The 8 Best Coffee Maker Cleaners and Descalers of 2023

Best Overall

Impresa Coffee Machine Descaler

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This Impresa descaler works in all machines, including Keurigs, Nespressos, espresso machines, and regular drip coffee pots. We think it's worth snagging the two-pack of 8-ounce bottles, which can come in handy because you have to use half of a bottle for each cleaning. If you're not willing to commit to two bottles, you can get a single pack. To use, make sure that everything is cleared from the machine first. This might mean running a cycle or two of hot water, and wiping out the reservoir or pod dispenser.

To run the solution through the machine, you’ll pour it into the water reservoir and dilute it with water. The exact solution-to-water measurements aren’t included, which might be tricky if you have a machine with a smaller or larger-than-normal water reservoir. Just make sure you run a full tank of clean water at least two times through before you make coffee after descaling.

Notably, this solution is very effective on hard water build-up, including limescale and other mineral deposits, though. And while the potent formula (which contains citric acid and sulfamic acid) is effective, it is also straightforward to use.

Price at time of publish: $30

_{Cleaner or Descaler: Descaler | Type: Solution | Amount: 16 ounces | For Use On: Drip coffee makers, single-serve coffee makers, espresso machines, superautomatic machines, Keurig machines, Nespresso machines}

Best Budget

Aunt Fannie's All Purpose 6% Distilled White Cleaning Vinegar

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Did you know you can dilute and use vinegar to descale a coffee maker and other household surfaces? We think Aunt Fannie's is a worthy budget-friendly pick because cleaning vinegar is 20 percent stronger than the white distilled vinegar you might use in your food preparation. The bottle comes with 33 ounces of product which may sound like a lot, but it's just over 4 cups. Cleaning vinegar is also very versatile, so you may find that it comes in handy for many different cleaning tasks around the home. (Just make sure you don't use cleaning vinegar for cooking, as it's not approved for consumption.)

When it comes to descaling your coffee maker, as a general rule, you'll typically want to use one part water, one part vinegar—so you should get a lot of mileage out of this jug. You should be able to use this vinegar to clean single-use coffee makers, drip makers, espresso machines, and other coffee maker types—but you should always check your machine's manufacturer instructions, just to be sure. All in all, we think cleaning with vinegar can be a great route when you're on a budget, especially if you like your cleaners to be eco-friendly and multitasking. Be sure to protect your hands with gloves when handling cleaning vinegar, especially if you have sensitive skin.

Price at time of publish: $12

_{Cleaner or Descaler: Both | Type: Solution | Amount: 33 ounces | For Use On: Drip coffee makers, single-serve coffee makers, espresso machines, other surfaces and products}

Best Cleaner

Bar Keepers Friend Coffee Maker Cleaner

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If you're looking for something to tackle those stains at the bottom of your favorite travel mug or carafe, this cleaner from beloved Bar Keeper's Friend is up to the task. It's made for both visible stains and invisible residue that builds up over time, and it promises to help maintain your equipment for better-tasting coffee in the long run. We like that it's formulated for different coffee machine types, as well as mugs, tumblers, and carafes made of stainless steel, glass, or ceramic. It also should be safe for internal rubber components like gaskets.

Make sure to take a close look at the back of the bottle for guidance on usage and dilution. The 8:1 concentration might seem like it'll go far, but considering the volume of some brewers and their pots, you may go through an entire bottle within just a few cleans. If you do find yourself replacing it more than expected, the good news is it's budget-friendly.

Price at time of publish: $8

_{Cleaner or descaler: Cleaner | Type: Solution | Amount: 12 ounces | For Use On: Drip coffee makers, single-serve coffee makers, espresso machines, and stainless steel, glass, and ceramic coffee mugs}

Best Descaler

Biocaf Coffee Equipment Descaling Powder

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This powder from Urnex Biocaf comes in individual packets, so you never have to worry about measuring. This particular product is a descaler only, but Urnex Biocaf also makes a coffee maker cleaner that has its own usage instructions. While using a separate descaler and cleaner does add extra steps, the two products do have different purposes—as noted by both Angela and Pleshek. Notably, this descaler is compatible with single-cup machines and drip coffee makers, as well as espresso machines.

This is a more eco-friendly option that doesn’t contain phosphates, is biodegradable, and uses plant- and mineral-based ingredients to get rid of limescale and other build-up. It dissolves completely when mixed with 32 ounces of warm water, so you don’t need to worry about any powder getting left behind in your machine. You should still run a cycle or two of plain water before brewing your coffee, though.

Price at time of publish: $12

_{Cleaner or Descaler: Descaler | Type: Powder | Amount: 2 ounces | For Use On: Drip coffee makers, single-serve coffee makers, espresso machines, superautomatic machines}

Best Solution

De'Longhi EcoDecalk Descaler

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You may already know the brand De'Longhi for its coffee and espresso machines, so it's safe to assume they know a thing or two about proper care and maintenance. This descaler works with all sorts of machines—not just De'Longhi models—and promises to rid them of limescale and other mineral deposits to give you that ideal cup of coffee or shot of espresso. The materials are also biodegradable and plant-based, and the packaging is recyclable, too.

Some users have reported that they weren't pleased with the way the instructions are printed on the backside of the bottle's label (similar to certain types of medicine containers). Still, as long as you know what to expect and how to find the instructions, we don't think this packaging quirk is a dealbreaker. Whether you've invested in a De'Longhi machine or have something else completely, we consider this a great solution for regular descaling.

Price at time of publish: $33

_{Cleaner or Descaler: Descaler | Type: Solution | Amount: 16.9 ounces | For Use On: Drip coffee makers, single-serve coffee makers, espresso machine}

Best Tablet

Affresh Coffee Maker Cleaner Tablets

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Tablets can be less messy to dispense than other options, but they can also be expensive per use. If you don’t mind spending a bit more on a descaling product, the Affresh coffee maker tablets bring plenty of cleaning power to get rid of mineral build-up from inside your machine. For a standard, multi-cup drip coffee pot, put the tablet into a full reservoir of water, and run a brew cycle. You will need to run a water-only cycle to fully rinse the system after that. For a single-serve coffee maker, you’ll need to run two brew cycles after you add the tablet to a filled water reservoir, then two water-only cycles to rinse. 

These tablets are formulated for descaling, so it’s a good idea to add another cleaning product to your shopping cart. They are individually wrapped and easy to store, however, as long as you have a compatible machine. They do work with single-cup machines, as well as larger drip coffee pots, but they aren’t formulated for use with espresso machines.

Price at time of publish: $9

_{Cleaner or descaler: Descaler | Type: Tablet | Amount: 3 | For Use On: Drip coffee makers, single-serve coffee makers}

Best Kit

Urnex Coffee Maker Cleaner and Descaler Kit

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If you know you want to clean and descale your coffee machine, a kit is a great choice to streamline things. We like this pairing from Urnex, which gives you one 4-ounce bottle of cleaner and one 4-ounce bottle of—you guessed it—descaling solution. The brand's coffee-maker cleaning offerings were contenders for some of our other categories on this list, so you can rest assured that this kit doesn't sacrifice quality for convenience. And don't worry if you're still scrolling to double-check the difference between a cleaner and descaler. The two bottles come with clear instructions so you can get through both processes smoothly.

One drawback of this kit is that it's meant for a single use—you'll use each of the full bottles when you clean and descale your machine. If you want to keep more solution on hand for future uses, you'll need to purchase extra kits.

Price at time of publish: $12

_{Cleaner or Descaler: Both | Type: Solution | Amount: 2 4-ounce bottles | For Use On: Drip coffee makers, single-serve coffee makers, espresso machines}