Solid metal filter basket (no holes) used for backflushing espresso machines with a 3 way solenoid valve

Regardless of the style an espresso bar uses, each grinder type requires cleaning, maintenance and burr replacement.  Burr replacement should occur every 800 pounds of coffee processed.

Grinder burrs should be replaced after grinding approximately 800 pounds of coffee beans.  This is the average life of burrs, however, and not a rule of thumb. 

Replacing the grinder burrs is easy however it involves some patience, a screwdriver and a new set of burrs.

Possible indicators or burrs needing replacement:

If you notice your shots becoming inconsistent and bitter.

Difficulty maintaining a proper grind, look into a new set of burrs. 

Dull burrs crush your coffee rather than grinding it and will generate excessive amounts of heat.  This heat in turn damages the flavor of the ground coffee.  It also forces the grinder to work harder.

Flat Grinder Burrs
Flat burrs are, as the name suggests are flat.  They have a cutting edges on the inside surfaces of the burr and are placed in opposing positions in the grinder.  Generally, one burr is in a fixed position while the other is attached to the motor.  The motor engages the attached burr at an average of 800-1500 revolutions per minute (RPM). 

Conical Grinder Burrs
Conical burr espresso grinder's motor spins at a much slower speed, usually at about 500-700 RPM. Slower speeds keep grinder burrs cooler and won’t transfer as much heat to espresso grounds.

Conical burr grinders produce a more consistent and precise grind while preserving the most aroma. In order to produce the most flavorful espresso-based beverages, grinds consistent in shape and size must be used so that water can evenly and equally extract the flavor out of the coffee.

The dispersion screen fits any espresso machine with a group head. Some are held in place with a screw, others by the group gasket. Maintenance is recommended every 3 – 6 months, as the longer the screens (and gaskets) are installed, the harder they are to remove.

Espresso Machine Cleaner Powder is an integral part of the daily maintenance routine for espresso machines.  Specifically formulated for effective use in the back flush cleaning process, some cleaners are designed to combine maximum solubility and cleaning power with an ability to rinse easily. Some trademark names to keep an eye open for are: JoeGlo™ (NSF Approved) and Cafiza™ (a product from Urnex)

Other than basic backflush detergents there are several other cleaners technicians and café owners might consider:

Grindz™ (from Urnex) Espresso/Coffee Grinder Cleaner. Grindz™ quickly and effectively removes stale coffee residue and flavored coffee odors from the internal burrs and casings of coffee grinders. Requiring no grinder disassembly, Grindz™ users simply run the product through the machine just like coffee.

JoeGlo Professional Cafe and Kitchen Appliance Wipes - quick, convenient way to keep the outside surfaces of your espresso machine, counter surfaces and other appliances, clean and shiny.

Rinza (from Urnex) Milk Frother Steam Wand Steel Pitcher Cleaner - URNX06Rinza™ Milk Frother Cleaner is specifically designed for use on the milk systems of coffee and espresso equipment.

Most commercial espresso machines use a standardized portafilter basket with the volume capacity of 14 grams for the ‘double-shot’ and 7 grams for a single shot. 12 gram and 6 gram versions are available for some machines. For the ‘single-shot’, most people are comfortable with the standard 7 gram basket, not even knowing that a 6 gram basket is available as well.

Some machine’s portafilter bodies are able to accept an even larger size: a ‘triple’ or 21 gram basket. Some shops have made the move to 21 gram triple baskets to produce a much richer 1.5oz-2oz double shot.

Portafilter basket variances are based exclusively on personal preference, and in the end may not affect the quality of a drink: in the end, it is the barista that chooses and grinds the coffee and then ‘pulls’ the shot, not the basket.

This little device is used to secure the portafilter basket into the portafilter body.

The spout attached to the bottom of the body of a portafilter offers a barista yet more choices.

In most cases the portafilter spout is threaded onto the bottom of the portafilter. Most manufactures (except Gaggia, which employs a 1⁄4”) use a 3/8” threaded fitting. The double shot versions are available tall, short, with a cover or without, in an adjustable or the standard non-adjustable style. The single shot comes with a straight, curved, short or tall choice. A rare and essentially never used ‘triple’ spout can also be used.

These brushes are designed to Clean coffee grinds from the inside of your coffee filter. They usually have an easy-to-grip wooden handle and are a small design for easy storage.

A group brush is an absolute necessity for keeping your espresso machine in tip-top shape. It's perfectly angled head and long stiff bristles are perfect for cleaning any machine's group inside surfaces, shower screens and group gasket.

You should replace this part quarterly (every three months) – the longer group gaskets are installed, the harder they are to remove. When leaking around the group starts to occur during extraction.

Additional reasons you might experience group head leakage:

Too much coffee in the filter basket. This manifests itself by causing the coffee to jam against the filter screen, making it not able to fully rotate the portafilter.

Espresso grind is too fine.

The shower screen is indented on the coffee puck after extraction.

If neither of those situations are the case, then it is time to replace this part.

The stubby flat head screwdriver is used to aid in removing portafilter baskets from the body, fine tune adjustable double portafilter spouts, and in some cases it is used to remove group shower screens (where a flat head screwdriver can be used).

This device is a perfect size to those hard-to-reach applications. Generally the 2” handle has a comfortable grip for tight spots.

These devices are used to obtain an accurate temperature reading and usually can accommodate 100 – 220 degrees F. The dial face is normally 1" in diameter and has an easy to use retaining clip.