<p>I have used a La Pavoni Euro piccolo manual daily for 10 years. I have descaled it about once a year using vinegar. Recently I have switched to citric acid because it is easier to rinse out the residual taste.</p>
<p>Other than replacing o-rings when they leak, it has needed no service.</p>
<p>Commercial machines need preventative servicing because of high use and the high cost of down time. Home machines get much less use and you still have Melita as a back-up.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-09T14:38:26.863Z
2024-04-09T14:38:26.863Z
Woody
<p>I am an owner of a dual boiler E61 machine (lelit bianca) for 3 years and I often hear that one should get them to professional maintenance/service all 2-3 years for descaling (not backflush) and to replace rubber o-rings, tube, what not and the manufacturer expects you to do it. However my manual only has one statement, that when I descale I shall use „natural“ stuff. (Not very helpful IMHO). It seems to me when I just replace the shower head basket and o-ring when it feels right and descale it in 1-2 years it should be fine. (1-2 x2 shoots + steam / d, 1kg coffee beans / month, 10°dh, 1,786mmol/l, using the resin filters in the tank)</p>
<p>Do you have some, at best authoritative, opinion about this service advice? What descaler is recommended?</p>

<espresso><espresso-machine><equipment><maintenance>
Regular service intervals
Superlokkus
# Regular service intervals

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-03-25)

I am an owner of a dual boiler E61 machine (lelit bianca) for 3 years and I often hear that one should get them to professional maintenance/service all 2-3 years for descaling (not backflush) and to replace rubber o-rings, tube, what not and the manufacturer expects you to do it. However my manual only has one statement, that when I descale I shall use „natural“ stuff. (Not very helpful IMHO). It seems to me when I just replace the shower head basket and o-ring when it feels right and descale it in 1-2 years it should be fine. (1-2 x2 shoots + steam / d, 1kg coffee beans / month, 10°dh, 1,786mmol/l, using the resin filters in the tank)

Do you have some, at best authoritative, opinion about this service advice? What descaler is recommended?

**Tags:** espresso, espresso-machine, equipment, maintenance


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-04-09. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

I have used a La Pavoni Euro piccolo manual daily for 10 years. I have descaled it about once a year using vinegar. Recently I have switched to citric acid because it is easier to rinse out the residual taste.

Other than replacing o-rings when they leak, it has needed no service.

Commercial machines need preventative servicing because of high use and the high cost of down time. Home machines get much less use and you still have Melita as a back-up.


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