Spent $180 on a fancy espresso machine cleaner that did nothing

Bought this specialized cleaning kit for my La Marzocco at the supply store downtown. Turns out plain hot water and a $5 brush from Home Depot works exactly the same. The sales guy talked me into it saying I'd ruin my machine without it. Has anyone else fallen for the overpriced cafe maintenance stuff?

2 comments

2 Comments

oliviat1726d ago

Yeah, the "you'll ruin your machine" line is such a classic sales tactic. My buddy has a Rancilio Silvia and he fell for the same thing with some descaling powder that cost like $40. He used it once, then later found out vinegar and water does the exact same job. Now he just runs a vinegar cycle every few months and his machine is still going strong years later. Those specialized cleaners are a total racket for home users.

gavinw4526d ago

I mean I get what you're saying but honestly I've had the opposite experience. Vinegar left a weird taste in my machine that took forever to get out, and I was always paranoid about the rubber seals. The specialized stuff is formulated to not eat away at gaskets and O-rings over time. I shell out like $15 for a bottle of Dezcal once a year and I don't have to worry about my group head gasket turning into a brittle mess after a few vinegar cycles. Sure your buddy's machine is fine now but those seals are probably getting cooked slowly.