Espresso drinkers- Portafilter basket cleaning tip

[Neilk]

Wanted to share this tip that I found online....

My 15 year old Starbucks (Saeco) espresso machine was taking forever to make a long espresso, so I finally decided to do something about it. It turned out that the portafilter basket was about 90% clogged with old grounds. So I found a needle and started punching out each hole. Realizing that this was going to take forever, I found the following suggestion here which worked brilliantly.

The pin-holes are plugged with coffee fibre, which burns. Place the filter over a gas flame, either side, for 10 minutes, tapping it with tongs occasionally, and bingo... A CLEAN FILTER. All the minute coffee fibre plugs burn or pop out. Best to use a small coffee pot rack on top of your smallest hob gas burner for this. And metal tongs.

I gave it a try and it really worked and took no more than 5 minutes.

[Sarc]

I have a friend who cleans his basket filter in a similar manner.
What works for me is a quarterly soaking in a cup of vinegar.

[Joe Bob]

Vinegar on my mesh and plastic thingy.....

[James Brown]

get a "naked filter" or a open bottom portafilter, you can clean it out well after every cup you make