Group Head Brush

What a group head brush is for

Coffee oil and grounds build up around the group head of an espresso machine: on the shower screen, in the groove of the gasket and around the hot-water outlet. A cloth cannot get in there. This group head brush has a small 10 x 25 mm head on a 160 mm handle, which is long enough to reach up under the group and work the bristles around the gasket while your hand stays clear of hot metal.

Using it

The easiest moment is at the end of a session, or straight after backflushing. Run a short flush of water through the group, brush the screen and the rim of the gasket while the residue is still soft, then flush again to rinse what you have loosened. The group head holds its heat long after the last shot, so hold the brush by the handle and keep your fingers out of the way.

Bristles, handle and body

The bristles are black polyester, 0.80 mm thick, stiff enough to shift baked-on coffee oil without needing much pressure. The handle is nylon 6 rated as food-safe and the body is plastic, so the whole thing rinses clean under the tap and goes back in a drawer. It is a Nuova Ricambi part, type NR Smart 701038/N, sold under the Café du Jour brand, and it suits daily use at home as much as it does a machine that runs all day behind a bar.

Specifications

• Length: 160 mm
• Brush head: 10 x 25 mm
• Bristles: black polyester, 0.80 mm
• Handle: food-safe nylon 6
• Body: plastic
• Manufacturer: Nuova Ricambi, type NR Smart 701038/N
• Brand: Café du Jour