Does A Portafilter Matter For Your Coffee?

Making a cup of coffee may seem easy, so people here often describe it as “Just pour the water and get the money.” However, is it really a piece of cake just like how it looks? The answer is no. There are a lot of things to consider if you want to make the best coffee that impresses your friends or your customers. One of the things is to understand the importance of each coffee product; some products may look the same even when observing closely, but the performance may make a huge difference. A great example of this is portafilter. In this article, we will explore and evaluate the important aspects of portafilters that make a huge difference when brewing a cup of rich-flavored coffee—including advantages and disadvantages of each type of portafilter, and even some tips in choosing the right portafilters for your use.

What is A Portafilter?

For those who don’t know what portafilter does, a portafilter basket’s work appears to be quite straightforward: it’s a metal channel intended to be utilized with super fine espresso and under high tension. That would be quite simple if the particles of espresso in your container were of entirely reliable size. However, from a tiny point of view, they come in uncontrollably fluctuating shapes and sizes. This is somewhat how coffee gets its character. The littlest particles can undoubtedly clear their path through the openings in our metal channel and into your cup, creating a thick, rich coffee. The particles are somewhat bigger than those openings that cause issues.

What Are The Components of The Portafilter?

Handle: it is the part of the portafilter that the user grips to keep it firmly attached to the group-head. The weight and sound of the handle, while not the most technological feature of the unit, may have a huge effect on the ergonomics of how the portafilter feels in the user’s palm. The size of the handle may be varying according to each coffee maker’s hands.

Basket: the real coffee grinds are kept in the basket of the portafilter. It’s located below where the water flows into the grinds and is equipped with holes. The process for generating the extra pressure is built into the basket itself with a single hole in some pressurized portafilter versions. Good baskets have holes running the length of the basket’s bottom surface, allowing water to circulate uniformly into the coffee bed. The precision-cut holes eliminate obstructions during extraction, resulting in less channeling and a more dependable and less messy experience.

Sprout: On some portafilter versions, this is the “swoop-like” part. There will be one or two spouts depending on whether it’s single or a double. These spouts aid in the even flow of espresso from the portafilter. Specifically, having two spouts enables the espresso to pour equally into two cups while pulling a double espresso shot. To save money, the manufacturer would provide you with the single most versatile and widely recognized instrument. You may draw a single-single, a single-double, or two singles from a double shot with a double spout portafilter. A single spout is insufficient to handle two singles from a double shot case. Most portafilters have spouts that can be adjusted to fit your personal preferences. The word “bottomless” or “naked” portafilter refers to a portafilter that does not have a sprout.

Spring Clip: it is a long clip-like device that applies pressure to hold the basket inside the portafilter. It’s a lot smoother to get the basket in and out when you have the right clip. The basket is kept in place by a thin retaining clip on portafilters. It’s time to change the spring if your basket is sliding out of the portafilter as you bang the grinds into your knock jar!

Gauge: a pressure gauge is available on some portafilters, which is particularly useful in commercial machines. It helps you to monitor the output pressure of your pump even if the motor does not have a pressure gauge.

Single, Double, or Triple Shot?

Most home machines allow you to replace the filter basket within the portafilter, but not all manufacturers offer a wide range of choices. In general, the more you pay for a computer, the more options you’ll get from the manufacturer.

Single-shot basket: usually, these small baskets contain 8-10 grams of coffee. To slow down the flow, they also have a smaller set of holes at the bottom of the basket.

Double-shot basket: double-shot baskets, which are popular in industrial and consumer machines, can accommodate 16-22 grams of ground coffee. For most days, this is what you’ll like to use.

Triple-shot basket: If you need more caffeine than normal, use a triple shot basket, which can hold 30-35g of coffee. That’ll be a massive triple shot!

Less expensive machines can be advertised to have double-shot baskets, but they only carry around 10g of coffee. This is a normal case for smaller portafilter diameters, and it is really misleading.

What Are The Differences Between A Regular Portafilter And A Bottomless Portafilter?

There’s more to choosing the right portafilter for your espresso machine than matching the diameter and basket height. The bottomless portafilter, also known as the naked portafilter, is a common tool among experienced and home baristas. The decision between a bottomless portafilter and a standard portafilter boils down to personal taste and what you want to get out of your coffee setup.

 Regular Portafilter

A firm bottom with spouts surrounds the bottom of the basket on a standard portafilter, allowing the espresso to pour into the cup. The espresso would not flow straight into the cup in a normal portafilter, also known as a spouted portafilter. Before it seeps through the single or double spouts, it must spill on the portafilter’s rim.

Advantages of Regular Portafilter 

The benefits of spouted portafilters are as follows:

1. Spouted portafilters funnel the coffee cleanly through the spouts, reducing spraying caused by espresso channeling. Coffee runs in various directions and at different speeds as a result of espresso channeling. A spouted portafilter absorbs the coffee and channels it into your cup through the spouts, stopping it from spraying all over your counter.

2. A double-spouted portafilter makes it easy to break a double shot of espresso into two single shots. When there is no channeling, a double-spouted portafilter makes it simple to split a double shot into two equivalent shots. Place a cup under each spout, and the filter will break the shot into “two rounds,” each of which will flow into the cup from the corresponding spout.

