
> 
> Is there a way to remove the tank for cleaning in these updated models?


From the photo you may not have one .... IF it's a raised plastic circle, then the adaptor is the single round thing at the middle bottom of your picture. In conjunction with your next question about flushing out grinds, the whole tank can simply be pulled out. Perhaps need to skip something down a loose side of it, eg long nose pliers (careful! Use some padding if possible) to get a grip, and then tug it out. There'll be some resistance but it is designed to slot in and out.

And best of all - as I found after several of these operations tipping the machine on its side to drain each time - it seals itself so you don't need to empty it first! Useful to know for descaling when again I tipped the machine on its side before I found this out...


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## gwapenut (Nov 5, 2011)

PS. As you;re doing both, take the tank out first and THEN pull out the adaptor.


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## gwapenut (Nov 5, 2011)

Actually - from your photo it looks like you don't have an adaptor? It should be a hard plastic circular ridge that you could imagine a water filter slotting into. If you don't have such a receptacle, leave well alone!

If you do have one and you're doing both, take the tank out first and THEN pull out the adaptor.


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## Wombat (Nov 12, 2013)

There is a hard plastic ridge with a flat head screw in it. I was encountering such resistance with the tank that I wondered if this was securing it, but imagined the contents emptying into the chassis if I messed with it.

I'll give the padded pliers approach a try


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## blockhead (May 9, 2012)

I have been using my Cherub for a while without the fitted filter and just using filtered water. Having looked at the water tank today it was full of bits particularly around the probes for detecting an empty tank. I had removed the fitted filter previously, because I thought the filter was breaking down and causing the problem, this cannot now be the case. I now wonder if the sediment like bits is coming from the probes. I generally do a clean once a week and from now on will probably remove tank and wipe it clean and might look at putting a original filter back in. Does anyone have any other ideas where these bits might come from ?


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