# To Backflush or not to Backflush....



## Sbug (Mar 2, 2020)

I have a Gaggia Classic Pro and have a fairly decent cleaning cycle in place:

Every 2-3 weeks I remove the shower screen and degrease that and the basket. I also remove the group head and wipe that clean and brush around the gasket.

Every 1-2 months I descale the machine (I only ever use bottled water too as I'm in a hard water area)

I always see talk of backfkushing but have always avoided doing so as I've seen a couple of videos on the Gaggia UK website that clearly say they don't recommend backfkushing the machine.

One such video HERE which, at about the 2 minute mark, states very clearly states it's not recommended, and there's another "cleaning" video on their site with the managing director Raj and their maintenance guy and they also state it's not recommended.

I guess I'm just asking the question as I keep seeing it suggested on here and am wondering if it should be done or not...

Thanks


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

If your machine has a 3 way solenoid valve, there's no reason not to backflush. This would keep all the parts which touch coffee clean and free of coffee oils.

This guy is saying that the reason not to backflush is because the boiler is small, and you don't want to push dirt and coffee solids back into the boiler. Oh my....

If this was the case, your water inside the boiler, coming from the group, would taste of detergent. Try it: you'll see this is not the case.

I stopped watching the video when he said that.

If I were you, I'd backflush with a suitable coffee machine detergent once a week.

More importantly, you say you descale every 1 or 2 months. You say you use bottled water because your tap water is too hard. If you are descaling every 1 or 2 months, which bottled water are you using? Either you are doing it unnecessarily or you bottled water is too hard! Just because it comes in a bottle doesn't mean it's soft. Evian, for instance, is as hard as the water coming from my tap.

Edit: I watched the whole video. This has to be one of the most useless videos I've watched in a while.


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## ThePeginator (Dec 17, 2019)

I'm no expert but I was under the impression the 2015 model - which has a mechanical valve instead of a solenoid - aren't meant to be back flushed. It wouldn't surprise me if since then Gaggia have 'officially' taken the position that back flushing isn't recommended across the board so as to 'cover their arse', so to speak.

I was under the impression back flushing is fine - and even recommended - on any machine with a solenoid valve.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Sbug (Mar 2, 2020)

MediumRoastSteam said:


> If your machine has a 3 way solenoid valve, there's no reason not to backflush. This would keep all the parts which touch coffee clean and free of coffee oils.
> 
> This guy is saying that the reason not to backflush is because the boiler is small, and you don't want to push dirt and coffee solids back into the boiler. Oh my....
> 
> ...


 Thanks for the info!

I just descale that often as a routine thing rather than because I know it definitely needs it...

I'm only using a cheap generic supermarket bottled water tbh...


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

Sbug said:


> Thanks for the info!
> I just descale that often as a routine thing rather than because I know it definitely needs it...
> I'm only using a cheap generic supermarket bottled water tbh...


You should avoid descaling, that's the whole point of using bottled water.

Do as you please, but, if you are going to use bottled, make sure you use Volvic or Waitrose Lockhills or Tesco's Ashbeck, or a mixture of them.

If you are using other brands which are hard, you might as well save the money and help contribute to decrease pollution and waste of plastic by simply using water straight from the tap. Descaling as often is too much, certainly not a good idea for aluminium boilers?


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## Sbug (Mar 2, 2020)

There are a lot of recommendations to descale every 1-3 months which is kinda what I was going by, but yes I guess if I'm using bottled water I could increase to maybe 6 monthly descale?

I do also use puly descaler which is recommended by Gaggia and for use with aluminium boilers...

Anyone use an in tank water filter for the Gaggia at all? Are they available?


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

Sbug said:


> There are a lot of recommendations to descale every 1-3 months which is kinda what I was going by, but yes I guess if I'm using bottled water I could increase to maybe 6 monthly descale?
> I do also use puly descaler which is recommended by Gaggia and for use with aluminium boilers...
> Anyone use an in tank water filter for the Gaggia at all? Are they available?