3. By using pressurized filter buckets, traditional portafilters are ideal. Since the spouts interrupt the flow of the coffee and reduce the chances of splashing, spouted portafilters are the safest option for using pressurized filter baskets that eject coffee at high strain.

4. It’s easier for inexperienced people to use. When you’re first learning how to make espresso, the methodology – dosing, delivery, and tamping – isn’t completely developed, which can lead to issues like espresso spraying. Praying can break a new learner’s faith, particularly if it happens regularly. If you continue to practice and perfect your espresso technique, a spouted portafilter will improve your morale by removing spraying.

Drawbacks of Regular Portafilter

The major disadvantage of this type of portafilter is that it is harder to diagnose channeling than a bare filter. If you don’t catch channeling early enough, you’ll keep making bad espresso, and you’ll miss out on the chance to make your technique better.

Bottomless Portafilter

When the underside of a portafilter is free, it becomes “bottomless.” You may either buy a bottomless portafilter ready-made or change a standard portafilter. Here, we’ll look at how this disparity affects espresso preparation and why you should consider adding one to your coffee prep arsenal.

The bottom of the basket is exposed when a bottomless or “naked” portafilter is opened. It only seems like a sturdy metal ring with a handle without the basket. The espresso can pass through the puck and into a straight, balanced column of liquid that descends directly from the basket into the serving vessel while pulling a shot.

Advantages of Bottomless Portafilter

More experienced people prefer using bottomless portafilter because of many benefits:

1. Channeling issues are easy to detect and troubleshoot. A bottomless filter allows you to see the whole extraction process and spot and troubleshoot issues like channeling. You can quickly find and fix problems with grinding, dosing, delivery, and tamping.

2. It is an amazing teaching tool. Since you can diagnose extraction issues with a naked portafilter, it’s an excellent teaching platform for perfecting your extraction method. It will aid in the development of your overall espresso technique.

3. Cleaning naked portafilter is easy. It’s simple to clean because all of the bottomless filter’s components are easily accessible. A clean portafilter can help to improve the flavor of your espresso.

4. It can help increase cremation. A bare portafilter produces more crema than a spouted filter with perfect technique. Since there are no spouts, there are no possible places for crema to adhere. The crema drips directly into the cup from the filter basket.

5. It gives additional cup clearance. Since a bare portafilter has no chutes, it is lighter in weight and has more cup clearance than a spouted filter. You should pour the espresso straight into a higher cup, such as a travel mug or a takeout cup.

6. It allows for the use of larger filter buckets. Filter baskets that are deeper, such as triple baskets (21 grams or more), fit even better in bottomless portafilters than spouted portafilters.

7. It’s awe-inspiring to watch the extraction operation. You will watch the espresso drip from the bottom of the basket all the way to the cup with a naked filter. The deep dark brown hue of the espresso as it runs through the filter is truly a sight to see after you’ve mastered your extraction technique.

Drawbacks of Bottomless Portafilter

You can’t break double shots into two cups by using a bottomless portafilter. This can be restrictive, particularly in a crowded commercial environment where multiple customers favor single shots. Also, when using a bare portafilter, poor dosing, delivery, and tamping can result in spraying, resulting in a dirty workstation.

Naked portafilters aren’t recommended for use with pressurized filter baskets because they can cause coffee to spill all over the table. Due to espresso spritzing problems, it can be messy and stressful, especially for beginners.

What Are The Differences Between Pressurized Portafilter And Non-pressurized Portafilter?

When we talk about pressure-classified portafilters, we mainly focus on 2 commonly used types of filter baskets. Therefore, to simply put it, pressurized portafilter uses pressurized filter baskets while non-pressurized portafilter uses non-pressurized filter baskets. The distinction between a pressurized and non-pressurized portafilter has to do with the amount of control you want over the brewing process. Espresso is brewed between 8 and 9 bars of pressure.

Pressurized Basket

Pressurized Baskets (also known as double wall baskets) are made up of a regular mesh foundation and a second ‘wall’ with a single small hole into which the extraction is pushed. When brewing, this results in a higher degree of pressure inside the basket. Many entry-level home espresso machines come with pressurized baskets, and higher-end home espresso machines can come with them as well. They will not, though, be seen in a commercial environment.

How Does Pressurized Portafilter Work? 

The coffee moves between two windows in these portafilters. Water removes the coffee first and flows into a storage area between the first and second screens using the traditional first screen. The caffeine is squeezed out through a single hole in the second screen as the pressure increases. Pressure piles up as the second screen limits the number of outlets open to the coffee. If the espresso passes into the second screen and through the spout, it aerates, resulting in the creation of a very artificial crema (foam). 

The pressurization system is integrated into the basket of certain brands of portafilters. Others have it integrated right into the unit. By eliminating the pressure trigger, some varieties also allow you to “toggle” the pressure on and off. Home espresso machines, rather than specialist barista machines, usually use a pressurized portafilter. It’s especially useful for people who use low-cost burr grinders or blade grinders that yield rough coffee grounds. 

