Coffee oils accumulate in the burr chamber and chute, oxidise, and go rancid. They flavour everything ground afterwards.
Weekly
Brush out the chute and the exit. A stiff brush, or the one supplied. Thirty seconds.
Empty and wipe the hopper if you leave beans in it. Oils accumulate there fastest, especially with dark roasts.
Monthly
Grinder cleaning tablets — food-safe pellets ground through like beans, which absorb oils and scrub the burrs. Grind and discard them, then purge a few grams of coffee.
Effective and by far the easiest option.
Every few months
Full disassembly. Remove the burrs, brush them clean, vacuum the chamber.
Do not wash burrs in water unless they are stainless and you dry them immediately and completely. Carbon steel burrs will rust.
Note the burr position before removing them, or you will need to re-zero.
If you grind oily dark roasts
Double all of the above. Oily beans coat everything and clog chutes quickly.
Signs it is overdue
A rancid or stale smell from the chute. Clumping and retention getting worse. Coffee tasting flat despite fresh beans. Visible packed grounds in the chamber.
Bean-to-cup grinders
Harder to reach, and cleaning tablets are the practical route. Follow the manual’s cycle.
The honest minimum
Tablets monthly and a brush weekly keeps almost any grinder in good order.
Last reviewed 8 August 2026