Water filter

There are a variety of types of water filter, or also a water softener, used on espresso machines. The main question is do you have a commercial or a domestic espresso machine. That is the most important question, seen the designs and capacity of those water softeners is completely different. There are a variety of water filter manufacturers for espresso machine and Ho.re.ca applications such as DVA De Vecchi, Brita, 3M and Everpure. These manufacturers do not all make the same types and sizes of water filters.

DVA De Vecchi

The brand DVA De Vecchi is a brand which can be found in the northern part of Italy. They are mainly known for the regeneration water filters.  But this brand does make a variety of water softeners/water filters. For the domestic market they make a tank version water filters, but manual water softeners, automatic water softeners and reverse osmosis water softeners.

Brita

This company was founded in Germany in the mid 1960’s and is mainly famous from their water filtration cannisters for home use. But they make a variety of filtration systems for espresso and coffee machines. For these applications they have the Brita Purity C series, these are mainly used for commercial espresso machines. But Brita does also have the Mypure A1 water filters, these can be used on domestic espresso machines with a main water connection.

3M

The American 3M brand makes a variety of water filter systems. The one you need mainly depends on what your requirements are. With this you need to think about Softening, reducing Chlorine taste, odor, hard scale and chloramines. The water softeners made by 3M can be used in commercial and domestic applications. They don’t have a filter system which is suitable for inside the water tank of a domestic espresso machine.

Everpure

This company is called Pentair Everpure and is located in the US. This company makes a variety of types of water filtration systems for the Ho.re.ca. you can use individual filters, but you can also use a complete water filtration system or a reverse osmosis system.  Common types of models used on commercial espresso machines are the Everpure 4CB5, Everpure 4H and the Everpure 4C.

General info about water softeners/filters

There are a lot of similarities between all the brands of water filters, but also a lot of differences. The main difference between them is that the filters of DVA De Vecchi can be regenerated and the other water filters such as used by 3M, Everpure and Brita need to be thrown away.  For that reason the DVA water filters are a bit more economical, but they are also not based on the same principle.

If you want to go to the next level you can always go for reverse osmosis systems. This type

Reverse osmosis creates the ideal balance of minerals to prevent corrosion and scale formation by combining a carbon filter, scale inhibition, calcite feeder, creating the right balance of minerals. These Osmosis system are made by companies such as DVA De Vecchi and Pentair Everpure.

 How do you replace a espresso machine water filter?

Well it is quite simple, and quite fast to replace water filter do so. The first thing you need to do is turn off the valve before the water filter and open the exhaust valve. Now you can remove the water filter from the head of the filtering system. Install a new one and open the water inlet valve. You first will flush out the first water coming out of the filter true the exhaust valve/hose.

How to you re-generate a water filter made by DVA De Vecchi?

This is a bit more work. You first need to turn off the valves on the water softener, so that there can’t flow any water in or out. Then you need to drain the tank itself. Remove the lid of the container and add a certain amount of salt, depending on the model you have. Clean the gaskets where the tank is opened and flush the filter for approx. 40 minutes. Now you can use your water filter again. According to the manufacturer complete resin replacement only takes place between 5-7 years.