Not at all. When you run a shot for a drink you just run a little extra water to get any coffee off the screen and wipe the screen and gasket. I have a brush that fits it so its quick and simple.
Once a week I backflush just to make sure its staying clean. It takes about 3 minutes. You put a little detergent on the blank disk and tun the machine for about 20 seconds. It send the water through it to clean the 3 way valve at the bottom. Depending on use you should do this once a week or every two weeks.
Descaling is simple, I will probably do it before it leaves, but you just run a solution throught to break up the build up. Its best if you run distilled water to not only keep the build up down, but also to get more of the coffee flavors, instead of the flavor hidden by hard or tap water.
This is a great first machine. Its very easy to use and very forgiving as you learn to make your drinks.