Looking after your espresso group head

All the group head pages

1. What Is an Espresso Group Head?

   The group head is the fitting where the portafilter locks in. Here's what it does, what's inside it and why makers ask owners to keep it clean.

2. Group Head Parts: Gasket, Shower Screen and Dispersion Plate

   Rings, discs and a screw sit inside the group head. Here's what each is called, what it does and which jobs are for the owner.

3. Why Group Heads Get Dirty: Coffee Oils and Fine Grounds

   Brown buildup around the group head comes from coffee oils and grounds. Here's how it forms, what it looks like and what makers say to do.

4. What Is Backflushing and Which Machines Can Do It?

   Backflushing pushes water or cleaner back through the group head with a blind basket. Here's what it means and how to tell if your machine allows it.

5. Backflushing With a Blind Basket: Following the Maker's Steps

   How to read your manual's backflush steps. Two examples show what they usually involve, and why your own machine's steps come first.

6. Machines That Should Not Be Backflushed

   One retailer's guide warns against backflushing a machine without a three-way valve. Your maker's manual decides. Here's how to check it.

7. How Often to Clean a Group Head: What Makers Say

   Published cleaning intervals for the group head vary widely, from after every session to every few weeks. Here's how to find your own maker's number.

8. Group Head Cleaning Products: Using Only What the Maker Names

   Which cleaner can go in a group head? Use the one your maker names, not a home-made mix. Here's what manuals say and why.