I was asked a question today about bottomless portafilters (sometimes called a Naked Portafilter) and why they are used in coffee;
Hi James . I was wondering what are the advantages of using a bottomless portafilter? Does it improve the taste of the shot or is it just a gimmick? Also, I have come to the conclusion that to get a good coffee don't go big . Double shot in a regular cup is best . If you like large mugs have 2 regulars instead . Also go easy on the milk . Would you agree ? Regards , John
So, what is a bottomless portafilter? Well, if you look at the bottom of your standard coffee portafilter, it is enclosed, so you cant directly see the underside of the coffee basket. In a bottomless design, the basket is exposed. The downside is that the extraction can be messy at times, but the benefit is that you can see directly what is happening with your coffee extraction. The aim is to have the pour settle in the middle of the basket and the only way that will happen is if your grinds are ground consistently and tamped evenly - if you tamp heavier to one side, your coffee will pour on that one side, resulting in over-extraction for part of the coffee puck and under extraction on the opposite side of the coffee puck.
Here is a video of my bottomless portafilter in action on a Rancilio Silvia espresso machine. I think it also adds a bit of something special to the extraction process, making it a little more romantic.
Hi James . I was wondering what are the advantages of using a bottomless portafilter? Does it improve the taste of the shot or is it just a gimmick? Also, I have come to the conclusion that to get a good coffee don't go big . Double shot in a regular cup is best . If you like large mugs have 2 regulars instead . Also go easy on the milk . Would you agree ? Regards , John
So, what is a bottomless portafilter? Well, if you look at the bottom of your standard coffee portafilter, it is enclosed, so you cant directly see the underside of the coffee basket. In a bottomless design, the basket is exposed. The downside is that the extraction can be messy at times, but the benefit is that you can see directly what is happening with your coffee extraction. The aim is to have the pour settle in the middle of the basket and the only way that will happen is if your grinds are ground consistently and tamped evenly - if you tamp heavier to one side, your coffee will pour on that one side, resulting in over-extraction for part of the coffee puck and under extraction on the opposite side of the coffee puck.
Here is a video of my bottomless portafilter in action on a Rancilio Silvia espresso machine. I think it also adds a bit of something special to the extraction process, making it a little more romantic.
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