So I just got a Breville Barista Pro, and after a couple of days of making great shots, I tried frothing milk this morning. Instead of a smooth steam flow, the wand sputtered, and hot water sprayed all over my counter. I’ve cleaned and purged the wand multiple times, made sure the water reservoir is full, and checked the milk pitcher position. The machine isn’t showing any error codes, and the pressure gauge seems normal during steaming. Has anyone else had this issue right after buying a new espresso machine? Could it be a manufacturing defect or something I’m missing in setup? Should I try descaling immediately, or is it better to contact customer support first? Any tips to fix or diagnose this before it ruins my kitchen?

That sputtering steam wand definitely sounds frustrating, especially on a new machine. Since your pressure gauge looks normal and there are no error codes, it might be a small blockage or trapped air in the steam circuit. Sometimes the wand’s internal holes can get partially clogged from factory residue or dried milk if it was tested before shipping.

Before jumping into descaling, try running just steam (no milk) for a good 30 seconds or so to see if that clears it up. Also, remove the tip of the steam wand and soak it in warm water to loosen any gunk. If it’s still sputtering, a quick call to Breville support might be worth it - they’re usually pretty helpful with new machines. Definitely better to catch it early before it gets messy again!