How To Clean A Hamilton Beach Coffee Maker (Do This!)
Hamilton Beach is one of the largest coffee maker manufacturers in the world, and that means that you probably own one. If you want to keep your coffee tasting fresh, you need to know how to clean it. Cleaning a Hamilton Beach coffee maker isn’t always easy, though. So, how do you make your coffee maker squeaky clean?
- Start by removing your coffee grinds and filter from your coffee machine.
- Place an empty carafe on the hot plate, add a mugful of white vinegar into the water reservoir, and then press the ON button.
- Let the coffee maker run for 30 seconds, press OFF, then wait 30 minutes for your machine to descale.
- Press ON, and let the machine run.
- Repeat until the water runs clear.
The good thing about Hamilton Beach is that they make coffee makers easy to clean. Of course, this is not the only thing you need to know about cleaning a coffee machine. Let’s talk about what else is really important.
An Important Note About Cleaning Hamilton Beach Coffee Makers
While Hamilton Beach makes a ton of great products, they’re not all the same. This means that their coffee machines won’t always behave the same way, either. That means that some coffee maker models may have a different cleaning routine that works with them. To make sure you get the best possible clean, refer to your owner’s manual before you do any cleaning.
With that said, vinegar tends to be one of the best cleaning agents to keep your coffee maker scale-free. So, we still suggest using it. While it’s acidic enough to remove limescale or calcium buildup, it’s still gentle enough to avoid harming your machine. Moreover, it’s safe for ingestion and evaporates easily. So, it’s a good way to keep both your health and tastebuds intact if you overdo it on the vinegar.
Cleaning Specialty Parts Of A Hamilton Beach Coffee Maker
While the vinegar method that we mentioned in our introduction works well for the inner workings of your coffee maker, there are other parts of your coffee machine that work. Let’s take a look at the best ways to clean everything…
How Do You Clean The Exterior Of A Hamilton Beach Coffee Maker?
There are several ways that you can clean the exterior of your coffee maker safely and effectively. It’s a lot like a Cuisinart coffee maker in that sense. The two most common methods are:
- Using a cleaning wipe. Cleaning wipes, like the ones from Method or from Lysol, are a good way to disinfect the exterior of your coffee machine. These wipes are meant to be gentle on most materials, plastic included. They also don’t streak, which is awesome.
- Using vinegar. As above, so below…or something. Vinegar is still strong enough to tackle most of the stains on the outside of your coffee machine, too. To use it, just spray some onto a paper towel and wipe the outside of your machine down. Like cleaning wipes, vinegar does not leave streaks.
How Do You Clean The Coffee Maker’s Hot Plate?
Few things are as easy to clean as a hot plate. To clean your hot plate with ease, grab a wet paper towel and let it sit on the hot plate. After about five minutes, stains will be softened up. Once it reaches that moment, you will be able to pick up the stains and wipe them off without requiring anything else.
How Do You Clean A Hamilton Beach Coffee Filter?
It’s important to make sure that you have a coffee machine that doesn’t require paper filters. If you have a coffee maker that requires paper filters, you can’t wash them off and reuse them. You’re just going to have to go to the local store and pick up a new set of filters to replace the soiled one.
If you have a coffee maker with a washable filter, follow these steps below:
- Remove the coffee filter from the coffee machine. How you do this will vary from model to model, but with most, it’s just a twist and pull.
- Go to the trash can and pour out all the coffee grounds that are in the filter. You can use your fingers to tap the filter.
- Spray the filter with some white vinegar, or use dish soap as a cleaner. Wash the filter in your kitchen sink, using your fingers to gently rub it.
- Pat the filter dry using a microfiber towel, and place it back in your coffee machine. It should be good to go.
How Do You Clean A Coffee Maker’s Coffee Pot?
The coffee pot, or carafe, is usually made of glass. This means that you can typically clean a coffee pot by handwashing it with dish soap, much like you would a drinking glass. If you have a stainless steel coffee pot, it’s best to read up on how to clean a stainless steel coffee pot and follow those directions instead.
How Often Should You Clean A Hamilton Beach Coffee Machine?
This all depends on the type of cleaning that you’re talking about. Removing coffee grounds and just replacing the filter is something that can happen after every single use. After all, having old coffee grounds in your machine will make it difficult to get a good tasting cup of coffee the next time around.
However, if you’re talking about deep cleaning, things are different. Deep cleaning involves the use of vinegar or another descaling agent to remove buildup in your coffee machine’s inner workings, like in our tutorial. This is something that should be done a bare minimum of once every three months. If you use a coffee machine at your workplace, you should give it a monthly deep clean.
What Happens If You Don’t Clean Your Coffee Machine?
There are a lot of potential consequences that can happen if you don’t clean your coffee machine regularly. The most notable ones include:
- Your coffee will taste funky. Yuck! It shouldn’t be a shock to anyone that a filthy coffee machine will make filthy-tasting coffee. Old coffee grinds, a mildewy filter, and tons of hard water buildup will turn your coffee into a seriously gross way to start the day.
- You may get mold in your coffee machine. Mold is a health hazard, and a big one, too. If it gets to the point that mold grows in your coffee machine, it’s possible that you could have an allergic reaction or just get food poisoning as a result of drinking coffee.
- The calcium buildup can also permanently damage your coffee machine. The buildup doesn’t just affect flavor. It can make it hard for your coffee machine to keep the flow of coffee steady, or even make it hard for your coffee to heat properly.
- Eventually, the mold and buildup could end up destroying your coffee machine altogether. It is possible to render a coffee machine irreparable if neglect continues.
What Can You Use Aside From Vinegar To Clean Your Coffee Machine?
There are a couple of options you can use to clean a coffee maker without vinegar. Many people choose to get a descaling solution to clean out their coffee machines, but you can also use 1/4 cup of baking soda in a cup of warm water. Just make sure it dissolves, since straight baking soda can be too abrasive for a coffee machine.
Related Questions
How long does a Hamilton Beach coffee machine last?
Sadly, coffee makers are notorious for not lasting very long. However, Hamilton Beach is a little different than most other brands. The vast majority of coffee maker brands will only last a single year with proper care and maintenance. With Hamilton Beach, you can expect your coffee machine to last a total of five years with regular maintenance.Some coffee makers from this brand also come with a limited warranty, so if you’re worried about getting a “dud” coffee maker, check out which models come with a warranty.
Why is my coffee maker taking so long to brew?
If you’re experiencing noticeable delays in water heating and other coffee-making aspects, it may be time to clean your coffee machine. Lagging cleaning times are a sign that you have a significant amount of hard water buildup throughout your machine. After you do a full descaling and deep clean, you should see your coffee maker working faster once more.
How do you fix a clogged coffee maker?
If your coffee maker has gotten to the point of getting a clog in it, it’s long overdue for a cleaning. This means that your coffee machine has been neglected to the point that hard water buildup clogged its inner workings. You won’t be able to use your machine until you clean it.Thankfully, you don’t need any commercial cleaning products to remove most clogs. To remove the clogs, just run a couple of cups of vinegar through the coffee machine. Then, do a full flush to help remove any additional buildup your cleaning routine may have missed.
Ossiana Tepfenhart is an expert writer, focusing on interior design and general home tips. Writing is her life, and it's what she does best. Her interests include art and real estate investments.
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