Durgol Swiss Espresso, Descaler and Decalcifier for All Brands of Espresso Machines and Coffee Makers, 4.2 Fluid Ounces (Pack of 2)

I'm the proud owner of a Dolce Gusto machine and a not-so-proud member of a household where the only one who cares about maintenance of this machine is...me. So as the only one, I'm down with the easy, and this is pretty much it. Fortunately the machine had instructions, since the guides for this product are all in German or French. There are pictures for us barbarian English speakers though, but I still wanted to do this right. So in a nutshell, if you have a Dolce Gusto, here you go: One bottle of this stuff in the water tank (one measure) Four measures (.5 L) into the water tank (I just use the empty bottle) Follow the rest of the instructions on the machine. That's...it. Start to finish about fifteen minutes, and my espressos are coming out much better now. The flow is much improved and I'm very happy with this. It's also given me an opportunity to learn some German, so there's an educational aspect to this product. Really, it works great. I'm more confident in this than I am with some home formula that someone posted on Reddit. Just do it.

Espresso makers are expensive and they will definitely last longer if cared for properly. I use only distilled water in my DeLonghi EAM 4500 Espresso maker. I also decalcify with Durgol as often as the machine asks me to do so. The following is from the manufacturer's website: Durgol® Swiss espresso® is highly effective but at the same time gentle to your machine. • Durgol® Swiss espresso® works up to 10 times faster than other branded decalcifiers. There is no need to interrupt the decalcification process to wait for Durgol® Swiss espresso® to work. • One single-portion bottle (4.2 fl. oz./125 ml) of Durgol® Swiss espresso® can dissolve up to 0.35 oz./10 g of lime. This is sufficient to decalcify one espresso machine once. • Because of its special corrosion protection formula, Durgol® Swiss espresso® will not damage your espresso machine when used correctly. No residue that could clog your machine will develop during decalcification. Why should you not decalcify your espresso machine with citric acid or vinegar? During decalcification with decalcifiers on citric acid basis, residue can form and clog the fine lines and valves of your espresso machine. Lime deposits can become sealed under an unremovable layer of residue formed by the citric acid. Finally, decalcifying with citric acid works 10 times more slowly than with Durgol® Swiss espresso®. Decalcification with vinegar or vinegar essence produces an unpleasant smell because of the acetic acid in vinegar. The plastic in your espresso machine can absorb an objectionable taste which will then leach into your espresso and compromise its quality. Certain plastics can be damaged by acetic acid, and as is the case with citric acid, decalcifying with vinegar works considerably more slowly (>10 times) than with Durgol® Swiss espresso®. [...]

I had been trying to purchase Descaler and Decalcifier directly from Lavazza for my Lavazza Classy Plus. Either they are out of stock or very high shipping fee. I was worried about using a brand other than the Lazazza brand for a Lavazza machine. I researched a few brands and some of the reviews for other Descaler and Decalcifiers stated that a chemical taste remained after cleaning. Durgol has great reviews and is "unscented". I'm so glad that I took the chance On Durgol Descaler and Decalcifier. I first read the directions on my Lavazza machine then read the directions for the Durgol Descaler and Decalcifier and got to work. There are A Lot of steps but worked step by step perfectly. As soon as the final step was completed the "clean light" went off on my Lavazza machine just as was indicated in the instructions. I highly recommend this product. Fair price, quick shipping and works perfectly!

I have a 10-year-old $35 Krups espresso maker. The tank was coated with 1/4 inch thick lime/calcification... I can only imagine what the inside pipes looked like. I was beginning to think the water wasn't spurting out as fast as it used to, so the espresso grind would be soaked too long and the bitter taste would go into the cup along with the delicious early drips. So I researched the decalcification options here on Amazon. didn't do outside research, though. Should I spend $13 on decalcifying, or buy a new espresso maker for $45? Tough. I opted to try decalcification. I was sold on using this liquid approach, as opposed to the cheaper powder, since my problem was so extreme. Hard water over 10 years builds up. I got two bottles with this package, and followed the instructions on the first exactly. Pour it in the tank, add 1 bottle-ful of water to the tank, and then run the espresso cycle. Then rinse a few times. It expressly said NOT to let the solution sit in the tank for any period of time. I noticed that some calcium deposits were left behind. What to do? I still had one more bottle to go, so I pour it in along with the water. This time I let it sit. (Elsewhere in the instructions, it said to leave the solution in items like glass coffeepots, until the bubbling stops.) So I waited till it didn't bubble any more - about 5-10 minutes. Then I ran the espresso maker cycle and rinsed again. This time, the tank was spotless! But... The downside was that the solution got rid of the huge build-up inside the tank, but I don't know about the bits of piping that lead the water out of the tank into the coffee grinds. I might have let the build-up go too long. Because what happened then was that small bits of the white calcification, about the size of grains of sand, were plugging up some of the tiny holes where the water pours out of the espresso-maker into the coffee grind. I have a feeling that the solution dissolved completely the lime/calcium in the tank, but didn't have enough time in the pipes to fully dissolve those deposits, so some were just dislodged or broken into smaller bits that plugged the holes. They weren't all plugged up, maybe only about 10%, but still. Maybe more would come. What to do? There is a screw on that metal sieve part in my espresso maker, but it was stuck and I only stripped it trying to remove it. So, I decided to just go ahead and use the machine anyway, and it seems to be working fine. Did the product improve the operation of my espresso maker after I used it? I can't honestly say I've noticed any difference. Certainly the product claims that calcification will affect the operation and efficiency of the espresso maker... I've made espresso from this machine almost every day for the last few years, so I have it down pat. It had at least 1/4 inch of scale, which was fully removed. You'd think I'd notice a difference, but I can't say that I did. Still, it certainly didn't harm anything, and so I'm sure it was good to do. So, in summary, I would say the product works completely great, but if you have a cheap espresso maker like mine, don't worry about all their cautions. Go ahead and let the solution sit in that tank, and then what I'd do is figure out a way for that solution to run all the way through the pipes and sit for a bit. The instructions caution against letting the solution touch the plastic or other parts of your espresso maker, but it did mine no harm. I wish I had just used the first bottle and let it sit for a long time, sloshing it around and letting the solution sit in all parts of the pipeline, before flushing. Then I'd have the second bottle for next time. Bottom line: it's expensive, but works.

Always great result. Have been using for more than 10 years.

I got a used Gaggia espresso machine for a great price but it did need a thorough descaling. This product did in seconds what other solutions would have taken hours. The espresso machine was functioning in no time and I am amazed at how quickly and thoroughly it worked. I instantly saw a difference in flow and pressure. However, I wish there would be a bigger package with a powder like Pully that you can use as a long-term solution from time to time and dose it yourself, as this product is a bit on the pricy side given it is only 2 uses. But for a base cleaning of a neglected machine, it simply is magic!

These seem to work well and although expensive, better than other online places. I have a high end espresso machine and don't want the calcification to build up in the machine. These seem to do the trick!

You made an investment in your coffee or espresso machine. You want to make sure you have the right brand to clean it out no matter how much you use the right water, you have to clean your machine. This has been my brand for 10+ years and I tried other brand that were subpar and meant to drive out. This is grade A+++ stuff and works perfectly. My machines are clean, not clogged and I thank this product for doing exactly what it says to do. Yes, it's not cheap, but you get the right value for the product considering your investment. Dirty machines break and taste gross. You want the best, here you go.