Features
Usage & Compatibility
Limescale is the primary enemy of a professional coffee machine in intensive use (bar, hotel, office). In France, the average water hardness is 25-30 °f (very hard in Île-de-France, Nord, Alsace, PACA), progressively depositing calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) in the machine's internal circuits: boiler, brewing group, valves, steam nozzle.
The BRITA Purity C150 Quell ST cartridge acts upstream, on the water before it enters the machine. Two complementary functions :
- Ion exchange resin — captures the calcium (Ca²⁺) and magnesium (Mg²⁺) responsible for hardness, replacing them with sodium (Na⁺) or hydrogen (H⁺) ions, depending on the type of resin. Result: softened water, limescale reduced by a factor of 5-10.
- Activated carbon — removes residual chlorine (medicinal taste), volatile organic compounds (chloroforms, THMs), fine particles , and unpleasant odors. Result: clean water with a neutral taste, preserving the aromas of coffee.
Positioning within the Purity C-series range :
- C25 / C50 — small home/office machines (~500-1500 L capacity depending on hardness).
- C150 Quell ST (this product) — Ho.Re.Ca machines, medium volume (~1,500-3,500 L capacity depending on hardness). Ideal for neighborhood cafes, medium-sized hotels, and offices with 50-100 people.
- C300 / C500 — professional high-capacity machines for catering and hospitality (~4,000-8,000 L). See Purity C500 (#60227).
- C1100 — very large vending machines, catering.
Compatibility: Professional catering machines equipped with the BRITA Purity C filtration system — check machine model compatibility
Often bought together
Frequently Asked Questions
Which coffee machines is it compatible with?
Professional machines equipped with a BRITA Purity C-Series filtration system :
- Automatic machines for catering and hospitality — Jura X-Series, WMF 1500 S+/5000S+, Franke A400/A600, Melitta Cafina, Egro (with Purity C adapter).
- Semi-automatic pro espresso machines — Rancilio Classe 5/7/9, Faema E71/E98, La Marzocco Linea PB, La Cimbali M39/M100 (with BRITA Purity C kit).
- Lavazza Blue LB pro — LB2312, LB2317, LB2500 (with adapter, otherwise use Lavazza Aqua Aroma Crema Filter (#31878)).
Compatibility check : consult the machine manual or the supplier. The BRITA Purity C standard fitting is a universal threaded connection , but some models require an adapter.
Lifespan / actual capacity
The capacity varies depending on the local water hardness :
- Very soft water (< 7 °f) — Western Alsace, Brittany, Massif Central: ~3,500 L (duration ~12 months, average volume for bar/hotel use).
- Fresh water (7-15 °f) — Loire, Southwest: ~2,500-3,000 L (~9-12 months).
- Hard water (15-25 °f) — Rhône Valley, Provence: ~2,000 L (~8-10 months).
- Very hard water (> 25 °f) — Paris IDF, North, Alsace east, Champagne: ~1,500 L (~6-8 months).
Machine monitoring : Most Ho.Re.Ca. machines display a cartridge saturation indicator (volume counter or timer). Respect the saturation point when the cartridge is changed —beyond this point, the resin releases ions and the carbon loses its effectiveness.
Difference with Purity C500 (#60227) and C1100?
BRITA Purity C-series range — increasing sizes for increasing volumes :
- C25 / C50 — small volumes (home, apartment machine, 10-person meeting room) · ~500-1500 L.
- C150 (this product) — average volume (neighborhood bar, 20-room hotel, office 50-100 people) · ~1,500-3,500 L.
- C500 (#60227) — large volumes (bar volume, medium 4* hotel, restaurant, company 100-300 people) · ~4,000-8,000 L.
- C1100 — very large volumes (vending, institutional catering, canteen, fast food chain) · ~8,000-15,000 L.
Good choice : 1 cartridge = 1 service life ~6-12 months. Choose the size according to the monthly water volume of your machine. Undersizing = too frequent replacement = high unit cost. Oversizing = resin saturates less quickly but less freshly filtered water in the last few months.
BRITA-free alternative — just descaling?
Not recommended for intensive catering use :
- No filter + descaler only — curative action only . Limescale builds up faster than descaling. Machine lifespan reduced by 30-50%. Degraded coffee taste (chlorine, mineral notes) throughout service.
- With BRITA filter + descaling — preventative and curative action . The filter slows limescale buildup 5-10 times, and periodic descaling removes residue. Machine lifespan +30-50%. Coffee taste preserved.
The filter + descaler (with Descaler Cafemalin 250 mL (#32826)) is the best protection for a professional coffee machine.
Cartridge installation — protocol?
BRITA Purity C-Series standard protocol :
- Turn off the water supply to the machine.
- Remove the old cartridge (rotate 1/4 turn counterclockwise depending on the model). Empty the residual water into a bucket.
- Insert new cartridge (rotate 1/4 turn clockwise). Check seal.
- Rinse — circulate ~5 L of water through the filter (bin) to flush out resin fines and carbon.
- Turn the water back on. Reset the machine's volumetric meter (see manual).
- Note the installation date on the cartridge or in the machine log — useful for planning the next change.
If in doubt, contact your machine supplier's technical service or an authorized BRITA technician
BRITA — history and reliability?
BRITA GmbH — founded in 1966 in Wetter (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany) by Heinz Hankammer. The brand is named after his eldest daughter. A global leader in water filtration — for 60 years, with approximately 40,000 employeesand a presence in over 60 countries. Product ranges include consumer (filter jugs, taps), professional (coffee machines/catering, laboratories, dialysis), and industrial applications. Proven reliability : the Purity C-Series has been the de facto global standard for water filtration in Ho.Re.Ca. coffee machines since the 2000s.
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