The key to great tasting coffee is ensuring a clean and healthy machine. Your Nespresso Essenza Mini is no different. Your machine has likely helped you through the good times and the bad, but it’s time you showed it some TLC.
If you’ve ever noticed that your coffee tastes slightly off? Then your Nespresso Essenza Mini may need descaling. Descaling is an important aspect of maintenance that only takes around 20 minutes out of your day and we can show you how to do it.
What is Descaling?
Despite the simple nature of the Essenza mini, it is still susceptible to damage if not descaled. Every time a coffee is made, the hot water flowing through the machine leaves small deposits of a mineral called calcium carbonate that builds up over time. Usually, areas that use hard water are required to descale their machine more often due to the higher concentration of minerals. Descaling your Essenza Mini will remove these deposits resulting in a healthier machine and better tasting coffee.
How Often Should I Descale My Nespresso Essenza Mini?
It is recommended that one should descale their Nespresso Essenza Mini every three months or after around 300 uses, but we don’t expect anyone to keep track of how many pods they use. As a minimum, descaling twice a year will still help maintain your machine.
What Will I Need?
The basics required to descale your Essenza Mini is fresh water and a container to collect the water once it’s deposited. The most important factor when descaling is the solution you mix into the water. The Urnex Dezcal Activated Scale Remover kit is cheap, non-toxic, biodegradable, safe and works on most machines. For only $3 this will get the job done. Also, you will need fresh water to fill your water tank and a container to catch the water.
Steps To Descaling My Nespresso Essenza Mini
The steps required to descale a Nespresso Essenza Mini are quite simple. Follow this process to ensure that your Essenza Mini is clean and ready to make delicious coffee.
Preparing my Essenza Mini
First of all, you need to prepare your machine. Start by turning on the machine allowing it to heat up.
Lift the top and check that there are no capsules inserted in the machine, if there are, remove them.
Then remove the empty capsule container and drain the drip tray.
Place a cup or container under the dispenser to catch the liquid that flows through. It is advised that the cup or container be able to hold at least 1 litre of liquid.
Once ready, fill the water tank with 500ml water and mix in the descaling solution.
Starting the descaling process
This step will take around 10 minutes.
To start the process, you need to activate descaling mode on your machine.
Wait for the two buttons on the front of the machine to stop flashing.
Then simultaneously press both buttons for three seconds so the lights start flashing quickly indicating that the process has begun.
Press the Lungo button to begin the descaling process.
The water tank will drain, flow through the machine, and then dispense into the cup or container you have placed underneath.
Once drained, repeat the process with the used solution.
Rinsing my Nespresso machine
After the second cycle is complete, empty the water tank and rinse it out making sure it is devoid of any solution.
Refill the water tank with fresh water and restart the process for a third and final time, emptying the tank completely.
Dispose of the water.
Exiting descaling mode
Finally, press the two front buttons simultaneously for three seconds to deactivate the descaling mode.
Now, your Nespresso Essenza Mini has been descaled and is ready to make amazing coffees again.
If you’re more of a visual learner, check out this video on how to descale a Nespresso Essenza Mini:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZRFOk4fwfk.
Essenza Mini Features
The Nespresso Essenza Mini is the most basic machine in the range due to its small, compact size. However, this does not mean the quality of coffee it produces is sacrificed. This machine still produces 19 bars of pressure, perfect for extracting maximum flavor from the capsules. Its small size does mean that there is less room in the capsule container resulting in the need to empty more frequently. Finally, its small footprint allows those with little space to enjoy great coffee. For those that are new to Nespresso machines, the Essenza Mini is a great start.
Why Go Organic
Using the Cafetto Restorer Descaler kit will not only save your machine from serious damage, it will also save the environment from being harmed. This organic kit is non-toxic, odorless and biodegradable meaning that it isn’t going to take a thousand years decompose. Artizan Coffee products are big advocates of taking care of the environment as all their products are 100% organic. They are also the first company in the world to receive the USDA organic certification for their line of Nespresso compatible capsules. By using their products you can drink exceptional organic coffee and save the planet at the same time.