Four Simple Words.......

Coffee is by nature a very oily substance. Over time, coffee oils accumulate inside of your machine to form a rancid residue. This residue is responsible for the acrid smell you may recognize coming from a poorly maintained machine. Unfortunately, this residue causes more than just bad odor. If allowed to develop, residue inside of your machine will eventually clog its filters and tubes and cause it to malfunction. Well before your machine clogs or you even notice the signs of neglect, the stale residue lining the inside of your machine will begin to affect the taste of the fresh coffee you prepare.

Dirty machines can be the downfall of an otherwise great coffee program. You might start your coffee preparation with the most exotic green beans, roast them to perfection, grind precisely, and brew according to every technique and standard of quality. However, if you are using an improperly maintained machine, you and your customer may never have a chance to appreciate all of this hard work.

Customer: This is the most important person in the coffee business. When served a bitter cup of coffee from a dirty machine, they will notice the taste, and might never return to let you know. Coffee from a dirty machine will create an unpleasant experience for the customer, and could cause them to seek out other establishments or brands that serve better tasting coffee.

Cafe Management: When you think of the time and effort that goes into picking a great location, hiring skilled baristas, and selecting the best beans, it doesn't make sense to use dirty machines in your business. After all the hard work you've performed, it would be a shame to diminish your efforts by serving beverages tainted by the presence of stale or rancid coffee oil residue. Simply cleaning your machine at the end of each business day makes all of your other efforts go that much further towards the success of your business.

Roaster: The roaster spends time, money, and passion paying careful attention to the bean from green to the bag. All that effort might never be appreciated if your retailer or barista fails to properly maintain the brewing equipment. By encouraging your retailers to engage in daily cleaning, you can insure that your coffee is being presented to the customer with all the flavor you worked to develop.

Machine Manufacturer: Today's coffee and espresso machines are created with more effort and precision-design than ever before. As a result, it is only logical that machine manufacturers have a vested interest in the proper maintenance of their equipment. By making it easy for your customers to gain access to the information and products they need to clean your machines, you can feel confident that your machinery is performing at its full potential. By doing this, you will help to prevent unwanted breakdowns and malfunctions of the machines which proudly carry your brand name.

Home Coffee Enthusiast: As important as great tasting coffee is to professionals, it should be equally important to home coffee lovers. When you want to sit back and enjoy a cup of coffee or espresso in the comfort of your own home, you want that cup to be the best tasting beverage possible. Taking the minimal extra effort required to clean your machine regularly will drastically improve the flavor of the coffee you drink.

No matter which one of the above groups you belong to, cleaning is a crucial element in the effort to serve great tasting coffee. The best thing about machine cleaning is how simple it is. While taking only a few minutes to do, cleaning your equipment will help you move forward on a positive path to success.