Breville BES870 how to descale
When the CLEAN/DESCALE light stays on (not flashing).
You need
- 1 sachet of Breville descaling powder
- 34 fl oz (1 L) of water
Steps
WARNING
Do not immerse power cord, power plug or appliance in water or any other liquid. The water tank should never be removed or completely emptied during descaling.
Marked WARNING by the manufacturer Source: Care & Cleaning: Descaling, p. 24
- Dissolve one sachet of Breville descaling powder in 34 fl oz (1 L) of water and fill the tank with it.
- Hold 2 CUP, then hold POWER as well, to enter descale mode. POWER flashes while the machine heats.
- Wait until POWER, 1 CUP, CLEAN/DESCALE and HOT WATER/STEAM are all lit.
- Press 1 CUP to descale the coffee circuit (about 25 seconds).
- Turn the steam dial right to descale the steam circuit (about 13 seconds), then left to descale the hot water circuit (about 8 seconds).
- Repeat steps 4 and 5 until the tank is empty. About half the solution remains after the first round.
- Rinse the tank, refill it with fresh cold water to the 68 fl oz (2 L) maximum and repeat steps 4 and 5 to flush the machine.
- Press POWER to leave descale mode. The lights go out.
The machine switches off after 5 minutes without input in descale mode. To continue, start again from step 2.
Source: Care & Cleaning: Descaling Source: Care & Cleaning: Descaling, p. 24
Used for
- CLEAN/DESCALE solid: Descaling is due.
- No water from the group head
Other BES870 procedures
- How to run the cleaning cycleWhen the CLEAN/DESCALE light flashes. This back-flush cycle is separate from descaling.
- How to replace the water filterEvery 2 months, more often in hard-water areas. Remove the filter if you use filtered or bottled water.
- How to clean the steam wandAfter every use, and when steam is weak or the tip is blocked.
- How to clean the burr grinderWhen oil build-up on the burrs affects grinding, or the grinder is noisy or delivers no coffee. A blockage between the burrs and the outlet needs the advanced cleaning on page 25 of the instruction book.
- How to replace the group-head sealWhen espresso or water leaks around the portafilter because the silicone seal no longer seals.
Sources
- the Barista Express Instruction Book, BES870 (English, Canadian French and Mexican Spanish edition). Breville Pty Ltd. Document BES870 USCM, revision X20, 2020, 112 pages, en-US. assets.breville.com (PDF). Retrieved 12 November 2026.
Page numbers are the numbers printed in the manual. Where this page and the manual differ, follow the manual.