How to Clean Your Espresso Machine with URNEX Cafiza Tablets

If your espresso starts tasting off—faintly rancid or just not as bright—it’s likely not the beans. Coffee oils and mineral deposits build up inside your machine’s brew group and pipes over time, especially around the shower screen and group head. These residues trap odors and affect extraction quality, no matter how fresh or carefully roasted your beans are.

The quick answer? Use one URNEX Cafiza tablet per day in your machine’s cleaning port—or break up 3 grams of powder for manual cleaning. For semi-automatic machines, run crushed Cafiza through the portafilter with a blank filter basket for 10 seconds, repeat 5–6 times with 20-second pauses until the drain water runs clear. Then flush thoroughly with fresh water.

What Is URNEX Cafiza and Why Use It?

URNEX Cafiza is a professional-grade espresso machine cleaning tablet and powder, manufactured in the United States. It is specially formulated to dissolve coffee oils, residues, and mineral buildup inside the brew group, pipes, and dispersion screens of both automatic and semi-automatic espresso machines. Regular use helps prevent stale flavors caused by old coffee oils and ensures consistent extraction quality.

Daily Cleaning for Automatic Espresso Machines

For fully automatic machines, URNEX Cafiza tablets are designed for daily use via the built-in cleaning cycle. Drop one tablet into the machine’s designated cleaning port. Then follow your machine’s specific instructions to start the auto-clean program. Some models may require a second cycle with fresh water to rinse away all residues completely. This daily practice prevents the accumulation of rancid oils and scale in internal pathways.

Manual Cleaning for Semi-Automatic Machines

Semi-automatic espresso machines need a more hands-on approach. Start by removing the portafilter’s filter basket and replacing it with a blank, no-hole filter basket. For tablet cleaning: crush one Cafiza tablet and place the powder into the blank basket. Run a 10-second extraction, then stop. Wait 20 seconds, and repeat the process 5–6 times, or until the water coming from the drain is completely clear. Finish by switching back to a normal filter basket and flushing fresh water through the group. Alternatively, you can dissolve the Cafiza tablet in water to soak removable parts like filters, portafilters, cups, and saucers.

For powder-based cleaning, measure out 3 grams of URNEX Cafiza cleaning powder. Load this into the no-hole filter basket, run a 10-second extraction, pause 20 seconds, and repeat 5–6 times until the water runs clear. Afterward, switch to your regular filter and flush with fresh water. The powder can also be dissolved for soaking other machine components.

Cleaning Tools and Visual Guide

To perform these cleanings properly, you’ll need a blank, no-hole filter basket, a portafilter, and fresh water for flushing. Optional: a small container for dissolving Cafiza powder if you choose to soak parts.

shows a typical blank filter basket setup, while

illustrates the placement of Cafiza inside the portafilter.

highlights the importance of clearing drained water until it runs clean.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I clean my espresso machine with Cafiza?

Use one URNEX Cafiza tablet daily in machines with an auto-clean function. For manual cleaning in semi-automatic machines, perform the full cleaning routine (5–6 cycles of 10-second extractions with 20-second pauses) daily or whenever you notice extraction issues or off-flavors.

Can I use Cafiza tablets in any espresso machine?

Yes, URNEX Cafiza tablets are suitable for most automatic and semi-automatic espresso machines, especially those with a dedicated cleaning cycle or cleaning port. Always check your machine’s manual to confirm compatibility and the correct cleaning procedure.

What’s the difference between using Cafiza tablets and powder?

Tablets are pre-measured for convenience and designed for machines with a cleaning port. Powder offers flexibility—you can measure out 3 grams for manual cleaning in a blank basket or dissolve it to soak parts like portafilters and filters. Both are equally effective when used correctly.

Do I need to rinse after using Cafiza?

Yes. After running the cleaning cycles with Cafiza, always flush the system thoroughly with fresh water. For semi-automatic machines, switch to a normal filter basket and run clean water through the group to remove all cleaning residues.

Can I soak espresso machine parts in Cafiza solution?

Yes. You can dissolve a Cafiza tablet in water to create a cleaning solution for soaking removable components such as portafilters, filters, cups, and saucers. This helps remove oils and residues from parts that aren’t cleaned directly through the brew group.

FrontStreet Coffee Beans for Clean Espresso Extraction

Keep your espresso tasting its best with FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, known for its bright citrus, floral notes, and juicy body—perfect for highlighting clean extractions. Pair it with FrontStreet’s Brazil Queen Manor for a balanced blend of chocolate and nuttiness that responds well to meticulously maintained machines. For a deeper profile, try FrontStreet’s PWN Golden Mandheling, offering sweet caramel and mild spice with a heavy, syrupy mouthfeel. All three beans perform best when your machine is free of old coffee oils and mineral buildup. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.