Breville barista pro descale

When the LCD shows the DESCALE alert.

You need

• Breville descaling powder (supplied)

Steps

1. Empty the drip tray and refit it. Take out the water tank and remove the water filter.
2. Fill the tank to the DESCALE line, add the descaling agent and refit the tank.
3. Press MENU, turn the GRIND AMOUNT dial to DESCALE and press the dial. The 1 CUP button lights.
4. Press 1 CUP. The cycle runs in 3 stages (coffee, hot water, steam) and beeps after each; turn the STEAM dial to the hot water or steam position when the LCD asks.
5. When descaling ends, the 1 CUP button lights for the rinse. Empty the drip tray, pour away any descaling liquid left in the tank, fill the tank to MAX and refit it.
6. Press 1 CUP to start the 3-stage rinse, turning the STEAM dial when the LCD asks. The machine beeps and returns to READY when done.
7. Rinse and dry the drip tray and water tank, then refit them.

Source: Care & Cleaning: Descaling Source: Care & Cleaning: Descaling, p. 20

Used for

• DESCALE: Descaling is due.
• No water from the group head, or no hot water
• Espresso only drips from the spouts, or does not flow
• No steam

Other BES878 procedures

• How to run the FLUSH cleaning cycleWhen the LCD shows the FLUSH alert. This cycle uses a cleaning tablet and is separate from descaling.
• How to replace the water filterEvery 2 months, more often in hard-water areas. Regular replacement reduces how often you need to descale.
• How to clean the steam wandAfter every use, and when frothing gets weaker because the tip is blocked.
• How to clean the burr grinderWhen oil build-up on the burrs affects grinding, or the grinder is noisy. A blockage between the burrs and the outlet needs the advanced cleaning on page 21 of the instruction book.

Sources

1. the Barista Pro Instruction Book, BES878 Series (English, Canadian French and Mexican Spanish edition). Breville Pty Ltd. Document BES878 USCM, revision Q26, 2026, 84 pages, en-US. assets.breville.com (PDF). Listed on the manufacturer's support page. Retrieved 13 November 2026.

Page numbers are the numbers printed in the manual. Where this page and the manual differ, follow the manual.

Applies to

BES878. North America (120 V edition in English, Canadian French and Mexican Spanish).

Source

the Barista Pro Instruction Book, BES878 Series (English, Canadian French and Mexican Spanish edition), BES878 USCM revision Q26, 2026

Last verified

13 November 2026

Handbook

Breville Barista Pro BES878 in Coffee and espresso machines; all Breville handbooks