If you live in a hard water area, those in lone resin filters won't last very long, at all.

You can tell when the machine is getting scaled up. You'll notice steaming suffering a bit.

From my experience, when using tap water on my gaggia Classic, I descaled every three months. I used it once a day during the week, twice a day over the weekend.

Anyway, I'll say my peace: avoid descaling. Use boiler friendly bottled water.


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## Michael87 (Sep 20, 2019)

Maybe devil's advocate here, but if the only reason not to descale is damage to the boiler, surely it's cheaper to still do that and replace the boiler (£50) after say 3 years than pay for bottled water?

I probably get through 100L a year in the classic making 2/3 coffees with milk a day. The Waitrose stuff is 38p/L so you could replace your boiler every 18 months and still pay less...

(Not to mention plastic use)


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## BlackCatCoffee (Apr 11, 2017)

Michael87 said:


> Maybe devil's advocate here, but if the only reason not to descale is damage to the boiler, surely it's cheaper to still do that and replace the boiler (£50) after say 3 years than pay for bottled water?
> 
> I probably get through 100L a year in the classic making 2/3 coffees with milk a day. The Waitrose stuff is 38p/L so you could replace your boiler every 18 months and still pay less...
> 
> (Not to mention plastic use)


 Whilst your maths might be correct it is not only the boiler that is affected by scale. Plus the water suggested is better for brewing coffee due to its make up.

You will get a better tasting coffee and protect your machine by using it.

If you are concerned by plastic waste, which I am totally on board with, you could look in to water treatment in the home.


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## Agentb (Feb 11, 2017)

Michael87 said:


> Waitrose stuff is 38p/L


 That's a tad expensive Ashbeck is 17.5p/L. There is no way my machine would last 6 months on my tap water without de-scaling monthly. I'd need to be spending 3-6 pounds a month on descaler (which is less than what i spend on bottled water) to keep it running. Not to mention the taste improvement, and time spend swapping boilers and de-scaling other bits.

Whilst we lament the use of plastics - water bottles are PET - Polyethylene Terephthalate (i had to look that up) and are easily recycled and are fun to shrink with excess steam. 👍


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## Sbug (Mar 2, 2020)

Agentb said:


> That's a tad expensive Ashbeck is 17.5p/L. There is no way my machine would last 6 months on my tap water without de-scaling monthly. I'd need to be spending 3-6 pounds a month on descaler (which is less than what i spend on bottled water) to keep it running. Not to mention the taste improvement, and time spend swapping boilers and de-scaling other bits.
> 
> Whilst we lament the use of plastics - water bottles are PET - Polyethylene Terephthalate (i had to look that up) and are easily recycled and are fun to shrink with excess steam. 👍


 Cheers mate, that's exactly what my thinking was

So as you use the same water as I do, how often do you descale? Or don't you?!


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

Michael87 said:


> Maybe devil's advocate here, but if the only reason not to descale is damage to the boiler, surely it's cheaper to still do that and replace the boiler (£50) after say 3 years than pay for bottled water?
> I probably get through 100L a year in the classic making 2/3 coffees with milk a day. The Waitrose stuff is 38p/L so you could replace your boiler every 18 months and still pay less...
> (Not to mention plastic use)


38p per litre? Where do you see this?

It's 19p per litre. 100ml times 10 = 1 Litre = 1000ml.

Bear in mind It's no longer Stretton Hills - It's Lockhills now. They didn't bother changing the advert.

https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/essential-waitrose-still-natural-mineral-water/058459-29415-29416


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## Agentb (Feb 11, 2017)

Sbug said:


> Or don't you?!


 I don't any more. I could tell by the steam and machine performance when using tap water - it would make a difference and you could see snowflakes in the output. My tap water however is more closer to chalk than pure water.

Once a month I guess the shower screen and plate comes off and good scrub and soak in Puly.

I'd backflush after that, my twisted thinking is most of the gunk is going to be on the screen and back-flushing will work better with a clean screen.

edit: i also run some water / steam through the screen after every shot and give it a wipe. I think that helps a little.


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