Get ready to turn up the heat with our Cafetto crash course in heating elements. 🧑🏫
Coffee machines use different types of heating elements to brew coffee and create steam. All of which have different pipe networks that are notorious for scale build-up. The rate of the mineral build-up is dependant on water quality (hard water vs. soft water) in your region, the amount of water heated through the system, and the type of heating system. When descaling is not conducted frequently, you end up with blockages, breakdowns and bad coffee - that's a whole lot of 'no.' 🙅🏽
We’ll explore the different heating elements that heat your coffee machine, how they work and why descaling is absolutely essential for all of them.
Boiler:
A classic heating element for a Traditional Espresso Machine is the boiler. This heats and holds hot water in the espresso machine, maintaining the temperature for long periods of time to ensure water is ready for extended use. Boilers can provide water for steaming and/or brewing depending on machine type.
Your machine may also have a heat exchanger, which is a separate unit that runs through the middle of the boiler. The water contained in the main boiler runs much hotter to generate steam, heating the water in the heat exchanger for the perfect temperature to brew coffee.
Scale build up in the boiler affects its ability to heat water to the correct temperature which is essential for a good coffee. It also prevents the pressure needed to brew and create steam effectively.
Thermoblock
Thermoblocks are often used in fully automatic machines as they heat water immediately prior to being used, they use less time and energy to preheat making them very energy efficient.
Allow us to explain how this happens: Water runs through the thermoblock maze route with heating elements inside the block. These heat the water extremely fast, and by the time it exits the thermoblock it is hot enough to use for steaming or brewing.
So, why does it need to be descaled?
Thermo-blocks will develop scale because of the narrow path the water travels through. Given its navigating through a thin tube, it's also prone to mineral build up making descaling extremely important.
A classic heating element for a Traditional Espresso Machine is the boiler. This heats and holds hot water in the espresso machine, maintaining the temperature for long periods of time to ensure water is ready for extended use. Boilers can provide water for steaming and/or brewing depending on machine type.
Your machine may also have a heat exchanger, which is a separate unit that runs through the middle of the boiler. The water contained in the main boiler runs much hotter to generate steam, heating the water in the heat exchanger for the perfect temperature to brew coffee.
Scale build up in the boiler affects its ability to heat water to the correct temperature which is essential for a good coffee. It also prevents the pressure needed to brew and create steam effectively.
Thermocoil
Thermocoil is a clever little element works similarly to a thermoblock by flash heating water. Unlike its very similar friend thermoblock, it uses a single tube instead of a multi-piece block. Water runs in a circular motion through the tube until it is heated to the perfect temperature for brewing and steaming. Regular descaling prevents blockages and inconsistent water temperatures.
What's the critical take-away point here? Descale, descale, descale!
No matter what type of coffee machine you have, descaling it should be a regular part of your maintenance routine. We recommend descaling fortnightly, however if you use hard mains water without filtration or find a metallic flavour coming through in your coffee, frequent descaling is advised.
Click here to explore our range of descaling products, and if you are eager to learn more about how scale can affect your espresso? Click here.👈