Maintaining Your Coffee Shop Equipment

With the freezing weather we've been experiencing across the Midwest, people just can't get enough of their warm morning coffee! As a coffee shop owner, it's important that you keep your equipment maintained, especially during the busy season. Today's blog from Fast Fix LLC offers some tips for maintaining some of the common pieces of equipment in your coffee shop.

Cleaning Your Commercial Espresso Machine 


While proper maintenance of your espresso machine can save you money, the most important reason to clean and maintain your equipment comes down to the taste. Espresso machines quickly fill up with resins from the oil in your coffee. If allowed to accumulate on critical parts of the machine, these oils will most certainly turn your espresso products bitter. Use the following checklist to ensure you're properly cleaning your espresso machine:
  • After every cup, make sure you blow the remaining water and milk out of the steam wand. Once leftover milk gets drawn back into the boiler, it stays there, causing the smell of continuously cooking milk. 
  • If your espresso machine has three-way valves, you should backflush daily with clean water, and weekly with coffee detergent. This loosens and eliminates contaminants from the lines where water is dispensed and from the brewing valves. 
  • At least twice a week, the grouphead parts (filter, baskets and shower screens) as well as the steam wand should be soaked in a solution of coffee detergent and hot water. Then it should be scrubbed, rinsed and wiped down. Ideally, this should be done each night after closing.
  • Once every 3-6 months, you should do a full descaling on your machine. While you should take great care to use filtered water for your espresso machine, it's still vital to descale it. Man of the injectors are the size of a pinhead, so even a small amount of mineral buildup will quickly alter the taste of your espresso and will eventually kill your machine. Descaling not only preserves the integrity of your espresso, but also lengthens the life of your equipment. 

Replacing Your Coffee Grinder Burrs


Each time you turn on your coffee grinder, the burrs are slowly dulling. Dull burrs can negatively effect flavor or consistency. If you can't remember the last time you changed your grinder burrs, it's time to change them! Follow the manufacturers instructions for replacing them. In order to prolong the life of your burrs, be sure to keep them clean by removing and thoroughly cleaning them regularly. 

Keep Frappe Blenders Clean Too 


While frappe blenders require less maintenance than your espresso machine and coffee grinder, there are simple steps you can take to ensure your blender continues operating smoothly. Most importantly, keep all components clean. Be sure to wipe them down with soap and water rather than using a hose or pressure washer, as that can damage the motor. Routinely check the container for cracks and make sure that blades turn easily with just a slight resistance. 

Whether it's your espresso machine or the refrigeration unit you keep your ingredients in that's malfunctioning, Fast Fix LLC is here to address all your coffee shop equipment repair needs in Missouri and Western Illinois. We offer 24/7 emergency repair services, and our employees have 200+ years combined experience in the industry! Give us a call at 573-544-0456, and be sure to ask about our special discount for new customers.

Fast Fix LLC. Restaurant Equipment Service & Repair - 

One Call Does It All! 


Fast Fix LLC. Restaurant Services
3362 State Road JJ
Kingdom City, MO 65262

Phone: 573-544-0456
St. Louis Customers: 636-FASTFIX
Website: www.FastFixLLC.com

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Location: Auxvasse, MO 65231, USA

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