The right water filter for your machine
Southern California tap water is hard. Depending on your neighborhood, Los Angeles water runs roughly 7 to 16 grains per gallon, and most of Orange County, the Inland Empire and San Diego draw on the same imported supply. Descaling removes the buildup, but without filtered water it starts coming back from the very first shot.
The fix is simple and cheap: use the right filter for your machine and replace it on time. Here's what we recommend.
Breville Barista Express,
Barista Pro, Infuser
Use the Breville BWF100 water filter. It sits in the water tank and uses resin to cut minerals and chlorine. Replace it about every two months.
Also set your machine's water hardness to match your tap water — the test strip comes in the box with the machine. That way the machine reminds you to descale on time.
Breville Oracle, Oracle Touch,
Barista Touch, Dual Boiler
Use the Breville Claro Swiss filter. It clips into the filter holder inside the tank and has a date dial so you know when it's due. Replace it every 3 months.
Super-automatics
(Jura, De'Longhi, Philips, Saeco)
Use your machine's own in-tank cartridge from the manufacturer and turn the filter setting on in the machine menu, so the machine tracks it for you. Don't skip it — super-automatics scale up fast on SoCal water.
Want better water for any machine?
A coffee pitcher
If you fill your tank by hand, the Peak Water pitcher was designed specifically for coffee. A dial on top lets you set how much the water is softened, based on a test strip included in the box. On hard water the filter needs replacing more often, so it's best for home use.
Avoid pitchers that strip water down to almost zero minerals (distilled-style water). That water tastes flat, can corrode the inside of the machine, and many machines can't sense the water level without some minerals.
Machines connected
to a water line
Commercial machines and plumbed-in home machines (Rocket R series, Profitec Pro 600 and up, Lelit Bianca, ECM, La Marzocco Linea Mini and similar) use an inline filter: a filter head on the water line plus a replaceable cartridge.
- Everpure Claris — softening cartridge with an adjustable bypass. Solid choice for most machines.
- BWT bestmax PREMIUM — softens the water and adds magnesium back for better extraction. Our pick for high-end machines and cafés.
The cartridge twists out and in by hand, usually once or twice a year. If you'd like us to install a system, just ask and we'll quote it.
Why
we care
Most machines that come to our bench didn't fail from age, they failed from scale. Scale insulates the heater, narrows the water path and keeps valves from sealing. Machines with thermoblock heaters, which includes most Breville models, can't be cleaned mechanically inside: once scale builds up, it's descaling or a new part. A $20 filter is the cheapest repair you'll never need.
If we've repaired your machine and filtered water was a condition of your warranty, using the right filter keeps that warranty in force.
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Questions about
your machine? Call us.
Not sure which filter fits, or whether the scale has already done damage? Call, or tell us the brand and model and we'll point you the right way.
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