If you have decided to invest in this device worthy of every barista, you need to know how to spotless it.
Cleaning your coffee machine is crucial if you want to extend its life and maintain the taste you love. It is essential to keep all moving parts free of parched coffee grounds, calcified milk and difficult water deposits.
On The perfect homewe’ve tried and tested more coffee machines than you could possibly count, and we understand why coffee lovers are drawn to the Sage brand. Innovators in the world of bean-to-cup coffee, this brand has an espresso machine that appeals to both novices and coffee connoisseurs. Additionally, the Sage Barista Express Impress took the top spot as the “best overall” coffee machine on our lists best coffee machines and best coffee bean machines.
However, just like knowledge how to spotless a nespresso machine is specific to Nespresso users, knowing how to spotless a Sage coffee machine is also tailored to Sage coffee machine owners. That’s why we’ve included everything you need to know about cleaning and maintaining your home coffee machine below.
How to Tidy a Sage Coffee Maker
“One of the main differences between the home user and a professional coffee shop is the cleaning method,” explains Ryan McLachlan, coffee specialist at Sage“If you’ve invested money in a home coffee maker to make delicious coffee, the last thing you want is for it to break down because you didn’t spotless it properly.”
Here’s how to spotless your Sage coffee maker in just seven uncomplicated steps.
(Photo source: Future PLC)
What you will need
Step by step
1. Descaling the machine
Descaling your coffee machine is just as essential as kettle descaling. Demanding water build-up can negatively impact your coffee machine’s performance, but luckily your Sage coffee machine should let you know when it needs to be descaled.
Our e-commerce editor and unofficial chief coffee machine tester, Molly Clearyis the proud owner of a Sage Barista Express Impress coffee machine and says, “My Sage machine flashes to let you know when it needs to be descaled, and when I bought it I received two diminutive descaling capsules that you drop into the filter holder and rinse the machine with.”
According to the Sage website, you should descale your kettle every three months. However, you may need to descale your Sage coffee maker sooner if you utilize it more often than the average person.
Although the process of descaling a Sage coffee machine is generally the same for each machine, it is a good idea to follow the specific instructions in the user manual to choose the most appropriate procedure for your specific machine.
(Photo source: Sage)
2. Tidy the water tank
While Sage coffee machines are equipped with water filters that eliminate difficult water and limescale in the machine itself, this does not prevent difficult water from entering the water tank.
That’s why it’s so essential to spotless your water tank regularly. Sage recommends cleaning your tank every two to three weeks.
Ava Wilson, Editor-in-Chief Declutterersays, “Remove and wash the reservoir with sultry, soapy water. Rinse thoroughly to make sure no soap residue remains.”
However, if you have extremely difficult water and haven’t cleaned the water tank in a while, you may find that this isn’t enough to remove stubborn difficult water stains. If this is the case, fill the tank with a 1:2 mixture of white vinegar and water and let it soak for an hour.
Once the time is up, empty the tank, wipe it with a spotless microfiber cloth, then rinse it several times to remove the vinegar smell.
3. Tidy the drip tray
Sage coffee machines are generally considered the best, but there’s a reason for that. These machines are equipped with all sorts of gadgets and devices that make making coffee a breeze, and one of them is a drip tray warning.
Molly says, “One of my favorite things about my Sage machine is that it lets you know when the drip tray needs to be cleaned again. When the water in the tray reaches a certain level, it warns you, ‘Drip tray full.’”
“I usually don’t let this happen because I empty and spotless the drip tray with soap and water at least once a week, but now I really like it.”
(Photo source: Sage)
And Molly is right. The best way to spotless the drip tray when cleaning your Sage coffee maker is to empty it, give it a quick rinse, then wash it in a bowl of sultry, soapy water.
You can then parched the tray with a spotless microfiber cloth or paper towel before placing it back into the machine.
4. Tidy the filter holder and filter basket
No bean-to-cup coffee maker would be complete without a filter holder and filter basket, but it’s uncomplicated to overlook this feature when cleaning your coffee maker. However, cleaning your Sage filter holder and filter basket can make a huge difference in the speed of your coffee extraction and the taste of your coffee.
The best way to spotless these two pieces is to separate them and then wash them both in sultry, soapy water. To make sure you remove any loose granules or debris, utilize a gentle scrub brush to reach every nook and cranny.
Alternatively, you can soak the filter holder and filter basket in a bowl of sizzling water and throw one of these Pack of 8 Sage Espresso Cleaning Tablets from Argos.
Then rinse and parched thoroughly before reassembling the coffee maker. You can utilize Sage coffee right away, but Ava suggests keeping a cleaning schedule after you brew your coffee in the morning.
‘After each utilize, remove the grounds and rinse the filter holder and basket under sultry water. Operate a brush to remove any remaining grounds.’
(Photo credit: Future / Millie Fender)
5. Tidy the steam nozzle
Unless you’re an espresso drinker, you should regularly spotless the steam wand on your Sage coffee maker. In fact, you should “purge” the steam wand before and after each utilize. To do this, simply turn on the steam wand for 1-2 seconds, and this will force out any excess condensation or milk.
However, the Sage website also recommends that, in addition to daily cleaning, a more thorough cleaning of the steam nozzle should be carried out once a week using the “soak and prick” method.
The “soak and poke” method involves soaking the nozzle in a glass or cup of cleaning solution to dissolve any hardened milk, then poking the holes in the steam nozzle with a toothpick to prevent blockages that can affect frothing performance.
Once you’ve done this, wash the wand again with sultry, soapy water, rinse it again, and parched it with a spotless cloth.
(Photo credit: Future / Millie Fender)
6. Change filter
When you buy a Sage coffee maker, you’ll find that it comes standard with one of two water filters. It will either have a ClaroSwiss filter (which is compatible with all Sage coffee makers) or a carbon water filter (which is only compatible with a few machines).
While it is not necessary to utilize these filters to utilize your machine, it is recommended to utilize them to keep your machine in top working order and prevent damage from scale. And since they only last three months, you should add filter replacement to your coffee machine cleaning schedule.
7. Tidy the outside
When it comes to cleaning your Sage coffee maker, some of the tasks on this list can be done every few months. But if you want your coffee maker to stand out on your kitchen counters, it’s a good idea to spotless the outside every few days.
In fact, Molly admitted that this is something that can’t be avoided with a stainless steel case. “In terms of general maintenance, since the machine is stainless steel, I find myself wiping it down with a damp microfiber cloth quite often, but it’s a diminutive price to pay to keep it looking fresh!”
That’s why regularly wiping down the outside of the device to remove any muddy fingerprints is a must, and it’s a good idea to brush the areas around the grinder as well.
Molly says: “It also comes with a cleaning kit with a petite brush. I’ve found that this is best for cleaning the areas around the grinder where you definitely don’t want to put your fingers.”
(Photo source: Sage)
Frequently asked questions
How to spotless a Sage coffee maker?
To effectively spotless your Sage coffee maker, you need to spotless the individual components, including the water tank, filter holder and filter basket, steam wand, and drip tray. Most of these components can be cleaned with sultry, soapy water, but you can also utilize any of the products that came with your coffee maker.
Can any descaling agent be used in the Sage coffee machine?
While you can utilize any descaler to descale your Sage coffee maker, you do so at your own risk. Sage recommends using only Sage descaling solution, and using any other product may void your warranty if it is found that this alternative process damages your coffee maker in any way.
However, many users have managed to descale their Sage coffee maker using vinegar or citric acid.
Remember, regular maintenance is crucial to keep your Sage coffee machine in top working order.
