Can I fix this myself?

Yes, this is routine maintenance rather than a repair. Follow the steps above using the consumable the manufacturer specifies, and if the message returns immediately after a correctly completed cycle, treat it as a service call.

Where do these steps come from?

They are transcribed from the Barista Pro Instruction Book BES878, p.20-21. We do not repair machines and we do not publish a fix we cannot cite to the manufacturer.

Will this code clear on its own?

Maintenance prompts clear when the cycle they are asking for is completed in full — stopping partway usually leaves the counter running. Fault codes clear when the underlying condition is corrected, not by power-cycling past them.

Breville DESCALE: DESCALE alert — Causes and Fixes

Routine maintenanceUpdated August 3, 2026

Breville · Barista Pro BES878

DESCALE — DESCALE alert

Routine maintenance

What the machine is reporting

After regular use, hard water can cause mineral build up in and on many of the inner functioning components, reducing the brewing flow, brewing temperature, power of the machine, and the taste of the espresso. The LCD will display a DESCALE alert, when a descaling cycle is required.

Likely causes, most likely first

Mineral/scale build-up has reached the machine's descale interval

What to do

1. Empty the drip tray and reattach it. Remove the water tank and remove the filter from the water tank.
2. Fill the water tank to the DESCALE line indicated and add the descaling agent to the water. Reattach the water tank.
3. Press MENU, navigate to DESCALE with the GRIND AMOUNT dial, then press to select. The 1 CUP button will illuminate.
4. Press the 1 CUP button to start the descaling cycle.
5. Do not immerse power cord, power plug or appliance in water. The water tank should never be removed or completely emptied during descaling.

Source: the Barista Pro Instruction Book BES878, p.20-21. Transcribed from Breville's own published documentation — we do not repair machines and do not publish fixes we cannot cite.

When to stop and call a technician

The machine trips a breaker, smells of burning, or shows scorched wiring.
Water is leaking from inside the chassis rather than from the tank, tray or portafilter.
The fault involves the boiler, a pressure valve, the heating element or the pump itself.
The code returns immediately after a correctly completed reset or maintenance cycle.
The machine is under warranty — opening it yourself usually ends that cover.

Never bypass, disable or remove a safety device — a thermal fuse, pressure relief valve or lid interlock is the part standing between a fault and a fire. Do not open a pressurised boiler or work on mains wiring.

Machines this applies to

What the fix needs

Descaler
Descaling removes the mineral scale this fault is caused by. Use a product made for espresso machines.
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Water filter
A filter slows how fast scale returns after the fix. It does not replace descaling.
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As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. These are category searches, not product endorsements — always use the consumable your machine's own manual specifies.

Other Breville codes

FLUSH — FLUSH alert
CLEAN ME! — Clean Me!
CHANGE FILTER — Change Filter
CLEAN / DESCALE light — CLEAN / DESCALE light — flashing vs solid
ERR — ERR error message on LCD
Operation Error — Operation Error on the touch screen

All Breville error codes →

Frequently asked

What does Breville DESCALE mean?: After regular use, hard water can cause mineral build up in and on many of the inner functioning components, reducing the brewing flow, brewing temperature, power of the machine, and the taste of the espresso. The LCD will display a DESCALE alert, when a descaling cycle is required.
Can I fix this myself?: Yes, this is routine maintenance rather than a repair. Follow the steps above using the consumable the manufacturer specifies, and if the message returns immediately after a correctly completed cycle, treat it as a service call.
Where do these steps come from?: They are transcribed from the Barista Pro Instruction Book BES878, p.20-21. We do not repair machines and we do not publish a fix we cannot cite to the manufacturer.
Will this code clear on its own?: Maintenance prompts clear when the cycle they are asking for is completed in full — stopping partway usually leaves the counter running. Fault codes clear when the underlying condition is corrected, not by power-cycling past them.