How Do I Clean My Sage Espresso Machine?

by Ryan Cowdell | Jun 11, 2024 | Tips & Advice, Sage Coffee Machine

Watch our video tutorial on how to clean my Sage Barista Machine or follow our step by step instructions in this blog.

Making coffee can be a dusty, messy, oily business and keeping your espresso machine clean is vital for ensuring that you make the best coffee possible. The processes for cleaning the Sage espresso machines are essentially the same across most of the range and are quick and simple once you are familiar with them. They can be seen as variants on the method used for cleaning their most popular espresso machine: the Sage Barista Express, and we’ll explain that one first in most depth.

Clean my Sage espresso machine – Sage Barista Express cleaning cycle

Rather helpfully, your Sage Coffee Machine has a handy little light to let you know when it needs cleaning. Just to avoid any possible confusion, this flashing maintenance light is informatively labelled “Clean Me”. Even if the light is not illuminated, regular cleaning will help maintain the machine and the flavour of your coffee.

To help you with the cleaning process you will need a silicon cleaning disc which sits inside the filter in the portafilter. It’s just a circle of plastic which blocks the water and cleaner from passing through the portafilter, onto this disc you place the cleaning tablet. Sage have their own proprietary cleaning tablets but there are others available (Urnex Cafiza, Ali Express, Woldoclean, Cleona are some of the readily available brands).

Ensure that there is plenty of water in your tank. With the portafilter, with its cleaning disc and cleaning tablet in place, locked into the grouphead and your coffee machine switched OFF, you can start.

You then have to press the 1 cup, 2 cup and Power buttons simultaneously for 3 seconds and the cleaning cycle should begin, indicated by the “Clean Me” light flashing. The process takes approximately 5 minutes and the goal is that the water runs into the portafilter, mixes with the cleaner and backwashes into the machine.

Previously the cleaning disc had a hole in it and the water would gradually release through the portafilter, however the process has changed recently, and completely solid discs are being distributed which means that the cleaning solution doesn’t escape through the portafilter but instead is distributed into the drip tray.

Once the process has finished there will be two beeps, and though the cleaning has completed it is worth running through a conventional espresso cycle without the grounds in place, or another cleaning cycle without the tablet, to ensure that all of the cleaning solution has been flushed out of the system.

Professional grade machine maintenance is easy with Sage, ensuring your Barista Express™ Impress remains in top condition.

Clean my Sage espresso machine – Sage Barista Pro steam wand

For the Barista Pro the process is essentially the same except that once you have locked in the portafilter, with the power on, you press the Menu button for the main menu. Then you move the Grind Amount dial to Flush and press to select it. This is a crucial step in sage coffee machine cleaning.

The 1 Cup button should then illuminate and you press it to initiate the cleaning cycle.

The cleaning time will be counted down on the LCD display. Again, it is worth repeating the cycle without the disc or tablet to ensure that all the cleaning solution has been flushed out. Additionally, remember to regularly check and replace the water filter to prevent limescale buildup and ensure the proper functioning of your machine.

Clean my Sage espresso machine – Sage Oracle cleaning tablet

For this Espresso Machine the process again is the same for loading the portafilter with the cleaning disc and tablet.

Then you press the Menu button and rotate Select dial until ‘CLEAN CYCLE’ and ‘PUSH’ are displayed on the LCD at which point you press Select to begin the cleaning process.

Both the Barista Touch and Oracle Touch machines, being the wonders of modern technology that they are, will run you through the cleaning instructions on their displays when cleaning is due or when you select it. Make sure to clean the steam wand after each use by wiping it down with a moist towel and purging to prevent milk residue from drying on the wand. Additionally, remove the drip tray and give it a bath in hot soapy water, then wipe it down with a cloth before placing it back into the machine. Don’t forget to regularly empty and clean the water drip tray to prevent it from becoming dirty.

Do as you are instructed, and you will be fine, make a mistake and we can’t be responsible for what will happen when our mechanical overlords rebel and take over the world! Regular maintenance of your Sage machine, including water filter cleaning, is essential for optimal function and longevity.