How often to service

Mike Tofani

Hey guys gringo from USA again. I only drink espresso from fall to early spring. I do not turn my espresso machines off during this time. I scrub my screen and group head once a month. I back flush every day. How often should I change the screen? How often should I change the piston seals? How often do I grease the piston seals? How often do I change the portafilter to group head seals? I'm coming from a double boiler Vivaldi 2. It's 10 years old and I've been pouring consecutive God shots for 3 years. The hard water got to it and now finding myself doing a repair a week after I finish another repair. It's time to step up to a quality machine.

Also, I am a perfectionist and use the tamper that "breaks" at 30#. 5k espressos later and I am still using it. You figure I'd have it down by now. Do I still want a 30# tamp with an L-1?

Reiss Gunson

hi mike

1. you wont need to scrub a lever group once a month
2. you dont backflush lever groups (as the water is not being delivered by a pump there is no 'suck back' when the pump is turned off)
3. i would say to get the IMS35µM optional screen and if you have to clean it more often than every 3 months i will be most surprised
4. change the piston seals once a year if you are leaving the machine on 24/7. no need to lubricate the seals on this basis.
5. tamper - very much a personal preference - id say stick with it for the interim it so you only change one element at a time in your espresso system

best

reiss.