If you ask us, the best maintenance is preventive maintenance! Keep your Rocket espresso machine squeaky clean and working like new with the Rocket Espresso Water Reservoir Filter. What does the Rocket water filter do, you ask? It prevents the buildup of scale in your Rocket boiler(s)!
Now, this filter is little different from your Brita filters. The Rocket Espresso Water Reservoir Filter is a compact, square packet that floats inside the Rocket’s water tank. To get the water filter ready, rinse it under cold water before adding to the tank—voila! Rocket’s water filter will last between six and 12 months between replacements.
Why Use A Water Filter?
The Rocket Espresso Water Reservoir Filter helps reduce scale. Scale is the buildup of minerals (calcium generally) that naturally occur in water. Scale is more noticeable in areas with hard water, which just means the water is heavy with minerals. The buildup can lead to slow water flow, reduced boiler functionality or worse case scenario a malfunctioning espresso machine—and we don’t want that!
How It Works
The Rocket water filter uses resin and activated carbon filtration system to filter out calcium, chlorine and other impurities. The more minerals and dissolved solids like calcium there are, the harder your water is. You’ve probably heard about water hardness and that it’s bad for espresso machines. While minerals do cause scale, if you own a Rocket, you need minerals!
Rocket machines use an electronic sensor that requires some mineral content in the water to register that the tank is full. So, if you pour distilled water to your Rocket, it would think you were out of water—neat!
Here’s another consideration about water hardness; the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) recommends between 75 and 250 milligrams per liter of total dissolved solids (TDS), which include minerals like calcium or sodium. The higher the TDS, the harder your water is. The ideal mineral content for coffee water is 150 mg/L. So while minerals will cause scale, it’s not bad to have minerals in your water.
How Often Do I Descale?
Eventually, there will come a time where you notice your machine is a little lackluster. It might be time to descale! But listen up before you buy a descale solution—Rocket recommends that you do not descale your machine at home. Instead, Rocket recommends home barista’s take their espresso machines to a professional—such as Seattle Coffee Gear! It’s an extra step, but the peace of mind of having a professional look at your Italian hand-crafted machine is worth it—your Rocket’s in good hands.
If you think you need your Rocket espresso machine descaled, send us the deets on your machine on this page.
