One has to decide between:
- Taste of Coffee and
- Maintenance Requirements of the Equipment.
Hard Water (rich in minerals, such as spring water) will generally
produce a better tasting coffee then soft water (such as water treated by
RO systems or the use of distilled water). It is the minerals in water
that will bring out the aroma of coffee.
On the other hand, hard water will cause scale build up inside the
equipment such as pumps, boilers and valves. This will cause long term
maintenance costs. Frequent descaling procedures will be required and
sometimes components even have to be exchanged.
Generally, manufacturers suggest a water hardness of 3gpg.
Some coffee shops even use Spring Water (very hard water and rich in
minerals) and put the equipment frequently through a maintenance schedule
to remove scale build up.
Also consider, most commercial machines have a "level probe",
maintaining water levels inside the boiler. They depend on the water being
an electrical conductor. Water that has been treated by RO systems (or the
use of distilled water) does not conduct electricity. This will cause the
equipment to malfunction. Some manufactures offer a "RO-Kit"
which is basically a floater instead of a level probe.
95% of espresso and coffee machines returned to us for repair are
caused by scale build up and the fact that the machine has never been
descaled. Do not use vinegar to descale espresso and coffee machines. Use descaling
agent or powder as suggested by the manufacturers. How do I
measure Water Hardness? This can be done with test strips or a TDS-Meter.
More Resources:
- What is TDS
- What is Hard Water
-
Water Hardness and Coffee Equipment
- Coffee and TDS (Total
Dissolved Solids)
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