How to Work a BUNN Coffee Maker

How to work a BUNN coffee maker

Image (modified): Flickr

BUNN coffee makers have been in production since the 1950s. The company makes quality home and commercial grade coffee dispensers that brew top-notch coffee.

Its passion for making quality coffee has led to the creation of some of the best coffee makers on the market worldwide. To help you brew the best coffee, we want to share some tips on how to work a BUNN coffee maker.

There are many different styles of BUNN coffee makers to choose from and some have slight differences in the way they function. We want to discuss how to properly operate some of their most popular models including the BX, GR, BT, ST and NHS Velocity Brew models.

How to use a BUNN coffee maker for the first time

Always read all the instructions that the BUNN manufacturer includes with their machines and become familiar with your new coffee maker.

Familiarize yourself with important BUNN coffee maker parts

It's a good idea to become familiar with these parts of your brewer:​

  • Brewer Funnel Lid (all models)​
  • Internal Hot Water Tank (all models)
  • Glass Carafe Lid (for these models - GR, BX, NHS)
  • Glass Carafe (for these models - GR, BX, NHS)
  • Warmer Plate (for these models - GR, BX, NHS)
  • Thermal Carafe Lid (BT and ST models)
  • Thermal Carafe (BT and ST models)
  • Spray-head Power On Light (ST model)
  • ​Warmer Switch (GR, BX, NHS models)
  • Vacation Switch – The location will vary from model to model

For first time use of the BX, GR, BT, ST and NHS Velocity Brew models:

DO NOT plug in the brewer until you complete the following steps:

  • Place an empty brew funnel into the funnel guide.
  • Lift or slide the brewer lid.
  • Pour a full carafe of filtered water into the brewer.
  • Place the carafe on the base under the brew funnel.
  • It may take three minutes for the water to partially fill the tank.
  • Repeat the process until the tank is full. It will take about 2 carafes to fill the holding tank.
  • You will know the tank is full when water flows from the brew funnel, so make sure to replace the carafe in the base after each fill.
  • Close the lid.
  • Plug in the brewer.
  • Press the bottom of the vacation switch to the “on” position. It is located on the lower left side of the machine. It heats the machine and may take 15 minutes to reach the appropriate temperature for brewing.

Initial set up is complete, and you are now ready to brew your coffee.

Let's get brewing

To brew your first cup, follow these instructions:

  • Put a BUNN coffee filter in the brew funnel.​
  • Place desired amount of coffee into the filter and level out the grounds for a more even brew.
  • Slide the brew funnel into the filter guide.
  • Open the lid.
  • Fill the carafe with 4-10 cups of water.
  • Pour the water into the brewer.
  • Turn on the warmer, unless you are using an ST or BT model.
  • Close the lid to begin the brewing process.
How to work a BUNN coffee maker

Cleaning a BUNN coffee maker

There are some absolute musts when it comes to cleaning your brewer and BUNN coffee maker parts.

Daily maintenance consists of the following:

  • Rinse out the filter basket for each use.
  • Clean out the brewing pot for each use.
  • When you are done using your BUNN for the day, thoroughly clean the coffee funnels, brewing pot and brewers.

Weekly maintenance consists of the following:

  • Rinse all the equipment thoroughly.​
  • Use a household cleaner to scrub the outside of the brewer.
  • Scrub the brew basket to remove residue.
  • Check the spray heads to ensure they are not clogged.
  • Clean out the coffee grinder.
  • The brew funnel and decanter can be washed on the top-rack of the dishwasher.

Deliming your coffee maker

You should delime the brewer periodically. This means you are cleaning your machine of any lime or other deposits that may have accumulated due to the water you use.

How often you must delime depends on the type of water you're using. Hard water tends to cause accumulated deposits more often.

Unplug the brewer before beginning the deliming process.

  • Locate the spray head.​
  • Unscrew the spray head and put it aside for later.
  • Find the deliming probe that came with your brewer.
  • Insert all but two inches of the deliming probe into the spray head opening.
  • Slide the tool in and out five or six times, loosening the deposits.
  • Next clean the spray head.
  • Any remaining mineral deposits can be removed from the spray head with a toothpick or other small prodding utensil.
  • Rinse the spray head with water before reinstalling.
  • Plug in the brewer and allow the water in the tank to reheat before using.

How to empty a BUNN coffee maker

It's good practice to empty the water in your BUNN routinely, but it should definitely be emptied whenever you need to take it somewhere, ship it, or store it in an unheated location where it has the possibility of freezing.

This is how to empty your BUNN coffee maker safely:

  • Unplug the brewer.​
  • Cool the water in the tank by sliding an empty brew funnel into the brewer under the warmer switch and centering an empty decanter on the warmer. Pour a full pitcher of cold water into the top of the brewer. Wait for the water to stop flowing from the funnel and empty the decanter. Repeat with a second pitcher of water.
  • Remove the spray head. Turn it counterclockwise with your fingers and remove it.
  • Over your sink, quickly turn the brewer upside down. The majority of the water in the tank will come out of the spray head opening, yet some water may flow from near the top of the lid.
  • Continue until the water stops draining.
  • Put the spray head back on by turning it clockwise until it is secure.

As you can see, overall, BUNN coffee maker maintenance is simple.​

If you're in the market for a machine, check out our article on BUNN coffee maker reviews, where we take a close-up look at 7 of the brand's top machines to help toy find the one that's right for you. 

You'll be able to taste the difference when you brew with one of their machines. And now, after learning how to work a BUNN coffee maker, you're an expert brewer!

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