Saeco Royal Maintenance

Maintenance is necessary at the very latest when the taste is no longer good. However, it is better to do it beforehand; these machines are not maintenance-free, although this opinion is widespread.

Essential points that determine the taste are

Grind, amount
Temperature
Coffee variety
Amount of water
Cleanliness

Some of these things can be adjusted, while for others you have to put in some work.

It goes without saying that descaling is carried out frequently and in a timely manner. The machine has a program for this. It is also important to keep the milk lines and the cappuccinatore clean, as described in the guide, if you have one.

Saeco recommends frequent cleaning of the brew group. The easiest way is to take it out and rinse it under running water. This also involves regreasing the most important moving parts. A complete disassembly is not that difficult, and the results are amazing! There are several descriptions for this here, although the brew groups differ in details:

The support valve is under heavy strain; these seals should be replaced from time to time and greased. Is described here. Below the valve is an opening through which excess water can drain. This must be kept clear, e.g., with a pipe cleaner.

The grinder should be cleaned from time to time. Grinding stones wear out and then only crush the coffee instead of cutting it cleanly. You replace them. Is described here.