Cleaning burr coffee grinder
I have a medium-end, drop-through burr espresso coffee grinder (a Solis Maestro Plus). I haven't cleaned it since I first bought it, and I thought it was about time. Both the plastic bean funnel and the grounds drawer were coated in extremely stubborn caked-on coffee oils and grounds. So, some questions:
Getting the caked coffee oil off the plastic parts was very difficult, requiring multiple soakings in hot water and citrus-based dishsoap. Was there an easier way to do this?
How do I clean the burrs themselves, now? I can't remove them from the machine. Presumably I can't use water, and I certainly can't soak them.
Thanks for any advice!
Best Answer
I use Minute-Rice to clean mine (any instant-rice will do - it's partially cooked, so it's softer than raw rice and does a better job cleaning). I just run a bunch of rice through until it's coming out clean, then run some old beans through before using it for coffee.
Here's a Youtube video on it. I'm sure there are tons more. Check out the CoffeeGeek or Home-Barista forums for more information than you ever wanted.
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How often should I clean my burr coffee grinder?
However, the burrs need to be cleaned with the professional products designed for burrs every three days.\u201d These professional products usually come in the form of food-safe pellets which can be ground and run through the grinder, much like coffee beans. They absorb oils from the burrs and expel any retained grounds.Can you clean burr grinder with water?
Make use of a dry cloth to clean the outer and inner burrs. This will help the elimination and absorption of any oils that are left behind while grinding coffee beans. It is recommended not to wash the outer and inner burrs with water.Can you rinse a burr grinder?
Since most burr grinders have a large hopper to store coffee beans, cleaning should be done when the hopper is empty. Remove the hopper and wash it, the lid, and any removable sealing gaskets by hand in a sink of hot, soapy water. Rinse well with hot water and dry with a microfiber cloth.What is the best way to clean a coffee grinder?
InstructionsBurr Coffee Grinder Cleaning
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Answer 2
I would suggest a soak in neat vinegar to try and get the caked on coffee off the removable parts. You could also try running a vinegar cycle through where you normally use water. This will of course require several rinsing water runs before you use the machine again. Another solution that you could use is scalex. It is very strong acid and eats through multiple sins of grime. You can purchase it from hard ware stores.
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