Benefits of A Pressurized Portafilter

The most significant advantage of using a pressurized basket is that it can significantly increase performance by tolerating less specifically ground coffee while still producing an adequate extraction. This is especially useful in domestic environments where a specific grind isn’t always possible, or where the operator just wants a quick setup without having to learn the nuances of espresso brewing. Pre-ground coffee can be used in these baskets while also creating crema. 

The friction that builds behind the second wall ensures that the water passes into all of the grounds in the basket and aids in the extraction of the coffee’s oils. This is also why a less direct grind is acceptable; people will be able to get away with using something more suited to a stovetop or drip filter because the resistance is created by the basket, not the coffee.

Drawbacks of A Pressurized Portafilter

There are 2 common advantages when you use this type of portafilter. First of all, the consistency and taste of the espresso are not as rich. Another common issue is that it reduces the amount of power the brewer has over the extraction process.

Non-pressurized Basket

Non-pressurized baskets were the first kind of basket used for espresso brewing. The distinction is that they don’t have a second wall, because when you roast your coffee, nothing but the grind and how hard you tamp it causes friction. These are the favorite choice for coffee lovers, and experienced baristas in coffee shops use them.

How Does Non-pressurized Portafilter Work? 

The second wall does not exist in a non-pressurized portafilter basket. A single wall portafilter is another name for it. Since the espresso machine produces much of the friction, the espresso’s output is mostly determined by the grind scale, tamping consistency, and dosage. Non-pressurized baskets, when used properly, will deliver high-quality shots with vivid flavors and excellent crema. Furthermore, the espresso collected would have a more substantial body.

A non-pressurized portafilter may be preferred by more seasoned baristas simply because it helps them to “craft” the espresso by adjusting the variables mentioned above (grind-size, dosage, and evenness).

Benefits of A Non-pressurized Portafilter

Single-wall filters are favored by coffee practitioners and enthusiasts because they make for more precise control over each extraction. If you’re using a non-pressurized basket, it’s critical that you dial in your grinder correctly to get the perfect grind for your rig. When using a non-pressurized basket, you can need a better grind of coffee to get the best results, and tamping is even more necessary in the extraction. Although these baskets do necessitate more accuracy, the extra effort will pay off handsomely. Non-pressurized buckets provide a fuller-bodied extraction of all of the pleasant flavors we like in a healthy cup of coffee (when you get the extraction right).

Drawbacks of A Non-pressurized Portafilter

The most noticeable downside of this type of portafilter is that it is challenging for beginners who want to start brewing coffee. The users need to have experience in the extracting process in order to be able to brew a cup of rich flavored coffee. Of course, it requires knowledge in the process as well, which takes time to build and learn. 

What is The Most Common Issue With A Bad Portafilter?

One of the holes of portafilter can be clogged or obstructed by a particle of the wrong size or shape. At first, this doesn’t seem to be a big deal, but chances are that many gaps will be blocked during our extraction, potentially having a negative impact on those around them. As a result, areas behind the obstructions could be under-extracted, with less water flowing through them than their neighbors. This, as usual, results in shots of less taste clarification.

You might ask, “so, how can a basket stay clear of clogs?” The answer is pretty simple: the form and accuracy of the holes, for example, have a significant effect on how likely they are to be obstructed. A particle of coffee is much more likely to get caught on the sides of a hole that is jagged, sharp, and irregular. There is much less likelihood of obstruction if the opening is straight and perfectly spherical.

How Can You Tell Bad Portafilters From The Good Ones?

Sadly, if you do not have the right kind of microscope, you won’t be able to tell from looking at it. You have to depend on your own: 

Experience: you have to see if your portafilter produces shot with less clarity in its flavors. If it does, your product is not really a good one. Again, this also relies on your knowledge and experience in coffee (maybe from your coffee training), and you are able to differentiate the taste of the good shots from the ones.

Feedback: another option if you haven’t bought your portafilter is to look at the reviews on the product you are planning to buy. This is a more beginner-friendly approach than the one mentioned above. Also, you have to be mindful of the customers’ reviews from those who have experience in coffee-making or they are pure beginners. Being about to tell the expertise level of the reviewers will help you make an informed decision on your purchase.

Whatever details the vendor offers: these details may include the types of your portafilters, which we will discuss and evaluate later on, or even better, a microscopic picture of the holes on the products. These details will be able to help you evaluate if the product is suitable for your needs. 

These are the common tips in helping you choose the right and good portafilter for you especially if you are a beginner. 

References 

• What is a Portafilter? Here’s Everything You Need to Know (2021 Edition) | Majesty Coffee School 
• What is a pressurized portafilter? | Bean Poet | Molly Spencer
• The joy and pain of a bottomless portafilter | Bean Poet | Molly Spencer
• Portafilter Baskets – Do They Matter? | Clive Coffee | Adam Raper
• Bottomless Portafilter vs Regular: Why The Bottomless Is A Clear Winner | Kahawa Planet
• Pressurised vs Non-Pressurised Baskets | Guide 2 Coffee | Luke Nielsen