The Lowdown on Portafilters
What is a pressurized portafilter? How about a non-pressurized portafilter? Is one better than the other? What about those bottomless portafilters — are they necessary or just a random geek accessory?
Gail breaks down the intricacies of one of the most essential elements of an espresso machine — explaining how they work, why you would want one type over another and what purpose, if any, bottomless portafilters have.
Hi Kat
Interesting video. You didn’t look at the Delonghi pressurised portafilter. Mine got gunked up so I removed the plastic pin, effectively depressurising it, but the coffee now comes through far too fast to give a decent shot. I think this is down to the holes in the basket being larger than you would have in a non-pressurised basket, but at least I get coffee again! So I’d not recommend trying to depressurise the Delonghi unless you’re in a no-coffee situation.
Mike
Hi Mike –
Yeah, there are several different types of pressurized portafilters but they either follow the handle or the basket being pressurized, which is why we demonstrated just those variables.
Are you using a grinder now that you are de-pressurized? If not, that could account for the increase in speed in your shots; the Delonghi PF’s we have here have filter screens that look to be similar to other models, so I’m not sure if that’s the cause. If you aren’t using a good grinder that can go fine enough for espresso, you could possibly pick one up and you’d seriously upgrade your shots!
- Kat
Hi Kat
I use pre-ground sometimes and grind some with a Dualit grinder, probably not a make you know, best known for their toasters so is probably made for them by someone else. It’s a burr grinder, around $99 in your currency. I suspect the Delonghi holes as I believe they let through some fine coffee in the first place resulting in the gunking, and I think they look bigger than on the Gaggia that I used to have, before it started giving me electric shocks! The Delonghi was a cheap and cheerful interim machine while I decided what to get next and is around three years old and I believe past its best. I’ll experiment with the finest grind.
I’m playing with an enormous (1.5L) Bodum Cafetiere at the moment which I got half price, as I’d started to miss the longer cup of coffee.
Take care
Mike
Three years is a good life for those machines, too!
I am a huge fan of press pots myself — if I make coffee at home on the weekends, that is what I use.
- Kat