Nobody talks about the water, but espresso is 98% water. Hard water scales up your machine, and bland water makes bland coffee.
This article explains what makes water good for coffee, how to fix yours, and why descaling is really a water-chemistry problem in disguise.
What good coffee water looks like
Specialty coffee wants water with moderate hardness and some alkalinity — enough mineral to extract flavour, not so much that it tastes chalky or scales your boiler.
Very soft water extracts sharp and sour; very hard water dulls flavour and coats heating elements with calcium, shortening machine life.
The practical checklist
If your tap water is hard (limescale visible), filter it and descale regularly.
A simple carbon filter removes chlorine taste. For espresso, some households use filter jugs or descaling-friendly bottled water.
Whatever you feed your machine, descale per the manual and use the brand-recommended cleaner.
When to descale
Frequency depends on water hardness: monthly on hard water, every 2-3 months on soft. If steam wand sputters or shots taste dull, it is time.
Descaling is cheap insurance — far cheaper than a boiler replacement.
