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Espresso machines are funny things. When they’re working, no one thinks about them. When they’re not, everyone suddenly has a lot of opinions.
Shots start running slow. Milk won’t steam the way it should. Someone mutters, “This machine’s acting weird.” And that’s usually the moment people realize they’re not quite sure how often the machine was supposed to be serviced in the first place.
So let’s talk about it – calmly, practically, and without turning this into a technical manual.
First, a quick reset. When people say “we service our espresso machine,” they can mean very different things. Sometimes they’re talking about wiping things down. Sometimes they mean descaling. Sometimes they mean a technician showed up once … years ago.
Here’s how it actually breaks down:
Servicing isn’t about keeping the machine looking nice. It’s about keeping the parts you can’t see from slowly wearing each other down.
Here’s the straight answer most technicians will agree on:
These timelines line up with what espresso machine service providers recommend based on real-world wear, not theory. (Espresso Tech NW)
And no – this isn’t about brands being dramatic. It’s about heat, pressure, water, and parts that move all day long.
If maintenance feels overwhelming, it usually helps to stop thinking of it as “maintenance” and start thinking of it as rhythm.
Small things often. Bigger things occasionally.
This is the bare minimum that keeps machines happy:
It’s simple, but it makes a real difference. Coffee oils and milk residue don’t age gracefully. (Mastering Coffee)
This is where a lot of places quietly slip.
Backflushing removes the oils that daily rinsing leaves behind. Skip it long enough and shots start tasting “off” – even when everything else seems fine. (Mastering Coffee)
Nothing fancy here – just paying attention:
Most gasket problems announce themselves quietly before they turn into full leaks.
This is where technicians step in.
A typical service includes:
Foodservice maintenance schedules reflect these intervals for a reason. (WebstaurantStore)
Descaling is one of those topics that sounds simple but isn’t.
It depends almost entirely on your water.
Water contains minerals. Heat those minerals over and over, and they eventually settle inside the machine as scale. Scale messes with temperature, pressure, and component lifespan.
General guidance:
Always follow your manufacturer’s instructions. Brands like Breville even build descaling alerts and step-by-step workflows into their machines. (Breville Support)
Good water filtration doesn’t just improve taste – it reduces how often you need to descale and service.
Two cafés can own the same machine and have very different maintenance needs.
That’s usually because of:
Machines don’t fail on schedules. They fail based on stress.
Machines are polite – they usually give you warnings.
Common ones:
When these show up, it’s usually cheaper to act early than to wait.
Costs vary, but what drives them is fairly consistent:
Preventive servicing costs less largely because nothing has had time to snowball yet.
This is the part experienced café owners learn the hard way.
Most long-running cafés aren’t lucky – they’re organized.
Once you’re managing multiple machines or locations, memory stops working.
You need:
This is where structured systems (like CMMS platforms) help teams stay ahead instead of scrambling when something fails mid-shift.
If there’s one takeaway here, it’s this: espresso machines don’t need constant attention – they need consistent attention.
Daily cleaning keeps flavors honest. Weekly and monthly routines prevent small issues from quietly piling up. And professional servicing, done at sensible intervals, keeps internal parts from wearing each other down behind the scenes.
Most machine problems don’t come out of nowhere. They build slowly, usually because maintenance slipped, got rushed, or relied on memory instead of a system. When servicing becomes routine instead of reactive, machines last longer, coffee tastes better, and downtime becomes the exception – not the norm.
Whether you’re pulling a few shots a day or running a busy café, the goal is the same: keep maintenance boring, predictable, and out of your way.
If you’re managing more than one espresso machine – or more than one location – keeping track of service schedules, past repairs, and routine maintenance can get messy fast.
This is where tools like FieldEx quietly help. FieldEx makes it easier to:
No drama. No spreadsheets taped to the wall. Just maintenance that actually stays on schedule.
If espresso machines are a critical part of your business (and let’s be honest, they are), having a simple system behind the scenes makes a real difference.
Want to see how FieldEx supports preventive maintenance for coffee equipment? Book a free demo today, or get in touch to learn more. We’re here to help.
Typically every 6–12 months. High-volume cafés often need servicing every 3–6 months.
No. Descaling removes mineral buildup. Servicing addresses internal wear and performance.
You can handle cleaning and backflushing. Internal servicing should be done by trained technicians.
Yes. It affects taste, scale buildup, and how often your machine needs service.
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