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A FLUSH alert on the Breville Barista Pro LCD means a cleaning cycle is required, and it is separate from descaling: FLUSH is a tablet back-flush of the group head, while the DESCALE alert asks for the full three-stage descale. Both procedures below are from the official BES878 instruction book.
FLUSH versus DESCALE on the Barista Pro
| LCD alert | What it means | What it takes |
|---|---|---|
| FLUSH | Cleaning cycle required: a back-flush of the group head with a cleaning tablet | About 5 minutes, cleaning disc and tablet |
| DESCALE | Descaling cycle required: scale removal from the water circuit | A 3-stage cycle plus a 3-stage rinse, with manual steam dial turns |
Clearing the FLUSH alert, from the manual
- Insert the cleaning disc into the filter basket in the portafilter, place a cleaning tablet on top, and lock the portafilter into the group head.
- Empty the drip tray and replace it, and fill the water tank to MAX.
- Press MENU, navigate to FLUSH with the GRIND AMOUNT dial, and press to select. The 1 CUP button illuminates.
- Press 1 CUP to start. The LCD counts down the remaining time.
- At the beep the machine returns to READY. If tablet residue remains on the disc, repeat the cycle, then rinse the portafilter, disc and drip tray.
Keep cleaning tablets in the drawer; the alert is on a fixed schedule, not a judgment call.
The DESCALE alert is a longer job
Remove the water filter, fill the tank to the DESCALE line with descaling agent, and start the cycle from MENU. The Pro descales in three stages, coffee, hot water and steam, beeping after each, and the steam dial must be turned by hand to the position the LCD asks for. The rinse cycle repeats the same three stages with fresh water. Budget the full session; abandoning it mid-rinse leaves descaler in the lines. If your machine is the Express rather than the Pro, its lights work differently; see the Barista Express lights guide.
When to stop
A FLUSH or DESCALE alert that returns immediately after a completed cycle, water that will not flow during either procedure, or error behavior outside these two alerts is not covered by the manual's user procedures. Note what the LCD shows and contact Breville support rather than repeating chemical cycles back to back.
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FAQ
What does the FLUSH alert mean on a Breville Barista Pro? A cleaning cycle is required: a back-flush of the group head using the cleaning disc and a tablet, run from the menu. It is separate from descaling.
How long does the Barista Pro cleaning cycle take? The LCD counts down the cycle and it runs in about 5 minutes; the machine beeps and returns to READY when finished.
What is the difference between FLUSH and DESCALE on the Barista Pro? FLUSH back-flushes coffee residue from the group head with a tablet. DESCALE removes scale from the water circuit in a 3-stage cycle plus a 3-stage rinse with manual steam dial turns.
Sources: alert meanings and both procedures from the Breville the Barista Pro BES878 instruction book (assets.breville.com, PDF), Flush Cleaning Cycle and Descaling sections, fetched and verified for this article.
Never miss a cycle: the free one-page Machine Maintenance Calendar (PDF) puts every daily, monthly, quarterly, and yearly task for espresso machines, drip, Keurig, and moka pots on a card you can tape inside a cabinet.
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