2 tasks for this machine.
Wash the carafe properly
WeeklyCoffee leaves a brown film on glass and a duller one on steel. It is not a stain, it is oil, and it goes rancid - a thermal jug that has never been properly cleaned adds a stale note to everything poured into it.
What you need
- A long-handled brush. Bicarbonate of soda, an oxygenated cleaner such as Cafiza, or a denture tablet. Hot water.
What goes wrong
- Leaving the pot on the hot plate to dry out, which bakes the film on hard. Cleaning the jug and never the lid. Dishwashing an insulated jug. Taking a scourer to glass and leaving scratches that hold more oil than before.
The procedure
- Rinse with hot water after every pot, before the oil dries. That is 90 percent of the job.
5 more steps
The full procedure is in the app, along with a reminder when this is next due. Add the Smart Brew 8-cup to your shelf and it keeps track.
Get the appDescale the brewer
Every 3 monthsScale insulates the heating element, so the water never reaches brew temperature and the coffee comes out thin and sour. It also shortens the element's life - a scaled machine runs hotter internally to deliver cooler water.
What you need
- Citric acid powder, about 30g per litre, or a proprietary descaler. Two reservoirs of fresh water for rinsing. No paper filter in the basket.
What goes wrong
- Leaving the paper filter in, which collapses and floods. Under-rinsing, so the next three pots taste of citric acid. Using vinegar on a machine whose manual forbids it. Descaling on a fixed calendar while ignoring water hardness, which is what actually drives the rate.
The procedure
- Check your machine's manual for the descaling agent it allows. Some makers void the warranty if you use vinegar.
4 more steps
The full procedure is in the app, along with a reminder when this is next due. Add the Smart Brew 8-cup to your shelf and it keeps track.
Get the app